“If you serve a heavier beer, like stout, with a chocolate muffin or a scoop of chocolate ice-cream, everyone will love it,” he purrs, almost licking his lips.Įvery two weeks, beer sommelier courses are held for mini-groups of five students, with most coming from the Russian regions, explains Korolev. “It’s impossible not to love beer, it just has an image problem,” says Vladimir Korolev, head of the training center at the Russian Sommelier League and a beer sommelier course leader in Moscow, a toned man of about 30 with a well-groomed beard as if fresh from the barber shop. “If the state leaves people alone, then everything with beer will be ok,” says Shagov almost in a whisper, before adding: “It’s just a pity my wife doesn’t drink beer.” Beer-loving courses Vyacheslav, who back then earned his crust in the private home-building industry, decided to open a bar after visiting European breweries housed in old buildings, offering visitor tours and tasting rooms. Behind the glass, directly opposite the tasting room, stand huge vats, each with its own sort of beer. The interior is made of pure wood, everywhere are barrels and beer taps for aesthetic purposes. We sit in his personal bar, which is joined to a brewery. But in fact, you can do it all in a saucepan, there’s no difference,” he says. “Once I even bought a home beer-making kit. This story, which happened two years ago, provokes unfeigned nostalgia in the owner of the Shagov brewery and chain of beer bars, Vyacheslav Shagov, a good-natured man in his 30s. The beer will be ready in a month, I’ll make my own kiosk, you’ll see, business will boom,” he mutters and continues his work. Recalling that historical reenactment is in his blood (a week ago, I caught him sewing old stockings for a costume under the light of a church candle), I suggest leaving the experiments for the morning and going to sleep. “What do you mean why? If it’s good, I’m going to sell it at living history festivals,” he explains, trying to shove pieces of sugar into the would-be beer bottles. The question “Why?” provokes a even more surprised reaction:

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