Gothenburg: Craft Beer capital of Sweden

We have recently returned from a few days in Gothenburg and although our primary focus as tourists was the museums, parks and restaurants of this wonderful underrated city I have to admit the opportunity to taste a range of impressive craft beers is also a lasting memory of the trip.  Around 40 breweries in the city and the surrounding area plus the statistic that Gothenburg is the town/city in Sweden with the most breweries per person suggest why this city has gained a reputation in the past 20 years as the craft beer capital of Sweden.  With a little bit of advance research and a modest investment in 3-day travel passes for all modes of public transport (240 kr / approx £19) we were able to travel freely across the city to promising beer venues in addition to the sights. I've organised the beer discoveries according to 4 contrasting venues we visited, some admittedly more than once.  

Ölrepubliken, Kronhusgatan 2B, Gothenburg

Ölrepubliken

Once you understand that Öl in Swedish is the word for beer it's not that difficult to translate the name of this place and it is, indeed, a true people's republic of beer.  It boasts getting on for 30 taps plus numerous bottles making it one of the largest selections on offer in the city.  The range includes beers from Belgium, Germany, the UK as well as craft beer from Sweden and other Nordic countries. It feels more like an English pub than a trendy bar and crucially also has a good menu of hearty food.  Having arrived in the early evening at the Avalon hotel right next to the airport bus stop at Kungsportsplatsen it was only a 10 mins walk after check-in to Ölrepubliken where we had smartly booked online earlier in the day to sit right beside the bar.  

To accompany a large plate of venison meatballs, peas and mash (after all this was the first night in Sweden!) beer choices were decidedly from Gothenburg brewers.  First up Naranji, an American IPA 6.8% and one of the core beers from O/O Brewing.  A second beer, from Beerbliotek (in collaboration with Norway's Amundsen) was an 8% DIPA The Shape of Haze to Come.  As a classic NEIPA it tasted decidedly sweet with a notable mango background.  And of course no meal is complete without a dessert so we shared a Lazarus, a 6% English Porter with plenty of the requisite dark chocolate and coffee flavours.  The producer being Ringo Brewing a wholly owned subsidiary and brand of Stigbergets Bryggeri (see below). 

Naranji, O/O Brewing 

Brewers Beer Bar, Tredje Långgatan 8, Gothenburg

On Day 2 our sightseeing took us to the Haga district, in past times an area populated by housing and workshops for poor labourers from the nearby docks but now totally gentrified with attractive shops and cafés. It was here that we stumbled across one of the two branches of Brewers Beer Bar in Gothenburg (the other at Magazinesgatan 3). Here was the opportunity to try another Ringu Brewing beer Nördvändig, a 7% American IPA. Pleasantly fresh but to my taste it was a bit thin in terms of body. Neon Beast 6% from Salama Brewing Company just outside the Finnish capital, was enjoyed much more. It was a soft, juicy, easy drinking NE IPA which is apparently hopped solely with Citra. 

Ölstugen Tollen, Andra Långgatan 13, Gothenburg

Day 3 found us finally trying one of the Ölstugen Tollen bars from a small chain with a number of locations across the city. In our case it was at lunchtime in the bar in Andra Lānggatan which the local tourist board describes as "a lively area just west of the Haga with an almost endless selection of bars with a focus on beer and affordable food".  To be fair on a Sunday lunchtime it was remarkably quiet and a table outside on the pavement was just right for a quick beer in the sun. The beer in question was the intriguingly named HOPnick [5]. It comes from a small microbrewery called AKiA in Kungsbacka about 20 miles south of Gothenburg. With citrus and pineapple fruit flavours matched by some balancing sweetness and at 7.5% it was my second favourite hazy NE IPA of the trip.

HOPnick [5], AKiA Brewing

Kungstorgets Brygghus, Kungstorget 11, Gothenburg

My top hazy IPA of the week has to be the one I came across on the last night in a bar literally across the road from our hotel entrance.  We were returning from a great meal out in an Italian restaurant and decided to have a nightcap before turning in. Amongst a very mixed list of beers on the board I noted Trippelmås a full 10% Triple NE IPA from Stigbergets Bryggeri, one of the popular craft breweries in Gothenburg.  Highly hopped, with remarkably full body and tasting probably sweeter than all the other NE IPAs I tried in Sweden.  What a great way to end the evening! 

Sadly, I don't appear to have a photo of my Trippelmås but having checked out of the hotel the next afternoon we returned to the bar for one last beer before taking the bus back to the airport. (I imagine I was hoping to have another Trippelmås but unfortunately it was gone).  Studying the board my eyes settled on Magic Moment from another local brewery Duckpond Brewing which at 8% I assumed was another decent hazy DIPA. Imagine my shock then when this was placed on the bar....  

Magic Moment, Duckpond Brewing 

The moral of the tale: look out for the short, all-important Swedish word 'Suröl'.  It's going to be a Sour.  I have nothing against sours but must admit, because there are other beer styles I prefer, it is rare that I drink one. Nevertheless, I'm happy to report that this brewery has a reputation for producing funky, delicious fruited sours and gave me a memorable final Swedish beer to see me on my way.  And FWIW my assessment was "Tart. A depth of dark berry flavours with a hint of vanilla."