The Beer Tourist

Microbreweries and brewpubs in Norway are few and far between. Møllebyen Mikrobryggeri (literally Milltown Microbrewery) is situated in what is easily the most attractive spot in the most dreary small town of Moss, 40 minutes by rail south of Oslo.

The address is Fossen, meaning the waterfall, and the brewpub is part of an old industrial estate, now consisting of several nicely renovated turn-of-the-previous-century brick buildings built around the waterfall. With the outdoor seating it feels like a rather spacious affair, especially on a slow Sunday afternoon. The walk from the railway through the city centre takes 10-15 minutes.

Well inside the almost empty brewpub the cardboard informed me of the four beers available on tap: A steamer, a pilsner, a summer beer (classified as a kölsch on Ratebeer) and an IPA. They are all very dry, hoppy beers, but rather less fruity and complex than their likes at the Oslo Mikrobryggeri. The IPA is the most successful in my opinion.

Four glasses of 0.4 litres each will set you back 214 kroner (some 27 Euro), and you will have to spend the same amount for your return ticket from Oslo. Only the most dedicated beer tourist might travel the world for the Milltown microbrews, but they are definitely not your average Miller's.