ABC for American Craft Beer

American Cra Beers in Sweden MICHEL JAMAIS Chef, sommelier and food & beverage manager 1980-1997. Wine, beer and spirit educator and restaurant consultant since 1992. Author of 14 books on wine, beer, spirits and food. Wine and beer writer since 1995. Beer teacher at Stockholm Beer & Whisky FesKval since 2005. • A brief background to Swedish beer culture • The knowledge about beer in Sweden • The success of fine wine – what can we learn? • Geng into the restaurants – how? • Reaching media and new consumers • Ideas how to market American craE beers A brief background • 1900 – approximately 1 200 small breweries all over Sweden • 1922 – strong beer (above 2.25% by volume) is prohibited – approximately 800 small breweries all over Sweden • 1955 – our state alcohol monopoly is established – 9 groups of breweries in Sweden • 1977 – our ”mellanöl” (3.50% by volume) is prohibited – only 4 groups of breweries survives • 1990s – the modern Swedish cra beer culture is born – around 20-25 breweries all over Sweden • 2000s – cra beers becomes a natural part of the Swedish beer culture – around 60-70 breweries and pub breweries all over Sweden Influences for Swedish beers • 1900-1990 – mainly Germany • lager beers • 1990s – mainly Great Britain • pale ales, bier ales – to a smaller extent Belgium and United States • slightly more flavorful and stronger beers – beers stronger than 6.00% by volume allowed only since 1997 • 2000s – the most important influences comes from United States • American pale ales, india pale ales, porters – richer, aromac and hoppy beers becomes more popular – guests start to ask for IPA, not only “a beer”! Knowledge about wine and beer • Restaurant schools – students are 16-19 years old – all over Sweden – 3 years, a total of 2-3 days about alcohol beverages – no beer! • Sommelier schools • students are 20-50 years old • 5-6 cies in Sweden – Restaurangakademien in Stockholm – Vinkällan in Stockholm and Göteborg – Grythyan University in Örebro – Gusbus in Malmö • normally 1 year, 1-3 days about beer • Bartender schools • students are 20-30 years old • normally 1 year, 2-3 days about beer Knowledge about wine and beer • Consumer wine clubs • all over Sweden, very important • Munskänkarna (23 000 members), others (another 20 000 members) • many importers have their own wine clubs (+100 000 members?) • Consumer whisky clubs • all over Sweden, very important • many small clubs and members of whisky pubs (25 000+ members?) – newsle,ers, tasAng, whisky tours • Consumer beer clubs • just a few, mostly private, not very important • Svenska Ölfrämjandet (very small and quiet) • Svenska Hembryggarföreningen (1 000 members) Why is wine so much more important in a beer producing country such as Sweden? There’s a huge interest in ”wine and food” in Sweden! So, why not introduce American craE beer and food? What can we learn from wine? • Writers on wine and beer – Wine wring is very important for educaon and sales • the wine writer writes for everyone! • Swedish wine blogs exist, but are less important – Swedish beer wring is almost non-existent • we have no beer magazines • daily media pay very li,le a,enAon to craE beers • beer blogs are few, and only important for a few beer lovers – Teaching the writers! VERY IMPORANT! • wine writers are regularly invited to tasAngs and master classes • invite the media you want to be seen in – not only culinary media! • arrange craE beer events at the Embassy or at restaurants – Work more close with the sommelier schools! VERY IMPORANT! • invite sommelier students to craE beer tasAngs and events What can we learn from other organizaons? • The wine country Spain – seminars for the trade, sommeliers and consumers – Swedish Championship in Spanish Wines • for writers, sommeliers, sommelier students and the state monopoly • The wine region Rioja – compeAAon Rioja Sommelier Award • for students at sommelier schools • Robert Mondavi Winery – compeAAon Robert Mondavi Diploma • for students at sommelier schools • Mexico and Consejo Regulador of Tequila – master class and cerAficaAon Tequila Maestro • for bartenders, sommeliers, writers, tequila lovers Suggesons • We need more informaon! – ABC for American CraE Beer – Why not create an American CraE Beer Club? • a website and a newsle,er online – Swedes are always online • I-phones, I-pads, Facebook, Twi,er • Training programs – courses in American craE beer for sommelier schools and restaurant staff – cerAficaAon as “American CraE Beer Sommelier” More suggesSons … • Focus on media – seminars, tasKng and lunches/dinners – brewery visits for media and bloggers – “American Beer Writer” of the year • Involve the restaurant staff – master class with cerKficaon ”American Cra Beer Ambassador” – arrange American beer dinners at restaurants – compeKKons (sales and knowledge) – “American Beertender of the Year” – “American Cra Beer Restaurant of the Year” Be the first one! • “American CraE Beer day” – many countries and wine regions arrange their “own days” (like a mini fair) – an open walk-in tasKng where importers and producers show their wines – aracts a lot of journalists, sommeliers, chefs and restaurateurs – there are not even one beer day in Sweden at all Comments? QuesSons? .

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