When Freshness Is Everything From Kellerbier to Rauchbier

Friday, February 27, 2026 by Kim Lund Johansen

Everyone who has an interest in beer knows that freshness matters. It is something that is seldom disagreed upon when discussing beers. Still, it seems to me that when we talk about “freshness” we aren’t always referring to the same idea – the same concept. What does it actually entail? From tired exported IPAs to smoky Märzen poured straight from the barrel in Bamberg, this is a personal look at why drinking beer where it’s made still changes everything.

Read Full Story More Articles
A Taste of Time: Brauerei Scheubel’s Commitment to Slow-Brewed Perfection
Brewery profile May 15, 2025

A Taste of Time: Brauerei Scheubel’s Commitment to Slow-Brewed Perfection

In a world of rapid production, where the difference between “fresh” beer and “unfinished” beer sometimes evaporate, Brauerei Scheubel stands firm in its belief that great beer takes time. In a former ossuary in Schlüsselfeld, Stern-Bräu Scheubel brews two lagers with discipline, patience, and a deep respect for time-tested techniques - allowing its lagers to mature slowly over 10 weeks.

4 comments
Read Story →
View All Articles
Creative Works

Projects & Creations

Fränkische Brauereien Quartett card game
Fränkische Brauereien Quartett card game

Fränkische Brauereien Quartett

Having visited Franconia on a regular basis since 2009, I decided to give something back to a region I love. Therefore I released a Quartett Card game twice the size as normal featuring 64 Franconian breweries.

The game is in German and released on the German market. It is built around 8 game categories as a tribute to the region. Each card features detailed information about a brewery with eight competitive categories. Perfect for beer enthusiasts and collectors alike.

You can read more about the game here:
www.BrauereiQuartett.com

64 Breweries
8 Categories
Released 2022
Learn More
Kim Lund Johansen
About Me

Beer Writer & Brewer

For over two decades, Kim has devoted himself to documenting the world of beer as writer, reviewer, and brewer. Since 2005, his work has spanned multiple platforms, culminating in more than 10,000 detailed reviews on Brewver.com and RateBeer. Through countless brewery visits, in-depth research, lectures, and tastings across Europe, he has developed an intimate understanding of beer's remarkable diversity, the regional traditions that shape it, and the history that preserves it.

As a home brewer, Kim's skill earned him three Gold medals at the Danish Brewing Championships in 2015, followed by two Gold and one Silver the following year. His Barrel Aged Imperial Stout secured fourth place at the 2015 European Championships. In May 2016, he transitioned to commercial brewing with a collaboration at Czech-based Raven Brewery, creating his award-winning Gunslinger IPA recognized as the best Czech IPA in 2017.

Today, Kim continues to bridge the worlds of writing and brewing. He reviews beer, conducts seminars, and curates travel guides for beer enthusiasts seeking authentic experiences. In April 2022, he released the Fränkische Brauereien Quartett, a card game celebrating 64 Franconian breweries - the largest game of its kind available on the German market.

All beer scores in articles follow the RateBeer scale from 0.5 to 5.0

Get in Touch

Let's Connect

Whether you're a brewery owner, fellow beer writer, or simply passionate about traditional brewing, I'd love to hear from you.

Franconia Beer & Brewing