There is still one thing that I do not understand about Scandinavia and don’t think I ever will is the price of ale.
Now I know that if you go to a bar in Stockholm you’re going to be paying around 66 SEK for a beer but even if you head out to the suburbs you’re still going to be paying around 40SEK for even the local beer. Yet it is not the price of the beer that worries me as any capital city will charge more than most but it’s the actual beer that they sell.
Let’s take the Bishops Arms for example. Firstly I really like this bar; it feels like a British pub, warm atmosphere, good food and an excellent range of beers. But the beers that they sell are the same that you can pick up here in a local supermarket for next to nothing. Let’s compare
Four bottles of Bishops Finger in Stockholm 264 SEK (approx £25)
Four bottles of Bishops Finger in London £3.99 (Approx 40SEK)
The beer does not taste that nice anyway but I feel that maybe the overpricing is a good thing. In the UK we have a tendency to drink far too much; we are in fact the worst abusers of alcohol in Europe. Many a time you will find people going to the pub each and every day to indulge in cheap drinks. Far from me being an expert on the Swedish drinking culture I do feel it’s more of a social event rather than an occurrence. Maybe it is a reward for a Swede to work hard Monday to Friday and then enjoy some well earned drinks with his friends on a Friday night knowing that they are indeed well earned. Rather than what happens in the UK where someone will drink until they vomit just because the drinks are cheaper.
It will take an incredible amount of time for me to adjust to the cost of Swedish life but as far as alcohol goes I’m not really a big drinker anyway so this will be more of a reward than an event.
Only time will tell.
Tags: beer, bishops arms, stockholm, sweden
I have some insight in the other direction, I remember when I first moved to London it took me a great deal of time to adjust to the alcohol culture. It was so very foreign to me that it was accepted to drink in the way the English does.
When I grew up drinking was only done on special occasions, parties, weekends, say Friday and Saturday night or when on holiday. A glass of wine to dinner was very rare, and not done if the next day was a working day!
Okay now I may not agree with the conservative alcohol politics in Sweden, and especially the monopoly that we have. I think it creates more problems, and is not very contemporary. I do however agree with the age limits we do have, 18 at the pub 20 in store.
Sweden is more heavily taxed than England where alcohol is concerned, but less with tobacco.
Report abuse »
Thanks. I think that is just how I view it too.
Report abuse »