Buying expensive cans of beer in Norway, plus an idyllic place for a refreshing pint.

The following post concerns Norwegian beer, a subject on which I knew very little, prior to our visit to the country last month.  I was aware of the fact that in common with the other Scandinavian countries, although perhaps with the honourable exception of Denmark, Norway shares a long history of disapproval, as far as alcohol is concerned. This non-acceptance of alcohol translated itself into high prices, and restrictions regarding it sale, although once revealed and understood, were nowhere near as onerous as I first imagined.

Leaving aside the issue of pricing for a moment the restrictions, whilst still a nuisance, can be lived with, once you know what they are. For example, if you want to buy beer from a supermarket, you must do so before 8 PM on weekdays or 6 PM on Saturdays, and on Sundays, no sale of alcohol is permitted, unless you are in a bar or a restaurant. In addition, Norwegian supermarkets are only allowed to sell alcohol below 4.7% abv, so if you are looking for anything stronger than this, you will need to visit a

“Vinmonopol .” These are a chain of government-owned of liquor stores, and you will find outlets in virtually all Norwegian towns. The name of these stores literally means the "Wine Monopoly."

I found this out for myself, on the morning we docked at Stavanger, an attractive port town in the south-west of Norway. Queen Mary 2 couldn’t have been much closer to the town, if her captain had tried, so with this in our

favour, and thoughts of Norwegian beer abounding – in my head at least, we set off to explore Stavanger. The latter turned out to be my favourite of the three Norwegian towns we called at on the cruise, and really was an attractive little town set amongst some spectacular, coastal scenery.

Having eyed-up a couple of potential pubs to try, and then discovering they didn’t open until midday, I led us on something of a wild goose-chase, trying to find the town’s Vinmonopol. Mrs PBT’s wasn’t best pleased when we failed to find this liquor store, especially as Stavanger is quite hilly in places so it was then I reminded her that had we called in at the Tourist Information Centre – as I suggested, we’d have had a map to follow.

Instead, we had to make do with my phone, and Google Maps. After the Cambridge debacle I should have been more insistent, but I really don’t know why my family are intent on giving TIC’s such a wide berth. We walked back to the quayside, and after finding a convenient bench, in a sunny location overlooking the harbour, I set off alone, leaving Eileen to admire and contemplate the waterfront scenery, whilst musing on the advantages of paper maps compared with Google.

I soon found the Vinmonopol, located in a small and centrally located shopping centre. It was brightly lit and well laid out inside, and after asking a couple of questions, and making known my interest in beer, a member of staff, who I assumed was the manager, offered to show me the store’s selection. He was very knowledgeable and seemed proud to introduce me to some of the stronger craft stouts and porters, the majority of which were locally brewed. I selected four of these beers, and as you can see from my receipt the total came to NOK 288.40 (Norwegian Krone). This equates to £23.79, at today’s exchange rate, so expensive yes, but something to enjoy on a cold, dark winter’s evening!

Before leaving, the store manager, pointed me in the direction of a supermarket, where he said I’d be able to buy some weaker beers, including pilsners and pale ales. At the Helgø Meny store I picked up a further five cans of mainly local beer - Lervig & Jåttå Gårdsbryggeri, both of which are brewed in Stavanger.  I’m not sure of their price, as I bought a load of other provisions – mainly sweets and snacks for us to scoff in the cabin.  

Mrs PBT’s was still sitting patiently on the bench, although I had messaged her to say I’d found what I was looking for and was on my way back. She was feeling rather cold, so we agreed to return to the ship, for something to eat, rather than waiting for the pubs to open.

A few days later, I enjoyed a Norwegian beer on draught, at a small hotel and restaurant overlooking Olden fjord, in one of the most spectacular setting imaginable. I ticked it on Untappd as Ringes Pilsner, from Rignes Bryggeri of Oslo. Carlsberg-Ringnes and Hansa-Borg are the two remaining large players in the Norwegian beer market, the industry having undergone significant consolidation over the last fifty year, but on a hot June day, with the snow-topped mountains reflecting in the fjord, I can’t think of a much better location to enjoy a nice cool beer.

Having dealt with availability and choice, it’s worth a quick look at beer prices in Norway. The taxes that the Norwegian government imposes on alcohol are the highest in Europe. Any beer over 0.7% abv is subject to tax, with the rates on a sliding scale depending on the strength. As with restrictions on sale, the high taxes on alcohol are meant to discourage excessive consumption.

There are also strict measures regarding cost-based promotions on alcohol, meaning that you won’t see happy hour type promotions at your favourite, local bar. While these restrictions and high prices might sound extreme to the average European, most Norwegians appear willing to accept them.