Episode 6 - Alcohol & Sweden

Episode 6 Alcohol & Sweden… This Interesting cocktail is hosted by Martin and Ian with special guest Jeffrey Scott Brown, owner and Master Brewer at South Plains Brewery here in Malmö Sweden. In the studio today they discuss Swedens and Swedes attitude regarding Alcohol, from drinking mostly Brännvin (hard liquor) 120 years ago to becoming the worlds largest user per capita of BiB (Bag in Box) wine drinkers. At the moment roughly a third (32 percent) of all alcohol sold in Sweden is beer. There are about 300 breweries in Sweden - large-scale producers and craft breweries alike, which means that outside of Great Britain, Sweden has Europe’s highest number of breweries per capita.  Early 1900s Alcohol became a major issue in large cities in Sweden which prompted the start of the Temperance movement in Sweden that called for teetotalism and total ban on alcohol, blaming alcohol for bad health and breakdown in family life. A unique system called the Bratt System was introduced between 1917 and 1955 to control alcohol consumption, by rationing liquor. In many ways, todays Swedes have adopted a more continental drinking habit. Is this because Sweden is a more diverse society where cultures are constantly changing.  Listen to find out… Jeffrey’s brewery, South Plains Brewing Company can be found at: http://www.southplains.se