J-Dag : Where we learn that Jule rimes with Øllen
Friday, November the Second. J-dag: the christmas beers are officially* available!!!!
Hamlet had sent a motivated troup to cover this very Dansk event for Hamletsølsmagning, this is our report.
The night began with a tour at the Uni Bar (where there is, according to the beerlist, “maybe the biggest choice of christmas beer in town). The list, (two pages, one danish one outlandish) is impressive. A busy december month await us. But Hamlet is firm, we have to taste them all (or pass out trying).
Two members of the delegation, leaving the ginger child behind, then headed down town. We wanted to have a taste of the real thing. After a well organised meeting, we grouped up with the other part of tonight’s testing team. The five members then moved from Heidis Bier Stube to the Escobar, near the Cathedrale. We had heard that there would be free beer there. What we did not know was that there would be free beer all over the place. What we had not realised was that this night was even much bigger for Danes that the launching of the French Beaujolais nouveau. Danes breathe X-mas, they eat X-mas, drink X-mas (and furthermore…) from the end of Oktober to that fateful 25 of December (and beyond? not sure about that…). We had already come upon Julefrokost in the last weeks of Oktober (christmas lunches, a normal Dane has at least 10 of these before the end of December. Weird). But the Christmas beers…OMG!
So we are on our way to the Escobar. We catch a glimpse of taxi-bike sponsored by Tuborg. The drivers are dressed in a blue-santa style. We start thinking that something huge is happening around us. We run toward the bar. The beers are supposed to be launched at 20:59!!!. And then, a truck and an old fashioned car is blocking our way. The truck is Tuborg, the car is Ceres. Out of them come the BlueSantas and blue playmates for Tuborg, and a little more dressed red playmates from the Ceres one. Wah.
In the bar we go. The blue men start singing “Julebryg sangen” on the tune of Jingle Bells. Then they hand out blue headband (Glædelig Jul og godt Tub’år) with a branch of plastic misletoe attached…lots of kissing planned it seams. Only two of our great team managed to get hold of these free beer. The moral was low, and some had to buy expensive beer. Was this night, full of weirdly clothed Danes to be spent without any more free beer???
Of course not. We went hunting down goodies and beers. A Royal X-mas Hairband, a Royal X-mas sparkling badge, even one Royal X-mas hat (that is now official Hamlet’s property). More Tuborg stuffs, and beers. Only Tuborg it seems is handing out free beer. The beer, fully tasted ( and re-tasted) is quite good, mmm.
Of we go, up and down Åboulevard, into new pubs, bars. Looking for free stuffs in a free-is-fun frenzy. Lots of bars are only for 23+ years old on week ends in Denmark, so our team has to separate so that the lucky old ones can go and drink freely.
After much walking, and some food (pizza slice, off course) it’s off to Skoldhoj, for the J-Dag Striptease. Making a break at Hamlet’s before going there, our 3 brabrandanites reporters miss much of the fun by arriving after the beginning of the said striptease. The Danes off course are a little under the weather ahah. so surprising!
* Indeed, some Christmas beers from small (and cheap/bad) breweries like Vestfyen or Harboe where available a week before.
