-= Hops Hobby =-

[MosJan]

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Hops Hobby: Yerevan man has penchant for paraphernalia

 

 

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By Ashot Gareginian

ArmeniaWeek reporter

Every evening after work Robert Akopian drops in at a museum in Yerevan. Even on weekends. And he always chooses the same museum. It is not located far away, because the museum is in his flat.

 

Akopian's beer paraphernalia can, indeed, be compared to a small museum. For more than 20 years, the self-proclaimed "beerophile" has actively pursued his extreme interest.

 

It isn't bottles or cans of beer that are found in Akopian's home/museum, but rather the assorted accoutrements of the beer industry: labels, coasters, mugs, goblets, openers . . .

 

Akopian says his hobby has made him an expert of sorts in the history of hops.

 

"Ancient Babylonians knew how to brew beer," Akopian says. "Beer is known to mankind for about seven or eight millenniums. And all that long period of time it is popular in whole world, winning new admirers.

 

"Technologies of brewing are being constantly improved. But in spite of that, old traditions continue to exist."

 

Akopian says that, in 1516, Wilhem IV, Duke of Bavaria, issued an edict ordering that a standard recipe for beer be applied to all brewing. And for his contribution, the Duke's face is on a goblet among Akopian's collection.

 

According to a Moscow publication, "Cork Tree" magazine, Akopian's collection of 600 different beer bottle caps makes his collection the 19th largest in the world. (The editor of "Cork Tree" leads all enthusiasts in that illustrious category, claiming 36,077 caps from 166 countries.)

 

Among his most-treasured items, is a special knife used for cutting hops, passed along to Akopian after it was found in a sack of hops shipped to Yerevan.

 

Akopian is a pioneer of beerophilia in Armenia. There are actively functioning clubs in Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Estonia, Poland. But in Armenia he is still working alone in that field.

 

He presented a portion of his collection at the Third Congress of Beer Paraphernalia Collectors in Moscow, November, 2000.

Photos by Vahram Mkhitarian

 

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