Brewer to Brewer: Matthias Trum and Berith Karlsson (Ep. 38)
Jan 4, 2024
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Matthias Trum interviews Berith Karlsson of Närke Kulturbryggeri. They discuss the origins of their brewery, starting a brewery in Sweden, beer as culture, the success of Nake Brewery, the creative process of brewing, and how one teacher started a brewery.
Närke Kulturbryggeri focuses on creating unique and flavorful beers by using special ingredients like smoked malt, spruce shoots, and beaver gall.
The Swedish craft beer market faces challenges due to its limited size, but Närke Kulturbryggeri remains optimistic and aims to provide high-quality beers through direct sales and guided brewery visits.
Deep dives
The Journey of Närke Kulturbryggeri
Närke Kulturbryggeri, founded in Sweden in 2003, is one of the 12 breweries that formed the Swedish Independent Small Scale Brewery Association. The brewery prides itself on creating interesting and high-quality beers, with a particular focus on unique flavors and traditional brewing methods. They have gained recognition and high ratings on beer rating platforms like RateBeer, thanks to their innovative and well-crafted beers. Närke Kulturbryggeri has a range of offerings, including lagers, ales, stouts, and beers infused with special ingredients such as spruce shoots, bog myrtle, juniper berries, and even beaver gall. The brewery also runs a small tasting pub where they offer beer schools, tastings, and tours. With the craft beer scene growing in Sweden, Närke Kulturbryggeri continues to play a significant role in providing unique and flavorful beers to beer enthusiasts and creating a positive impact on the industry.
Swedish Craft Beer Market and Challenges
The Swedish craft beer market has seen significant growth, with over 400 breweries in the country. However, the market size is limited by the population of beer drinkers in Sweden. Some breweries have experienced challenges as the market becomes more competitive and consumer preferences shift. The Swedish state monopoly on alcohol sales, although offering some benefits, can also have limitations for breweries by controlling the rules and distribution of their products. While craft breweries in Sweden face challenges, Närke Kulturbryggeri remains optimistic and focuses on delivering high-quality, local beers to its customers through various channels, including direct sales to shops and offering guided brewery visits and beer schools.
Närke Kulturbryggeri's Unique Flavor Profile
One of the distinguishing features of Närke Kulturbryggeri is its dedication to creating unique and flavorful beers. They use special ingredients like smoked malt, spruce shoots, juniper berries, and bog myrtle to infuse their beers with distinctive tastes. They have also ventured into using unconventional ingredients, such as beaver gall, creating interesting and surprising flavors. The brewery's innovation and commitment to pushing boundaries have garnered them high ratings and recognition on various beer rating platforms. Närke Kulturbryggeri sees itself as a blend of tradition and innovation, combining historic brewing techniques with modern creativity in order to offer consumers a diverse and memorable beer experience.
The Future of Swedish Craft Beer
The Swedish craft beer scene has reached a point where further growth may be limited due to the country's population size. While some breweries may face challenges in the future, Närke Kulturbryggeri remains confident and committed to providing local, high-quality beers to its customers. They continue to explore new flavors, techniques, and brewing traditions to keep their offerings fresh and exciting. As the craft beer industry evolves, Närke Kulturbryggeri aims to maintain its reputation as a pioneer of innovative and flavorful beers while staying true to their mission of delivering an exceptional beer experience.
Firsd Tea With winter chill setting in, now is the time to take advantage of the toasted rice and fresh green character of genmaicha tea in saisons, lagers, and cream ales. Looking for other new ideas? Email info@firsdtea.com to find the right teas and botanicals for your next project. You can find out more about Firsd Tea’s collaborations with brewers and tea ingredients by visiting firsdtea.com/blog.
The Best of Craft Beer Awards Attention brewers: registration is now open for the 2024 Best of Craft Beer Awards. Now in its 10th year, this is a BJCP sanctioned event judged by fellow brewers, professional judges, and industry leaders. Judged in Oregon, it’s the third largest professional brewing competition in North America and is a chance to have your hard work evaluated and rewarded. In addition to traditional styles, new this year is the smoothie sour style category, and the collaboration competition. Learn more and register your beers through January 31, 2024 by visiting www.BestofCraftBeerAwards.com/register
Host: Matthias Trum
Guest: Berith Karlsson
Sponsor: Firsd Tea, The Best of Craft Beer Awards, All About Beer