Haandbryggeriet Nissefar

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

(50cl bottle, thanks Shadrach) Small tan head atop brown-black body. Aroma is medium sweet, raisin, roast, some dark chocolate, anise. Taste is medium sweet, plum, roast, dark chocolate. Medium body, low carbonation.

Bottle from State Line. The pour was very porter-like, slow smooht developing and steady (good retention) choco-colored head on top of a full brown-black body. The aroma was all roasted malts, some coffee and chocolate, fruity/vinous touches. The flavor followed the aroma, roasty bitterness keeping this thing pretty balanced. A full porter if you ask me, would have been interesting with a spice or two? The mouthfeel was smooth and silky. Decent stuff within a style (I’m thinking porter/brown ale when I say that) that is pretty much boring the heck out of me lately.

Pour is a black with a small tan head. Aroma is very earthy and coffee with some anise and dark fruit. Flavor is very much roasted malts with some caramel covered fruit. Heavy at times but also very drinkable this one is a tasty treat.

500ml Bottle (Batch 169): Aroma of chocolate, roasted malts, and a slight tart acidity. Poured dark brown with a hint a ruby in color and a small, bubbly brown head that lasted throughout. Opaque. Flavor is lightly sweet and lightly tart. Tastes of malts, coffee, chocolate, roasting, sour mix, and some yeast. Medium body. Average texture. Average carbonation. Sweet and sour chocolate malt and acid finish.

Bottle from Bottle Trek. Batch 169; brewed 08/08. BB 08/10. Opaque brown/black with a huge frothy, creamy tan head. Smells so roasted it suggests stout. Medium body with smoothly creamy carbonation. Flavor is much like a spiced porter. Lots of toasted malt and spice. Some dark fruit. Maybe a touch of barnyard. Tis a really nice ale.

In the bottle from Beertopia. I liked this because it started out very earthy and roasted, but finishes up with all the fruity and spicy holiday goodness. This seems more like a highly roasted stout than a porter, but the raisin and fig flavors pull this into a matrix ready for some unusual mild tartness and interesting spices.

Wow! If this beer is any indication, Norwegians really know their Christmas beers. Rich dark brown with pretty rose highlights and a smooth palate. Aroma reveals chocolate, roasted flavors and sweet fruit. Flavor is excellent and interesting - the flavors in the aroma all come through along with a peaty taste, and the fruit flavor seems like cherries or apricots. I had a moment where I thought I could taste in the beer a delicious bourbon fruit cake.

27.12.2008, 0,5l Bottle. Batch 181. Brewed sep. 08, BB sep. 10. The colur is almost dark with a thin layer ov off-white creamy head. Aroma is malty, roasted and bitter hops?. I think it is very dry, bitter chocolate maybe. Strong dry aftertaste with bitterness. A rich beer with full body. Very nice