By Julie Hindkjær, volunteer journalist at Roskilde Festival’s Media House (Photos: Sofija Ninesa)
Some beers you simply knock back.
And then there are beers you can listen to.
That is how brewer, farmer and organic pioneer Per Kølster sees it. For the third year in a row, he is part of Food Is Now at Roskilde Festival. This year, he also takes the stage for a talk about beer, craft, soil and flavour – and why what fills your glass in the summer heat is anything but random.
“When people drink beer, they hardly ever think about where the hell it comes from,” says Per Kølster.
“My story is about giving beer a soul, an identity and a story.”
You can hear the story from Per himself Friday at 11:30 in Food is Now.
What is Food Is Now?
Food Is Now is an experience space and restaurant in Trade Zone, where food becomes talks, workshops, tastings and shared meals.
Here, you can meet chefs, artists, youth organisations and other voices working with the role food plays in our future. Every day, you can also buy a seat at the table for a social dining menu built around local ingredients.
Since 1999, Per Kølster has run Kølsters Bryggeri at Krogerup Avlsgård. Here, he works with organic ingredients, malting and brewing from the idea that beer is not just something produced – it is something that comes from the soil, the craft and the people who make it.
"To put it a little solemnly, I think that as a festivalgoer, you should give your mouth the same love you give your ears."
At Food Is Now, he invites you behind the flavour. What are you actually tasting when you drink a beer? Where do the acidity, sweetness and bitterness come from? And why can a beer feel like more than just alcohol?
“It is really about drinking or eating your way towards understanding the world we are part of – and how we need to take care of it,” says Per Kølster.
At Roskilde Festival, so much love flows towards the music stages. But Per Kølster would like you to spare some of that love for your taste buds too.
“To put it a little solemnly, I think that as a festivalgoer, you should show your mouth the same love you give your ears,” he says.
“The beer you drink is made with passion, in exactly the same way as when an artist lights up a stage.”
That does not mean you have to stand in a corner and sip your beer with a serious face. Quite the opposite.
Per Kølster’s invitation is simple: explore the nuances, let go and party with a clear conscience.
“Enjoy it, knock it back, love it! Hopefully, it gives you an experience that feels just like dancing at a concert. You can absolutely be a funny, ridiculous party animal while drinking something of really high quality.”
You can experience Per Kølster’s talk at Food Is Now on Saturday at 11:30. Bring a friend, hear the story behind the beer and sharpen your taste buds before you pick up your next festival beer or soft drink.
Want more experiences that challenge the way you think about food and flavour? Here are three other talks you can catch at Food Is Now.
How do you turn overlooked ingredients into gastronomic gold? Chefs Matt Orlando from Esse and Martin Petersen from Hotel- og Restaurantskolen show how limitations can spark entirely new flavour experiences.
Friday 3 July at 15:00.
Why does some coffee taste of chocolate, while another cup carries notes of raspberry? Klaus Thomsen from Coffee Collective guides you from bean to cup – and lets you taste along the way.
Saturday 4 July at 10:30.
What happens when green ambitions hit the raw reality of a busy professional kitchen? Students and teachers from Hotel- og Restaurantskolen take on an honest conversation about climate, sustainability and working conditions. The conversation is moderated by Christian Fentz.
Saturday 4 July at 15:00.
Buy tickets for extraordinary meals
Want more than a talk? At Food Is Now, you can also buy tickets for special food experiences where the meal becomes part of the festival programme.
Start the day with freshly brewed coffee and a BMO for DKK 85, sit down to green open-faced sandwiches from Rørt or a lunch of Danish favourites with Middle Eastern flavours for DKK 250 – or try a long-table dinner with future ingredients, fermentation, plant proteins and new flavour experiences for DKK 250.
You can also begin the evening with From sea to shared table, where gently caught fish, Danish mussels, local vegetables and summer ingredients are served as a shared dinner. It costs DKK 290.
Spaces are limited for all food experiences. See the full selection, choose your time slot and buy your ticket in Roskilde Festival’s shop.
