Nørrebro Julebryg - Nørrebro Bryghus

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a brown mahogany, thin white head, no retention, not much lacing. Smells of Spice, malt, rye, gingerbread. Has a winter/christmas kind of feel in the smell, quite complex. Taste is of rye, spicy malt, a bitterness is revealed uin the finish, traces of alcohol and ginger come through. Good mouthfeel, solid weight, understated carbonation, slightly syrupy. Drinks very well, would certainly have again. Really good winter beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 00:52:30 | More by peensteen

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -21.3%

01-19-2013 17:13:41 | More by tbeckett

Sunnanek

Sweden

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

12-08-2012 10:05:20 | More by Sunnanek

cfalovo97

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -21.3%

11-15-2012 02:22:29 | More by cfalovo97

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +5%

09-19-2012 23:09:04 | More by Molson2000

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.53/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark copper with a small head.
Nose shows sultanas, spices (cinnamon?), soft roasted malt, caramel and golden syrup.
Flavours are pretty much full-on fruitcake. Lots of dried fruit, golden syrup and Christmas spices. Finishes a bit weakly though.
Carbonation could be a bit lower to let the flavours shine.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 06:49:42 | More by CrazyDavros

kevanb

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This Norwegian winter warmer came to me in a trade and while it's certainly out of season, I figured it could be a fun change of pace and who doesn't like trying a new beer? It pours a rich burgundy color, hues of dark amber and maroon, very opaque. A thin bone colored head sits atop the beer, which has fair retention and leaves behind no lacing. Nice aromas, rich malts, lots of dark fruits and spicing, cherries, plums and nutmeg come to mind, blended well, certainly smells like a nice holiday dinner. The flavors are welcome, nice spicing with a very luscious breadiness, almost like a dark rich pound cake, some dark tart fruit, but it really does taste like a spiced bread or cake, very sweet, with some nice savory elements to counter the sweetness. The alcohol is completely hidden in the flavors but does add a nice warming as it goes down. The body is fantastic for the style and compliments the flavors well, big and very full bodied, but also very smooth.

Verdict: Very nice winter warmer, the flavors are spot on for the holidays and it has a nice, albiet weak aroma. I wil definitely keep my eyes out for this one come next holiday season.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 03:36:15 | More by kevanb

fostachild

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

02-07-2012 00:01:10 | More by fostachild

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle courtesy of northyorksammy. Thanks!
This one was a nice chestnut colour with a bit of haze, topped by a dense cap of fine tan foam. Great head retention with sticky, foamy lacing. Spice aroma, lots of ginger and clove character -- reminiscent of a good pumpkin ale. Hints of bread and caramel too, but these took a backseat to the spices. Nice texture. The carbonation felt light without giving the beer a dead feel, body was medium. The flavour was maltier than the aroma, plenty of bread and yeast with a bit of caramel and a hint of roasted malts. Cloves and ginger were less prominent, but present throughout, as was a fruity berry component that was absent in the aroma. Bitterness stayed in the background but added some balance. Slight spicy, alcohol feel in the finish. Quite a good winter warmer and very nicely balanced.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 00:12:20 | More by DrJay

Urbancaver

Ohio

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

Thanks cooperellis!

Pours a murky maroon brown. A touch of white head. Lots of spice on the nose. Vry rich and malty. A nice flavour profile on the tongue. Tns of rich dark fruits and spices. Thick and solid mouthfeel. Overall pretty tasty but not something i would seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 23:24:03 | More by Urbancaver

cyrenaica

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

600ml bottle
7.0% ABV
I tried this beer on May 13, 2011 at "Smokeless Joe" in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The beer poured a solid brown colour with a 1/2" tan coloured head. The aroma was sweet malt, tomatoes (I swear), nutmeg, and cinnamon. The mouthfeel was medium bodied with medium carbonation. The flavour was slightly sweet, tomatoey, with cinnamon and nutmeg, and a weak bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 22:51:41 | More by cyrenaica

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Murky brown colour shows intense garnet highlights. Small taupe head quickly dissipates to a thin wisp around the edges. Big gingerbread aroma, with the cloves and ginger combining with the sweet doughy malt to form a scent reminiscent of those quintessential yuletide cookies. Nice doughy pumpernickel flavour also gives it a bit of tang, while the Christmas spices lend it depth and complexity. The ginger gives the beer a subtle prickle of warmth. Moderately sweet. It tastes like something Santa would love to indulge in after finding it waiting for him on the mantle. Medium bodied with a soft, light carbonation. Feels smooth and rich on the palate. This is a wonderful winter warmer, it's comforting cookie-like profile well suited to cold nights spent by warm fireplaces. Rock solid.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 01:59:24 | More by mintjellie

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a deep lightly hazy amber color ale with a medium size foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of caramel malt with light dry notes of rye malt also noticeable. Taste is a refreshing mix of light sweet caramel malt with light notes of rye with no significant hops presence. Body is fuller then average with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Easily drinkable with enough complexity. This could be a nice session ale if it was more affordable with a little bit less alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 02:10:10 | More by Phyl21ca

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

LCBO special import series. Pours murky brown with one-wuarter inch lasting head,and leaving lace lines. Spicey and yeasty aromas that are pleasant to take in. Slightly above average mouthfeel and drinkability. This 600 ml bottle needs to be shared, as cloves and ginger get to be much three glasses in. Satisfying, palate tingling.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 20:43:26 | More by northyorksammy

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance. Pours a slightly hazy, deep copper with a finger of off-white head.

Smell. Cloves, plums, brown sugar.

Taste. Strong cloves up front. A little toasted light grain. A little watery.

Mouthfeel. Light-medium bodied, medium carbonation. ABV well hidden.

Overall. Better than most winter warmers, but not really my style. Nice to try.

Thanks, Northyorksammy!

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 01:37:12 | More by Rutager

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottled November 2, 2010.

Pours a very dark amber, or perhaps an incredibly deep ruby red. Almost appears black, but the light indicates otherwise. Two fingers of light tan head recede to a thin layer quite quickly.

The first smell that hit me was sweet malt. Some roasted caramel came next, along with spices.

Taste has a strong spice component, nutmeg and cloves in particular. Reminds me of rum, and, in particular, christmas pudding. Interesting flavour, and not what I expected from the nose. However, this is not something that I would want to drink all that often.

Mouthfeel is suprisingly thin and watery. The smell and flavour suggest that the beer will be quite full bodied, and I was taken aback by how thin it was. Otherwise, fine.

Drinkability is pretty good. Goes down much easier than expected, but the taste is not of a sort that encourages me to drink too much.

A decent beer, and the first "winter warmer" I have had. However, the mouthfeel really threw me off, and the taste is more interesting than enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 02:21:53 | More by jrenihan

KingHefey

Ontario (Canada)

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

A: A burnt orange, copper colour with a small amount of head and little lacing.

S: Amazing nose. Cloves, orange rind, some cinnamon and most of all ginger. Reminds me of Christmas cake.

T: Dark fruits, cloves and an array of spices that I could not specify. It ends with a rye and ginger taste.

M: Thin with a moderate amount of carbonation. The ABV is only detectable at the end.

D: I wish the taste lived up to the smell.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 22:44:57 | More by KingHefey

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Interestingly sized 600ml bottle from LCBO release, pours a ruddy russet brown with amber highlights, a finger of foamy head which leaves a lone patch of lacing.

Pleasant ginger and orange rind waft up alongside a brown ale styled malt profile, spicy aromatics. Taste reveals dominant notes of ginger with hints of cloves, orange peel, cocoa, nuttiness, hints of earthy rye bread. Slightly thinnish body gives way to drinkability and a well disguised ABV. Short bitter finish which mingles with a light sweetness. Overall, solid flavors and quite drinkable for a spiced winter ale of its ABV but I feel it is quite simple, a little too reliant on the adjuncts, and could use some more depth to the malt profile. Still, quite enjoyed and a nice spiced ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 18:49:09 | More by ritzkiss

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Nørrebro Julebryg came out the bottle a bright amber that gradually became darker and darker, finally settling in the glass a semi-murky chestnut colour. Clarity can't be entirely ruled out, especially considering the highlights that form against the light, but it is quite groggy near the top. Its head is the colour of ground nutmeg and sits still and patiently.

It's been advertised that this was brewed with 'Christmas spices' but to my nose it smells much more like a Halloween-time pumpkin ale. I'm surprised to learn that ginger and clove are the only two spices included because I could entertain the thought of a few others. The two do certainly combine for a seriously aromatic, zesty bouquet.

The first sip revealed the beer to be less zesty than I anticipated. While ginger is notoriously zestful and tangy, and clove patently spicy and perfumed, this taste is firmly grounded in toasty, sweet malt. While it's sort of difficult to make out the more nuanced flavours above the added seasonings, rye grains, juniper, nutty sweetness and gingerbread-y, graham cracker flavours are certainly noted.

When it comes to spiced ales I always have a couple central questions concerning the mouthfeel category: 1) is it overly spicy; and, 2) is it too obvious exactly what those spices are? In this case, my answer to both is no. As mentioned, the spicy (savory?) fragrance is keen, but restrained and ambiguous and properly compensated with additional malt.

I've enjoyed Julebryg as I have all the beers I've tried from Nørrebro Bryghus but might hesitate to fork out the cash for another bottle. Make no mistake, however: this is exactly the kind of beer I want laying around the house during the cooler months and holidays. It is highly spirited and well suited to conviviality and feasting. It brings the (J)uletide cheer!

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 00:07:03 | More by biegaman

brystmar

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours dark brown with tons of thick, white head. Good retention, strong lace.

S: malty with winter spices, cocoa, yeast, sweet malt, booze. Shares many qualities of a stout, Belgian dubbel, and Christmas ale.

T: malts up front, fruits and spices next, stout-y roasted malts follow with sweetness and cocoa. Finishes sweet with a big banana flavor. None of these components is particularly strong (other than the banana), though, which is the only reason I can't give it higher marks on taste.

M: thick and chewy; relatively low carbonation. Perfect!

D: very easy drinking here. Zero alcoholic burn, no sharp edges or harsh flavors. Wish I hadn't shared the bottle :P

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 04:27:02 | More by brystmar

paxkey

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

pours cloudy orange-reddish with nice tan colored head.

yeast and malt aromas are prominent. very complex nose. floral, spice, very appealing.

so much going on with this beer. i taste rye in the finish. its sweet bitter and well balanced.

delicious winter warmer. hard not to consume quickly.
nice chewy mouthfeel. no taste of alchohol, yet a pleasant warming.
sweet and spicy without being too much of either.

great beverage.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2011 19:54:31 | More by paxkey

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Second of my Norrebro beer flight from the LCBO. Poured into a nonic.

A hazy, russet-chestnut brew, murky and intriguing. Leaves a thin layer of sticky foam, a few flakes of lacing, but generally the whole thing collapses after about ten minutes.

Nose is pleasant and winter warmery. Clove, ginger, cranberry, fresh brown sugar, caramel, malt, assorted other spices.

Malty, and with a tasty spicy finish that hearkens back to the Juletide season. The spices do an admirable job of making the brew interesting, but aren't potent enough to completely run away with things. That's pretty much what I'm looking for in every winter warmer.

Slightly thick, easy to drink, and with a body that reminds me of a bock or thin barleywine. Mild carbonation.

At 7 bucks a pop, not something I would get a whole lot of (I picked up two), but certainly worth trying once. Definitely among the better winter brews I've sampled thus far this season, spicy but not oppressively so. Like many a winter warmer, one is enough for an evening.

Fine work again - looking forward to my other Norrebro offerings!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 23:57:13 | More by JohnnyBarman

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.13/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured in to Duvel tulip glass.

A - Medium brown/amber colour; opaque. Half a finger of cream coloured head.

S - Cloves, ginger, sweet caramel. Slight hop profile is noticeable as well.

T - Cloves, ginger, slight spiciness, sweet caramel and a slight hop bite. The spices overpower the other flavours here.

M - Light body, moderate carbonation.

D - This one is drinkable but was disappointing. If the ginger and cloves were tuned down, this could be a great winter warmer but all I really get here is the spice flavour. I would not buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 20:53:56 | More by TheSevenDuffs

heebes

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

600 ml bottle.
Part of the brewery feature at the LCBO.

Pours a cloudy brown with a two finger foamy light tan head. Nose is dominated by spices, ginger, sweet caramel malts, root beer like auroma. Taste follows the nose, sweet spices and ginger some barley in the middle and a long dry finish. Certainly a well hidden ABV. Body is a little thin and watery, light to medium mouthfeel. Falls somewhat short of expectations but in the end does its style justice. Drinkability; high in quickness to drink but prefered as one bottle for the session. As with all in the series, price was a little high so I'm not likely to return to this beer unless I saw it on the shelves around Christmas time. Good one to try though.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2011 20:18:47 | More by heebes

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from the LCBO, bottled November 2, 2010; into a balloon tulip.

Poured a dark maroon, with a finger of khaki head which disipates to a thin layer. GOod lace, minimal retention. Nose holds a load of winter spices that warmed me right up, nutmeg, allspice and a touch of cinnamon. A sweeter malt bases sits below it all with an aroma I can't quite distinguish. The spices are the life of the party here though. They're somewhat subdued in the flavour however, which is less exciting than the nose. Some caramelized apples are here, but relatively speaking the spices still prevail over them. Good full and smooth body, alcohol relatively hidden and a solid drink for this one given the cold evening upon us.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2011 15:27:51 | More by liamt07