Need suggestions for some good (and maybe unusal) beers to try out.

TheSwede · 19 Apr 2021 at 17:15

Hey all,

As the title really. Looking for some beer suggestions so that I can see if I can buy them here in Sweden and try out before the summer when I'm going for a beer testing party. We have a centralized company (government controlled) where all the alcohol is bought and there is 4,379 different beer products in stock, but some might have to be ordered from other stores. But, with so many different beers, I thought I ask for some recommendations from some experts, in this case OcUK La Cuisine regulars and anyone else that posting here !

Then I just have to see if they can be bought here in Sweden or not !

Personally I'm a lager kind of beer drinker but obviously open to try other beers, one beer that I can not stand though is Guinness beer, BUT.. if you think there is something similar but tastier I try it out.

So I guess.. basically any beer, if it is available to buy here, I'll most likely try it out !

Incase anyone would be interested in seeing the assortment of beers that they have, here is a link as well: Systembolaget in Sweden

ttaskmaster · 19 Apr 2021 at 17:40

Not a massive beer fan, but one I did like was Fraoch. It's a heather ale, quite light and very easy to drink.
Supposedly it's distributed worldwide, so I'd presume that includes Sweden....

Rotty · 20 Apr 2021 at 23:17

For unusual beers where you are Omnipollo are the obvious choice

wesimmo · 20 Apr 2021 at 23:43

If you're a lager drinker, which I was and still am, but not exclusively these days, then I'd suggest pale ales and lighter IPAs in the 4-6% range.

Start to train your palate to a more 'beer' taste but don't bludgeon it!

I'll be honest, most of my favourites are local breweries who sell to local micro pubs or distribute themselves with a horse and cart so I can't give many specific recommendations.

Gray2233 · 21 Apr 2021 at 00:16

You could always try a few dessert beers and see how you get on?

Chocolate stout, banana bread, there's a bunch and they're something I find many beer drinkers aren't aware of.

mid_gen · 22 Apr 2021 at 09:16

North X Fieldwork - Golden Milk - Sour 6% – North Brewing Co

This is really good, certainly unusal. Apricot, coconut, turmeric sour. I always pick it up if my local bottle shop has some.

Martynt74 · 22 Apr 2021 at 09:34

That's a great website. 425 sour beers available. We don't have anywhere central with that kind of range

If it's a tasting you're going for then i'd suggest a few different styles

Session Pale Ale
IPA
Wheat beer
Sour
Double IPA

As a lager drinker i'd probably try and avoid anything with too high a IBU which is a rating of how bitter the beer is.

TheSwede · 22 Apr 2021 at 12:50

ttaskmaster said:
Not a massive beer fan, but one I did like was Fraoch. It's a heather ale, quite light and very easy to drink.
Supposedly it's distributed worldwide, so I'd presume that includes Sweden....

Yes, can buy this beer but only directly from the distributor so would be a case of 12 minimum.

Rotty said:
For unusual beers where you are Omnipollo are the obvious choice

Searching on Omnipollo I got 37 product hits, so picked three of those: Omnipollo Fatamorgana, Omnipollo Nebuchadnezzar and Omnipollo Noa Pecan Mud Cake (Picture of them in spoiler). Had the Fatamorgana yesterday and it wasn't to bad.

Now, not quiet sure which ones you were referring to though, was it any of those three or anyone else ?

mid_gen said:
North X Fieldwork - Golden Milk - Sour 6% – North Brewing Co

This is really good, certainly unusal. Apricot, coconut, turmeric sour. I always pick it up if my local bottle shop has some.

Unfortunately that specific beer can not be bought in Sweden, the only beer I could find from North Brewing Co. was the NBxTrack, which is an India Pale Ale and sounds interesting so I be trying that one next time I go and buy some beer.

Martynt74 said:
That's a great website. 425 sour beers available. We don't have anywhere central with that kind of range

If it's a tasting you're going for then i'd suggest a few different styles

Session Pale Ale
IPA
Wheat beer
Sour
Double IPA

As a lager drinker i'd probably try and avoid anything with too high a IBU which is a rating of how bitter the beer is.

Yes, the range of beer is rather mindblowing. Unfortunately quiet a few are ones you have to order. Just take Sour Beers from UK, there is 17 different sorts but 11 of them have to be ordered. Most Sure Beers are actually from Sweden (280), followed with Belgium (70), followed by UK's 17.

Out of those 5 different styles is there anyone in particular that you would recommend ?

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Thank you for all suggestions and please keep them coming, if it is possible I be trying them out !

Apart from the 3 different Omnipollo beers above, I also bough these 4 beers. It is one White Ale, which I had yesterday and was alright. Then there is one Blonde Ale, one Wheat Beer and one Dark Lager (which is a bit surprising because I thought it was a Wheat Beer, since it was among other Wheat Beers). Will see how these pans out the next couple of days.

Martynt74 · 22 Apr 2021 at 12:53

Personally i'd suggest an IPA or even a New England IPA which tends to be hazier and "juicier" if that makes sense. I try and avoid West Coast IPA's as they tend to be a lot more bitter.

How did you find that Einstok? I've not had it for years but i remember i used to enjoy it. I'm not a massive fan of the Grimbergen but the other two look excellent.

ttaskmaster · 22 Apr 2021 at 13:11

TheSwede said:
Yes, can buy this beer but only directly from the distributor so would be a case of 12 minimum.

So if you're taking it to a tasting party, you'll want enough for everyone, right?

Are there seriously no retailers or resellers that buy in bulk and offer smaller quantities for sale? Not even in a selection pack, or something?

ODuffer · 22 Apr 2021 at 13:21

Don't be put off by the name! TOØL Beer Close(er) to you as well.

Rotty · 22 Apr 2021 at 14:58

TheSwede said:
Yes, can buy this beer but only directly from the distributor so would be a case of 12 minimum.

Searching on Omnipollo I got 37 product hits, so picked three of those: Omnipollo Fatamorgana, Omnipollo Nebuchadnezzar and Omnipollo Noa Pecan Mud Cake (Picture of them in spoiler). Had the Fatamorgana yesterday and it wasn't to bad. Now, not quiet sure which ones you were referring to though, was it any of those three or anyone else ?

[]

tried quite a few, the noa/bianca ones are very interesting, Fatamorgana is decent, Double Karpialogi and Apollo are my favourites

neilw · 23 Apr 2021 at 12:16

If you want to try a sour give Brewdog Overworks Cosmic Raspberry a go. You can normally get it in Morrisons. edit Ohh you're in Sweden, I don't think you'll have access to a Morrisons....

BUDFORCE · 23 Apr 2021 at 22:16

Sierra Nevada California IPA.

Get it in Tesco, not expensive and only 4.2% abv.

TheSwede · 29 Apr 2021 at 19:51

Martynt74 said:
Personally i'd suggest an IPA or even a New England IPA which tends to be hazier and "juicier" if that makes sense. I try and avoid West Coast IPA's as they tend to be a lot more bitter.

How did you find that Einstok? I've not had it for years but i remember i used to enjoy it. I'm not a massive fan of the Grimbergen but the other two look excellent.

I'll try some different IPA next time I buy some beer, thanks.

The Einstok was alright. The Hofbräu Schwarze surprised me though, was a dark wheat beer, which is the first one I ever had.

ttaskmaster said:
So if you're taking it to a tasting party, you'll want enough for everyone, right?

Are there seriously no retailers or resellers that buy in bulk and offer smaller quantities for sale? Not even in a selection pack, or something?

Yes, there is only one place where you can walk in and buy alcoholic beverage here in Sweden (unless you order online from the likes of Amazon or specific websites that sells alcohol) and that is the Systembolaget as mentioned in my first post. It's not like in the UK (and most other countries) where you can walk into Tesco and buy your alcohol !

Rotty said:
tried quite a few, the noa/bianca ones are very interesting, Fatamorgana is decent, Double Karpialogi and Apollo are my favourites

Neither the Double Karpialogi or Apollo are available to buy for me, not even through omnipollo's own website, but there is quiet a few others they have so might get a Hoppy Intro Bundle and see what they taste like !

neilw said:
If you want to try a sour give Brewdog Overworks Cosmic Raspberry a go. You can normally get it in Morrisons. edit Ohh you're in Sweden, I don't think you'll have access to a Morrisons....

Nope, no access to Morrisons over here ! And not to that particular Brewdog beer either, but got a few other hits on the word Brewdog so be trying one or two of those next time around.

BUDFORCE said:
Sierra Nevada California IPA.

Get it in Tesco, not expensive and only 4.2% abv.

No access to Tesco over here either but that beer you suggested is available over here so be buying it next time around !

Thanks for everyone suggestions, it be a few more beers next time I go shopping for beer, that's for sure !

AiiR · 30 Apr 2021 at 19:29

Pop into Aldi or Lidl and try an IPA called 'Proper Job'.. it's absolutely delicious and naturally carbonated.

ianh · 30 Apr 2021 at 23:50

Tusker lager from Kenya - Very nice and relatively rare/unusual to get hold of and it's just about to celebrate 100 years of production - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tusker_(beer)

TheSwede · 10 May 2021 at 18:17

Bought 8 beers a week ago or so, have tasted 5 of them so far and they all been alright. Two is suppose to taste a bit different but I couldn't really tell them apart though. It's the two Schneider Weisse, tap 4 and 5 in the picture below. The other two bottles I not tried yet though.

Also bought these 4 cans of beer, the one to the right is a Swedish one, picked it because of the name (It's a location here in the town where I live

). The California IPA is yet to be tested though.

AiiR said:
Pop into Aldi or Lidl and try an IPA called 'Proper Job'.. it's absolutely delicious and naturally carbonated.

That be on my next shopping list, thanks !

ianh said:
Tusker lager from Kenya - Very nice and relatively rare/unusual to get hold of and it's just about to celebrate 100 years of production - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tusker_(beer)

Have to order 12 of those to try them, which would be roughly around £55. Any chance you can post what it taste like or similar (or if it is allowed, a link to place that sells it and has a description of it, so to speak?), just to get a felling what kind of beer it is ? The wiki link did not really go into that part.

Thanks again for the suggestions, much appreciated !

R-evans · 10 May 2021 at 19:36

ianh said:
Tusker lager from Kenya - Very nice and relatively rare/unusual to get hold of and it's just about to celebrate 100 years of production - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tusker_(beer)

Ahh Tusker, that takes me back to my trip to Kenya. Drank a lot of that beer over them two weeks, including at the ticket desk at the smallest airport I've ever been to, they were so relaxed. I finished the can before I boarded the plane but I'm pretty sure nobody would've tried to take it off me.

OP, from what I remember when I was in Stockholm, Systembolaget had a decent selection especially of US beers compared to the UK. As someone mentioned, Omnipollo are probably your biggest export, but probably not too good for a newbie with their bizarre styles. The selection you posted above seemed a good start, Stigbergets especially make some amazing IPAs

ianh · 10 May 2021 at 22:31

TheSwede said:
Have to order 12 of those to try them, which would be roughly around £55. Any chance you can post what it taste like or similar (or if it is allowed, a link to place that sells it and has a description of it, so to speak?), just to get a felling what kind of beer it is ? The wiki link did not really go into that part.

I'm not a lager drinker normally so I don't really have much to compare it to so this is probably a rubbish description but maybe close to Carling is my best (but utterly rubbish) guess. As with the above poster, I was in Kenya for a few months and, as an Ale/Stout drinker normally, I was extremely surprised at how nice a few bottles of this was at the end of long hot day of working bloody hard on virtually the equator (Nanyuki & Archers Post).

As to a UK seller, other than amazon (£4 a bottle) then there was "Beers of Europe" in Norfolk which sold it in the UK (and has lots of flavour reviews too), plus Tesco's/Morrisons had it every now and again in their Beers of the World sections.