SKOL
Carlsberg UK
Denmark, 3.2% ABV
Skol! Skol! Skol! Skol! In distant times known as the 1980s, when Skol pillaged the nation’s pubs like so many of its Viking forbearers, an animated Hagar the Horrible invaded TV ad breaks with this catchy drinking song. In the ads, a rabble of Vikings bang on tables and slop pints of ale above their heads, chanting, ‘Skol! Skol! Skol! Skol!’ But Hagar’s dim-witted pal Eddie doesn’t join in. ‘Why aren’t you singing our drinking song?’ asks Hagar. Eddie pauses and replies, ‘Erm, I’ve forgotten the words.’ Boom, and indeed, boom. But the ads were popular staples of 80s TV, alongside those featuring the Smash martians, the Hamlet cigar smoker, and of course good old George the Hofmeister bear. Skol’s tagline, ‘Horribly Good Lager,’ is all too easy to make fun of, but the truth is that Skol, like 80s rivals Carling Black Label, Harp and Hofmeister, was horribly average. Fast forward to the noughties, and the only interesting thing about Skol is that it has survived. Since Allied-Lyons got out of the beer business, Skol has been owned by Carlsberg, brewer of, well, Carlsberg. So it is at least now owned by the UK arm of a Danish company. However, unsurprisingly given the huge promotional effort behind Carlsberg’s titular brand, or even that behind Tuborg, Skol has been somewhat neglected in the marketing department and its sales have subsequently slumped. Skol is a Scandanavian word meaning a toast or salute. So here’s to the UK’s second or third favourite Danish lager brand. Skol! Skol! Skol! Skol! PB
