Haandbryggeriet Norwegian Wood

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

(Bottle at Konttori, Tampere, on 2008-03-08) Dark brown and cloudy. Medium sized light brown head. Smoky nose. Taste contains smoke and bitter roasted malts.

Bottle shared with Ronald and Carita in Finland. I’m not a huge smoked beer fan but I have to say this example caught me pleasantly by surprise. Light mahogany colour with an off-white head. Light smoke nose and flavours of more smoke, bacon, meat, salty cheddar and wood. The smoke is nicely in balance with all the other elements, making this a very interesting beer.

Bottle. Smokey to start with a bitter finish and lots of complexity in between. Cloudy, dark copper body with a short off-white head. Malty nose of campfire, toasted grain and cherry. Hints of spiciness and earthiness along with a note of floral hops. The flavor is moderately sweet and lightly bitter, but the bitterness and smoke crank it up a notch in the finish along with the alcohol. Medium body and smooth texture. Moderate carbonation. Nice that the smoke compliments rather than dominates the flavors. Interesting and enjoyable.

Bottle: Dull bronze pour with even, but thin, cream colored head. The spicy nose lends itself to lots of cherry wood smoke, maple, brown sugar and sweet berry. The thick, chewy mouthfeel leads into a tart cherry body that is heavily smoked. While the firewood note leads the charge, a nice layer of earthy malt lies beneath. Finishes esthery with notes of apple and cherry as well as a bitter wash of smoke. Very complex and real interesting.

Bottle from Cellars Larpenteur. Fresh, porter aroma, not unlike Stone Smoked Porter. Wouldn’t have known it was a smoked brew from the aroma if I didn’t already know it. Very dark, brownish amber body, cloudy with good sized, lasting tan head. Some lace. That’s a good brew. Smoke is most definitely evident and well done. It blows me away that a beer this good is only 6.5% ABV. Sure to please rauchophiles without offending rauchophobes. Extremely drinkable, but spendy at $8 per bottle. Underrated.

Bottle from Archersliquors. Brown with a tan head. Smokey, malty, spicy aroma and taste with a smooth finish. Decent.

Bottle at Redlight. Pours a reddish brown with a thick tan head. Smoky, campfire, bacon, slight sweetness, malt aroma but not overpowering like german smoked beers. Fragrant smoky malt taste that is very subtle. The aftertaste is where the smoke really hits the tastebuds. Very tasty and a unique beer.

Pours a cloudy chestnut brown color with a small, foamy, beige head. The nose shows a malty caramel background reminiscent of a rich brown ale, but that is where the similarities end. A mild smokiness and spicy, minty juniper and pine really set this one apart. Likewise, the flavor is a unique blend of malty brown sweetness, fresh, bright juniper, and piney, sprucy hop charachter. Slightly peppery on the back end. Medium bodied and smooth, going down quite easily. Solid brew. Definitely something different.