Cornelia Øiestad and Vanessa Krogh
Villbrygg
Wild brewers
Villbrygg’s innovative brews have achieved international recognition, favoured by a range of prestigious venues seeking alternative drink options. Like many other creatives, Cornelia Øiestad and Vanessa Krogh have chosen the untraditional HÅG Capisco chair to support and inspire them in the workplace.
Meet Villbrygg
Cornelia Øiestad and Vanessa Krogh – friends and business partners behind the brand Villbrygg, whose innovative brews have achieved recognition amongst the most prestigious bars and restaurants in Scandinavia. The Villbygg studio workspace is in a converted factory alongside the river in downtown Oslo, only a 10-minute bike ride from their source of inspiration and second workspace – Nature. Come with us and connect with your wild side!
What is VILLBRYGG?
"Villbrygg" translates to Wildbrew. We make seasonal and experimental "one-off" brews, that are complex, non-alcoholic, and 100% natural. We work with wild plants and local farmers and capture the flavors of the Nordic nature. You shouldn't have to compromise between amazing flavors, and taking care of yourself and planet earth.
What characterizes your brand?
Villbrygg is underpinned by 4 key principles: WILD NATURE. Discover a world full of unknown flavors and reconnect with your wild side. Our brews take your senses on a journey to the wild. NO COMPROMISES. Villbrygg's drinks are no or low alcohol so you can be present when modern life requires this from you. SUSTAINABILITY. We make use of what is locally available and care about biodiversity. Natural ingredients are better for you and the planet. DESIGN. Creation is an art. Behind every drink, there is a creative process that requires an open-ended and flexible mind. Design underpins everything we do.
What are your top 3 wild plants to use for brewing and why?
Stinging Nettle - This plant is more nutritious than spinach and it grows plentifully. The nettle is a good base for a brew because of the tannins it adds. You can also adjust how much of the bitterness you want by steeping the plant at different temperatures. Meadowsweet - This plant adds an almond vanilla flavor with floral notes to the brew. You can use both the leaves and the flowers, depending on the taste you are going for. It’s also great in desserts! Pineapple weed - This plant has a herbal pineapple flavor and makes every brew really exciting. It's perceived as a weed, and while others hate on this plant - we love it.
Your studio is in an industrial space in the middle of the city, but nature is also your workspace. How do these contrasts reflect in your work?
We combine the best of both: the softness of nature and the hardness of city life. Inspired by these contrasts, we are searching for ways to implement nature in our urban environments. Our drinks are always based on nature’s principles, both in terms of choosing ingredients and techniques. The urban influences are reflected through the visual expression of the bottle. Also, our drinks are non-alcoholic options to keep us ready for the challenges that modern life throws at us.
Talk us through the process of designing a new drink (the short version!).
Usually we start with the ingredients that we have available locally and create a drink out of that. Working with these constraints forces us to be creative and make the best ideas come to life. Other times we have feeling that we want to communicate and we search for flavors that can contribute to creating this experience.
What makes the HÅG Capisco chair a good choice in your studio?
It's flexible, like us, so we can sit in many different positions depending on what we are working with and how we are feeling that day. It also has a timeless design that makes it easy to work with creative processes and it integrates well in our office space.
Discover more HÅG Capisco stories
Throughout our series, we've interviewed a range of creatives from across Scandinavia.
The HÅG Capisco is a design icon that continues to withstand the test of time. Inspired by a horseback rider's posture, its pioneering saddle seat and overall unique shape, offer endless ways to sit or half stand.