Stene Isacsson säljer Akkurat

Det har en tid surrats i ölvärlden om att Stene är på väg att göra sig av med Akkurat, och nu är det alltså officiellt. Stene och hans två partner har sålt söderkrogen, som vid flertalet tillfällen utsetts till världens bästa ölställe, till Alexander Youssef och ytterligare två personer.

– En av anledningarna till att jag har tagit mitt beslut är att jag tycker hela ölsvängen har gått helt över styr. Av allt det jag alltid har varit passionerad över och jobbat för som kvalitet, etik och moral får ofta ta baksätesplatsen för nyheter som kan vara hur fåniga som helst bara det händer någonting nytt, skriver Stene i ett mail till c/o HOPS.

Men lämnar branschen gör han inte. Från och med 1 juli tar han över klassiska krogen och gamla ölhallen Zum Franziskaner på Skeppsbron, som har en flera hundraårig historia.

– Vi kommer att smyga igång lite försiktigt för att känna på lokalerna innan vi stänger för en första renovering vid årsskiftet. Jag måste poängtera att detta inte kommer bli ett nytt Akkurat eller ett ölnördsställe, berättar Stene för Beer News.

Det nya ägarna sägs vilja behålla samma anda på Akkurat  (konstigt vore ju annars kan man tycka), och större delen av personalen jobbar kvar med Rickard Gustavsson som ansvarig för ölkällaren.

Vi kommer självklart följa Stenes nya resa och önskar honom lycka till!

Stene Isacsson i Akkurats ”skattkammare”.

Stenes egna uttalande på Facebook: 

”So, I guess the rumor has been going around for a while so this is for anyone who has missed out on the scoop, need to have it confirmed or just care enough to feel they want some more insight. 

After close to 22 years with 16 of those as a co- owner I have decided to leave Akkurat. It was a very difficult decision but one I made about 2 years ago. It just struck me one day that I don’t actually HAVE to do anything in my life. And once you make your mind up there’s really no turning back, is there?

I have a few reasons for my decision and the major one being differences between my partners and I. (Don’t worry, we’re still friends). I also feel it’s time for a change in my life and even though I will still be in the restaurant business I just want to try something new and challenging in a different way before I get too old. 

Looking back though, it’s been an amazing ride with lots of wonderful and fun memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I have met and gotten to know some truly amazing and passionate people – customers, musicians, fellow “publicans” and stunning brewers from all over the world. If it wasn’t for Akkurat (and Oliver Twist before that) I wouldn’t even know any of the people that my life revolves around today.

I have also had the honor of having some of the best business partners in the world. I must say that the respect I have for them is something you generally have to look very long and hard for in the cutthroat business climate of today.

Still, I didn’t think leaving Akkurat would be all that difficult. After all, this is something I’ve been contemplating for a long time and I’ve never been much of a materialistic guy anyway. I actually thought it was only going to be a relief. Well, my staff just totally proved me wrong there…..

Nothing could have prepared me for the understanding, love, support and loyalty they have shown me over the last few months. Something I never realized they felt or that I even deserved for that matter. If I’d known maybe I would have played this differently…

This has been the toughest, saddest and yet maybe the most beautiful time of my life. I still have a very hard time thinking, let alone talking, about it. You all know who you are and don’t ever hesitate to call me if you need anything. There’s not a whole lot I wouldn’t do for you!!!

When I finally get back to my normal self again I hope my life will be a little bit easier and less stressful. Akkurat is a huge ship to sail (even with the best crew in the world) and I always felt I had big expectations on me and a hell of a lot to live up to. During the last years I’ve also felt that I could not come up with much to improve. I started to feel like I was just banging my head against the wall trying to keep the big guys out, teaching people why it’s important to know where and by whom your beer has been brewed. Not to mention trying to pay respect for beer it self in a time of constant change and… what should I say….. culinary experiments?.. by people who don’t even seem to like beer in the first place.

That is not an easy task because there’s A LOT of money involved in those businesses. Now everyone wants a piece of the (beer)-cake and people are generally still suckers for great advertisement and hype. Hence I did not succeed. I just ended up with a bunch of enemies who got pissed off that I didn’t stock their beers. And even though I am a sensitive and emotional guy I am still stubborn to the verge of insanity so I will never buy or sell products that I don’t agree with or believe in. Hopefully in a less well known place I will be able to do what ever I want without getting in trouble…  

But still I feel extremely fortunate. First I got the chance to be a part of building and running one of the best beer bars in the world. And if that wasn’t enough it was at the most exiting time when the beer thing really started to move and I also had a fantastic team with me.

Now with my new partner and staff we will hopefully awaken the old classic Zum Franziskaner from it’s long slumber. Mind you, this is one of the oldest restaurants in Sweden so it’s going to take a while.

We want to keep it pretty much like it is. A lot of the interior is listed and some of it is well over a hundred years old. It’s not at all going to be a “new” Akkurat with “2 thousand” different beers.

We’re just going to polish it off a bit, keep a few taps of really good Swedish and German lagers, some nice wines, aquavits, a friendly and cozy atmosphere and very rustic and beautifully cooked food. Just like the restaurants and bars I like to visit my self.

I love quality but I’ve literally started to despise the hipster geekiness that has become standard in the craft beer industry. So this will suit me perfectly.

When the time comes (we’re not really there yet) I do wish the new owners of Akkurat the best of luck and I sincerely hope they will keep the spirit alive. But for me (and Manja too of course) it’s time to turn the page and I think this old song sums it up pretty well!!  If I remember correctly I wrote this around the time when Akkurat first opened.

A massive thanks to all the wonderful people I have come to know on Hornsgatan 18.”