Norwegian Wood - HaandBryggeriet

beerking1

Virginia

4.9/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

An AWESOME beer. Combines a subtle smoked character (wood type unknown) with a fairly strong juniper character. All of this is backed by a medium to full body and a great balance.
Slightly cloudy, but this adds to the mystery of this unusual beer.
I highly recommend this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2007 01:13:28 | More by beerking1

osusullins

Illinois

4.9/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I have had this on tap and out of a bottle. One of my favorite smoked beers.

The beer pours a hazy brown with a tan head. Not much lacing.

The nose of this is wonderful. You can really smell the smoke, but it is nicely balanced by the juniper berries. Sweet and smokey like the best bbq. I think what sets this beer apart from other smoked beers to me is that the smoke smells authentic. Not like that liquid smoke smell. It smells specifically like hickory to me. I could sniff this bouquet and get hungry easily. This beer goes well when paired with all smoked meats.

Speaking of smoked meats... that is exactly the flavor that my palate pulls from this beer. Like the best carbonated beef jerkey you ever tasted. I absolutely love it. The hickory smoke flavor is evident immediately and lingers in the mouth. The berries give both a sweetness that comes in the middle and a very subtle tartness on the backend that is balanced throughout by the smoke. Light bodied, not heavy at all. I could drink this all day. The taste lingers just long enough to not be offensive. Very nice beer. Again, this is by far my favorite smoked beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2011 00:09:40 | More by osusullins

MarcGetty

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A few weeks ago I was at Tria in Philadelphia on a Friday night ans spied Norwegian Wood from Haan..ggagga..not-gonna-work-here-anymore in Norway, described as a smoked beer which piked my interest. I'm a huge Rauchbier fan and just had to try it.

Two very expensive bottles later and I was hooked.

Yesterday I ventured out to Wayne's Beer Yard to purchase some. Like most beer in Pennsylvania I had to buy an entire case of it. Over $200 USD for a case, but I went for it anyway.

The beer I acquired has a beautiful logo on the front (see the lit match hidden in the far corner?) with a note that it is from "Batch Nr 70 brewed in March 07 and good until March 10. Ingred: Water, hops, yeast, malted barley, and juniper.

I tool one of the two twelve packs to a friend's house to sample amongst three BAs. Two of the three of us were very impressed with the beer. I used a tall 0.5l Schlenkerla Rauchbier glass.

Norwegian Wood pours a dark brownish-red color with a lot of head when first poured. The caramel colored head quickly dissipates leaving a small ring of head throughout the rest of the beer.

If you look into the bottle you can see quite a bit of yeasty sediment which can be poured out if you so choose. Many of my fellow Schlenkerla Rauchbier fans love to do get every last drop of the sediment out of the beer.

Not much of a smokey smell as you would expect, in fact, overall the smell is quite muted. The flavor is quite strong and pronounced which is interesting for a beer without much going on in the aroma department.

The taste is the absolute strong suit of this beer. Smokey, caramel, with a few notes of fruit. Absolutely terrific. Not over powering, not meek and mild, just right.

Even with such a bold taste the beer remains quite drinkable. Having two or three glasses with some snacks is ideal and unlike some bold beers which you tend to nurse, Norwegian Wood remains friendly glass after glass.

I highly recommend that you try this beer if you can. However, don't splurge for a case unless you are one of the rare folks that know and love Rauchbiers as you may be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2008 19:02:38 | More by MarcGetty

soulgrowl

United Kingdom (England)

4.83/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: This beer certainly has an amazing head, a poofy, rocky, pearly, parchment-colored thing with great retention despite lots of activity. Body is a thick, smoky orange - dare I say burnt sienna?

Smell: Powerfully spicy and herbal, a wild concoction of evergreen, marjoram, fennel, carraway, leather, and wet autumn leaves. Maple syrup, brown sugar, Johnny Walker Red Label, cherries, and burnt cedar round out the malts, providing an earthy foundation to the earthy top notes. Smoky, earthy, piney, earthy, fruity, earthy.

Taste: Mmm. Somewhere between Arrogant Bastard and Hitachino Nest Classic lies this ale (both gustatorially and geographically). Very spicy, herbal hops with notes of grass, thyme, and lemon brush up against a woodsy, earthy backbone reminiscent of wheat toast, honey, cocoa, whiskey, and pecans. Juniper berries provide a bold, overriding gin-like spice that combines with a kick of alcohol for a beer that tastes stronger than it is - in a good way.

Mouthfeel: Frothy and lush, brisk and dry.

Drinkability: This is a dangerously drinkable and delicious beer. I will have to keep my eye on this brewery because this one hits it out of the park.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2008 20:25:52 | More by soulgrowl

JohnnyP3

Alaska

4.72/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 0.5L bottle labeled as batch 243. Brewed 14.09.09. Use by 15.09.11.

Pours a gorgeous copper, a little cloudy, with an awesome crowning head at least 2-fingers in width. The head does not budge. Wonderful lacing on the side of the glass. Very promising to say the least.

Smell is definitely smokey and I can detect the juniper berries used to spice it. Almost a "juicy" smoke smell with some smoked meat aroma thrown in. Maybe even a little smokes salmon thrown in?

Taste definitely does not disappoint! A delicious wet smoked taste that exhibits excellent balance. Can taste the juniper that adds a delightful spice to the overall experience. Overall delivers an earthy, charred wood, smokey, tour-de-force--a smoked beer lovers dream. The smoked quality also blends nicely with some sweet malt tastes.

Mouthfeel is amazingly smooth and seductive considering the amount of carbonation that appeared to be bellowing forth when I poured this beer. Just enough carbonation to keep it crisp and versatile with some cheeses, for example.

Drinkability is outstanding. A pleasure to savor the flavors as I drink, imagining this beer being brewed on a Norwegian farm using traditional process. Kudos to HaandBryggeriet for a winning recreation of this traditional Norwegian style.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2010 15:17:22 | More by JohnnyP3

flowerysong

Michigan

4.6/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Background: This recreation of a traditional farmhouse ale from Norway is brewed from wood-smoked malt and spiced with juniper branches and berries.

Appearance: Opaque medium brown, foams enthusiastically and the tan head exhibits great retention.

Smell: Spicy pine scents from the juniper, subtle smoke seems to grow in intensity as you take additional sniffs. Hints of dark malt and slight dried fruit aromas.

Taste: Smoke may seem subdued in the nose, but it comes through here with a vengeance. Hefty wood smoke flavour is the first and last thing you taste. Vague fruitiness sliding into juniper comes through in the middle. A hint of meatiness is almost gamy; slight sour yeast character. Besides the smoke, the long finish also contains a resiny reminder of the juniper.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and medium-bodied, high carbonation and a tongue-coating tingly sensation from the juniper resins.

Drinkability: I love this beer. It's bold and assertive, with sufficient complexity to keep the beer geeks happy.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2007 07:16:18 | More by flowerysong

aforbes10

Iowa

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Walnut brown with hints of red. nice little off white head. Laces well, but quickly. Smells awesome, like hickory chips and gin. Makes it smell like Bacon in Alaska. Flavor is light at first, but quickly becomes a smokey blast, very complex. I can taste the juniper berries under the smoke, but its the smoke itself that carries the beer. Full of woody goodness with a simple pale ale backbone. hops still distinguishable. Medium to light bodied. Highly drinkable if you like the whole smoked beer thing.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2008 01:33:43 | More by aforbes10

farHillsBrewer

Maryland

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Delightful all around and the last swallow was the best, sorry to see it end.
Dark-brown with substantial tan head.
Mellow,balanced amber malt with a strong smokey nose. Hints of dark fruit and bacon?, maybe hickory smoke. Distinct memorable smokey finish. Very drinkable for a smoke beer, my pint went down easy.
On Tap at Max's.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2010 02:48:08 | More by farHillsBrewer

Mitchster

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

$7.99 for a1pt .9fl oz bottle. 6.5% ABV. Pours out to a hazy very dark brown, forming a modest dark tan head with poor retention and absent lacing. Lots of dark sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Nice little yeasty beasties. The aroma is nice and rich with smoke and caramel, maybe a little sour milk with swirling. Mouthfeel is bright with a medium dense body. The taste opens up with plenty of smoke. I like my smoked beers smoky, and this is very smoky. I love it. It has a big malt body in the middle, followed by a little earthiness. The juniper doesn't stand out and the bitterness is mild, so it leaves plenty of lingering malt in the aftertaste. A hearty brew. I really enjoyed this, but I'm not convinced it's worth the $8 price.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2009 22:42:58 | More by Mitchster

Ljunkan

Sweden

4.45/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

50 cl bottle from Vinmonopolet, Oslo, shared with Bananaman.

A very special and cool beer!

Pours a dark red/brown color with a small, but nice, foamy head.

Smells of smoke, burnt wood (almost like an old campfire), berries & juniper needles. Very nice smelling-beer imo.

Taste is of smoked malt, burnt wood, some berries and juniper needles, notes of some malty sweetness. A very special taste overall.

Mouthfeel is good, though it's a bit thin, but I like it anyway.

Overall a very unique beer!

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2008 13:06:16 | More by Ljunkan

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a tulip glass)

A- This beer pours a thick antique white head that takes up the full glass. Soon it slowly melts into a deep brown body with an amber glow and strong waves of micro bubbles glide past the sides of the glass. The head last and last through the beer.

S- The light yeasty perfume note gives way to a roasted malt note with a soft marshmallow hint to it and a soft smoky note that increases as the beer warms.

T- The taste of soft smoky dark roasted malt has nutty flavors and some caramel malt notes. There is a nice taste of fresh cream that fades to a spicy hop finish with a slight bay leaf quality to it and a faint juniper berry note. There is a soft band-aid note at the finish but it is pleasantly smoky and not over the top.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a soft alcohol heat that adds a nice warmth to the malt.

D- This beer has a nice balance of smoky dark malts and hops with some nice support from a fragrant yeast strain.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2008 19:29:37 | More by rhoadsrage

magictrokini

California

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First off, I love smoked beers, especially those like the Aecht Schlerenka variety where the smoke is strong. Pours dark brown with nice red edges. Thick head that last the whole way down. Not much lacing. Beautiful campfire aroma. Great mix of wood with the juniper showing through. Oily mouthfeel with enough carbonation to smooth it out. Long, earthy finish. The taste is spectacular. Wood, smoke, and bacon. The malt is rich and hearty, but maintains a pleasant dry quality. Good mix with the chocolate malt gives a bit of sweetness, but not too much to overtake the smokiness. I love this beer. If you're going to go smoked, go the whole way.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2009 18:00:22 | More by magictrokini

Travlr

District of Columbia

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared with Michael, Michael and Darrell at Pizzeria Paradiso. Chestnut colored without much head or lacing. Aroma reminiscent of the leather straps that old fashioned barber chairs used to have. Taste has some dark fruit and cherries, progressing to beef jerky then finishing with barbecued bacon. Nicely complex.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2009 15:15:18 | More by Travlr

tubacharlie

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The scent of evergreen boughs and hops hits the olfactory right away when decanted.

Good three-finger tan head, reflecting the red-brown color of the slightly hazy brew.

Rich maltiness with a smoothly melded hop presence and creamy texture on the tongue. After a full introductory swig, the last bit of liquid in the bottom of the bottle was swirled around to release the yeasty sediment, then added to the glass. This resulted in a cloudier, more fragrant beverage with more complexity as the yeast and juniper involved the entire palate and nostrils. An exuberant explosion of flavors ensued, with pleasing results.

Smoked fiskesalat with some garlic potatoes and brown beans would go down real easy with this traditional brew, made of peat-smoked malt and juniper berries.

This was labeled as batch no. 142, brewed March 08, best before March 10. Further aging would not hurt this beer though, in my opinion.

Interesting label note: at one time in Norway, every farm was required to brew its own ale. Not sure if they were required to drink it though!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 02:11:52 | More by tubacharlie

IPAcraig

Tennessee

4.4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up this gem in Atlanta last fall based solely on my fondness for The Beatles song of the same name. This bottle is from batch number 70 that was brewed one year ago, March 2007.

A very good looking beer. A very dark ruby body with a extremely massive brown head.

Smells as advertised, malted barley highlighted with piney juniper berries. It also has a nice citrus character. No smoke is noticeable.

A nice smoked character in this beer, it is more than just a hint but not overpowering. Again this beer has hints of pine and grapefruit, though not from hops. There is a very nice roasted presence that compliments the smoke. I really like this beer. It has some very interesting and unique flavors.

Prickly carbonation and a light lively body.

A very unique experience and I perhaps lack the palate to adequately describe this beer. Nonetheless this was a highly enjoyable brew. This is better than just good Norwegian Wood.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2008 02:35:44 | More by IPAcraig

Bananaman

Sweden

4.38/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Wow! A really unique beer from Haandbryggeriet. Very interesting, thanks to Ljunkan for sharing this one.

Dark deep red/brown color with a nice white head.

The smell is really brilliant! Seldom have I smelled such a fantastic beer. Some smoke with lots of berries, smells almost when you put spruce on a campfire.

The flavor is pretty smoky too with lots of different notes of bitter berries, prety malty too. And there are some nice hoppiness to that balances all of it.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 12:19:06 | More by Bananaman

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Comes out of the tap a barely transparent mahogany-honey brown with a cream-white, fine-bubbled head. Rich, malty, smoked-wood aroma has an undertone of barbecue. Smoky, barbecue-like flavor is malty wit hints of spice, caramel and even sweetness. Tingly, lively texture rounds out a very tasty and distinctive beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2010 01:34:25 | More by Cyberkedi

pokesbeerdude

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle into a NB Globe. Purchase from Wilbur's for around $6. Batch 232, brewed 26.06.2009 best 26.06.11. So towards the end of its life.

A: Amber in color with a light tan head, right at 1/2 an inch. Quite dense head that sticks around nicely. Slightest amount of haze. A few bubbles lazily moving through the glass.

S: Smoked malts are the first thing that jump out of the glass, not insanely pungent like a Islay whisky, but there is definitely some smoke in this one, think nicely smoked meat. Some caramel and just a whiff of vanilla. Also just a bit of juniper, but again faint, probably a lot more present when first bottled.

T: I really like this, very well balanced for a smoked beer. Nice amount of smoke and caramel that blend and intermingle into this amalgamation of sweet smokiness. Just a faint hint of hops and a slight amount of juniper, pretty faint though. Finish is surprisingly clean and devoid of smoke. This is damn tasty.

M: Creamy body that is on the heavy side, medium carbonation, and fairly sticky. Really enjoyable.

O: Definitely a beer that I'm pissed I didn't buy another bottle of. This works perfectly between smoked malts and sweet malts, a touch of herbal flavors, and just a hint of bitterness. Very enjoyable beer on a cold rainy spring day. Spot on.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 01:27:22 | More by pokesbeerdude

nezelrac

New York

4.35/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - hazy mahogany/amber; scant, fine-beaded, white head; no retention or lacing to speak of

S - woody and smoky malt with subtle yeastiness behind; some dark toast, burnt caramel, and grilled apricot

T - malt then smoky wood; hint of licorice/juniper; caramelized sugar; good length; woody parts linger appealingly

M - lean and firm woodiness; no astringency from the wood/smoke

O - gentle rauch; very good; quite enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 21:04:11 | More by nezelrac

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.35/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy, but pleasant enough murky red colour, with a fine but filmy head of slightly orange-tinged white. Speckled and insubstantial lacing forms when tilted, and the body looks a little thin. Not bad, but I've seen better.

Nose, ooh, now there's something wonderful. Big smoky notes, but tempered and pleasantly savoury. No meatiness to the smoke, more of a rustic charm, which melds pleasantly with the hearty, all-grain bread notes and a sparkle of something brighter and slightly crisp and fruity. Very pleasant indeed.

Taste is also excellent. Very big and pleasant smoky characters, but blended really nicely into a toasty grain flavour, that sinks towards roasted bitterness on the back. The transition is almost seamless, giving a very smooth ride through a plethora of smoky, roasted flavours. Some brightness coming through as well, although no particular flavours are distinguishable here—it just gives a lift to the palate.

Feel is very light, which in some senses works to the advantages of the palate; but there's enough depth here to support more.

Very nice brew all up. I love the smoke character blending so well with the malted grains—it really works the character into the beer to give a suggestion of how this would have been done in the past.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 10:40:10 | More by lacqueredmouse

erosier

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours an orangish brown color with an extremely tall and thick head that foamed up to the top of the glass very fast. I had to wait for the foam to go down before I could pour some more to fill the glass. Oddly enough it didn't have as much lacing as I would have expected. The beer had a very nice roasted malty base underneath a very smokey aroma. The taste wasn't as smokey as I would have imagined from the aroma but it was still quite smokey. It had a very deep roasted malt base followed by a very woody and smokey flavor finished with a very roasted barely aftertaste. Very interesting and I really enjoyed it. The mouthfeel was very smooth and warming which made for a very drinkable beer. Definately worth a try if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2008 14:36:09 | More by erosier

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle, Batch NR 86, brewed August 2007, best before August 2009. Served in a nonic pint glass, the beer pours dark brown/ruby red with an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. The aroma is smoky and spicy, it smells like smoke, wood, spice and a slight fruity aroma that I assume is from the juniper berries. The taste is the same as the aroma, it's smoky, spicy, herbal and a little bit fruity. Aroma and taste are both very nice. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a little bit creamy with some lively carbonation. Drinkability is good, it's smooth and easy to drink. If you like smoky beers, then I think you'll like this one. I'd definitely buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2008 00:41:43 | More by bluejacket74

Atricapilla

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Color is a light milk chocolate brown with a fairly thin dirty white head. Beer had fairly consistant carbonation. Aroma was heavily smoked, with a bit of grain. Flavor was fairly smooth; dominated by a thorough smoke, but not overpowering. Had a substantial maltiness and chewiness I had not encountered in a lot of smoked beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 02:15:06 | More by Atricapilla

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Devil's Backbone willibecher.

It took me a while, but I finally got a second chance at this beer. It pours a translucent tawny amber (more toward the brown end of the spectrum) topped by over a finger-and-a-half- of cream-colored foam. The smell comprises smoked ham, roasted malts, light toffee, and wheat, though smokey notes dominate. The taste holds notes of everything listed above, though the smoke is toned down slightly, the toffee is joined bvy a light caramel, and the wheat is toasted. The body is a solid medium, with a lightly moderate carbonation and a slightly watery, smooth feel. Overall, a very nice smoked beer, one that I wish was easier to obtain on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 06:36:02 | More by TMoney2591

NilsFrisk

Norway

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is amber colored with a tan head, most of it disapears, but a little bit of it sticks.
There is a scent of old coins in there, along with hops, amber malts and a nice juniper tone.
It tastes very nicely and ballanced of amber malts, hops, smoke and juniper, and it just feels great, full and creamy body with moderately low carbonation, just the way i like it. Not a beer to drink lots of in one go, but could definetly drink this one pretty often!

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 22:39:01 | More by NilsFrisk