Swedish Breweries |
styles - history - beers |
Introduction | |
This
is a list of, as far as I am aware, all the breweries currently operating
in Sweden. Also listed are the beers they brew, though I have omitted those below 3% (folköl). Swedish breweries, in order to get around advertising restrictions on full-strength beer, have a habit of using the same brand name for beers across all the different strength classes (Pripps Blå is a good example). It can make the product ranges of some breweries look enormous. If you want to know more about Swedish beer laws (well worth acquainting yourself with if you plan a visit to Sweden and don't want to end up very thirsty), they are explained in my Introduction to Swedish Beer. |
Index Swedish brewing industry Swedish beer statistics Swedish beer styles Swedish Breweries History of Swedish Beer Stockholm Pub Guide Gothenburg Pub Guide Malmö Pub Guide |
Many thanks to Per Samuelsson for providing me with invaluable updates on the Swedish microbrewery scene. |
The Swedish brewing industry | ||
Carlsberg - who own the Falkenberg and Pripps breweries
- dominate the market with thin, pale lagers. Their annual total production
is about 2.3 million hl. I'm not sure if that figure includes non-taxable
beer. If it does, Carlsberg have a mere 52% of the Swedish market. If it's
only taxable beer, then their market share is a whopping 75%. Spendrups and Kopparbergs (who run three breweries) take up most of the rest, with a handful of older companies and a few micros fighting for the remaining scraps. There are no more than a handful of brewpubs. This is a rough breakdown of the structure of the Swedish brewing industry: |
||
Brewery | No. | Details |
Carlsberg | 1 | Has a single brewery in Falkenberg (formely Falcon). The Stockholm brewery (Pripps) closed in 2004. |
Spendrups | 2 | Sweden's number 2 brewing group. Their 2nd brewery is a micro on Gottland. They have about 20% of the Swedish market. |
Kopparbergs | 3 | A group that also owns the Banco and Zeunerts breweries. |
Independents | 3 | Krönleins, Åbro and Avesta. Old, established independent breweries have been almost wiped out in Sweden. |
Brewpubs | 4 | Brewpubs haven't really taken off in Sweden. |
Microbreweries | 17 | My figure here is a snapshot. The microbrewery branch is extremely dynamic in Sweden, with breweries coming and going at a high rate of knots. |
Contract brewers | 2 | Not as popular an option as in some countries. |
Total | 32 | |
Systembolaget All beer over 3.5% alcohol can only be sold in state-owned shops, the Systembolaget. Their websitte has a complete list of beers they sell. Currently they stock 195 Swedish beers. |
Swedish brewing industry statistics | ||
Finally here are a few basic statisctics on the Swedish brewing industry.
The drop in taxable beer production in 1997 can be attributed to a change in the law,
which removed duty from certain classes of low-alocohol beer (folköl). Some production
instantly became tax-free and dropped out of these figures. Note that the only breweries included are those in the Svenska Bryggeriföreningen (the Swedish Brewers Association), whose figures these are. Since the mid-1990's there have been many new micros, who are not all represented in these figures. However, unlike the UK, new breweries have been allowed to join the association so, confusingly, some of them do show up in the numbers above. Confused? I certainly am. To get a true figure for the total number of breweries in Sweden, my guess would be to add an extra 10 to 20 or so to every year since 1997. My best estimate is that it has hovered around the 40 mark over the last 5 years. |
Number of breweries, beer production and beer consumption | ||||
Year
|
Breweries of taxable beer | Taxable beer production (hl) | Taxable beer consumption (hl) | Taxable beer consumption per capit (litres) |
1810 | 43 | 48,300 | ||
1820 | 40 | 52,650 | ||
1830 | 38 | 54,383 | ||
1840 | 28 | 40,062 | ||
1846 | 28 | 33,313 | ||
1880 | 374 | 1,116,000 | ||
1884 | 322 | 936,000 | ||
1890 | 554 | 2,193,000 | ||
1899 | 1,419,000 | |||
1900 | 1,385,000 | |||
1901 |
1,408,000
|
|||
1903/04 |
223
|
1,227,000 | ||
1905/06 |
240
|
1,297,000 | ||
1911/12 |
200
|
1,457,000
|
||
1914/15 |
178
|
1,120,000
|
||
1918/19 |
160
|
1,679,000
|
||
1925/26 |
162
|
1,455,000
|
||
1935/36 |
156
|
1,349,000
|
||
1940/41 |
149
|
1,294,000
|
||
1945/46 |
138
|
1,478,000
|
||
1950/51 |
131
|
1,753,000
|
||
1955/56 |
119
|
2,121,000
|
||
1960 |
82
|
2,097,000
|
||
1965 |
57
|
2,570,000
|
||
1970 |
48
|
3,944,000 | ||
1975 | 30 | 3,507,000 | ||
1976 | 27 | 3,703,000 | ||
1977 | 22 | 3,269,000 | ||
1978 |
22
|
2,865,000
|
||
1979 |
21
|
2,826,000
|
||
1980 | 21 | 2,671,000 | ||
1981 | ||||
1982 | 34.1 | |||
1983 |
16
|
2,448,000
|
2,710,000 | 32.5 |
1984 | 2,726,000 | 32.7 | ||
1985 | 2,942,000 | 35.3 | ||
1986 |
16
|
2,884,000
|
3,221,000 | 38.5 |
1987 | 3,377,000 | 40.2 | ||
1988 | 3,679,000 | 43.8 | ||
1989 | 3,971,000 | 46.7 | ||
1990 |
13
|
3,680,000
|
4,076,000 | 47.9 |
1991 | 4,209,000 | 49 | ||
1992 | 4,447,000 | 50.5 | ||
1993 |
13
|
4,133,000
|
4,530,000 | 54.2 |
1994 |
18
|
4,434,000
|
4,889,000 | 55.9 |
1995 |
28
|
4,403,000
|
4,781,000 | 54.2 |
1996 |
33
|
3,955,000
|
4,378,000 | 49.5 |
1997 |
33
|
2,547,000
|
4,671,000 | 52.8 |
1998 |
31
|
2,777,000
|
4,361,000 | 49.2 |
1999 |
20
|
3,005,000
|
4,584,000 | 51.7 |
2000 | 19 | 3,002,000 | 4,391,000 | 49.4 |
2001 | 18 | 3,068,000 | 4,367,000 | 48.9 |
2002 | 18 | 3,069,000 | 4,467,000 | 50 |
2003 | 2,837,000 | 4,484,000 | 50 | |
2004 | 28* | 2,832,000 | 4,194,000 | 46.6 |
2004 | 32* | |||
Sources: Svenska Bryggeriföreningen * my own calculation |
Beer consumption by strength class | ||||||
Year | Starkt starköl 5.6%> |
Starköl 4.5-5.6% |
Mellanöl 3.5-4.5% |
Folköl 2.25-3.5% |
Lättöl >2.25% |
Total |
1983 | - | 1,029,000 | - | 1,681,000 | 1,038,000 | 3,748,000 |
1984 | - | 1,068,000 | - | 1,658,000 | 1,002,000 | 3,728,000 |
1985 | - | 1,072,000 | - | 1,870,000 | 973,000 | 3,915,000 |
1986 | - | 1,223,000 | - | 1,998,000 | 980,000 | 4,201,000 |
1987 | - | 1,344,000 | - | 2,033,000 | 968,000 | 4,345,000 |
1988 | - | 1,489,000 | - | 2,190,000 | 1,010,000 | 4,689,000 |
1989 | - | 1,647,000 | - | 2,324,000 | 997,000 | 4,968,000 |
1990 | - | 1,625,000 | - | 2,451,000 | 1,040,000 | 5,116,000 |
1991 | - | 1,715,000 | - | 2,494,000 | 1,035,000 | 5,244,000 |
1992 | - | 1,559,000 | 214,000 | 2,674,000 | 1,028,000 | 5,475,000 |
1993 | - | 1,475,000 | 346,000 | 2,709,000 | 1,007,000 | 5,537,000 |
1994 | - | 1,637,000 | 353,000 | 2,899,000 | 997,000 | 5,886,000 |
1995 | 226,000 | 1,421,000 | 279,000 | 2,855,000 | 906,000 | 5,687,000 |
1996 | 193,000 | 1,382,000 | 249,000 | 2,554,000 | 850,000 | 5,228,000 |
1997 | 247,000 | 1,468,000 | 215,000 | 2,741,000 | 788,000 | 5,459,000 |
1998 | 236,000 | 1,521,000 | 184,000 | 2,420,000 | 716,000 | 5,077,000 |
1999 | 240,000 | 1,944,000 | - | 2,400,000 | 674,000 | 5,258,000 |
2000 | 301,000 | 1,940,000 | - | 2,150,000 | 620,000 | 5,011,000 |
2001 | 356,000 | 2,034,000 | - | 1,977,000 | 565,000 | 4,932,000 |
2002 | 421,000 | 2,153,000 | - | 1,893,000 | 531,000 | 4,998,000 |
2003 | 407,000 | 2,246,000 | - | 1,831,000 | 485,000 | 4,969,000 |
2004 | 385,000 | 2,173,000 | - | 1,636,000 | 441,000 | 4,635,000 |
Source: Svenska Bryggeriföreningen Notes: After 1999 the figures for Mellanöl are included in those for Starköl. |
Beer sales by location (%) | ||||||||
off-sales | on-sales | |||||||
beer type | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
Starkt starköl | 97.1 | 97.5 | 97.3 | 96.9 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
Starköl | 59.1 | 60.7 | 63.7 | 64.6 | 40.9 | 39.3 | 36.3 | 35.4 |
Mellanöl | 44.6 | 45.0 | 40.7 | 36.7 | 55.4 | 55.0 | 59.3 | 63.6 |
Folköl | 98.6 | 99.2 | 99.3 | 99.0 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
Lättöl | 68.8 | 68.2 | 67.2 | 65.8 | 31.2 | 31.8 | 32.8 | 34.2 |
All beer | 78.5 | 79.4 | 79.2 | 78.3 | 21.5 | 20.6 | 20.8 | 21.7 |
Source: Svenska Bryggeriföreningen |
Beer sales by package type (%) | ||
package type | 2003 | 2004 |
Returnable bottle 33 cl | 14.3 | 13.3 |
Returnable bottle 50 cl | 6.1 | 6.2 |
Returnable bottle other | 0.3 | 0.2 |
Returnable bottle PET 1.5 l | 0.2 | 0.3 |
Returnable bottle total | 20.9 | 20 |
Non-returnable bottle | 1.4 | 1.6 |
Plastic bottle 50cl | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Non-returnable bottle total | 1.6 | 1.8 |
Can | 64.9 | 65 |
Draught | 12.6 | 13.1 |
Bag in box | - | 0.1 |
Total | 100 | 100 |
Source: Svenska Bryggeriföreningen |
Swedish Breweries |
Brewery listings |
Ahlafors
Bryggeri Box 3060, 44915 Alafors. Tel: 0303-741890 Fax: 0303-741520 Email: info@alhafors.se Homepage: http://www.ahlafors.se/ Founded: 1996 Annual production:
Microbrewery. |
Avesta
Bryggeri Garpenbergsvägen 41, 774 97 Fors. Tel: 0226-363 50 Fax: 0226-307 30 kontakt@avestabryggeri.se Homepage: http://www.avestabryggeri.se/ Founded: 1896 Annual production:
Small, independent brewery with a not very exciting range of beers. |
Banco
Bryggeri AB Box 103, 360 53 Skruv. Tel: 0478-203 00 Fax: 0478-200 32 http://www.bancobryggeri.se/ Founded: 1876 Annual production:
Owned by Kopparbergs, who bought them in 2002. |
Bredaryds
Värdshus Lundavägen 16, 330 10 Bredaryd. Tel: 0370-80 320 Fax: 0370-86 295 Email: info@bredarydswardshus.se http://www.bredarydswardshus.se/ Founded: 1996 Annual production:
Brewpub. It sells 200+ beers in addition to its own. |
Bryggeriet
i Ystad Långgatan 20, 291 43 Ystad. Tel: 0411- 699 99 Fax: 0411- 699 98 info@ystadbryggeriet.com http://www.ystadbryggeriet.com/ Founded: 1997 ** CLOSED 2002** Annual production:
Brewpub in the centre of Ystad. Housed in a traditional timber-framed brick building. Merged with Tomelilla brewery to form Två Bryggare ("Two Brewers"). Thee beers are now brewed there. Opening times: Mon-Thu 11:30-22:00 Fri 11:30-24:00 Sat 12:00-24:00 Sun 12:30-18:00 |
Carlsberg
Sverige Bryggerivägen 10, 161 86 Stockholm Tel: 08-757 70 00 Fax: 08-28 98 61 Email: info@carlsberg.se Homepage: www.carlsberg.se Founded: 1828 (Pripps) CLOSED 2004 Annual production: 1,000,000 hl
Produces an enormous array of pale lagers, many licence-brewed versions of Carlsberg's Danish beers. But at 1 million hl, it's not that big a brewery in the modern world. I wonder how many breweries Carlsberg will have in Scandinavia in a few years' time? A couple of mega-breweries could brew enough to supply Denmark/Sweden/Norway quite easily. How prescient I was! Carlsberg Sweden plan to close their Stockholm brewery in October 2004, with production moving to Falkenberg and Copenhagen. The group still has an awful lot of breweries in Norway-Sweden-Denmark, where the total beer market is only around 12 million hl. Carlsberg also imports beers - such as a stronger (4.4%) version of Tetley's Bitter - from other parts of its empire. |
Dugges Ale- & Porterbryggeri
AB Möbelgatan 3, 431 33 Mölndal. Tel: 031-877 900 Email: info@dugges.se http://www.dugges.se Founded: 2005 Annual production:
Microbrewery. |
Falkenberg
Box 164, 311 22 Falkenberg Tel: 08-757 70 00 Fax: 0346-171 55 Homepage:http://www.falcon.se Founded: 1896 Annual production: 1,300,000 hl
The largest brewery in Sweden. A subsidiary of Carlsberg Sverige . I assume that some of the other Carlsberg brands are also brewed here but for simplicity's sake, I'm just listing the Falcon products here. |
Gamla
Stans Bryggeri AB Box 2035, 103 11 Stockholm. Tel: 08-406 62 20 Fax: 08-20 30 74 Email: info@gamlastansbryggeri.se Homepage: www.gamlastansbryggeri.se Founded: 1995 ** CLOSED ** Annual production:
Brewpub. Jan Stenbeck, the initiator of this project showed considerable determination in establishing Sweden'd first brewpub, at a time when it was unclear if it was legal or not. His stubbornness also had less positive effects: at his insistance only a single pale lager was brewed. Since his departure, the way has been clear for a widening of the product range. The intention is to eventually serve 6 house draught beers. For details of the pub, look here. |
Gamlestadens
Bryggeri AB Östergårdsgatan 11, 524 32 Herrljunga. Tel: 0513-226 00 Fax: 0513-226 19 Email: info@herrljungacider.se/gb/ Homepage: http://www.herrljungacider.se/ Founded: 1994 Annual production:
Microbrewery. Has moved from its original home in Gothenburg to a cider makers in Herrljunga. |
Gotlands
Bryggeri S:t Hansgatan 47, 621 56 Visby. Tel & Fax: 0498-21 77 73 http://www.gotlandsbryggeri.se/ Founded: 1996 Annual production:
Microbrewery owned by Spendrups. |
Grebbestad
Bryggeri AB Strandvägen 1, Box 74, 457 02 Grebbestad Tel: 0525-610 60 Fax: 0525-610 66 info@grebbestad-bryggeri.se http://www.grebbestad-bryggeri.se/ Founded: 1995 Annual production:
Microbrewery. Unusually for a micro, it concentrates on bottom-fermenting beers. |
Hantverksbryggeriet Västerås. Mobil: 070-274 24 32 Email: info@hantverksbryggeriet.se http://www.hantverksbryggeriet.se/ Founded: 2003 Annual production:
Microbrewery. |
Harrys Bryggeri Hamnplan, Örebro. Tel: 019-10 89 89 Founded: 2000 ** CLOSED ** Annual production: Microbrewery. |
Helsinge Ångbryggeri Faxeholmsgatan 1, 826 50 Söderhamn. Tel.: 0270 - 141 98 http://www.bryggverket.com/ Founded: 2004 Annual production:
Microbrewery. A company that used to provide just unfermented wort for home brewers. In 2004 it began marketing beer, initially only in draught form. |
Irish
Pub Nybrogatan 16, 852 31 Sundsvall. Tel: 060-12 50 22 Email: dublin@telia.com http://www.irishpub.se Founded: 2004 Annual production:
Brewpub. The brewery doesn't have the most inspiring name, but it does produce cask-conditioned ales. |
Jämtlands
Bryggeri AB Box 216, 840 58 Pilgrimstad. Tel: 0693-314 30 Fax: 0693-314 31 info@jamtlandsbryggeri.se http://www.jamtlandsbryggeri.se/ Founded: 199? Annual production: 3,500 hl
A well-respected microbrewery that has won lots of awards. Their interpretations of British-style beers are particularly good. |
Kinnekulle Bryggeri Forshem, 533 94 Hällekis. Email: lars.kyrklund@swipnet.se Founded: 2003 Annual production:
Microbrewery. The beers are available at Forshems Gästgivaregård, a restaurant just down the road from the brewery. |
Kopparbergs
Bryggeri AB Klotenvägen 4, 714 82 Kopparberg. Tel: 0580-886 00 Fax: 0580-886 01 E-mail: konsumentkontakt@kopparbergs.se Homepage: http://www.kopparbergs.se/ Founded: 1882 Annual production: 300,000 hl
Independent brewery. Kopparbergs also owns the Banco and Zeunerts breweries. It took over the Sofiero brewery in 2000 and this no appears to have closed, though some of its product range lives on. |
Krönleins
Bryggeri AB Bryggaregatan 7-9, 302 43 Halmstad. Tel: 035-17 60 00 Fax: 035-17 60 01 postbox@kroenleins.se http://www.kroenleins.se/ Founded: 1836 Annual production:
One of Sweden's largest independent breweries. |
Millingstorps
Gårdsbryggeri Millingstorp, 599 94 Ödeshög. Tel: 0142 - 71253 Mob: 070 - 6966056 Fax: 0142 - 71212 Email: info@runol.com Homepage: http://www.runol.com/ Founded: 1998 Annual production:
A microbrewery in a farmhouse that seems to concentrate on Class II beers. |
Mora Bryggeri Vattnäsbyväg 23, 792 97 Mora. Tel: 0250 - 350 19 Fax: 0250 - 352 02 Email: eva@morabryggeri.se http://www.morabryggeri.se/ Founded: 2002 Annual production:
Microbrewery. The original Mora Bryggeri was founded in 1872, bought by Pripps in 1951 and closed in 1979. A microbrewery located in Mora, Pehrsgårdens Bryggeri, bought the rights to the name and to produce the Mora soft drinks. Pehrsgårdens Bryggeri changed its name to Mora Bryggeri in 2003. |
Nils
Oscars Bryggeri S:t Eriksgatan 36, Stockholm. Tel: 08 - 650 50 49 info@nilsoscar.se http://www.nilsoscar.se/ Founded: 1996 Annual production:
A microbrewery with a good reputation. |
Nya Munkbo Ångbryggeri AB
Smedjebacken. Tel: 0240-745 11 Email: info@munkbo.se Founded: 1997 CLOSED 2002 Annual production:
Microbrewery. |
Nyckelbryggerier
Kallax Företagsstad, Lulviksvägen, 972 54 Luleå. Tel: 0920-25 07 60 info@nyckelbryggerier.nu http://www.nyckelbryggerier.se/ Founded: 2004 CLOSED 2005 Annual production: Microbrewery. |
Nynäshamns
Ångbryggeri Lövlundsvägen 4, 149 22 Nynäshamn. Tel: 08 - 520 212 13 Fax: 08 - 520 212 14 Email: info@nyab.se http://www.nynashamns-angbryggeri.se/ Founded: 1997 Annual production: 720 hl (2004)
Microbrewery brewing mostly British-style ales. The only brewery I know in continental Europe producing two milds. All the ales are also available in cask-conditioned format. Akkurat and Oliver Twist in Stockholm and The Rover in Gothenburg sometimes have them in cask form. Cask beer is also exported to the Fat Cat in Sheffield. All the beers are unfiltered and unpasteurised. |
Närke Kulturbryggeri
AB Box 475, 701 49 Örebro. Tel: 019-33 34 82 Fax: 019-10 42 46 Email: info@kulturbryggeri.se http://www.kulturbryggeri.se Founded: 2004 Annual production:
Microbrewery. |
Oppigårds
Bryggeri Smedjegatan 14, 776 93 Hedemora. Tel: 0225-772134 Email: info@oppigards.com Homepage: www.oppigards.com Founded: 1999 Annual production: 3,500 hl
Microbrewery. |
Pannrummet
Kök & Bar Gamlestadsvägen 4, 415 02 Göteborg. Tel: 031-21 72 05 Email: info@pannrummet.com Homepage: http://www.pannrummet.com/ Founded: 2000 Annual production:
Brewpub. |
Rommehed
Bränneri Rommehedslägret 1, 784 63 Borlänge. Tel 0243-21 94 94 Fax 0243-21 94 95 http://www.rommehed.com/ Founded: 200? Annual production:
Contract brewer. |
Sigtuna Brygghus
AB http://www.sigtunabrygghus.se Email: info@sigtunabrygghus.se Founded: 2005 Annual production: Microbrewery. |
Slottskällans
Bryggeri AB Box 851, 751 08 Uppsala. Tel: 018-15 58 00 Fax: 018-15 58 00 Email: hasse@pilsner.nu Homepage: http://www.slottskallans-bryggeri.se/ Founded: 1997 Annual production:
A microbrewery brewing an impressive range of styles. |
Spendrups
Bryggeri AB Box 341 02, 100 26 Stockholm. Tel: 08-672 77 00 Fax: 08-618 35 60 Homepage: http://www.spendrups.se Founded: 1897 Annual production: 960,000 hl (1996) 1,240,000 hl (2003)
Sweden's largest independent brewery. It has around 20% of the market. |
Svenssons Bryggeri AB
Box 14, 312 21 Laholm. Tel: 0430-165 90 Fax: 0430-100 02 Founded: 200? Annual production: Contract brewer. |
Three Towns Ind Brewery
Founded: Annual production:
Listed as a separate brewery in the Systembolaget price list, but surely the beers really come from one Carlsberg's brewery in Falkenburg. |
Två Bryggare / ÖsterlenBryggarna AB Simrishamnsvägen 44, 273 36 Tomelilla. Tel: 0417-135 00 Fax: 0417-122 98 Email: tva.bryggare@telia.com http://www.tvabryggare.se Founded: 2002 Annual production:
Microbrewery. Formed by the merger of the Färskölsbryggeriet in Ystad and the Tomelilla Bryggeri (which made only tax-free beer). |
Zeunerts
Bryggeri AB Box 313, 881 27 Sollefteå Tel: 0620-575 00 Fax: 0620-575 35 Founded: 1857 Annual production:
Independent brewery. Owned by Kopparbergs. |
AB
Åbro Bryggeri 598 86 Vimmerby. Tel: 0492-165 00 Fax: 0492-136 90 Email: info@abro.se Homepage: http://www.abro.se/ Founded: 1856 Annual production: 560,000 hl (all drinks, 2004) 300,000 hl (beer - based on market share)
One of Sweden's larger independent breweries. Has about 10% of the beer market. |
Åre Bryggeri Åre. Tel: 0647 - 521 70 Founded: 200? Annual production: Contract brewer. The beers are brewed at Jämtlands. |
Ölkliniken
AB Föreningsgatan 27, 582 30 Linköping. Tel: 0707-67 18 34 Fax: 013-12 44 90 Email: mail@roel.se Homepage: http://www.roel.se/ Founded: 1998 Annual production:
Brewpub. Only open to students, except by appointment. The beer is available at several other outlets in Linköping. |