INTERNATIONAL CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL
BERGEN CRAFT BEER FEST :REBOOT 2023 2 & 3 JUNE - HALLEN USF
The first batch of breweries for BCBF Reboot 2023 has been served!
BERETA - ZICHOVEC - BEER FLAG - LERVIG
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We start in Romania, a beer country we got to know at BCBF in 2019 when Hop Hooligans was here.
The guys behind Bereta have gone the usual route; from enthusiastic garage brewers for several years to hyperactive cuckoo brewers for two years, then starting their own brewery in 2018. All the while they have won loads of awards and accolades, and are considered the first to start brewing NEIPA in Romania.
The main focus is therefore hops, and they continue pushing boundaries and are still as innovative.
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We get Zichovec from pilsner's homeland, the Czech Republic.
It started in 2010, when the mayor of the village of Zichovec, Ivan Husák, declared during a merry family dinner that he wanted to start a brewery. The brother thumped his index finger in frustration and said: "You're crazy." Two years later the brewery was in place, and the first beer out was of course called "Mad Man".
Eventually Ivan's sons took over the operation, and in 2016 they had grown so much that they might as well move the brewery to a disused firing range for tanks. Zichovec has gone from a fairly traditional lager brewery to one of the largest and most important craft breweries in the Czech Republic, and has an impressive range of modern and creative beers on the list.
From Oslo we collect Beer Flag. A relatively young brewery in Norway, which in just a few years has become known as a solid small brewery that delivers top-class beer, and dares to challenge and push the limits.
We have had visits from them before in Bergen, but are absolutely sure that they will surprise this time too!
From Stavanger we pick up Lervig, who continues their march towards world domination. They can adorn themselves with the title Biggest Craft Brewery in the country, but that doesn't stop them from surprising and exciting both geeks and lager drinkers with new tasty and interesting beers.
We are sure that they dig deep in the cellar and bring us real treats!
The second batch of breweries for BCBF Reboot 2023 has been served!
KINN - ZIEMIA OBIECANA - NØGNE Ø - HAANDBRYGGERIET
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From Poland we source Ziemia Obiecana, a small up-and-coming brewery we have high expectations for. They are based in Ksawerów on the outskirts of the big city of Lodz, located rather in the middle of Poland.
Zemia Obiecana started as a one-man-run nano-brewery in 2016, focused on Belgian beer styles. They quickly became IPA-liberated, and were early on in the first wave of NEIPA in Poland.
Today they are a solid craft brewery with 6 employees, and deliver lovely modern IPAs, sours with lots of fruit and berries, big black stouts and an exciting barrel aging programme.
From Florø, we bring Kinn Bryggeri, because there won't be a beer festival without them. Espen and the gang pump out a steady stream of elegant, well-thought-out and highly drinkable goodies. In the last six months they have pleased us with a number of news, and perhaps they have more up their sleeve?
From Grimstad comes Nøgne Ø, which needs no further introduction. They have proven time and time again that they can deliver fantastic new top-shelf beers, and they will surely do so this time as well.
We naturally expect that from Haandbryggeriet from Drammen as well. Many of their beers already have classic status, but they don't rest on their laurels. New great beers keep coming, and not least tweaked and improved versions of the classics.
The third and final batch of breweries for BCBF Reboot 2023 has been served!
MALTGARDEN - MJØDERIET - 7FJELL - GREAT BRITISH BEER
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One of the best-known and highest-rated craft breweries in Poland is Maltgarden, which was started in 2019 by Andrzej Miler, one of the country's most distinguished homebrewers.
They are admittedly a contract brewery, but have impressed both Poland and the rest of Europe with creative quality beers, won a bunch of awards and made collaborative brews with greats such as Funky Fluid, Neon Raptor, Fuerst Wiacek, Pühaste, etc.
Maltgarden brews a wide range of beers; from ultra-modern juicy NEIPAs and huge Stouts, to the Museum Of Classic Beers series.
If Fotballklubben Brann had made beer, they would of course have taken part in the festival. They probably have enough playing football, so we go for the next best thing: 7 Fjell Bryggeri!
At Bønes, Gahr and the gang brew almost around the clock to satisfy thirsty Bergens and Norwegians, but luckily they have time to take part in the beer festival and take some goodies with them. The question is of course; are they able to drown out Nattjazzen when they sing Nystemten?
And then there is Mjøderiet. Of course you have to join! They have really found their form now, and are steadily delivering world-class mead. Mead that actually keeps winning medals in Europe's biggest competition for mead brewers. We are 100% sure that Stian will show up with a new treat or three!
In the last year, a new trend has emerged among die-hard beer enthusiasts: grumpy old men of all ages and genders have rediscovered classic beers!
We naturally keep up with the times, and present a Great British Beer stand.
There you can taste classic treats from two English breweries with a long history: BadgerBeers from Dorset and Timothy Taylor's from Yorkshire.
