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Haandbryggeriet Norwegian Wood

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Rating:

80% of 100

17 Reviews

Style

Speciality Beer

Country

Norway

Brewery

Haandbryggeriet

ABV

6.5%

Bottle Size

500ml

Serving Temp

7 to 10°C

6.5%

500ml

Details
Brewery Info
Reviews

Details

The Norwegians are an experimental bunch... Haandbryggeriet have been making fascinating beer since 2005. This smoky beer is flavoured with juniper and tastes like the best bits of an evening around a campfire drink: toasted marshmallows, the burnt bit around the apple pie, and an aniseed-like touch from the juniper. It’s inspired by the legal requirement for every farm to brew it’s own ale. They would have naturally had a smoky flavour because the malt was kilned by fire and then often spiced with juniper. A great autumnal beer probably best enjoyed in camp too.

Brewery Info

Brewery Huyghe was founded in 1906 by Leon Huyghe, although brewing has taken place in the town of Melle, East Flanders since 1654. Huyghe’s best-known beers are their ‘Delirium’ range, instantly recognisable from the cavorting pink elephants on the label. Their signature offering Delirium Tremens is actually considered one of the best beers in the world, rating consistently highly on beer rating websites.

Brewery Huyghe are kings of innovation - their slogan ‘you ask, we’ll brew it’ encompasses their no-holds-barred brewing philosophy. They complement their core range with fruit beers, white beers, Abbey beers and even gluten-free beers, although the pink elephant will always be a firm favourite.

Reviews

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Refreshingly smokey

80%

Review by Christopher 26/08/2018

Golden brown and cloudy with a big foamy head. Has a wonderful refreshing quality with a big smokey taste. A real treat for the taste buds.

Deliciously different

100%

Review by James 01/03/2018

What a refreshingly different beer. Drinking it was a cross between a liquid sauna and the inside of a maturation barrel. What amazed me most was the first sip telling me this is a bit weird, not convincing me at all; but then a sudden U-turn on the second sip luring me inside the sauna-like taste and locking the door firmly shut after me. By the end of the bottle, I shed a few tears that another bottle wasn't on the side waiting for me

What you expect

60%

Review by richard 02/01/2018

Not quite as refined as the breweries Dark Force but still a perfectly acceptable beer with hints of smoked ham and fireside smoke.

Bang on

80%

Review by Ady 01/01/2018

Smoked but not over-powering; sweetness spicy juniper notes makes this crisp. An excellent drop

Different

80%

Review by Phil 19/12/2017

Interesting beer from a brewery I'd never tried. Would have this again.

good wood

80%

Review by Toad 04/08/2017

Pours slightly hazy dark amber, small white head. Aroma of smoked fish, malts, herbs, wood. Taste is smoky, woody, grassy. Medium bodied, average carbo. Really nice smoky one, easily drinkable.

Really good

80%

Review by Trott 03/07/2017

Hazy dark orange with a beige head. Aroma of yeast, malt, oak, smoky. Flavour has sweet smoky notes. Oak, malt, light yeast, slight salt. Aftertaste is moderate sweet with a wooden touch.

Okay

60%

Review by MARTYN 14/05/2017

I prefer this to the heavy malty black smoked beers out there. I am a little dissapainted however, I’m not getting that much juniper or wood, just smoke (but in a good Belgian fashion).

Wonderful Wood

80%

Review by KenS 03/05/2017

Massive fan of this, not seen it anywhere else. Big, strong roasty maltyness. The smokeyness is right in your face, but not off putting. Delicious.

Shmokey

60%

Review by Math 25/04/2017

Unusual, very smokey, earthy, woody flavour. I don't drink them all night, but good enough to revisit.

Smoley

80%

Review by Beebo 01/04/2017

Amber Brown. Strong smokey taste from smoked & roasted malts. Berries (apparently juniper) & dark fruits. Caramel. Woody, earthy & rather salty. Bitter edge (the juniper?) throughout . Smoky, roasty dry finish. Unique Beer!

Just the right amount of smokiness

100%

Review by x2k 26/02/2017

Smooth and smoky without being overpowering. Just right for a smoky beer. Easy to drink.

Really interesting...

100%

Review by Snozz 18/02/2017

Strong smokey taste from smoked & roasted malts. Berries (apparently juniper) & dark fruits. Caramel. Woody, earthy & rather salty. Bitter edge (the juniper?) throughout . Smoky, roasty dry finish. Unique Beer!

Unusual but very tasty!

80%

Review by MH 18/01/2017

Reddish brown colour. Murky. Aroma is firewood and caramel. Taste is lightly smoked with some malt.

Smokey

60%

Review by Middy 29/11/2016

Not overly burnt tasting like some smoked beers. A pleasant taste for a 6.5% the juniper goes well in the mix.

Nice

80%

Review by Blind_Drunk 09/11/2016

Didn't know what to make of this at first but turns out to be a very very nice beer.

I love it, yeah yeah yeah

100%

Review by Llamaman 28/10/2016

Pours a cloudy mid brown with no head to speak of. Looks like a dirty puddle - this isn't winning any beauty pageants. Luckilly beauty (or lack thereof) is only skin deep, and this drinks rather well.
Not quite as smoky as the Scherlenka beers but still manages the odd waft of boiled ham. Juniper is subtle note that keeps it all on track. Hard to see why this style went out of fashion - it's really rather nice!