Waxholms Bryggeri

The art of brewing beer is as old as baking bread. It is not known exactly how long beer has been brewed, but it appears as early as 7,000 years ago in the Egypt of the pharaohs. The Incas drank corn beer long before the Spanish landed on the American continent. Among our ancestors, beer had a very strong position, among other things because it was believed that the intoxication from alcohol was a gift from God, there was drinking and dancing in Valhalla all night long.

Brewing beer is a complicated craft with a long history. And it is not only the raw materials water, malt, hops and yeast that determine how the beer tastes, but also the brewing process itself. We will tell you about this and much more during our beer tastings and brewery tours.

Vaxholm's Brewery History
Until 1936, Vaxholm had its own brewery, namely Waxholms Ångbryggeri. The brewery was located in the old boat carpentry in the Sågen quarter (brädgården today), Waxholms Ångbryggeri was a private smaller brewery run by entrepreneurs in Vaxholm in competition with the much larger Stockholm breweries. Almost every brewery in Stockholm had its own branch down by the harbor in Vaxholm. It was Stora Bryggeriet, Pihls and Grönvalls and others. The beer was delivered in large kegs and here in Vaxholm, kullop poured the beer into bottles, which were corked and labeled before being driven out to the customers or sent on the archipelago boats. The bottling business was located where Magasinet is today.

It is said that in 1936, Waxholms Ångsbryggeri AB had applied to brew pilsner (Class II beer) to equalize the advantages of the big breweries, but was refused. When Stockholms Bryggerier took over the business in the fall of 1936, this happened smoothly and Vaxholms Nya Bryggeri AB was formed as a branch of Stockholms Bryggerier AB. The branch was granted permission to brew the weaker Class I beer. In addition to weak drinks, soft drinks were also brewed and carbonated vichy water was bottled.

In Vaxholms Tidning no. 9, 1951, one can read that it was agreed that the business would continue for ten years - probably with the idea that production would die of its own accord alongside the huge competitiveness of the large parent company. But it didn't turn out that way, on the contrary. With an ever-increasing number of summer guests, Vaxholm's soft drinks and soft drinks became increasingly sought after. The Stockholm breweries got busy producing and distributing the drink along with their own pilsner varieties. All in all, the branch now has 9 employees all year round, three trucks and during the summer season the beer boat Gambrius I, which is a much anticipated and busy vessel. Especially during hot summers, the work rate was forced for all employees, and on average the distribution during the summer months was ten times greater than during the winter.

The Vaxholm branch was closed in December 1954, which means that until today it was 60 years since Vaxholm had its own brewery to be proud of.