Haandbryggeriet Norwegian Wood

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

Robust, glowing chestnut pour, retaining its beige skin throughout and letting only the slightest silhouette through the muck. Beautiful. Punchy, bold aroma of juniper imparts a crisp gin and zesty lime character; needly, cool, and tepidly synthetic. Shades of orange and toffee in earthy sweetness, becoming increasingly fruity and bright with warmth. An overpowering dry cedar quality dominates the initial flavor, leading toward more tart lime juice and wet spruce tips, being thoroughly layered with rustic smoke and crisp fruit sugars. The fire, the mountain air, and the slowness of the roast are intimately and richly felt. Spiced pumpernickel, a touch of soapish coffee acidity, and yeasts with a wild attitude; somehow at once sprightly and dark. Of medium body with a very dry bite in the mouth, finishing with a heavy hit of floral foliage and puckering lemon plastic, warming on the final smack into hot, caramelized sugar and dough. Detailed, and delicate, but perhaps donning too blatant a simplicity of synthetic tone, which is counterintuitive. Altogether intriguing, though. Thanks Zac!

Smoky, malty aroma. Super reddish hazy amber color with a beige head that just stood tall. Medium body with creamy carbonation. It has the toasted malt character of a stout (smoked stout?), but there are fruit aspects. This suggests smoked meats - i.e., it would go really well with smoked meats. The finish is dry, but not astringent, and there is wood, not just smoke. Now a bit of what might be juniper comes through. This is really good and complicated.

This was kind of different.Poured brown with an ivory head.The nose smelt of a campfire.Flavor was of smoke and berries with a slight smoky finish.

bottle. thanks gk. woody brown pour with foamy head. mellow smoke and mild hop aroma. quality smoky flavor. nutty. fire roasted malts. well balanced. smoke is up front and steady.

Tasted at GBBF 2007. 50 cl bottle. Dark brown colour with a huge white head. Aroma of smoke wood. Very tasty with flavour of smoke wood, spices and ends up very smooth. Hard to drink a lot of this beer.

Dark amber/brown color with a huge beige head. Aroma of smoked malts. Flavor of smoked malts and spices.

Batch NR 70, brewed March 2007, best before March 2010 per the added sticker to the bottle. Pours a ruddy burnt orange with some tawny mahogany involved. Aggressive head of yellow-tinged beige. Rocky and bubbly. Laces in a thin film. Aromas of smoked malts and burnt leaves. Forest fire flavors with meaty smokiness, piles of smoldering leaves, and gin. Summer sausage character. Woody notes. Sweet flair every now and then. Charred bacon aftertaste. Drinks well, but does not refresh a thirst as other beers can. Berry notes are welcomed. Pricey. So much so that I fear this will be a "one and done" experience for the money.

Bottle. Woody, smokey aroma with licorice. Flavor has fat bacon, smoke, beechwood. Smoky and hopbitter aftertaste. A huge taste bomb, there is nothing refined and balanced in this beer, but it is certainly a tasty and very interesting one.