Brewed in the Lofoten Islands, Lofotpils is one of many small brewery operations in Norway. When taking the coastal ferry, it’s possible to visit the brewery on an organised trip.
The Lofoten Islands are known for their beauty, and are considered by many to be the finest of Norway's natural attractions. Bathed in the midnight sun, or with the northern lights dancing overhead, there are few places I'd rather be.
This beauty has drawn travellers from all across the world, and inspired artists and photographers for generations.
Historically, the natural resources of Lofoten have contributed greatly to Norway's economy and cultural profile, most famously through the export of dried fish. But another of Lofoten's natural resources has only begun to be utilised in recent years.
The freshwater from the mountains is a key ingredient in the German-style beer brewed by Lofotpils in Svolvær, the biggest town in Lofoten.
Introducing Lofotpils
It's far from the most famous Norwegian beer, but Lofotpils has its following especially in and around the Lofoten Islands.
Just as you find Hansa when you’re in Bergen and Dahls when you’re in Trondheim, Lofotpils is available throughout Lofoten. The light pilsner is the best-known product, but there are several others available too.
Lofotpils has a short but exciting history. The first brew took place in November 2014, with the first bottling a few weeks later, and the first canning in January 2015. The first kegging was for the World Cod Fishing Championships, in March 2015.
Lofotpils Brewery Tour in Svolvær
On my recent winter trip on the Norwegian coastal route, I booked myself on the organized excursion to visit Lofotpils during the southbound Svolvær port call.
I visited the brewery back in 2019 when I travelled on Hurtigruten’s MS Vesterålen. Back then the tour took place on the northbound leg, but now it has been switched to the longer southbound stay.
I was keen to see how things had changed. The tour makes the most of the relatively short stay in Svolvær because the brewery is right at the dock!
A group of around 15 of us were met immediately off the ship by Lofotpils general manager Andreas. He took us around to the facility and began a tour of the site, explaining a bit of history and how the company came to be.
The facility is small but impressive, especially the canning line, which has a capacity well beyond what the brewery presently produces. Because of this, they can for other breweries when the line is free.
The tour ends with a tasting session of various beers produced by the brewery, from the lightest to darkest. This is, of course, what everyone had been waiting for!
Overall, the tour is a good mix of entertainment and education. The beer tasting is conducted with a good explanation of the different characteristics of the different beers, and the reasons why they taste as they do.
Andreas also shared the story of this curious bottle opener. It's modelled on a traditional fishing tool used in the Lofoten area! How true that is I have no idea, but it works great as a bottle opener, so much so that I bought one as a souvenir.
As for whether the tour is worth it, I would say yes. I'm a keen beer drinker and occasional homebrewer. So, learning how a small brewery has gone from strength to strength is truly interesting.
If you're planning a trip on the coastal route with Hurtigruten or Havila, look out for the excursion on the southbound leg of the voyage. If you have other plans, watch out for Lofotpils in a Lofoten bar or restaurant, or possibly on board!
Have you taken the Lofotpils brewery tour? Or perhaps you're a fan of the beer? I'd love to hear your thoughts down in the comments.
