Røyk Uten Ild (Smoke Without Fire) - HaandBryggeriet

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

500ml bottle. What? Where there's smoke, there's fire, or so I've always been taught. Do things work differently in the land of fjords? What sayeth Slartibartfast of Magrathea on the matter?

This beer pours a murky, dark dirty brownish amber colour (this conveys smoke rather well, thank you very much, left brain!), with three fingers of puffy, foamy, shiny ecru head, which leaves some crudely broad caricatures of arched lace around the glass as it evenly bleeds away.

It smells of moderately smoky, somewhat seaside oriented in its bearing, bready, salted caramel malt, a soft, singed generic orchard fruitiness, some understated nutty milk chocolate, and weirdly funky, herbal hops. The taste is rather cocoa-heavy at the outset, the smoke saving its focus for the late arriving caramelized toffee malt, some persistent, if still underwhelming apple and pear fruit esters, persistently prickly earthy, leafy hops, and a slightly warming, swirling alcohol edge.

The carbonation is average, if just a bit more slavish to the frothing, effervescent manner, the body a steady medium weight, and smooth in a battlefield sense - calm now, sure - but what to expect right around the corner? It finishes off-dry, as the chocolate maltiness, lingering burnt fruit, and still unloved caramel notes combine to hold the persistent smoke at bay.

A decent smoked beer, a league or two more palatable than the last similar offering from this particular nation (I'm looking straight at you Nøgne Ø). The key seems to be the integration, because while it is indeed smoky, we're led to perceive this as a sub-attribute of whatever typical beer meme we're currently sussing out, rather than as an overarching component of the whole. As wanky as that was, it's true, and a straight-up compliment to the brewer.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 06:27:56 | More by biboergosum

Zachtheporter

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

05-07-2013 16:48:56 | More by Zachtheporter

schopenhauerale

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

05-01-2013 00:00:28 | More by schopenhauerale

chickenm

British Columbia (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

04-18-2013 03:33:57 | More by chickenm

adamcthomp

Spain

4/5  rDev +0.8%

03-30-2013 22:52:19 | More by adamcthomp

Docrock

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

03-20-2013 21:18:14 | More by Docrock

MarkyMOD

Colorado

4/5  rDev +0.8%

02-24-2013 03:47:45 | More by MarkyMOD

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My wife picked up a Sculpin and I wanted a sexy beer for the night too.

Large tan head springs forth from a dark brown beer. Ruby highlights. Batch #273. Last sip looks as good as the first.

Intensely smoky aroma. A little meaty like beef soaked in a dark marinade. Worcestershire. Mild wheaty twang and light brown turbinado, tamarind sweetness.

As smoky as it smells. Smoke hits the palette 1st but rolls into a carmelized glaze reduction. Long, lingering smoke mouth aftertaste.

Smoke is good.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 22:37:48 | More by donkeyrunner

dendroaspis

New Mexico

4/5  rDev +0.8%

01-22-2013 05:18:13 | More by dendroaspis

andant

New York

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

12-31-2012 03:41:24 | More by andant

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle poured into tulip 17/12/12

A doesn't look that dark as it pours out of the bottle but once in the glass its not quite black but quite dark, large 3 finger mocha foam sits around for a few sips leaving a single ring of lace

S the smoke is there but not over the top, some smoked spiced apple with some faint hops, a little nutty toffee and milk chocolate, not quite funky but the yeast profile is unfamiliar to me but I like it.

T the fruity, smokey notes are interesting and again mellow smoke works well with the chocolate, tastes solid but the nose had more complexity and intensity

M not as thick as you expect from the color but easy to drink not being as heavy, carbonation's almost foamy but not quite, a little slick after the fact with a lingering smoked chocolate aftertaste

O I rather liked this one, a nice smoked brew. The smoke is mellow allowing other aspects to play a part and no booze at any point, I could drink another

I'm pretty happy with this brewery and my ability to buy it in my home town, well worth trying and looking for if your a smoked malt fan

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 02:36:09 | More by wordemupg

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

16.9 fl oz brown bottle served in a chalice.
Batch 426, total bottles 2160.

Deep oak color with a shade of maple. Carbonation-filled, foamy off-white head with quite surprising strength given its activity. Really nice ringed lacing around the chalice's edges.

Big leathery smoke quality with a touch of alcohol soaked peat, a bit like scotch. Rounded, moderately sweet caramel with a mild, clean floral hop presence. There's a bit of an herbal spice that adds a nice complement to the intense bacon-like smoke character.

Despite the intensely smokey aroma, the flavor is driven by a slightly heavy, sweet caramel with ripe, vinous fruit: plum, cherry. That's not to say that the leathery smoke flavor is absent, it is very flavorful yet slick as a result of some imbalances with the other flavor components. The sweetness is a bit much and the fruit is just a bit too young.

Nearly full bodied. For the style, it is one of the more 'heavier'/'maltier' ones that I've had. The texture supports the bolder flavors quite well.

I enjoyed this offering although it isn't my favorite version of the style. The fruit flavors might benefit from some age in order for some of the slightly tart qualities to mellow, which may allow the sweetness to turn a bit richer.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 00:30:26 | More by NEhophead

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a clear dark brown color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of smoked malt with some caramel malt notes. Taste is good mix between some smoked malt with light smoked fish notes and some caramel malt. Body is about average with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Solid offering with great balanced taste of smoked malt and bacon and smoked fish.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 19:48:31 | More by Phyl21ca

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

10-09-2012 02:50:49 | More by t0rin0

sliverX

New York

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

08-26-2012 02:19:12 | More by sliverX

BeerTruck

Portugal

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

08-04-2012 22:49:23 | More by BeerTruck

stcules

Italy

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown color, so and so foam.
In the smell the smoke is clear and strong, intense, with almost tobacco notes.
Malty start in the mouth, then again smoke, full and intense, but not too much to be tiring.
Relatively easy to drink.
Medium body, with a long standing smokiness in the aftertaste, with touch of bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2012 16:41:28 | More by stcules

kaelingirl

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

07-10-2012 12:13:23 | More by kaelingirl

womencantsail

California

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A dark brown color with a khaki colored head. As the name implies, very, very smokey. A bit of salt and cured meat aroma to it, too. Some bread and toast, maybe a little bit of toffee. The flavor has a hint of vanilla which is nice, but the smoke and salt notes are almost overwhelming. A little bit nutty and some sweetness of toffee, bread, and toasted malts.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 18:30:06 | More by womencantsail

Florya

Norway

4.75/5  rDev +19.6%

07-03-2012 14:51:46 | More by Florya

metter98

New York

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This beer is very hazy and dark brownish amber in color. When holding the glass close to a bright light, a low amount of carbonation is visible. It poured with a finger high dense beige head that has excellent retention properties and consistently left a small head covering the surface.
S: There are moderate aromas of smoke in the nose along with some notes of dark fruits and hints of burnt malts.
T: Similar to the smell, smoky flavors dominate the taste of this beer, although these are not overpowering in any way.
M: The wheat makes this feel a bit more than light-bodied and smooth on the palate; it also has a moderate to high amount of carbonation.
O: The light-bodied nature of this beer would make it not as daunting to drink for someone unfamiliar to the style. There’s a high amount of carbonation in the bottle so it requires a careful pour or else you will get lots of head and no beer in your glass. No alcohol is perceptible in the taste.

Note: Batch #426

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 01:25:57 | More by metter98

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this beer. Always happy to try a new smoked beer.

The beer pours a medium to dark brown color with a tan head. The aroma is very smokey. It reminds me of fresh smoked brisket, with a lot of meaty smoke notes and a little bit of roasted malt. The flavor has some great smoked chocolate notes, as well as some roasted malt. Medium to thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 04:04:59 | More by Mora2000

HamJam

Spain

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

05-08-2012 17:32:08 | More by HamJam

Diomede

California

4/5  rDev +0.8%

02-17-2012 06:23:52 | More by Diomede

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

500ml bottle purchased from the Adelaide Bier Shop.

Pours with very effervescent carbonation, requiring quick thinking to keep the foam from exploding out of the bottle. The carbonation stays fine and voluminous throughout, feeding a frothy but smooth head of off-white. Body is a cloudy deep mahogany colour, reddish in places, deep chestnut brown in others. Surprisingly fluid in the glass. Not a bad look all up.

Nose is smoky and sweet, with a type of meatiness to it that makes it feel solid and a little savoury. There are big caramel or treacle characters, which with the smoke mingle to give a glazed ham aroma. It's good, but I wonder if it will be slightly too heavy.

Taste is, contrary to all my expectations, too *hoppy*. On the back palate, we get a pronounced bitterness, that tends towards soapy grapefruit and rusty metal. This mingles with the (now dominated) smoke character to give quite an ashy finish. But the smoke flavour itself has almost disappeared, and the sweetness I was worried about ends up being overborne by the hops.

It's another interesting beer from Haand, but this one works a little less than some of their others. Again, they have some interestingly odd characters to it, but it's a little bit skewed towards anarchic here.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 06:22:28 | More by lacqueredmouse