Following hot on the heels on yesterday’s debate about the major breweries here in Sweden there’s no better example to highlight the effect of microbreweries on the big boys than Spendrups’ impending launch of Pistonhead Spring Edition Lager at the Systembolaget on Monday.
I very much doubt Spendrups would have created this US-inspired beer, complete with edgy flaming skull motif, if it hadn’t been for the micros creating a demand for more adventurous and exciting beers.
It’s a perfect case point to illustrate why the beer scene here needs both micros and macros, as they both drive each other to be better, resulting in better choice, higher quality and more interesting beers for us drinkers.
I can’t recall ever having been so curious about the launch of a Spendrups beer as I am for Pistonhead Spring Edition.
Described by Spendrups‘ brewmaster Richard Bengtsson as a “cocky lager hopped with US Amarillo and Cascade”, Pistonhead is aimed at drinkers who like their hot rods and rockabilly.
Bengtsson says he was inspired by the US microbrewery culture when creating Pistonhead, which will be available for only three months in the Systembolaget and selected pubs and bars.
Now I haven’t tried Pistonhead yet (I’ll be among the first to pick up a bottle at Monday’s launch) so I can’t comment on the beer’s taste. However I can already congratulate Spendrups for having the balls to launch such a ‘nonconforming’ beer. It shows they are listening to the market – thumbs ups!
Staying with Spendrups the brewery today announced it is currently revamping the image of many of its brands starting with its Premium Lager Ekologisk. It is also making a minor change to the brewery’s official name from Spendrups to Spendrups Bryggeri (Spendrups Brewery in English – I assume just in case people didn’t realise they were the Spendrups that brewed stuff)
The move, according to Marketing Director Erik Jarnsjö, is a ‘clarification‘ of what Spendrups stands for; “including everything from our origins to our choice and use of ingredients”.
Here’s a picture of the ‘new look’.
All a bit too much marketing fluff for me. Now as for that Pistonhead………….
Jag smakade Pistonhead igår. Förutom en häftig etikett så hittar jag ingen större likhet med det jänkarna håller på med. Spelar som ingen roll vad man använder för humle ifall man snålar in på den.
Och då vet jag inte om det är bryggeriet eller målgruppen som är felet.
Thanks for the comment Hannu. You’re the second person I’ve heard from today that’s tried Pistonhead and said the same thing…….
Tråkigt. Men jag kommer nog prova en flaska i alla fall då den är billig – vilket väl i och för sig talar för att man snålat in på humlen… å andra sidan är ett utmärkt lageröl som exempelvis Brooklyn Lager välhumlat, trevligt och relativt billigt, så jag har/hade mina förhoppningar om Pistonhead.
Sounds as expected.. ”We used American hops in this way out there crazy ass death skull brew! One whole leaf!”
I’ll be trying it anyway though, expecting a very basic lager taste..
I probably won’t try it. Lagers seldom get me going and there are to many other exiting beers to try. If it sounds interesting then I might give it a chance, but from the rumors I’ve heard it just don’t seem worth it. But it will be available for some time so I might give it a try if I’m in the right mood. Good try, Spendrups, but I’m not excited.
Sounds like what I expected, but I’m still going to try it. I always try everything I can get my hands on. But given their previous beers they will probably deliver what they usually do. But at least they are aiming in the right direct, just need to try harder.
Btw I visited a lecture that Ulf Spendrup hosted a couple of years ago in Uppsala. I got the impression he isn’t very interested in beer or at least not passionate about it.
I heard already 2 other people say exactly he same thing. It looks promising on the label but taste and aroma is really bad and the american hops are nowhere to be found.
I bought a bottle today. We’ll see how it tastes.
Pistonhead was a disapointment. I was fooled by the comercial description. The hops does not stand out in any way, it is hard to taste any hops at all. The malt body is a bit heavier then usual, otherwise just another booring macro lager.
The Pistonhead is a very good Spendruos beer, but that’s all… It doesn’t have the strange aftertaste of the regular spendrups beers, so I could really buy a couple if I’m somewhere where the Systembolaget has a bad range – i.e. sollentuna where I live – to drink at home while watching the Olympics…
But it’s not a modern American style lager!