Haandbryggeriet Nissefar

Brewed by Haandbryggeriet (Norway)
Style: Old Ale
Drammen, Norway

THOUGHTS: This is what I think of, when I think of an Old Ale. I liked this as a Christmas beer. I tired to do something similar with a homebrew, but not nearly as good as this. The fruit and smoke went together so nice. This was very complex. I can’t do it justice in this review. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brown that was nearly opaque black in the glass with an average tan head that mostly diminished, but kept a nice car for a while. There was also small to large particles of a thin to average density floating in the body. The aroma was strong coffee, chocolate syrup, fruit, sour fruit and a little salty ocean. The flavor started sweet and a little sour, and finished sour and a little bitter with an average duration. There was chocolate, coffee, both sour and bitter fruit, a little smoke, a little soy sauce and then a little more cocoa. The medium to full body was oily with kind of soft yet tingly carbonation and a light to moderate astringent, light alcoholic and slightly smokey finish. It went down pretty easy.

(on bottle batch 176, thanks to Yngve) Pitch black, very small, beige head. Mediocore liqourice and barley aroma, slightly sweet and malted. After this point, the beer has serious flaws, no carbonation, and sour/sweet taste of fotten mash and peas. The ryebread- youghurt-ness just hangs there; discusting.

Bottle. Body-looks like a Coke. Nose-cherry liquor, root beer, RC Cola. Taste-blue cheese, light Xmas spices, cloves, baked apples, brown sugar, apple skins, white grapes.

Poured a dark brown with caramel head. Smells fantastic-warm, roasted, chocolate and pepper. Smoky and thick feel with the expected malt sweetness subdued by alcohol heat and hop tingles. Heat dies down as the beer warms up. If you leave this for the Yulenisse along with the ricegrot, he should not bother you for the next year. Skoal!

Deep brown with a small tan head. Aroma is smoky with some black pepper and raisin. Taste is of milk nuts and plums.

Sampled from 500 ml bottle and shared by BDR. Pours a clear dark reddish amber brew with a thin tan head that slowly dissipates and leaves behind some spotty lacing. Aroma of dark caramel malt, some pitted dark fruits, a touch of smoked scotch and dark cherries. Taste is medium bodied, with flavors of red licorice, dark chocolate, some caramel, pitted dark fruits and some mild spice. Finish is semi-sweet with a light tropical fruit and dark caramel aftertaste.

Batch#98. Pours deep ruby brown with thin brownish head that becomes still very quickly. Aroma of strong dark fruits - dark cherries, plum - notes of chocolate, with light spicy / peppery nose. Taste is similar to aroma, with strong presence of dark fruits for a sugary mouthfeel. Light malts and chocolate with a light hoppy finish. Sbtle presence of cocoa and light bitter berries. The beer could have used some more carbonation. .

Tasted 12/31/08. 500ml bottle. 2008 vintage. Deep dark red hue. Trace layer of beige head. Smokey and spicy aromas. Notesof anise and dark chocolate. Faint whisps of alcohol. Rather full bodied with a noticeable burn. Sticky flavors with hints of toffee and tart raspberries. Slight spice, but more so heat. Trace hop profile. Tasty.