Brewed by Monyo Brewing Co. Style: American IPA Budapest, Hungary
Established in 2014, in the centre of Budapest, Hungary, Monyo Brewing Company set about creating one of the countries craft beer revolutions, a new wave of brewing. Founded by friends Pein Ádám and Németh Anti, both sick of the stale beer scene in the capital at the time, decided to do something about it, first by trying out some home brews with their friends, then, by contract, playing around with their own recipes in various more established breweries in the country. Over time their beers were becoming madly popular. They both finally went all in and took their assets and energy and they built MONYO Brewing. The goal in the first minute was the same as today: the production of uncompromising beers for consumers.
Today they brew over 80 different brands and types of beers, and export all over Europe to further afield to the likes of China, Mexico, and Canada, making them one of the fastest-growing breweries in Hungary.
Review: 33cl bottle of Monyo Flying Rabbit AIPA: 6.5% vol.
Flying Rabbit is Monyo’s signature beer, the ace in the pack!
Funny quirky cartoonish logo, of a crazy rabbit riding a beer across the mountains,
it is funny but kind of normal of IPA’s these days.
For the appearance I get a decent sized white head and a dark amber looking beer. Not a bad looking beer, with a good head on the pour but it does die a quick death.
Bit of sediment floating about too, not much but there.
A typical IPA aroma, very nice, hoppy, spicy, notes of caramel. The tropical fruits are very apparent on the nose. Very strong, very fruity, very nice!
Taste………oh dear, it’s one of those IPA’s then, hopped to death, overdone and far too sweet.
Like medicine, a bit “urgh”, stringent and off putting. Hops are citra, which shows as you can definitely get a taste of the tropical fruits but on the extreme level.
Not nice at all, this is an IPA that the “normie drinkers” will not like. Too bitter and over hopped to fuck, YUCK. One of those IPA’s that are hard to down.
They are strong in the alcohol, and I was fairly pissed after them.
No balance to this beer, the aftertaste is puke and way off kilter, hard to stomach.
Pity as was drinking very good beer upto this point, drinking this I end the night with a downer………
Brewed by East Africa Breweries Limited (Diageo) Style: Pale Lager Nairobi, Kenya
Tusker is a best selling beer owned by East African Breweries from Kenya, the largest African beer brand in the Diageo group.
First brewed in 1922, shortly after the founder of Kenya Breweries Ltd, George Hurst, was killed by an elephant during a hunting accident. His brother Charles, who took charge of the company, decided to name their first ever lager, Tusker, in memory of his sibling, since large, male elephants indigenous to East Africa, were called Tuskers.
In 1935, Kenya Brewing Limited acquired Tanganyika Breweries and in 1936 these two companies were merged leading to the creation of the East African Breweries Limited.
The beer soon gained popularity both inside and outside its borders, selling to Tanzania, Burundi, the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, and Uganda, all of Kenya’s immediate neighbours, making it one of East Africa’s most popular beers.
By 2000, Diageo acquired majority control of EABL. Operating out of Nairobi, East Africa Breweries Limited now own a vast portfolio of African breweries, do charity work in the region and is also involved in football in Kenya, sponsoring the country’s premier league while also running its own successful team in the division, Tusker F.C.,
In early 2008, the UK supermarket chain, Tesco, began selling Tusker, followed soon after by Sainsbury’s.
Tusker is brewed from 100% African ingredients that are all locally sourced: the barley grown in The Great Rift Valley and the spring water is from the Aberdare Mountains.
Apart from its flagship brand, Tusker Lager, the brewery also produce a 5% Tusker Malt Premium Lager, a 4% Tusker Lite, a 4.5% Tusker apple Cider, and a wide range of other beers from its subsidiaries including Serengeti Lager, White Cap Lager and Uganda Waragi (a 40% liquor), to name but a few.
Review: 500ml big brown bottle of Kenya Tusker Lager: 4.2% vol.
My first beer from the country of Kenya, a nation more known for its long distance runners less so for its beers ok let’s see how this goes.
Available in bottles, cans and on tap in selected outlets.
Big brown bottle featuring the iconic logo of an African elephant, with the theme “together forever” printed. Stands out, no doubting this is an African beer.
On pour I get the standard lagery look, creamy white head that looks good on the pour but fizzles out quick, and a light golden coloured beer. Just the look of a regular lager, ok.
The aroma is very faint but can pick up a sweet malty grainy smell, but nearly odourless.
The taste is very grainy and malted barley, but all on the faint thin level.
It has the feel of a regular lager, but not going to set the world alight, and truth be told it is a little boring to drink, light and thin, and has an overall flat taste to it all.
Novelty factor in having a beer from Kenya but nothing else at all there for me to return. A light lager that is boring. Definitely not worth entertaining again.
Brewed by Brouwerij Alken-Maes (Kronenbourg (Carlsberg)) Style: Red Fruit Ale Alken, Belgium
Grimbergen is the brand name of a variety of Belgian abbey beers. Originally brewed solely by Norbertine monks in the Abbey of Grimbergen since the 12th century, it is now brewed by two different breweries in Belgium and in France. Brouwerij Alken-Maes Brewery located in Alken, north of Brussels, Belgium, and the Kronenbourg Brewery in Strasbourg, France.
The abbey was well known for giving shelter for pilgrims and lost souls and also providing nice home-brewed beer to warm peoples spirits. The recipes used by the brewery today is apparently the same recipe used all those years back, over 900 years old and counting!
In 1958, Brouwerij Maes contacted the monks at the Abbey with a proposition. For some support with the restoration of the Abbey, in return Maes, under the brand name “Grimbergen”, could sell their special centuries old beer.
To further feck things up big nasty Heineken took over Alken-Maes in 2008. As part of the takeover the brand name Grimbergen was transferred to the Carlsberg Group, but Heineken was given a long-term license to use the brand name in Belgium. As a result of this messing around, Alken-Maes brew the beer for the Belgian market, while Carlsberg is responsible for the marketing outside Belgium of the beers that it brews under the Grimbergen name at its Kronenbourg Brewery located in France. So in essence you can find two Grimbergens, just depending on which side of the border you are. I am not sure if they taste similar or not, but I’d wager they do.
The beer has the mythological Phoenix as its symbol, and when you know the story it is not hard to see why. Grimbergen Abbey, founded way back in 1128, was destroyed by fire three times, but from the ashes the abbey was rebuilt again and again, and is still standing today. Burned but not destroyed (“Ardel Nec Consumitur”) is the motto of the legendary beer.
Not my first try out with a Grimbergen, had their iconic Grimbergen Blonde which was simply FANTASTIC, “as good a beer as I have had in awhile”. So looking forward to this the Red……..
Review: 25cl very small bottle of Grimbergen Rouge: 6.0% vol.
Grimbergen Rouge with a red cap, comes in a very small bottle, 25cl! Bought in discount store, very cheap. Also comes in 33cl, 75cl and in 500ml cans and on draught in the odd place in France and Belgium.
On pour getting a lovely red raspberry coloured beer with purple streaks, and a very nice frothy white head, looks good, very appealing on the eye.
Very good lacing on the glass.
Smell is of strong strawberries and cherries. Very nice, oh man it is very good on the nose, very pronounced. Love it.
Initial impressions on the taste is this is a very light beer, very light and faint, and a bit watery too.
Getting a strong strawberry flavour with cherries and peach, and a slightly astringent taste that seems artificial.
Small bottle, but got a decent amount out of it all the same.
Overall it is like a fruit juice, relaxing after a while and it did grow on me over the time sipping it, but not really anything special and won’t be buying again.
Way down the rabbit hole with, legendary rock journalist, Randy Rocket Cody, from the excellent blog, The Metal Den.
There is a reason that Randy has been called the “The Most Dangerous Rock N Roll Writer Alive.”as we focus on the darker aspects of the Heavy Metal genre and the music industry in general…covering a wide range of topics including the “suicides” of Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, Pizzagate, Frazzle drip, the Hidden Agenda of the “Elite”, to shapeshifting Aliens……..all good clean fun!
Brewed by Brauerei Locher Appenzeller bier Style: Kölsch Appenzell, Switzerland
Brauerei Locher AG is a Swiss based family business located in the town of Appenzell, near the Alpstein Alps. The brewery is in the hands of the Locher household, since 1886, and presently running into the fifth generation of family ownership.
Their Appenzell Beer (Quöllfrisch hell), which I found very smooth and enjoyable, is known throughout the country as one of Switzerland’s finest beers, due to the traditional methods of production and use of the local fresh spring waters that produce a lovely clean natural beer. Also the fact that the small independent brewery is standing after all these years, and still producing top quality beers is a testament to how popular the independent brewery is. Something that hasn’t changed since 1886 when Johann Christoph Locher bought the brewery over a hundred years ago.
Appenzell beers are available throughout Switzerland with the Quöllfrisch and Vollmond brands being particularly popular. Apart from the wide variety of specialty beers they also make whiskey, a beverage one doesn’t perhaps associate with Switzerland.
Tried the Gran Alpin Amber Lager which was not great at all, very dull and boring so hopefully the Perla is a bit better……….
Review: 33cl bottle of Locher Gran Alpin Perla: 5.0% vol.
Bought this beer from the local Coop supermarket here in Switzerland.
A Kölsch beer is warm fermented with top-fermenting yeast, then conditioned at cold temperatures like a lager. The taste is one of a crisp, sparkling, and slightly fruity beer, Kölsch is often described as soft or delicate. Hops are almost always of the German variety, have a place in Kölsch beers, but they’re there to accentuate flavors and provide balance to the malt rather than stimulate. As such, Kölsch beers have very little bitterness.
Apparently this is an eco and bio friendly beer with the malted barley produced by organic farmers in Grisons, the Eastern part of Switzerland, and also using natural spring water from the Alpstein, part of the Appenzell Alps.
On pour get a massive white head and a golden looking beer, with a good bit of carbonation whizzing about. Frothy white head and a golden colour, looks well decent.
Some good lacing on the glass.
Not a whole lot coming out from the bottle.
Smell is very sweet on the nose, of sweet malts and grassy and hay aromas.
Taste is …mmmmm, first impressions, have to think about this one!
It is a bit earthy, nice, yeah earthy and hay like.
Very sweet tasting, the malts definitely stand out, but manageable.
Light bitter notes, that are noticeable as they add a bit of interest to the beer giving it an earthy feel and a slight twinge to proceedings.
Beery taste but also a bit watery and not very smooth.
Overall it gets a pass, not brilliant but will do. Bit too sweet for my liking but if I was desperate I could buy it again.
Brewed by Amager Bryghus Style: New England IPA Kastrup, Denmark
‘SigteBroad’ is a collaboration brew with Da Amager Brewery and the Boston-based Trillium Brewing Co., which is one of the world’s leading brewery’s when it comes to the massively fruity and hazy New England IPAs.
When Jean Claude Tetreault, the main man at Trillium Brewing Co came across an old Danish type of bread called “Sigtebrød”, he decided it might be interesting to use those same ingredients in a very hoppy IPA! The Viking hard bread was widespread back in the day, not just in Scandinavia but also found as far as Ireland, Scotland and England. “Sigte” – in English is “to aim”, which means this hard bread was actually used as a bow when there was a scarcity of wood! Handy, once finished in battle, you could just eat the bow as well, those Vikings were a clever lot!
But fast forward to modern times, Danes in the new country of the USA, settled down in Minnesota and brought with them the old Viking bread, where it became very popular. It wasn’t just the bread people were enchanted with, the Danish girls who sold the bread were also gaining a fan base amongst the local Minnesotans who soon nicknamed them “sigte broads” for their good looks. In some cities, the bakery master had to arm his aiming broads with a traditional, long, Danish bread knife to ward off the most intrusive of the male admirers. True story, or so they say!
Review: 33cl bottle of Amager Bryghus, Sigtebroad: 6.8% vol.
Interesting logo of a woman cutting what looks like some bread.
Looking at the bottle I get the horrible sight of a lot of sediment lying at the bottom of the glass. Looks rank, not appetizing at all. It’s a double hopped IPA!
Sure enough, on pour it doesn’t look any better. Getting a massive white head and an orangish coloured beer. But again all that sediment floating around, large chunks of it…YUCK!
I am nearly afraid to drink this, and you know me I’d drink any fucking thing!
Other than all the floaties, the appearance is a cloudy brew with a whitish head which maintains well, and an orange coloured beer, which if it wasn’t for the sediment would look ok.
The smell, on the other hand, is nice, very hoppy on the nose, with the fruits, all good.
Ok let’s dive into the taste!
Taste is very, very sweet and very hoppy as well. A bit too sweet. But at least its not rotten what with all that sediment!
Quite a strong beer, and not too bad to sip, but very hoppy. Citrus and tropical fruits overload. Well it is a double hop but still……lol
But nothing too exciting in the style, just another IPA that’s over hopped to the hilt, not terrible but not great.
Not fun to drink as it looks terrible……..I will pass on this…….
Brewed by Birra Moretti (Heineken Italia) Style: Doppelbock Milano, Italy
Birra Moretti is an Italian brewing company, founded by Luigi Moretti in 1859, in the small city of Udine, in northeastern Italy, which at that time was still part of the Austrian Empire.
The Moretti family owned the brewery and business until 1989, when it was sold to a consortium of other brewers. In 1996 the company was acquired by Heineken International who also own the Birra Moretti trademark. The original factory in Udine closed in 1992, after brewing was transferred to San Giorgio di Nogaro. It was subsequently bought by a new brewing consortium called the Birra Castello group, which now owns the property.
The “Moretti” logo, of a traditional Italian countryman about to enjoy a big frothing glass of beer, stands out. The story behind the famous iconic logo is that one day in 1942, the nephew of Luigi Moretti, saw a pleasant-looking man sitting at a restaurant table in Udine. There was something unique in the man, it was though he embodied the real values of the Moretti beer: authenticity, tradition, genuineness. Eventually Mr. Moretti went up to him and asked if he could take a picture of him. When the man was asked what he wanted in return, the only thing he asked for was another Birra Moretti beer. Since that day the image of that man is on every single Birra Moretti label, a reminder to the traditions of the Province of Udine, and it’s tasty beers.
Under the Birra Moretti brand there are a collection of beers that the brewery produce, from their Birra Moretti main brand, a 4.6% abv pale lager launched in 1859, to a popular La Rossa, which is a 7.2% strong dark lager or doppelbock, to a couple of radlers, a variety of lagers and ales, to the usual non alcoholic stuff that you can find these days in the off licences.
Today Birra Moretti is exported to over 40 countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan and has won important international awards, including gold and silver medals at the World Beer Cup, the most important international competition in the industry, the only Italian brand to have achieved this.
Review: 33cl bottle of Birra Moretti La Rossa: 7.2% vol.
Not my first time trying a Birra Moretti beer, I tried their famous pale lager a while back and found it to be very pleasurable, crisp and clean and oh so smooth. I liked it, so I just know that the La Rossa won’t disappoint. This beer also has won numerous awards, including gold medals in both the 2007 and 2010 World Beer Championships.
7.2%, yes but in a small bottle no…….
Remember Bocks are bottom fermented lagers that typically spend extra time in cold storage during the winter months to smooth the intense flavors that develop during the brewing process. Stronger than a typical lager, bocks are dark amber in color with robust malt flavors and very light hoppiness. A Doppelbock, meaning “double,” is a bigger and stronger version of a bock beer. They range in alcohol from 7.5-9.5%, stronger than a typical lager. These beers are extra strong, rich and weighty lagers characterized by an intense malty sweetness, with a note of hop bitterness to balance the flavor. Doppelbocks were first brewed by the Paulaner monks in Munich. At the time, it was intended to be consumed as “liquid bread” during Lent.
On pour getting a ruby brown looking beer (La Rossa is “The Red” in Italian) with a nice frothy head. Looks good. some light carbonation going on. Appetizing on the eye.
The smell is not too bad, a light toffee and caramel kind of aroma with roasted malts, nice but faint. Typical of a bock, but not a strong smelling beer.
For the taste, initially it is hitting the spot, very nice and straight off the bat this looks and tastes good. Getting a lovely caramel flavour, with the barley malts, the hops are mild and not intrusive, and generally this is quite pleasant to drink. Flavour lingers long in the mouth.
Nice and relaxing, one to saviour and enjoy over a long evening by the sofa. Chocolate and dark fruits.
Served cold, this is good. Clean, very solid and the toffee flavours are gorgeous.
As it’s a bock can feel the alcohol, so the edge is there alright. I know if I had a few of these I’d be pretty drunk………strong.
Liked it, very relaxing, very soothing to drink and will definitely try some of these bad boys again.
My Favorite Swiss Celtic rock group Keltikon have a new exciting album out, The Black Boar, done and dusted at the start of 2020, this marks the band’s second full album so with all this in mind I decided to contact the lead singer, Olaf, to see how things are going for the band during the Corona plandemic and get the lowdown on the new album.
(me) The good news and the bad news (Corona)
(Olaf) Good news: a new album out from April:
“The Black Boar”
Well done, a mixed bag of Irish/celtic trad songs, English and German folk/ an Italian protest song, rocky numbers, drinking songs……an old favourite making a reappearance, “The Diving Dutchman” from the first album is back…….and “Heal My Shakra”, quite a eclectic album!
… yes, Heal My Shakra was one take of the whole band, never rehearsed before and a session just like in the seventies, interesting there wasn’t any weed around, somehow – lol. The Diving Dutchman is still one of our favorites and live a great battleship, so we decided to record it again.
Rocky road to Dublin, done in one take?
All songs on the album were done in one take but not necessarily the first one 🙂 At least drums, bass and rhythm guitar together and in some cases like ‚Rocky road to Dublin‘. We never played it live until today, fiddle and lead guitar were recorded afterwards.
“A local boozer”……………Bit of a Shane Macgowan sound there?
Interesting question. The intention of John O’Donnell Cotter was to write Pogues alike music for his poem, I had the honor to get the chance. Though he expected it become fast, I felt a walz and we discussed if a song needs to be fast to be Pogues-alike….
New violinist……Mélodie Pican?
Yes! We lucky bastards were contacted by Mélodie Pican, who joined the band summer and finished the recording – she’s on most songs of the album. In the beginning of the sessions we had to learn that it all became too complicated for our former violinist Sally Welti to coordinate it with here private life and she needed more than just a rest from playing for two months or so. My father died and I had to spend 10 weeks of the year abroad Switzerland and there wasn’t much up, except a supporting gig with The Rumjacks. So Mélodie called me and joined us for that concert quite spontaneously for the very first concert at Musikburg Aarburg- no overdubs, we could already hear there how good she fits.
I must say you have assembled a great set of songs. One I have to ask is the song “We Have Been (and we are still here)”, it’s like a folk ska song, my favourite song of the album, who is doing the guitar on it, and the violin is great too!?
The violin melody was played by Sally. The melody comes originally from the the very first fiddle player of Keltikon, Natalie Koula – she played 3 or 4 concerts with us in 2012. Every soloist, on fiddle or accordion adapted it as it gives it quite an oriental or gypsy flavour. All guitars, also this solo were played by the same bum – me.
Was it a long process, writing and compiling the songs?
Actually not, 5 of em were really new and needed a bit more work, the rest has been played live for years before.
What comes first in the process, the idea, the story, the tunes, do you hear the song in your head or…….write a tune around the words……
I’d say the best that can happen is if some refrain/hook line and words come in your mind the same time and you can develop from there. It’s much better than to have a nice tune and search for words, or the opposite. A good song comes into your brain suddenly and stays. If you haven’t forgotten it when your back home you know it could be ok :-
What does this album say?
FolkPunkRock’s not dead!
The title of the album, the Black Boar?
A little gloss/comedy on Tryon, also known as Twrch Trwyth a pagan creature that was fought by King Arthur in Celtic mythology… I think King Arthur was a jerk and it wasn’t fair, how the boar was treated.
Well produced album: Everything is always so well produced, from the sound quality of the album, the video and the Album case. You must have a great team working behind the scenes?
It’s been produced and mixed at Bau 2 Studios in Winterthur by Roger Baltensperger, he’s a great engineer and we had a great inspiring mood. Mastering has been done by „the guru“ Dan Suter (Echochamber) Zürich. The Cover was designed by me.
The Black Boar Videotie in, what was that like with the lockdown going on?
We already recorded the video in beginning of December and decided since a long time to release all in May…
So how has the Virus and the lockdown affected you and the band?
Many concerts dropped or postponed to next year, inclusive our Ireland Tour in summer. We hope we can play the very first regular concert in September again.
Promotion of the album?Near impossible?
We’re still an independent band and I didn’t have too big expectations in sales, especially in those times. I’m very surprised about fast growing of our community on Spotify, as we’re newbees there. Of course it’s promoted a bit… it would be nicer to sell CDs – download cards at concerts as we’re a live band.
(I know ye guys do a lot of touring………….)
Cancelled gigs?You had5 gigs at legendary music pubs in Ireland in 2019, the return this year for 2020 was cancelled
(what was Ireland like, did it live up to your expectations?)
It was fantastic to play in Ireland and we never ever expected such a warm welcome and great feedback.
Personal Level: Living in Switzerland during this period of lockdown and the like?
First of all a little shock. We just finished our last concerts in the Canton of Bern when the first restrictions for concerts where out and we knew Saint Patrick’s Day Party was gone… glad normality is back more and more…
Stress?
It became quite a thriller to hold the release date, as copyright associations and other partners became really slow due to the lockdown and changes because of home office. Provisionally the album is available online only at the moment. Physical CDs will be distributed in the next 4 weeks.
Positives? (band closer together? Fans rally around? More time to be creative?)
The positive maybe, if there is, will be that everyone at concerts, from the barkeepers over the audience to the drummer will enjoy concerts more than ever 🙂
When do you think you can gig again? Is there a definite timeline for the future?
We hope very much to play in at Celtic Festival Avenches on 29 August, also it looks like we play in Lenzerheide and Altstätten/SG in September.. But that being said; many concerts are postponed to next year, such as Openair Bischoffszell or Mary From Dungloe Festival and other festivals… the first show we should play is actually our CD release party. We expect it to happen somewhere in the late autumn.
Ok Olaf, thanks for that news on the album and the current situation. I hope you dont mind me just going over some old questions for any new fans of the band, etc. Cheers
Keltikon, What is the origin of the name of the band?
Well, it was founded in Pfäffikon ZH, It should be celtic and celtic in ancient greek means‚ keltikon‘.
How did ye guys all meet? How long have you all known each other?
Originally the band was formed by me and a pipes player. Our Drummer Chrigel is in the band since 2015, Dave on the bass since 2016.
When did the band form?
Keltikon was founded in March 2012
The Music: How would you describe the music that you typically create? How do you define the band. Celtic rock, punk rock, trad rock?
Names are smoke and mirrors 🙂 Let’s call it Celtic Punk Rock to keep it simple.
What is it about Celtic music that drew you to it?
The entry ticket were definitely The Pogues and actually they should stay our idols in any way; also because of their versatility which is just enormous.
Creative Process: Who writes the songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? (Drinking!) Do you think these topics will change over time?
The topics of my songs are quite different, not that much about drinking… from stock exchange managers as Kings in medieval times, TV esoteric shit, of part of an old tale about a mystic dog… the only song where beer is mentioned… and the last song ‚Local Boozer is written by John O’Donnell Cotter, not by me 🙂
What is the creative process like? Do you guys just tough it out in the studio, or do you go for a few beers, how do you trash out the tunes and how do you know if you got it right?
Mostly a song is quite prepared before I present it to the band – sometimes I even record a whole demo-track including drums to show how I mean it… then we work on it, talk about certain details bout drums and bass grooves and after 3 or 4 sessions it is done and sounds good – or the song was shit.
How do ye guys get in the zone, get into the right frame of mind for writing songs/making songs?
I personally still don’t know how it exactly works. Feels like luck to me to get an idea somehow. Sometimes it appears even if you’re really in a hurry and don’t even have time for it at the moment. Or you can go to holiday, open a bottle of wine, or drink whiskey… and nothing happens…
What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
Haha, that’s a very long time ago, we rehearsed nearly every week… in the last years rehearsals have become less, because we played the songs so many times together… only for new songs actually we needed rehearsals
The Gigs/Touring:You have been on the same stage as Uncle bard, The Rumjacks, and FIDDLER’S GREEN,), anyone else that you would like to collaborate with?
Flogging Molly would be great…
Your fans? Groupies (females!)
Haha, no statements without a lawyer
Your gigs are very energetic?
Yes, but the fat creme of Irish Coffee will compensate the loss of calories.
The friendship has survived so long, even on the road?
Well, everybody’s got quirks and being in a band touring like that is can be demanding. But after many years you know and trust each other
……you can sense it on the stage ye guys are close, brotherhood……..
For sure musically 😀
The touring? Where have you performed? What are your favourite and least favourite venues?
Keltikon played exactly 171 concerts since the foundation. I’d say there were a lot of ‚favourite places‘. As the big ones we could name our supporting gigs at Z7 or Headliner at Irish Open Air Toggenburg in front of thousands… but I personally will never want to miss the pubs and there is nothing that can replace that atmosphere. I can frankly say that most organisers in Switzerland were nice and generous. The worst concert was a pub, back in 2013 in Lucerne, the owner was as high as a steeper on white wine, ex-musician (dixieland) and told us what we’re allowed to play and what not… – especially „psychedelic“ songs, how he called it, shouldn’t be played, quite an interesting experience
Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety?
Sometimes a little bit, never too much.
What is ur favourite song to perform? The bands favourite? yo
Maybe ‚Taliesin’s Poem‘, ‚The Diving Dutchman‘ and ‚Kenny McDonald’s Jig“
Which songs do you perform most frequently? A most requested song?
Maybe still ‚Dirty Old Town‘ or ‚The Irish Rover‘ – LOL
Evolution: You have had a previous album, how has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
This is our second album. The first one was in 2014 and before was a Demo EP with a couple of songs. Think the music has changed me a bit, but still I feel that I’m a kind of punk/rock bastard 😛
The recording studio and equipment, over time has that improved? Rookie mistakes?
For our first album we recorded in an old bunker, simply on a portable tascam recorder with max. 8 tracks/mics at once (drums) loaded it on a pc. The tracks were mixed and mastered by a professional sound engineer. This time we recorded in a studio, with a good engineer supporting us.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? Why?
The favorite is for sure playing live. The least part? Well, sometimes booking or promotional duties.
What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
The biggest challenge might be if something technical breaks, your sound is gone and you keep a good mood playing air guitar… or if the audience is not the right one, you’re at a wrong place where your music is just not asked or you feel just consumed… luckily that happened not often… keep a stiff upper lip, don’t let anything show, keep the mood and fun between us
What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands? What is the best advice you have been given?
Do your own thing. Don’t listen to every advice because if you’d listen to all of them you’d just do nothing… don’t forget that communication and contacts will always be a big part of your success.
The rest: When you are not touring or preparing songs with the band, what is your down time?
Would say the last months have been a down time. We take it easy at the moment. Album is out, we don’t have too big expectations for this year. Let’s see how many gigs will be possible and where, one is confirmed so far…
What do your friends outside the band think or your relatives/parents?
In my personal area only a few people are really interested in my subjects, mostly it’s people from outside. We’ve never been a „a lot of friends, partners, brothers and sisters, football club or what ever coming“-band. Would say the interest of my relatives is quite low – lol
What’s next for you?
Wait and see what’s next.
Where can people buy the new album (all the usual platforms)?
It’s available on more the 260 download and streaming platforms and will be available as physical CD in about 4 weeks.
Good chat with the American libertarian political activist Adam Kokesh, where we chat about his time “serving” with the Marines in Iraq, his political outlook with regards Libertarianism and Localisation, the Military Industrial Complex, his run for President 2020, and his very exciting new venture in the deserts of Arizona.
I have followed Adam for a long time now, he was one of the first for me, on my YouTube education, or I should reeducation. From about the year 2010, Adam, Alex Jones (of course), David Icke, Michael Tsarion, and later Charlie Veitch were the main men I watched online, back then when the internet was that much freer, where I got my daily diet of liberty truth bombs and learnt the real ways of the world. I thank Adam for his education and thoughts that helped me in my own personal development through life………
Adam is an American libertarian, a political activist, has a very popular youtube channel called Adam versus the Man, and is author of the book, Freedom.
Adam as a US Marine served in the Iraq war. Upon his return from Iraq, he became an anti-war activist and an advocate for Iraq Veterans Against the War. And since then he has been involved in many libertarian and human rights issues.
One thing I love from Adam is his positivity, I don’t think I have ever looked at one of his videos and not seen him without a smile or some positive vibes which is brilliant, and exactly what we need in 2020 the year of fear porn and constant doom and gloom.
Established in 2014, in the centre of Budapest, Hungary, Monyo Brewing Company set about creating one of the countries craft beer revolutions, a new wave of brewing. Founded by friends Pein Ádám and Németh Anti, both sick of the stale beer scene in the capital at the time, decided to do something about it, first by trying out some home brews with their friends, then, by contract, playing around with their own recipes in various more established breweries in the country. Over time their beers were becoming madly popular. They both finally went all in and took their assets and energy and they built MONYO Brewing. The goal in the first minute was the same as today: the production of uncompromising beers for consumers.
For the appearance I get a decent sized white head and a dark amber looking beer. Not a bad looking beer, with a good head on the pour but it does die a quick death.
In 1935, Kenya Brewing Limited acquired Tanganyika Breweries and in 1936 these two companies were merged leading to the creation of the East African Breweries Limited.
Tusker is brewed from 100% African ingredients that are all locally sourced: the barley grown in The Great Rift Valley and the spring water is from the Aberdare Mountains. 
On pour I get the standard lagery look, creamy white head that looks good on the pour but fizzles out quick, and a light golden coloured beer. Just the look of a regular lager, ok
The abbey was well known for giving shelter for pilgrims and lost souls and also providing nice home-brewed beer to warm peoples spirits. The recipes used by the brewery today is apparently the same recipe used all those years back, over 900 years old and counting!
The beer has the mythological Phoenix as its symbol, and when you know the story it is not hard to see why. Grimbergen Abbey, founded way back in 1128, was destroyed by fire three times, but from the ashes the abbey was rebuilt again and again, and is still standing today. Burned but not destroyed (“Ardel Nec Consumitur”) is the motto of the legendary beer.
Smell is of strong strawberries and cherries. Very nice, oh man it is very good on the nose, very pronounced. Love it.
Brauerei Locher AG is a Swiss based family business located in the town of Appenzell, near the Alpstein Alps. The brewery is in the hands of the Locher household, since 1886, and presently running into the fifth generation of family ownership.
Bought this beer from the local Coop supermarket here in Switzerland.
Not a whole lot coming out from the bottle. 
‘SigteBroad’ is a collaboration brew with Da Amager Brewery and the Boston-based Trillium Brewing Co., which is one of the world’s leading brewery’s when it comes to the massively fruity and hazy New England IPAs.
Interesting logo of a woman cutting what looks like some bread. 
Ok let’s dive into the taste!
Birra Moretti is an Italian brewing company, founded by Luigi Moretti in 1859, in the small city of Udine, in northeastern Italy, which at that time was still part of the Austrian Empire. 
Under the Birra Moretti brand there are a collection of beers that the brewery produce, from their Birra Moretti main brand, a 4.6% abv pale lager launched in 1859, to a popular La Rossa, which is a 7.2% strong dark lager or doppelbock, to a couple of radlers, a variety of lagers and ales, to the usual non alcoholic stuff that you can find these days in the off licences. 
On pour getting a ruby brown looking beer (La Rossa is “The Red” in Italian) with a nice frothy head. Looks good. some light carbonation going on. Appetizing on the eye. 
Yes! We lucky bastards were contacted by Mélodie Pican, who joined the band summer and finished the recording – she’s on most songs of the album. In the beginning of the sessions we had to learn that it all became too complicated for our former violinist Sally Welti to coordinate it with here private life and she needed more than just a rest from playing for two months or so. My father died and I had to spend 10 weeks of the year abroad Switzerland and there wasn’t much up, except a supporting gig with The Rumjacks. So Mélodie called me and joined us for that concert quite spontaneously for the very first concert at Musikburg Aarburg- no overdubs, we could already hear there how good she fits.
The violin melody was played by Sally. The melody comes originally from the the very first fiddle player of Keltikon, Natalie Koula – she played 3 or 4 concerts with us in 2012. Every soloist, on fiddle or accordion adapted it as it gives it quite an oriental or gypsy flavour. All guitars, also this solo were played by the same bum – me.
A little gloss/comedy on Tryon, also known as Twrch Trwyth a pagan creature that was fought by King Arthur in Celtic mythology… I think King Arthur was a jerk and it wasn’t fair, how the boar was treated.
It was fantastic to play in Ireland and we never ever expected such a warm welcome and great feedback.
Well, it was founded in Pfäffikon ZH, It should be celtic and celtic in ancient greek means‚ keltikon‘. 
Names are smoke and mirrors 🙂 Let’s call it Celtic Punk Rock to keep it simple.
Flogging Molly would be great…
In my personal area only a few people are really interested in my subjects, mostly it’s people from outside. We’ve never been a „a lot of friends, partners, brothers and sisters, football club or what ever coming“-band. Would say the interest of my relatives is quite low – lol
