#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. There has been an old truthful tale about Norilsk metallurgists who flew to Moscow for a weekend to drink beer. Indeed, they flew. But this does not mean that Norilsk did not have its own beer or its own city pubs.
Norilsk is a city of harsh miners and strong tempered metallurgists. And therefore, beer with dried roach or other simple snack has always been in demand here.
Foamy drink for Norilsk people began to be produced already in 1944, the fermentation shop was opened immediately after the bakery. In the 1960s, Norilsk brewed its own Zhigulevskoye, as well as Moskovskoye, Velvet, Rizhskoye, and Ukrainskoye.
In 1985, on the occasion of the combine’s 50th anniversary, the brewers pleased the residents with the release of Norilsk local beer.
Beer was not often to be sold, that’s why there was always lines at beer stands. In summer it was sold right on the streets: on tap from barrels and vending machines for chilled drinks.
They strived to serve the consumer beautifully and comfortably, and in Norilsk at different times there were beer bars – from simple eateries with standing tables to night restaurants for lovers of the foamy drink.
One of the first such establishments was the Beer Hall at Lenin prospect, 45; in Talnah, the foamy drink was served in the Tavern, in Kayerkan the pavilion had a popular name – Wife’s Tears.
Beer-Juices on Begichev street, 10 (where the pentagonal skyscraper has now grown), and Sausage on Zavenyagin street were lower levels, and among the people they were called “mud baths”. In the early 1980s, the Solntse cafe on Solnechny street became the Yantar beer hall, and the Raduga canteen on Laureates street became a beer restaurant.
In the 1990s, the intoxicating drink was bottled at the Norilsk Pivo store on Hantayskaya street, 13. Later, the Maxim pub and the Medved bar were opened, but this is already recent history.
In the History Spot previous publication, we told about Vladimir Matveyev, one of the first leaders in the Norilsk construction, who was convicted of “sabotage”.
Follow us on Telegram, VKontakte.
Text: Svetlana Ferapontova, Photo: Nornickel Polar Branch archive
