Weekend of cultural and beery surprises

A few weeks ago, I treated myself to an inspiring weekend of culture and catching up with friends in Stockholm. As it turns out, it also involved quite the beery surprise. Let me tell you all about it.

The weekend’s main event was an author’s talk; the fabulous, ultra-talented, and as it turns out also very funny, Zadie Smith was in town to chat about her new book The Fraud (last year’s best and most surprising read, by the way). Next up was a visit to Fotografiska, the contemporary museum of photography. Having topped up on cultural inspiration with Cindy Sherman’s Tapestries consisting of Instagram selfies as woven textiles and Henriette Sabroe Ebbesen’s colourful and abstract images in Kaleidoscope, my friends and I were ready for a beer.

Not far from the museum, you will find a number of good craft beer bars including Stigbergets Fot. In the unbroken thirst for surprises, I simply asked the bartender what was “new and fresh” on tap. He brought me something I wouldn’t usually order, and already after the first sip I was quite overwhelmed. Possibly also because of the comfort of escaping the chilly downpour outside, and after saying “ooh” and “aah” far too many times at the museum.

I would never have predicted that the cheeky bartender would bring me a Piña Colada Tropical PULP Sour. But wow! Future Islands by Elmeleven is loaded with fresh tropical fruit such as mango, pineapple and guava, mixed with smooth and silky coconut milk. It was fruity but not too sweet, tangy but not too sour, like a light and creamy dessert, and not too powerful at a decent five per cent ABV. On the brewery’s Instagram, I later saw a post about this being “the craziest beer” they’ve ever canned. And now I’m hooked, but I guess that’s the danger of surprises.