Ompa Ompa – Germany here we come! It was a little funny that we ended here the day we were invited to a Octoberfest at night. In addition we sometime dedicate a song to the place. Here it will be Daniel by Elton John.

I was “warned” in advance to this place. Finally I would see a brown café/yellow curtain in Trondheim. In my opinion it is not so special. I am often in southern Germany, and they have plenty of places like this. You have the long benches, the light wooden tables. The bar is little, and with an overbar with many small liquor bottles. There are 2 rooms, one large and a small one  The separation between the room resembles another bar. On the other separation there is a big wooden Danish ship. The ceiling is decorated by ugly mirrors.

Maybe the image comes from the fact at the regulars are a little over the student age, and you can see it? If you are a young student, you are not drawn to this place.

You find the South Germany of Trondheim here.  The grade is a weak 3, I have to come here once more to be sure.

Today’s Beer Quote
“We old folks have to find our cushions and pillows in our tankards. Strong beer is the milk of the old.”

-Martin Luther

It is good for Bobby Ewing, Kennedy or whoever this place is named after that we have been here before. At that time we were very impressed by their hospitality, positivity and sense of humor. We thought all the negative we had read about the place was far out. After doing a checkup visit, this place failed totally. If it had not been for the first visit, this would be a one curtain place.

As we enter, the friendliness was there a little bit. We go to the free table with benches around that have the flower pattern from the 80ies. You have some French pictures on the walls. The room is small. Were we sit, there is a TV. We like TV to see sports and so on. We were there when the news came on. The regulars are from the grey haired age. No problem there, but they have all forgotten their hearing aid at home, and the sound is turned up. We try to hint that the sound is a little high. This makes them turn it on max sound, so we cannot hear anything we try to talk about.

We give it a 2, for the first good impression.  We will also check the next time we come to Trondheim. You find Bobby’s here. The beer is not especially cheap.

Today’s Beer Quote.
Beer was invented by accident – the accident was that it was not invented earlier
Monrad & Rislund.

I was eating dinner at one of my favourite places in Stockholm, Man in the Moon. For dinner I had a regular beer on tap, but after the food,  I wanted to have a look at the beer chart. My eyes fell on “Old Engine Oil”, and decided for no particular reason that this beer was well suited for me.

The beer is from Harvieston Brewery. The brewery was founded by Ken Brooker, who has worked for Ford Motor Company for many years. Maybe this is where he came up with the name? The brewery is Scottish and use untreated spring water from the Ochill Hills. This is an ale and is black as engine oil. It is 6% and also gets your machinery going. A good after dinner beer.

It is made on pale malt, roasted barley and malted oats – a good combination. In the making of the beer they also tried chockolate powder and smoked malt, but it did not end up in the final product. Old Engine Oil is well-hopped with the sweetish variety Galena from Washington State, Worchester Fuggles and East Kent Golgings.

It is like silk in the mouth and is absolutely worth a try. Better oil for the old machinery is hard to find!

This a pub on Mølle Alle 16 in Valby. You enter directly into the action. It is a little cornerpub, with 5 round tables. A little bar, painted in red. There are mirrors behind the bar. There is red paneling and the rest of the walls are in yellow. There are small black and white drawings and paintings from Copenhagen on the walls.

The guests are local. They are very interested in their one armed bandits. They are from different social background, but have the love for a cold beer in common. The beer selection is limited. The only one on tap is a Tuborg Classic for DKK.

A good place for a smokers vacation.

Todays Beer Quote:
“Fermentation may have been a greater discovery than fire.”

-David Rains Wallace

In a little alley lays this place that is properly named. In English the name is grandma’s living room. This is exactly the feeling you get when you enter.  There are many small rooms with old furniture. There are heckled table clothes, curtains with laces. Yes, Grandma cozy!  Upstairs there is a big living room with a big fireplace in addition to a smaller living room. The furniture is old and grandma like.

The place is famous for being the place with the cheapest beer in Trondheim. The combination of this fact and the coziness makes it a very popular and crowded place. The people are of all ages. A good place to visit if you are in Trondheim. You find their homepage here.

Todays Beer Quote
“I never met a pub I didn’t like.”

-Pete Slosberg, Founder of Pete’s Brewing Company

I have passed by Grusgraven sevaral times without entering.  Without any good reason, but after a couple of visits, I will recommend to not pass by, but enter.

You enter directly into the living room, almost like grandmothers living room.  There are 3 rooms at granny.  In the first there is the bare. It is a corner bar, with an hanging over bar. They do not have any beers on tap unfortunately, but the service is good and humorous. The beer is cheap.

In the next living room, there are many paintings and some of the kitschy printed mirrors from the popular 80ies. The walls are in duo toned Tuborg Green. The interior is a mix of many different benches and tables.  The lamps are in the style from last century.  There are many flowers. You have to enjoy cigarette smoke, because it is allowed to smoke there. In the final room there is a little table.

It is a popular place with a lot of guests. They were a little on the old side when we last visited, but I know there are a lot of students here also.  You can see some nice features as this exit sign:

You find Grusgraven on the corner of Enghavevej 11

Today’s Beer Quote:
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?

Stephen Wright

I have been here several times throughout the years.  No matter when I come, day or night. It is a popular pub. The regulars sits around the bar and tables, and tell stories. The atmosphere is authentic, even though the wall paneling is of plastic.

The pub is L-shaped. They have no beers on Tap, unfortunately.  A plus for the yellow curtains in the windows.

The people are a little over middle age, but friendly. Some had also taken their dog with them when we were there. You may smoke, so a good place for smokers vacation.

The pub is in Oehlenschlægersgade 41. It is easy to locate because of the orange front.

Today’s Beer Quote:
“I fear the man who drinks water and so remembers this morning what the rest of us said last night.”
Greek Proverb

In how many countries can you with certainty predict when the first snowfall will be, even the first snowstorm?  Where it even is welcomed with joy? I know just one country and this is Denmark. You can set your watch after this. The snow falls at 20.59 on the first Friday in November, or this year it is the last Friday in October so the snow will fall at 20.59 at October 30^th.

This is called J-day and is without doubt the day when most Danes go out on town. What is this snow that falls?  It is the Christmas beer from Tuborg, and nobody serves this before 20.59, and in many bars and bodegas there is a countdown to this magic minute. Tuborg has rented many trucks that drives from bar to bar, with the blue snow dressed workers. Some are sexier than others. They conquer pub after pub, gives out free snow, and make fun.  I get international visitors for this big happening.

What is the history behind one of the best marketing stunts in the history of beer?
Tuborg Christmasbeer was first released in 1981. A very tasty, strong, with a little liquorice added. It tastes very well. In 1983 genius struck for the first time. They made the Christmas commercial for the Christmas beer, and is been running every year afterwards with great success.  Tuborg does not have any plans to change this in the near future.

In 1990 the first J-Day (Jule – Christmas beer) was marketed from Tuborg in connection with the Christmas Beer launch.  Thereafter J-Day was made into a yearly tradition on the 2^nd Wednesday of nevember at 23.59. In 1999 J-day was moved from Wednesday until the first Friday in November at 20.59. This was primarily because of all the students that did not meet for school the next day. Tuborg also makes popular J-Day merchandise that people wear with great joy.

Pubs are celebrating J-Day
A lot of pubs, really enjoy the visit from the blue Tuborg santas, and make special events. A couple of examples. On Café Bryggeriet, there is a marching band at 20.59 and opens J-day.

On Restaurant Klubben, Tuborg comes a little later, and they have magicians and performers entertaining.

You can read more on Tuborg webpage.

Last year 65% our readers on the “Dorwegian Blog” said they would attend J-Day. Very impressing when there is a lot of international readers.

On Maddox Street lays this old Tudor house. Or I thought it was an old Tudor, until I read it was a false Tudor.  Anyway I like Tudor style, false or not.  In the old times this was a German hairdressing salon, but I like it better as a public house!  When you come in you have the Tudor beams, the small faceted stained glass. The bar is in black painted wood.  On the side you have a little alcove for two. You also have a cozy fireplace, sofas, and high tables to sit around. With plenty of mingle space.

The beer selection is not particular good. They have some real ales.

It is situated a little outside the tourist tracks. The staff is service minded and friendly

Today’s Beer Quote:
“An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.”

-For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemmingway

On Enghavevej 4 lays this sold institution on Vesterbro. This is a place you either love or hate. We love it. You get the real old Danish restaurant/guest house atmosphere. You have the landlady Daniella Krog that runs the business with a firm hand. She might seem a little frightening if you do not know her, and her Brazialian temperament. When you know her, she is the friendliest and hospitable landlady you know.

There are several rooms in the restaurant. There is old wallpaper on the wall, well worn in the good way. There is a combination of booths and solid wooden tables. There is also a room upstairs, but try to avoid that. In the summer you sit outside in “Tove Ditlevsens Mindehave” A little oasis in the city jungle.

KLubben is a restaurant, and you get all the old traditional Danish Courses.  The portions are humongous! If you go starving from there, it is your own fault! I have taken business relations here for lunch, with great success.

The place is very popular, and you might find it difficult to find tables in the weekend. You get all kinds of people there. A popular radio show did a lot to promote the place, and got the young people to come as well.

We also want to recommend Klubben when the snow falls on J-Day. Daniella and Klubben has a lot of events this evening. Order a table well ahead of time.

You can read more on their homepage. Try it for yourself to see if you love it too!

Todays Beer Quote:
“Filled with mingled cream and amber I will drain that glass again. Such hilarious visions clamber Through the chambers of my brain — Quaintest thoughts — queerest fancies Come to life and fade away; Who cares how time advances? I am drinking ale today.”  Edgar Allan Poe