Historic beer weekend on April 13 with a visit from a sports legend

On Saturday, April 13, it was time for the first beer weekend of the year and we had a great visit from a legend, none other than Mikael Appelgren, popularly known as 'Äpplet'. Multiple world champion, Swedish champion, junior champion in table tennis. Who does not remember the feat in Dortmund in 1989 when the Great Wall of China fell and the Swedish national team won 5-0 in matches, which marked the beginning of a Swedish superpower era in table tennis.

We call up Äpplet - we are of course curious about how he found us and what he thought of his stay. Here is a summary of the conversation:

Hello Mikael 'Äpplet' Appelgren! How did it happen that you visited us here in Vadstena and it would be fun and interesting to hear your reflections on your weekend here with us?

Hi, yes, an acquaintance who saw an ad told me about the weekend package, it is generally known among my friends that I like Swedish history and who does not like a good beer. I have played in the German Bundesliga and and that's where my interest in different beers and breweries was born. Me and my booked the package a few weeks before and went down early on Saturday. I had seen that it was 'Military History Day' at Vadstena Castle so we went there first and listened to an interesting lecture about Sweden as a great power. Fascinating, apparently we couldn't stop fighting in Sweden at that time.

Then it was off to the monastery hotel and check-in to the room. We talked to talked to Felix at the reception - who then turned into Duke Magnus when the beer gang gathered in the sunshine outside the Klosterhotellet, heavenly beautiful guy! The whole gang went on foot to the castle where we were met by Jeanette who let us try several different beers with snacks, she was well read history of beverages and the tasting was also alternated with the history of Duke Magnus who guided us around the castle. Marita liked your monastery beer St. Birgitta most and I am inclined to agree, the sour beer grew with both of us but then together with a radiant sun and 30 degrees, haha.

Dinner was also included in the package, was the food and drink to your satisfaction, is this your first time at Restaurant Munkklostret?

Yes, it was the first time for both of us, I have played table tennis here in Vadstena but never visited the restaurant. We got a fixed menu that consisted of tuna tartare as a starter, veal fillet and good accessories and brûlée. Of course I took beer, what a nice collection of beer that was down in the wine cellar! A very nice evening with good food and as I said a little trip down in the wine cellar. Wow, what a cellar you have even for me who only drink beer, haha!

Was there a nightcap downtown afterwards or perhaps up in the 18th century salons?

Hehe, no it was calm, we had booked KlosterSPA on Sunday morning.

What did you think of KlosterSPA? We have, among other things, renovated the entire courtyard.

Yes, oh how nice it is and suddenly we had been there for three hours! 

Marita has her own business in natural health so this was completely in her style, a different spa in a very good way. After the KlosterSPA we took a trip around Omberg via Alvastra monastery, so nice and we were really lucky with the weather, we actually even had time to visit an acquaintance. It was a packed weekend in and around Vadstena, we will definitely come back, what a lovely city with incredibly nice surroundings!

Great, is there anything we can do better?

Food, accommodation and service were great, but in retrospect I would have wished to try more beers from my favorite country Germany, there are so many different types of beer. But we are very happy!

That's great to hear! What else do you do, is it still table tennis?

Absolutely, I was almost born with a ping pong paddle in my hand and will never let it go! I am active as a coach in Spårvägens BTK, the club where I started playing table tennis together with J.O Waldner and others.

Thank you Mikael for taking the time to talk to us and for choosing to spend your weekend with us in Vadstena. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future and good luck as a coach!

On November 9, it's time again - this time it will be a Brewmaster's Edition with our award-winning beer brewer Andreas Fejes.