Style: Pale ale
Brewery: Bryggverket
Origin: Sweden
Size: 33cl
Alcohol: 5.1%
Price: 30kr
Systembolaget: 30540
I think Bryggverket must now hold the record for the brewery with the most beers we have had in the tastings here in the Umeå Beer Club. Since beginning in 2014, Bryggverket has grown to become a massive part of the beer scene here in Norrland. As I was having Västerbottensost pie in the tasting, I wanted to pair it with a beer that was also from around this region. This seemed like a great choice as I knew the Mosaic and Simcoe hops would be vibrant enough to match up with the intensity of the matured cheese. I was not disappointed!
This was fresh in appearance, with a bright amber colour shining from the glass coupled with a medium body and carbonation. An aroma of fresh grass, pine, light grapefruit and a hint of cucumber were all detected emanating from the glass, which was indeed very pleasant. Upon tasting, the bitter grapefruit peel hit the tongue first, slowly fading into fresh moss, sweet malts and white bread notes. The aftertaste was fairly long, with the bitterness lingering in a very elegant way.
This had a very high drinkability quality to it with the different aspects not overriding each other. A lovely balance between bready malts and hops makes this easy to pair with food or to be enjoyed in its own. This is a classic in the Umeå beer scene and there is a reason why it’s still being produced 7 years after being introduced. Lovely!