Perhaps the children don’t really need that Xbox 360 Kinnect thingy but can jump around outside instead. After all it’s much more healthy.  And the wife could, I suppose, make do with some face cream from the Apoteket rather than that fancy stuff from France. After all it really is all the same stuff anyway, right?

So let's see...that's two bottles of Utopias....

Such Scrooge-like economising isn’t particularly in keeping with the season of giving but nonetheless it might be necessary for many of us hoping to get our hands on the beers being released this Thursday at the Systembolaget.

Once again the monopoly is lavishing us with beery gifts on the first of the month; this time with 10 beers being released in around 40 of the country’s larger SB stores and a further 11* going on sale at the posh shops in Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg.

I’m not a huge fan of lists (to be honest I take ages compiling them and then often just ignore them anyway) so rather than waste time I’m going to suggest you take a look over at the BeerSweden Forum where the most up-to-date list of the beers being released later this week can be found (and not just for December but for long into 2012 as well!). If the information you find here seems a little too dry and ‘listy’ then I’d also recommend you pop round to see ‘Mr List’ himself, Stefan from the eminent beer blog Ölsvammel who has not just broken the list down into where you can find what but has also given his own tips on what you should look out for.

It appears Stefan, like me, is finding it difficult not to name a beer you shouldn’t buy this time around. Personally there’s only one I’m going to pass on and that’s the Samuel Adams Utopias; not because it isn’t a fascinating beer but because I’ve still got some left over from the last time.

But Utopias to one side I thought I might be able to help you prioritise your beer funds by reviewing the next three most expensive beers on the list; Shepherd Neame Generation Ale, Sigtuna Ace of Spades Imperial IPA and Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian IBIPA.

Starting out with Sheps I just can’t help but scream ”AT LAST!!!!!” This is the first new beer from Britain’s oldest brewer for a very long time and as fan of the Kentish brewery (I worked closely with them for over 10 years and grew up not far from Faversham where the brewery is based) I was really excited to try it.

Generation Ale is a strong ale at 9%ABV that has been busily maturing away at the brewery for over a year. The brewery describes it as ” a consummate example of the Brewer’s art….this hand crafted gem has benefited from an extended maturation period to fully allow the many, complex characters to reach their peak”. The idea as I understand it is to release small batches of this beer every year in order to chart how it evolves.

Five different types of malt and five different types of UK-grown hops (including Cascade!) were used to brew it and just 424 bottles are going on sale on December 1st.

So first off – the packaging. This is one impressive looking beer bottle (and one of the reasons why it’s the most expensive beer after Utopias in this release), wrapped in tissue and delivered in a stylish wooden box. It pours much lighter in colour than I would have imagined, a pale amber with a loud fizzy head that evaporates quickly. The nose is all about raisins soaked in Marsala wine, coffee, wood (as though it has been presentation box-aged) and the spice and candy-floss notes I associate with East Kent Golding hops.

What struck me first when I took a sip was just how smooth this beer is. There’s very little carbonation and a silky, medium-sweet body laced with plums, dates and a distinctly spicy hop finish. The beer’s alcohol comes into play the second you swallow it, leaving a warming imprint behind.

For many reasons I was really hoping this beer would be good. After all the man behind it, Head Brewer Stewart Main, is one of the most amazing beery characters I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. You can’t help but like him and I desperately wanted to extend that same courtesy to his beer.

Fortunately this isn’t a problem as Generation Ale is, in my opinion, one of the best beers to come out of Shepherd Neame for many years. It has all the elegance, weight and ‘pondus‘ to match the exclusive packaging and earns the right to sit alongside Fuller’s Vintage Ale as an annual British beer classic. Will be fascinating to see how it ages (the alcohol could do with mellowing out for a couple of years). A real collector’s item and a must buy! (but be quick!)

That's the brewer, in case you were wondering....

Next up is a beer that in some ways represents the new generation of craft beers – Sigtuna’s Ace of Spades Imperial IPA. This monstrously over-the-top beer is brewed using 12 different types of hops that are continuously added throughout the boil – one hop every five minutes for 2 hours! The result is an IPA that packs a 15% punch of ABV, making it one of the strongest beers ever produced in Sweden (the original AoS holds that title).

It pours the colour of cognac (the spirituous associations don’t end there) and on the nose is a riot of pear, flowers, wood and caramel but there’s not as much tropical fruit hop action going on as I’d have imagined. The booze is in there but it’s pretty laid back and only really makes its presence felt a few seconds after the first sip. It’s not like any Imperial IPA I’ve ever had before and I totally get those who say the alcohol takes over and smothers the toffee-tasting malts and exotic fruit hop flavours. However I cannot help but be intrigued by it and spent over an hour sitting, sipping, scribbling thoughts and yet still couldn’t come to a clear conclusion as to whether I liked it or not. In my line of work that’s pretty rare. Interpret that comment how you will. Recommended!

Lastly it’s my third Stone beer in as many weeks here on the blog. Although this one’s not had the Belgo treatment it is very odd nonetheless, going by the name of Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian IBIPA (Imperial Black India Pale Ale). Stone rarely produce wimpy beers but this one’s a real bruiser, pouring the colour of stout with a thick coffee-coloured head. Be sure you’re ready (and preferably sitting down) when you sniff it as you’ll be struck by a massive uppercut of west coast lime-and-pine US hops. The beer’s malty colours try to compete with flavours of dark molasses and burnt caramel but they have to submit to a brutally bitter finish. This beer is loud, arrogant and aggressive – three words that sum up the brewery that produced it rather nicely. Must buy!

* According to the Systembolaget website only 10 beers are actually due to go on sale at the posh shops, with Adnams Tally Ho missing in action……

Prepare to be punished tomorrow night when ‘6 of the Best’ makes its premier at Akkurat in Stockholm.

Described as a punishingly good English strong ale the first ever pint of this cask conditioned ale will be poured tomorrow night, on Wednesday, October 6^th at exactly – you’ve guessed it – 6pm.

'6 of the Best' - can you take it?

The beer was specially brewed for Akkurat (one of Sweden’s absolute best beer bars) by Shepherd Neame in the UK to celebrate the pub’s 15^th anniversary. Luckily I managed to tag along for the ride and shot this video of our crazy day brewing the beer.

‘6 of the Best’ is a British term once commonly used to describe the number of painful strikes given to schoolchildren who had misbehaved by cane-wielding teachers but it also perfectly describes this beer which contains six of the best English malts and hops and is brewed to 6% ABV.

Hops used were Target for bitterness, Fuggles, First Gold, Challenger, East Kent Goldings and locally grown English Cascade (that’s right, a highly unusual and slightly milder version of the US hop) that was added for aroma and again in the whirlpool for an extra hit of hops .

Classic English Maris Otter Pale Ale malt makes up 80% of the grain bill with the rest comprising Crystal, Amber, Aromatic, Brown and just a pinch of smoked malt.

Only 16 cask of this real ale have been made and when they’re gone they’re gone so be sure to make your way over to Akkurat tomorrow night (and that includes all of you on your way to the Mikkeller dinner too!) to try a pint with me and the gang at Akkurat!

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!

It’s time once again to dig out the suitcase, pack more bubble wrap* than clothes and turn every drawer in the house upside down in a frantic last minute search for my passport because I’m off on yet another beery adventure!

This time I’m headed back to the UK (with the fuzzy memories of the Great British Beer Festival still fresh in my mind) to brew some very special beer with the owner and bar manager of arguably Sweden’s absolute best beer bar – Akkurat in Stockholm.

We’re heading to the Shepherd Neame brewery in Faversham early next week where we’re going to spend a day grinding barley, mashing in and adding hops on our way to brewing 16 40L casks of what we hope is going to be a very British beer indeed.

Exactly what type of beer we’re brewing I’m going to keep secret for a few more days yet but I can reveal it will contain six different types of British barley and six different types of British hops (and rather a lot of them to!)

That’s right. Not a single green leaf of Cascade, Amarillo or any other American hip-hop will be used in the making of this beer!

If everything goes according to plan we’ll all then head home (via a pub or two I know) while the beer is busy fermenting and conditioning and will meet up with it again when it goes on sale at Akkurat some time in October. More details on all that to follow.

Of course I’ll be taking the video camera so you can join me in following the birth of a new beer from the grain all the way to the glass.

This will of course mean I’ll miss the huge release of new beers at the Systembolaget on September 1^st but I’m sure it will be worth it. After all you’ll save me a few bottles won’t you?

Anyway enough talk, I’ve got bubble wrap to pack. Now if only I could remember where I left that bloody passport…………..

*Anyone who takes their beer seriously knows that bubble wrap is on the very top of the list of things to pack when travelling abroad, above clean underwear and just below a new packet of Alvedon. And no, it’s not used for some strange sexual fetish (that I know of anyway) but to wrap bottles of beer up in so they arrive home in one piece.

Disclaimer – I’m a football nut. I’m also English. This is a very potent combination that can lead to silly behaviour, particularly when beer is added to the mix. Please take these World Cup episodes with a HUGE pinch of salt and see them for what they are intended to be – a bit of beery fun!

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One of the most popular ad campaigns for British beer ever, the iconic Spitfire ‘Bottle of Britain’ series is being featured on a new website that’s just been launched to celebrate the premium Kentish ale’s 20th anniversary.

Not only can you replay all the TV commercials and scroll through the controversial posters (one of my personal favourites being this one) but the brewery behind Spitfire, Shepherd Neame, is giving you a chance to design your very own poster.

Try it. It really is lots of spiffing fun!

Standing outside the front of Shepherd Neame you would probably never know it was a brewery. It’s only the tell-tale smell of steaming bready malts rising from behind the row of slanted houses that suggested beer was being brewed nearby.

Inside the brewery Shepherd Neame looks a little bit more like, well, a brewery.

I still clearly recall walking through the front door of Britain’s oldest brewer for the first time 15 years ago and thinking that if Willy Wonker was ever going to build a brewery it would surely look like this one.

The fiercely independent, family-owned brewery in Faversham set right in the heart of the hop region of Kent has been a work in progress for over 312 years.

It is a fascinating collection of extensions, fixes, building regulation comprises and ingenious work-arounds, from the odd collection of houses bought up over the decades that form the brewery’s façade to the numerous winding wooden staircases that I swear move on their own just like those at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I recall there being an almost tangible sense of age and history about the place – an air of respect for tradition and craftsmanship. A feeling that here at least the years had been kept in check and that beer was being brewed the way it always had been.

Stepping back through the same front door last week I instantly knew that things had changed. The houses were still there and the delicious smells of warm malts from the Friday mashing-in of their Bishops Finger ale still wafted through the air like it does every Friday morning of every week.

The sparge arm sprinkles hot water over the grist in the antique mash tun as a new batch of Bishops Finger comes to life.

But the brewery now had a new sharper look about it. The swish visitors centre has a large screen multimedia presentation for visitors. In the past two years over three million pounds has been invested in the brewery’s state-of-the-art bottling line which can now spit out a staggering 26,000 500ml bottle an hour.

Bottles as far as the eye can see!

Machines automatically pack bottles into cases and stack them onto pallets and a robot (affectionately known as Frank) lends a mechanical hand to help clean the brewery’s endless flow of aluminium kegs.

Shepherd Neame have clearly realised that in order to continue the traditions of British ale brewing they needed to mix some new with the old. Their aggressive investment in modern technology is not only shrewd it’s essential to ensure they stay competitive in an evermore cutthroat beer market.

Where I think they’ve succeeded where others sometimes fail in the race to modernise is that they seem to have managed to strike a balance between the past and the future.

It may be old but the ancient grain mill still works!

The brewery’s Russian oak mash tun built in 1914 sits comfortably alongside a modern stainless steel version while the grain is still ground in a clunky metal and wood contraption that dates back to the 18^th Century (and possibly much further than that) that is located only metres from a cutting-edge system that heats the copper boilers and that wouldn’t look out of place in the control room at NASA.

Perhaps there is nowhere in the brewery where the sense of doing things ‘the way they’ve always been done’ is stronger than in the ‘sacred’ sampling room.

A sample of all the beers brewed every week are kept in the sampling room.

Known as the inner sanctum of Shepherd Neame the sampling room is a quiet, cool refuge where the walls are lined with small casks in which samples all the current beers are kept and regularly tasted to ensure they meet with the brewery’s strict quality demands.

It’s also here that Head Brewer Stewart Main, one of the most infectiously enthusiastic beer men I have ever met, keeps casks of his latest experiments from the brewery’s own pilot brewery, a small 1,000 litre set up used as a ‘testing ground’ to find potential new full-scale brews.

Head Brewer Stewart Main. Ten minutes with this man and you will love beer. I guarantee it!

While I was there he was conditioning a couple of his latest batches, a fruity amber ale packed with US Cascade and Amarillo hops and a stunning Ginger Porter which had just the right balance of bitter chocolate and coffee and a refreshing ‘kick’ of ginger on the palate. At a ‘mere’ 4.8% it didn’t rely on alcohol to give it character. It didn’t need to. Wonderful stuff this – so good in fact I begged Stewart for a couple of samples of my own to take back with me to Sweden.

Shepherd Neame is clearly a forward-thinking brewery willing to embrace technology at the same time as remaining passionate about preserving its traditions of brewing classic British ales.

As Stewart Main himself put it: “Technology can help us improve a lot of things, but great beer still needs the touch of great brewers”.

Footnote:

The following Shepherd Neame beers are available all year round in Sweden:

Bishops Finger Kentish Strong  Ale: Systembolaget Article Number 1677 (also available in cans)

Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale: Systembolaget Article Number 1668

Whitstable Bay Organic Ale: Systembolaget Article Number 11526

1698 Strong Ale: Systembolaget Article Number 1698