Destination Denmark: Food & Drink Delights

THE lure of world-class #gastronomy, liveable cities, cutting-edge design and architecture and gripping crime fiction sees UK visitor numbers continuing to climb for overnight stays in #Denmark.  Here is just a taster of what is on offer to tantalise your tastebuds . . .

EUROPEAN Region of Gastronomy for 2017, Aarhus and the surrounding region of Central Denmark is a mecca for foodies. With outstanding fresh produce and new restaurants, bars and food markets adding to its culinary prowess, the region continues to gather international acclaim for its Michelin star restaurants and annual Aarhus Food Festival, which has grown to become the largest in the Nordics. As part of ‘Rethinking Good Food’ in 2017, chefs, producers and world leaders in sustainable thinking will come together to host a programme of events that not only pays tribute to gourmet food and local ingredients but addresses the need to rethink a more sustainable food culture. One of the highlights of the programme will be The People’s Feast, a communal dinner where 500 people will be able to sample different menus from all over the world, including a menu of the future born out of much scientific, culinary and forward-thinking discussion.

RANKED as the world’s best restaurant 4 times in the last 6 years, Chef René Redzepi’s Copenhagen restaurant Noma will leave its current location in Christianshavn and reopen in 2017 on the border of the special Danish community, Christiania, with a new mission and a new menu. Excelling in locally sourced and foraged Scandinavian cuisine and with two Michelin stars to his name, Redzepi plans to take a revolutionary approach to the new graffiti covered derelict space by transforming it into a thriving urban farm and restaurant, with a green house on the roof and fresh soil covered grounds. Focusing on a seasonal menu, the aim is for the majority of ingredients to come from noma’s own farm. 

WITH Carlsberg turning 170 in 2017, it only seems fitting that #Copenhagen has introduced a beer walk that takes thirsty visitors around the trendy areas of Vesterbro and Nørrebro in search of a refreshing ale. Exploring some of the city’s tucked away watering holes, the Copenhagen Beer Walk offers a choice of 12 bars to be taken at leisure. Costing 199 DKK (approx. £24), the package includes a tasting glass, a map and six beer tokens.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Craft beer celebrations

SAN FRANCISCO Beer Week celebrates America's first craft brewing region from February10-19.

Craft beer - along with its runaway international hit, American IPA - was born of the Bay Area's spirit of innovation. More than 100 breweries now operate in one of the world's most creative regions. The Bay Area continues to be a hotbed of beer innovation.

SF Beer Week 2017 spotlights the ever-increasing innovation taking shape in breweries across the local landscape. The San Francisco Brewers Guild and Northern California's finest breweries will host hundreds of craft beer celebrations. The Opening Gala for SF Beer Week 2017 will take place at Pier 48 on February 10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: lauren.topor 135622164@N03/21797574696 Beer Flights via photopin

Craft beer boost for Scottish tourism

VISITSCOTLAND is urging the craft beer industry to capitalise on the lucrative food and drink tourism market, which is worth almost £900 million a year to the country’s visitor economy. 

A report by VisitScotland, conducted with The Brewers Association of #Scotland, says the increasing interest in craft beer in recent years has mirrored similar consumer trends in the tourism industry. ‘The growth in interest from younger demographics, most notably millennials, has driven a search for products that are authentic and give an honest representation of their brand.’

The tourism board has launched a Spirit of Scotland craft beer to highlight how the craft beer trend could be worth millions to tourism.

Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, says: ‘The rapid growth of Scotland’s exciting craft beer industry in recent years and the popularity of sampling local produce by visitors, creates a fantastic opportunity to tap into a new market of craft beer tourism.

‘It is clear from the research that there is real interest Scottish craft beer from across the globe, leaving the industry well placed to follow the likes of the whisky industry and other Scottish produce in becoming a real draw for visitors near and far.

visitscotland.org

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Beer on tap at 35,000ft

KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES is to serve beer on tap at 35,000 feet from next month. 

After years of development and experimentation with high altitudes and pressure changes, Heineken has found a way to have a draft beer — served from a keg rather than a bottle or a can — in the sky.

‘Because the air pressure is so much lower in an airplane than at sea level, a traditional beer tap will not work as it will dispense only a huge amount of foam,’ Heineken’s Edwin Griffioen says. ‘We do have dispensers that work on air pressure, but these were too big to fit in a plane. It was one big jigsaw puzzle, as the keg of beer, the cooling system, and the air pressure compressor all had to fit in an airline catering trolley. In the end we had to leave out one of those pieces to make it all fit, so with pain in our hearts we had to leave the cooling behind.’

Miriam Kartman, KLM in-flight services vice president, commented: ‘We are always looking for typical Dutch products to set us apart from other companies. Customers rate beer from draught higher than out of a can.’

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: 131914450@N06/26227588223 Beer at the beach via photopin.com

Sip and save

HOLIDAYMAKERS can sip and save at craft breweries throughout the Palm Beaches this summer with the Discover Brew Pass. Sample a glass or pint of beer at five of the destination's up-and-coming breweries – Accomplice Brewery & Ciderworks, Barrel of Monks, Due South Brewing Co., Tequesta Brewing Company, and Twisted Trunk Brewing – from $15 per person. 

The Discover Brew Pass is available to people 21 years of age or older, and the Discover Family Pass starts at $25. Both can be purchased online at www.palmbeachfl.com/discover-pass-options.

Accomplice Brewery & Ciderworks: South Florida's first and only ciderworks, it has 11 flavours on tap every day. All available ciders are gluten-free.

Barrel of Monks: From European malts and hops to recipes paying homage to brews crafted by Belgian Trappist monks, Barrel of Monks offers a selection of Saison, Wit, BPA, and more on tap in Boca Raton.

Due South Brewing: What started as a backyard home brewing hobby has flourished to become a leading craft brew brand offering multiple styles and seasonal flavours found at bars and stores throughout Florida.

Tequesta Brewing Company: A longtime hangout for locals, Tequesta Brewing Company serves more than 40 seasonal specialities on tap.

Twisted Trunk Brewing: Opened in 2015, Twisted Trunk's taproom in Palm Beach Gardens features a bar created from 100-year-old elm wood and lounges areas with views into the brewery.

www.PalmBeachFL.com

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: 7188695@N03/25082110723 More is More  via photopin.com"

Tampa Bay brews up a craft beer storm

WHILE Britain enjoys its own craft beer revolution, thirsty travellers on a quest for liquid inspiration while on holiday stateside are in for a treat in #Tampa Bay, #Florida, which has established itself as one of the US’s most influential #craftbeer destinations. In its most recent ranking, USA Today named Tampa Bay the Number 2 beer city in the country. It has more than two dozen breweries and craft brewpubs. 

Patrick Harrison, VP of Marketing and Communications at Visit Tampa Bay, says: ‘There was a time that holidaying ale aficionados looked down their noses at American beers, but once you taste Cigar City's award-winning Jai Alai, Coppertail Brewing Company's aromatic Freedive IPA, or Ulele's mixed berry fruit “wedding” beer, you will instantly understand why along with sunshine as a backdrop, our local artisan beer maestros have positioned Tampa Bay as one of the most exciting places on the world's craft beer scene.’

Beer runs through Tampa Bay's veins: the state's first brewery opened there; the man who brought cigars to Tampa Bay, Don Vincente Martinez Ybor, founded one of the oldest breweries in the USA, the Ybor City Brewing Company in 1896; and Columbia, Florida's oldest restaurant and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world, began as a corner saloon serving beer in Ybor City.

The region's sub-tropical climate has played a leading role in Tampa Bay's fast-growing craft beer movement and its international accolades. Capitalizing on local flavours, some beers were created to quench the adventurous appetite of visitors. Summer months bring cucumber concoctions or orange peel infusions. Pumpkin spices or pine aromas infuse the beers during autumn.

All craft breweries have free tours and tasting rooms, and the Tampa Bay Brew Bus offers a one-stop-hop experience ($55/£35.60 for a 5-hour ride) touring the top bars and breweries and enjoying tastings along the way. Their 14-, 22- and 33-passenger buses can also be hired privately for small groups (from $40/£25.90 pp).

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: thttp://www.flickr.com/photos/44124461706@N01/7321898278">All the Beers!</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/30552029@N00/5749255753">Old Crosstown Expressway Sign</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(license)

Virgin Trains creates rail ale

A ‘RAIL ALE’ has been created for passengers using Virgin Trains' east coast routes. The ‘Hop on Board’ brand has been devised by York-based Rudgate Brewery in conjunction with the train company.

Virgin Trains expects to sell more than 55,000 bottles at £4 each to passengers travelling on routes between London King’s Cross, Leeds, York, Newcastle, and Edinburgh.

#VirginTrains customer experience director, Alison Watson, says: ‘Hop on Board is an exciting step in revamping our on-board offering, embracing the craft beer revolution. Working alongside the #RudgateBrewery, we have created an ale full of flavour and charisma that epitomizes the Virgin Trains spirit and the hoptimist’s outlook on life – with us, the glass is always half full.’

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK