BREWERY // In 2012 four friends from different parts of the world - Adam (Australia), Richard (New Zealand), Darryl (South Africa) & Anders (Sweden) - decided to start a brewery in Gothenburg. Their name is derived from the Latin word Bibliotheca and creating a 'library of beers' is at the heart of what they do. They decided to create a wide variety of new beers with few repeat brews and many one offs. The big number on each can represents the number of different beers brewed up to that point. The past few years have seen steady growth for Beerbliotek and good beer on the whole in Sweden. There have been Gothenburg breweries since the city was founded in 1621 but at the turn of this century the last city brewery, Pripps, moved production abroad. Fortunately the craft beer boom came soon after and the city is now filled with awesome independent craft breweries. Next time you're in Sweden be sure to visit the Beerbliotek taproom, we have it on good authority it's a real good time.
BEER // Many beer fans incorrectly believe that the word 'lager' represents bland, fizzy, cheap, mass produced liquid to be avoided. Lager is actually a whole family of beers including Bock, Pilsner, Dunkel, Helles, Oktoberfestbier, Märzen, Baltic Porter and many more. The thing they have in common is that they are all made with bottom fermenting yeast (as opposed to the top fermenting yeasts used in ales) at a controlled cool temperature. Beerbliotek carefully crafted a classic East German style Schwarzbier, a style which offers a wonderful balance between clean dry light bodied pilsners and the rich flavours of darker beers, then aged it in cognac barrels to create a truly unique brew. There's a lot going on with this beer and it's fun to pick out different notes as it warms. Look out for bittersweet chocolate, overripe pear, espresso, oak, liquorice and fresh tobacco. Turn's out it hasn't all been done.
BREWERY // Beerbliotek
BEER // Stop Repeating Yourself
STYLE // Cognac Barrel Aged Schwarzbier
ORIGIN // Gothenburg, Sweden
ABV // 6.8%
TEMPERATURE // Cool- 7-9C
FOOD MATCH // Käsespätzle. Mushroom Risotto. Peking Duck. Dark Chocolate.
VESSEL // Lager or Pilsner Glass