Norwegian Wood - HaandBryggeriet

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue III:

Apparently a re-creation of a traditional Norwegian smoked ale, brewed with smoked malt, Munich malt, crystal and chocolate malts, and spiced with juniper twigs and berries--sounds a bit like Finnish Sahti.

Pours quick and foamy, so be gentle. Hazy tawny color with a beige foam head. Aroma is yeasty, smoky and meaty with toasted wood and soft fruitiness. A little tart up front, with a smoked tanginess. Forest fruits beneath, dried apple and earth. Biscuity here and there. Charcoal, dusty-malt husk and ash toward the finish (which is dry and lingers with much smoke and wood).

The addition of juniper twigs and berries is rather subtle, which is probably a good thing as one can get carried away with junipers. Regardless, this beer is not for non-smoke ale lovers. This is all that and a bag of smoldering embers. That said, this is a "split a bottle with a friend" beer as it's rather hard to finish an entire one, and we're smoked beer lovers.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 02:30:11 | More by BeerAdvocate

njpencook

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-15-2013 02:51:11 | More by njpencook

jheezee

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.5%

03-01-2013 03:54:08 | More by jheezee

luckytalisman

California

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

02-18-2013 01:50:04 | More by luckytalisman

mitlinks

Switzerland

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

02-07-2013 11:29:35 | More by mitlinks

atoulouk

Indiana

4/5  rDev +1.5%

02-05-2013 00:45:01 | More by atoulouk

schopenhauerale

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

02-04-2013 22:02:09 | More by schopenhauerale

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Pours a dark amber with a finger of bubbly head.

Smell - Smoke like a campfire, smoked malts, spiciness, wood.

Taste - Warm smoky malts reminiscent of a campfire. Similar flavours to lapsang souchong tea. Hint of juniper and spice.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth body.

Overall - A unique smoked beer by HaandBryggeriet. I really like the level of smokiness - reminds me of nights by the campfire. Very well executed.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 06:01:13 | More by leaddog

GrindFatherBob

New York

4/5  rDev +1.5%

01-24-2013 13:22:58 | More by GrindFatherBob

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.76/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

500ml bottle served in an SA Perfect Pint. Batch 432 printed on the label. Pours a translucent amber with a fizzy, 1.5 inch, butter-colored head that sizzles and pops as it slowly recedes into a creamy, 1/8th inch cap. Nose is difficult to describe - herbal and spicy, some citric acid and just the merest suggestion of smoke towards the back. Taste expresses smoked malt, but it doesn't come across as being overly meaty. There's also an acidic presence (must be the juniper berries), as well as a slight medicinal character towards the finish. Mouthfeel is light-medium with a prickly carbonation, a slightly oily texture and an astringency that stimulates the salivary glands along the sides of the cheeks. Overall, I find myself pleasantly surprised at how much I like this beer, despite Smoked Beers not really being a style favorite. Definitely a good way to accustom the palate to the style without being assaulted by smoked meat.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 23:02:12 | More by Jwale73

RashyGrillCook

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-19-2012 03:40:31 | More by RashyGrillCook

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a dark amber color ale with a large dirty white foamy head with good retention and some light lacing notes. Aroma consists of smoked malt with some light tart fruit notes. Taste is a complex mix between some tart fruit notes with some smoked malt with light dry caramel malt notes. Body is about average with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Well put together and quite original.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 19:52:57 | More by Phyl21ca

cosmonick

Indiana

1.5/5  rDev -61.9%

11-23-2012 01:28:48 | More by cosmonick

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -30.2%

11-20-2012 05:12:32 | More by RobertColianni

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

11-03-2012 20:57:22 | More by Resuin

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

If this beer is anywhere near as satisfying to me as its musical namesake, I’ll be happy. Cheers.

A: Translucent, ruby-red body; tan, fizzy cream head that only lasts for a minute. Minimal retention looks like powder over the body, with very little lacing.

S: Hickory, smoked-cured meats, campfire, pepper, and sweet maple come headlong in a tumult of deep, roast-forward malts – a gripping, full smell. It doesn’t lay waste to the subtlety of the nose, though, as smoked beers are wont to do: there are spaces for apple butter and a light herbal character to rest. Still, this nose is mainly smoke.

T: The palate lives up to the smoke-and-juniper description on the label – if you’re thinking char and herb tastes, that is. It begins with a malty, crackling smokiness, tasting of bacon, fig, burnt toast, cedar, almond, and smoky char bathed in semi-sweet chocolate. There’s lots of dark complexity, but the chocolate comes through with intensity matching the smoke, drawing attention to the sweetness of the palate. And then the herbs: juniper and mint bolstering a bevy of lemony hops, tastes that I didn’t think I’d be getting in a beer this dark. They’re certainly welcome, though. Finishes with a toasty, tannic bitterness.

M: Slightly astringent via that hard water character that can only be found in beers produced in Europe; I’m convinced I won’t be able to find that texture in the United States. And as far as European beers go, this one is pretty thick: medium carb and medium body.

O: The chocolate in this beer is keeping me excited for each sip; it’s a taste I haven’t found anywhere else. And beneath all that, it shows nice play between bright herbs and bitter smoke. Just goes to show the skill at which Haandbryggeriet operates: every beer I’ve had from them has been complex and satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 02:51:14 | More by BarryMFBurton

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

10-09-2012 02:50:07 | More by t0rin0

beergoot

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 209
Brewed feb. 09
Best bef. feb. 11

Poured a nice reddish-brown color with a good off-white head. Definite smokiness to the smell along with some grain sweetness. Taste nicely combines sweet, malty grain flavors with smoke. Mouthfeel comes across soft and light.

Despite being sampled about 19 months after the "best bef." date, this beer brought out a nice combo of smoke flavor with a gentle malt sweetness. I didn't catch any of the juniper berry component of this beer. This beer would be a perfect introduction to someone who is curious about smoked beers but my be a bit leery about being overwhelmed with some of this style's bolder examples. I was a bit surprised that such a relatively light body still packed such a wonderful flavor. Not too big...not too little...A fine beer...

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 23:45:23 | More by beergoot

freewill35

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

10-01-2012 22:28:02 | More by freewill35

Willbfun

New York

5/5  rDev +26.9%

09-30-2012 17:26:16 | More by Willbfun

Florya

Norway

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

09-22-2012 19:34:40 | More by Florya

sommersb

Tennessee

3.98/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 09-19-2012
Freshness: Batch 432
Packaging: 500ml brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Pint glass
Purchased: Single from Argonaut Liquors, Denver

The brewery website has a nice description about the history of this beer in Norway and the ingredients used. They say it is a recreation of ales all Norwegian farmers were compelled to brew by law!

Appearance: Dark copper-colored and cloudy beer, topped by a large off-white head. Excellent lacing and head retention in the glass.

Smell: Big smoked aromas here, reminiscent of a campfire, plus woody (oak) and earthy notes.

Taste: As in the aromas, the taste is dominated by smoke flavors. The website says they use imported smoked malts from Bamberg, the home of the rauchbier. The taste reminds me of meat as well, like bacon. Other flavors are from the juniper twigs and berries, used instead of hops, which impart some wood/piney characteristics.

Mouthfeel: Highly carbonated and having a body between medium and full. The finish features smoked meat flavors - not really sweet or dry, but balanced between the two. I think the edge smooths out as the beer warms up.

Overall: This ale reminded me of Yazoo's Sue smoked porter as well as the German rauchbiers. A slow sipper due to the intense taste, but a well-constructed beer I'm glad to have tried.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 04:42:09 | More by sommersb

spoony

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

From a bottle into a snifter.

A-Copper and amber tones. Thin head of lighter colored foam dissipated, but never went away completely.

S-Campfire and wood. Smoke is very strong, but I found it pleasant. Just a hint of the junipers mentioned on the label.

T-Smoke and charcoal. Oak is there, too. A touch of yeast and malt, but I didn't get much juniper, which is probably OK since the smoke is plenty to handle.

M-Mothing special. Medium body with lighter carbonation.

O-After the overwhelming smoke subsided, I noticed some more fruit flavors and I started to enjoy it. My palate was probably blown out by the end, but I managed to finish most of the 500 ml bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 03:50:33 | More by spoony

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from ZorPrime, thanks Eric! 500ml into a tulip, batch 408, bottled September 30, 2011.

Reddish brown with a cream coloured cap. Good retention and a bit of lace. Nose has some smoked wood, caramel, toasted bread and some mild darker fruit notes that could be coming from the berries. Some earth as well. Taste has some heavily charred wood/bread, caramel and some herbal, fruity notes. Drying, with charcoal and burnt matches in the aftertaste. Medium body and a relatively low carb. An OK smoked beer, but doesn't really stand out for me as it's a bit harsher in some regards than I appreciate within the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 03:32:24 | More by liamt07

kaelingirl

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

07-10-2012 12:13:50 | More by kaelingirl