It’s Friday 13^th today so I’m being extra careful to avoid black cats, dropping or breaking anything, crossing roads, eating peanuts or tying my shoelaces. In fact I’m writing this weekly update from my bed, where I plan to stay until Saturday, with only occasional and very short excursions to the fridge to get a cold beer.

Excuse me for interupting but is this the way to söder?

This week the ‘man on everyone’s lips’ (which was perhaps the most unfortunate thing I said this week) known as Tjinooken was finally unmasked and his beer served to expectant crowds at Oliver Twist and Akkurat.

And following the hype comes the hyperbole for a new lager brewed by Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri that will become a regular feature in both the pubs in Stockholm’s ‘söder’.

Tjockhult Tjinook is a beer that first and foremost is designed to be refreshing and easy to drink, with chinook hops (supported by a dash of citra and centennial) lending their light, citrus flavours. The reaction to its launch this week was overwhelming positive (kegs were drained faster than Ingrid for goodness sake) so if you’re wandering around söder in the near future you might want to pop in and try it. Oh, and if you see a bedraggled looking character snoring under a bridge nearby throw him some spare change – it may just be Tjinooken!

This was also the week I announced that it’s London Baby! for BeerSweden next weekend as I travel to the UK as the only Swedish representative at the first ever European Beer Bloggers Conference. I won’t be alone however, with Mattias and Jessica to keep me company and also beers from NYAB and Oppigårds to pour out among the delegates.

Romeo and Juliet, Bonnie and Clyde, Simon and Garfunkel, Bamse and Skalman – they’re practically inseparable and better as a pair than by themselves don’t you think? The same could be said for burgers and beer, which is the theme of the latest awesome BeerSweden competition I launched this week to celebrate the opening next month of the Bishops Arms ambitious gastro-pub in Linnégatan in Stockholm. Remember to send me your ideal burger and beer combo before June 1^st for a chance to win some VIP prizes!

So how am I going to kick the weekend of this week? Well I’ll be popping open a bottle of Brooklyn Summer Ale as my After Work Friday! beer that Brooklyn’s charismatic BrewMaster himself Garret Oliver recently told BeerSweden all about.

The beer is being launched at the Systembolaget on Monday and I can already reveal it’s as summer as Crocs and mosquito repellent.

Have a safe and lucky weekend everyone and don’t forget it’s Småbryggeriernas Dag tomorrow so if you’re lucky enough to live near a Swedish craft brewery then show them your support and drink local!

Cheers and beers!

Darren

In a little over one month from now the Bishops Arms’ latest pub will open its doors for business in Stockholm’s trendy Linnégatan.

The new pub promises to be the most gastro to date in the ever-expanding Bishops Arms pub chain that has increasingly focused on food in combination with its huge range of beers in recent years.

Tops chefs Danyel and Melker will be the creative force in the kitchen at the new Bishops Arms pub in Linnégatan

And it’s no idle promise either, with none other than Danyel Couet and Melker Andersson’s acclaimed catering powerhouse Grupp F12 responsible for designing the menu and running the kitchen.

Exactly what dishes these award-winning chefs will conjure up is being kept top secret for now. However one thing is certain – the name of one BeerSweden follower will be printed on the new menu!

In an exclusive competition sponsored by those nice people at Bishops Arms I want you to describe your perfect burger and beer combo.

(A world-class hamburger is the only dish we know that will be on the menu when the pub opens on June 15th, although the exact ingredients are still very hush-hush).

You’ve got just 60 words to play with and should use them to describe your perfect world-class hamburger and the ideal beer to pair with it. Remember to explain why you believe the two elements work so well together. Your description can be in either English or Swedish.

A sneak preview of how the 9-metre long bar at BA Linnégatan will look.

All suggestions will be judged by the new Bishops Arms Linnégatan crew and representatives from Grupp F12 who will also choose the winner.

The prize will be a dinner for two at the new pub – but that’s not all! The beer and the name of the person who suggested it will be printed on the menu alongside the hamburger description as a recommendation for everyone to see.

And as if that wasn’t enough a branded glass with the winner’s name on it will be given a special place behind the bar for whenever he or she pops in for a drink!

You’ve got until June 1st to submit your entries to me at darren@beersweden.se. To enter you must also get yourself over to the Bishops Arms Linnégatan’s brand spanking new Facebook page and click LIKE to keep up-to-date with all the latest pub news. You’ll also need to LIKE BeerSweden’s Facebook page too (but you’ve already done that ages ago, right?)

The judges’ decision, as always, is final. A picture of the winner’s name engraved on their own special glass will be posted on BeerSweden on June 15th. This competition is open to everyone aged 23 and over (that’s the minimum age limit at all Bishops Arms pubs and they will check if in doubt), although you will probably want to live somewhere near Sweden in order to claim your prize.

Lots of gastro-luck everyone!

Forget California, Pilsen and Fraserburgh – over the next couple of weeks it is Stockholm that will be at the very centre of the beery universe.

Brewing stars and their beers are right this moment being irresistibly pulled toward the Swedish capital as we enter the final countdown towards one of the world’s most respected beer events – the Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival.

Now in its 19^th year and larger than ever before the SBWF is a festival of real gravitas. The list of celebrated brewers checking into Stockholm and staging events of their own in and around the festival is proof, if ever it was needed, that the brewing world is taking Sweden seriously these days.

James Watt from BrewDog likes to do things first. His brewery was the first to freeze a beer in an ice-cream factory and name it after a flightless aquatic bird, first to launch a beer with 0.5% of alcohol that still has enough hops to contort your face the same way ski-diving does and he’s first out with a Beer Makers Dinner ‘Dinner for Punks’ on Wednesday, September 29^th.

Only 30 seats are being pulled up around the dinner table for a three-course meal at the Bishops Arms in Folkungagatan and the promise of some exciting BrewDog beers presented by James himself. Tickets are selling fast (probably gone by the time you read this) but if you can’t make it don’t worry because I’ll be there to grab an interview with James and drink all his beer. I might even do it live!

BA ‘Folkis’ is proving once again why it has the reputation as one of the coolest beer pubs in Sweden by hosting another Beer Makers Dinner only a week later and this time none other than Mikkel of Mikkeller is dropping by! The event takes place on Wednesday, October 6^th and is already sold out.

Over at Monks they’ve been busy putting together a line-up of brewing ‘celebrities’ who will each be giving a talk and tastings of at least five of their own beers. Frank Müller, brewmaster at Brauhaus Riegele in Germany is first up on October 1^st at Monks at Wallingatan 38.

Greg Hall will be talking about his award-winning beers.

Greg Hall, head brewer at Goose Island Brewery in Chicago, USA is making an appearance at the same pub on October 8^th. Details here.

Last, but certainly not least, is Menno Olivier, brewmaster at the celebrated de Molen Brouwerij in Holland. Menno is the creative force behind some of the most amazing experimental beers coming out of Europe and whatever he’s got to say about beer is bound to be worth listening to. Hear him at Monks Porter House on October 8^th.

Stene from Akkurat adding more hops to '6 of the Best'!

Of course it would be remiss of me not to mention the launch of ‘6 of the Best’ at Akkurat on Wednesday, October 6^th at, you’ve guessed it, 6pm. Only 16 casks of this specially brewed beer were made at the pilot brewery belonging to Shepherd Neame to commemorate the 15^th anniversary of one of Sweden’s absolute best beer joints.  As well as ‘6 of the Best’ there will be a selection of other Sheps cask beers on tap and I’ll be on hand to answer any questions you may have. See you there!

This just in…….places going fast!!

Right now it’s Hop Week at the Bishops Arms in Folkungagatan where you can order your beer with an extra side order of hops!

Until Saturday September 4th the team at one of the BA’s most beer friendly pubs will be giving you the chance to super-size your beer by infusing it with hops of your choice using a variation on a brewing method known as hopbacking.

Here’s how it works: you order a jug of beer (which beer is entirely up to you) and choose a style of hop from a list of international varieties. The team will then put both beer and hops into something resembling a coffee peculator and squeeze the beer through the hops, giving it a boost of extra aroma and flavour.

So if you’ve ever wondered what Falcon Export would taste like with loads of spicy lemon Saaz hops or if pint of Spitfire would really take off with some added American Cascade then this is your chance to have some fun and blend your very own beer!

The Bishops Arms is located at Folkungagatan 105 in Stockholm.