S:t Patricks Day at Akkurat

In Stockholm, like nearly everywhere in the world nowadays, S.:t Patricks Day is used as an excuse for pubs to sell more beer than usual, and also to play Pogues and Waterboys' covers. So was the case at Akkurat too. However Akkurat had the upper hand to most other pubs, since they had managed to get hold of three bottled beers from the new Irish microbrewery Dublin Brewing Company, whose beers are rarely seen outside the green island. Two of these beers, 1798 Revolution Red Ale and Beckett's Red Dublin Beer were Irish style red ales, a la Kilkenny, whil ethe third was golden, and the label spoke of a "European style blonde ale", whatever that is. Anyway, all of them were fairly creamy and more complex than the likes of Kilkenny and Smithwick's. I think they are probably even better of when served from tap.

As usual Akkurat also offered a number of cask conditioned ales. For the first time I was able to sample one of my favourire Swedish beers on cask, Jämtlands Porter. Unfortunately it was not quite the treat it is on draught and bottle. Still very much worth seeking out though... Of the British cask beers the Scottish Caledonian's anniversary ale scored the best, but also the other two were well recieved by the group.

Of the Belgian style beers we tried this evening, the two non-Belgians outclassed the Belgians themselves. Neither of the three sweet fruit flavoured gueuzes from Mort Subite or the also overly sweet Stille Nacht could threaten the tasty Canadian double dark abbey ale La Maudite from Unibroue in Quebec, let alone the Dutch Trappiste ale La Trappe Enkel, the weakest of the four outstanding brews from the monastery De Schaapskoi.

We also got to try something very unusual: A high class English lager. It was Freedom Pilsener, a complex unpasteurized pilsener brewed according to the German Reinheitsgebot by Freedom Brewing Co. in London.

Still the winners of the evening are not yet mentioned: The two Czechish draught beers Staropramen Premium, their stronger (12% Balling/Plato) light pilsener and Staroceske Tmave, a dark beauty, walked away with the two top position in our rating this night, despite the very high standard of the beers.

Beers rated at St. Patricks day 1998
PLACEBEERCOUNTRYSCOREJZPSCGLGOHRBABVSTYLE
22Staropramen Premium, draughtCzech Rep.4,275444445,0%Lager, Light
36Staroceske Tmave, draughtCzech Rep.4,12455333 Lager, Dark
43La Trappe EnkelNetherlands4,063455525,5%Ale, Belgian style
85Beckett's GoldIreland3,934444434,7%Ale, Brittish style
124Caledonian 125 Ale, caskScotland3,77534334 Ale, Brittish style
140Nadder Jack, caskEngland3,72 443434,2%Ale, Brittish style
144Freedom PilsenerEngland3,714434435,0%Lager, Light
144Jämtlands Porter, caskSweden3,714434434,8%Porter/Stout
150La MauditeCanada3,703444438,0%Ale, Belgian style
2031798 Revolution Red AleIreland3,624424444,7%Ale, Brittish style
211Beckett's Red Dublin BeerIreland3,603434444,7%Ale, Brittish style
354Jolly's Horny Devil, caskEngland3,324432334,2%Ale, Brittish style
639Mort Subite CassisBelgium2,952252434,3%Gueuze/Lambic
640Mort Subite PecheBelgium2,952253334,3%Gueuze/Lambic
791Mort Subite FramboiseBelgium2,723332234,3%Gueuze/Lambic
1267Stille NachtBelgium1,901331218,0%Ale, Belgian style
Rated by: Johan Zetterlund, Per Samuelsson, Cecilia Gårdebäck, Lars Granström, Oscar Hansson, Robert Boström and for technincal reasons not appearing here: Minna Hyttönen.

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Updated 98-04-22 Per Samuelsson