Why Beer? Part 4

We are getting close to present time now and I guess the next major change was that conversation I had with my soon to be married friend at Glenfiddich warehouse NO 68. He interrupted me in a long series of drivels about beer and said: “Hey you should start a blog and write about beer.” Now I had been thinking I should do something about my passion for a long time. Just haven’t figured out what yet. A blog felt like a great way to do something about it. A couple of weeks later I got fired and got allot of spare time so I figure it was time to get this ball rolling. While I was at it I also started up my Ratebeer account which I hadn’t touched for ages.

Me, my father and brother at SBWF 2008. The lady that poured these beers for us was really friendly and knowledgable and we had a great time trying their beer. At one point we had 9 glasses up at the same time trying cask and bottle versions against each other.

Ever since we went to our first home brewer’s festival, me and my dad have been talking about making our own beer and participating in the competition. As you know we made our first brew from a “ready-to-go-kit” Good Friday (Långfredag) and then expand from that. We have also started planning for next year’s Swedish championship in Home Made Beer. We are currently working on the recipe and will make our two first experimental batches on the 30th of May.

Well now we are pretty much in present time and if you want the rest of this story, just keep following this blog.

I'll see you all at the next festival. Cheers!

Why Beer? Part 3

When I turned 25 and my dad turned 50 we had a big party (lots of pics and stuff in that link) together with a Viking theme. We served our own brewed mead and “Viking” spiced booze, dressed out and growled allot. Both me and my dad got the same gift from my aunt/his sister; a membership in the home brewers club. This opened up a new world to me. I got a magazine about beer which I have devoured ever since. We also noticed that there where allot more beer festivals besides SBWF.

Top: Hairy Lard Belly (my dad), Little Down Belly (Me), No Hair and Small Club (Roger). Bottom: Ugly Bastard (Martin) and Drunken Beard (Gabriel).

Since I lived in Uppsala our first festival was Belgofesten, a small festival with homebrewed Belgian style beers. It was (and still is) the best festival I have ever visited. Great beers, great people and it was allot of fun talking to all the brewers.

Belgofesten in Uppsala 2007 (Home made belgian style beers). On the picture: Karsten, Martin, Peter (my brother) and me.

Belgofesten 2008. The whole Eriksson family gathered for this one. It looks like I have tried all of the beers already on this picture hehe ;)

We decided we had to go to more of this and two months later we went to the Swedish Championship in home brewing. After that we kept adding more festivals to our yearly calendar. Micro Brewery Festival in Söderbärke. Whiskey festival in Linköping. Wine and cheese festival in Örebro…. and so on… So far we haven’t started brewing ourselves yet but the plans are there as you will soon notice.

Me and my dad at the whisky festival in Linköping 2007. The picture was taken at a Macallan testing. There was some crazy scottish guy on the stage weilding a knife and talking about Macallan. Very interesting :)

I'm still missing pictures from Söderbärke, Örebro Whine and Cheese and the Swedish Championship in Home Brewed Beer, but I will have some more for you later on. Part 4 will be puplished shortly.

(I moved the 2003 Oxford beer festival to 'Why Beer Part 2'.)

Why Beer? Part 2

When I turned 21 I went to my first beer festival, Stockholm Beer and Whiskey (SBWF). Me and a bunch of mates together with my dad and a couple of his friends gathered some cars plus drivers and headed off to Stockholm. This was a great evening and I found a new favorite in Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri. I also remember drinking an English beer at their stand, named Pale Rider. Haven’t found it since then, but thought it was absolutely brilliant at the time.

(Me and my mates on our way to the 2002 SBWF)
(visible in the pic from the left is Bjunge, Anton and my brother Peter, then me up front)

(Me, my dad Åke and Christer at the 2002 SBWF)

After that festival, I and my dad started trying beers together when we had a chance. Little by little we also got my kid brother interested and have successfully turned him over to the dark side of beer by now. We made visiting SBWF into a tradition, well my dad had gone there for years but it was new to me and soon also to my brother.

(Me, my dad, Mark and Dave at 2003 SBWF)

(Me, Roger and Martin at the 2004 SBWF, it's not fun standing in line. "Where is the damn beer?!?!)

I missed the 2005 festival due to being in South East Asia at the time. Swinging back beerlao and Singha all day long ;)

(My brother Peter, Me and Tommy at the 2006 SBWF.)

During 2003 me and my dad also went to Oxford to visit Mark and Dave. The trip started with a beer festival at the Turf. Was a really good one and our hosts Mark and Dave wouldn't let us go dry for a second. I remember having 4 glasses at once during one part of the festival.

Me in front of the kegs.

Me, Mark and Dave in a pub some day after the festival. Thanks for the guiding guys! :)

I just realised I had to much text and pictures in this part so I'm splitting this one in two. Next part involves Vikings and home brewing.

Why beer? Part 1

People tend to get a weird look on their face when I tell them that one of my major interests is beer. Some seem fascinated and I’m sure some just assume I’m a raving alcoholic. I’ve also been asked on several occasions: Why Beer? What’s so interesting about that?

It might be a bit hard or at least vague to explain why. It would just be some general praise of beer and trying to explain the joy of trying a new beer and I don’t think anybody would find that interesting. But I can at least explain how I came to love beer so much.

Most of the time I tell them how my father took me to England when I turned 18 and that’s when it started. I do believe that I got my interest for beer from my father. However, as I think back, I believe it started sooner.

I remember when I was first starting to drink alcohol that I always tried something new if I had the option. At first I just tried different types of lagers. Tried a few different kinds of ales and stouts but remember that I thought they were a bit too much. Hobgoblin is one of the beers I remember from this time. Can’t say I enjoyed it that much.

When I turned 18 we took that trip to England I mentioned earlier. This is when I got my eyes open to other types of beers. First off was real ale. At first I thought it tasted weird, kind of fruity and bland. But I stuck in there and our friends in England took us to some amazing places. (Thanks Mark and Dave!) Once I got back home I was hooked and started trying all sorts of beer. I quickly became known as the guy who always had a bunch of weird beers ;)