In the farm of Jakob Helset in Bjørkedal, scientists have managed to find and wake into life beer brewing yeast that has been dormant for more than a hundred years.

Kveik is the name of the beerbrewing yeast specific to the west coast of Norway. In recent years huge interest has been given to this yeast internationally.

Kveik is a specific branch of all beer yeasts in the world.

According to Jacob, the barrel where the traces of yeast was found, has not been used since 1910. This means that the Kveik yeast has been lying here dormant for more than 100 years.

It was scientists from NIBIO and Vestnorsk Kulturakademi that managed to awake the Kveik from Bjørkedal.

The tradition of beerbrewing on the farms go way back to the viking times. The Kveik is known for its genuine taste, and the ability to brew on higher temperatures.

Every year there is a Kveik brewing festival (kornølfestivalen) in Grodås, some 50 kilometers from Bjørkedal. In Bjørkedal there are also a few of our neighbours that are keeping the brewing traditions alive.

Kveik