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ARCTIC BEER FESTIVAL TASTER.

A Visit to the Tromso Beer Festival, Norway.

 We were recently on holiday in Norway and took the opportunity to visit what is claimed to be the world’s northernmost beer festival.

 Tromso is the largest town in the polar region of Scandinavia. It’s located about 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle, on the same latitude as northern Alaska. Allegedly, ale has been brewed here since Viking times. Later, Roald Amundsen set off from here on the race to the South Pole. Local people jest that he beat Robert Scott to the Pole in 1911 because he was fortified by stocks of Tromso beer. The annual beer festival now takes place in August and is run by the town’s brewery.(On a curious note the British Embassy is located in the brewery.)

The Norwegian word for beer is “ol” and Ludwig Mack opened his Tromso beer brewery or “olbryggeri” in 1877.  He was of German descent, which is reflected in the range of beers. It soon became the town’s largest industry. Today it produces about 16 kinds of beer from dark lager, Bayerol - the original recipe – to bock beer – Vorterol. The biggest seller is Mack Pilsner. I’m not sure that all the products are true real ales, but the firm has recently invested in a micro-brewery. This produces English style Ludwig Brown Ale and Ludwig Pale Ale using recipes from Burton on Trent. English hops are used to give more bitterness than the German style beers.

The Festival is held in a very large marquee and ”olhallen” near to the brewery. Some 200 European beers and local speciality foods are available. Beers may be purchased at the bars or from serving wenches – “serveringsdames” – who are known as the “crew”. Entertainment varies from rock bands to a BBC orchestra. We went to an afternoon session. Free entry, of course, with a CAMRA card! It was well attended with a friendly atmosphere.

However, the beer was seriously expensive by our standards – starting at about £5.50 for half a litre of pretty weak 2% ale. That is, small beer at big prices. To make matters worse it came in plastic glasses with a large foaming head. Now who needs a Full Pints Campaign I wondered?  So coming from Hinckley, knowing that beer prices were much cheaper back on the cruise ship and not having bottomless pockets, we slowly shared some ale and just stayed for an hour or so.

Nevertheless, it was certainly an interesting experience. Not really a proper session though – but more of an Arctic taster.  Well as they say over there – Skal!!

Richard Lewin.
26/08/07.

Photos: -

View of the city. Central Tromso is built on an island. The brewery and beer festival is near the waterfront by a small quay to the left of the bridge. Also see cruise ship to the right where bottled Pedigree, Speckled Hen and IPA could all be had for about £2 a pint.

View of one of the bars. (Cautiously sipping ale from a plastic glass - is this really worth £6 a pint he thinks?)

View alongside a festival programme.

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