Dugges story

An Englishman Walks Into a Bar.

In 2002 Mikael Dugge Engström, the founder, CEO and Brew Master of Dugges Bryggeri, had a meeting with an Englishman. What was said at the meeting has long since been forgotten. What was said at the following pub visit is why we are here today.

The Englishman told Mikael that he was in the business of selling filters used for brewing beer and that he and an associate were in the business of selling second hand breweries. This got Mikael thinking. How cool wouldn’t it be to have your own brewery and brew your own beer?

With all the energy of a man possessed Mikael started studying Swedish alcohol legislation (which is pretty extensive), read up on everything and anything he could find on brewing beer and going on visits to anyone who would have him, getting tips and making friends. All while he started buying the parts needed to build a small brewery.

In 2005 we opened the doors to Dugges in Mölndal, right outside of Gothenburg on the west coast of Sweden. It was a tiny and for the purpose unpractical space, housing a small brewery run on the side while also managing day jobs. Even so, the dream had come true and it was love from day one! We brewed beers right and left and preached our brews to anyone who would, or would not, listen. One of the first beers we ever brewed was Avenyn Ale, an American Pale Ale that we still produce and preach to this day.

Slowly but surely demand and varieties of beer brewed grew. The first year we produced 300hl, started arranging brewery tours and took on some employees. It was trial and error, learn by doing and enjoying the ride. By 2009 we had hit maximum capacity of both space and brewery, brewing 1 500hl. And, the decision was made to find a bigger place and get bigger equipment!

After a year of searching, planning and building we moved across the forrest from Mölndal, to Landvetter in Härryda municipality. Here we found ourselves with more space than we probably would ever need and with a new shiny brewery. We had come a long way since the Englishman in the bar.

History has a funny way of repeating itself. We opened the doors to our new brewery and demand kept growing, varieties of beers brewed continued to increase and we arranged even more brewery tours. Naturally, we enjoyed the ride! All this is probably why we also have hit maximum capacity, again.

This is our story so far. If all goes well, we’ll continue doing what we’ve always done. Brewing our beer. Preaching our brews. Living the dream. And, loving every minute of it!