Welcome to the beer-drinking country of Sweden, an unusual place where foul beer became fine and vice-versa. A beer is no longer just a beer, a brewer no longer just a brewer. Beer likers are turning into beer lovers, and the no-name pint is facing stiff competition. Enthusiasm for small-scale craft brewing is flowering along with the hops. Beer’s fans are legion. So too the breweries. Five years ago, there were 30. Today there are 150.

Modern beer’s defining characteristics are aroma and flavour, not alcohol content. Neglected beer styles are being revived, reinterpreted and given their rightful place in our gastronomy. Wine has had to cede some territory at the table, and the shops barely have enough shelf space for all the new products. IPA, APA, DIPA, IPL, Geuze, Lambic, Dunkel, Tripel, Trappist – the constantly expanding flora of beer is turning into a jungle that requires a guide. Bloggers discuss, analyse and chaperone those most eager to learn. And the thirst for knowledge is great. We want to know what we’re drinking, where the beer comes from, why it tastes the way it does. In the wake of the beer nerds, an even bigger wave is forming: a new Swedish beer culture.

In the Museum of Spirits’ beer exhibition, we touch base with Swedish brewing history, culture and trends. We talk brewing and meet brewers. You’ll have the opportunity to get to know various types of beer, malt and hops – smell them, learn them, guess which is which. Test your knowledge with our beer quizzes, book a beer tasting, and set up camp next to the taps in our restaurant.
Welcome to the show!