Haandbryggeriet / Närke Unionöl

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

Serve in Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein, Yard

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

Draft@ borefts. Dark brown color, small tanned head. Aroma of licorice, molasses, allspice and some burnt caramel. Flavor is very sweet and malty. Nice, balanced beer!

Bottle from Vinmonopolet in Valkendorfsgate, Bergen. Pours a dark brown, near-black body with a tiny off-white sheet of bubbles on top. Aroma is strong and pretty amazing: deep forest-like herbal spice notes, mild smoke and intense honey and floral heather tones with hints of wood and red berries. Very, very pleasant. Taste follows suit, with juniper and honey leading the way through deep smokey malt tones, bitter piney hops and near-astringent heather-herbal notes in the finish. Warming syrupy alcohol notes and hints of wood, raisins and dark, dried berries. High in taste but still rather drinkable and the originality of this brew is just amazing; never had anything like it. A winning team-up from Haandbryggeriet and Närke for sure, and a delicious winter seasonal treat.

Draft @ BBF 4 - dark brown with a lightly tanned head - smell and taste is sweet dark malts and dark fruits, lightly smokey quite a bit of branches in here - lots of honey in here, nice plus some molasses and berries - juniper I assume - malt heavy - medium bodied - interesting - I like it

B.C."H."-like; veiled brown beer. Wildsauce aroma, spicy-peppery, wood, leather, musk. Short sourish flavour on spicy-musky, perfumey flashing background, vinous; weird wild fruit, dry and smoked. Black chocolate retronasal. Utterly flat, lost all carbonation; thinnish body, just a faint slickness. Absolutely unique beer! Shame about the carbonation; there is hardly a beer really comparable. Lingonberries are NOT the same as cranberries, please!

Hazy brown, light brown head. Aroma: heavy berry notes, lingon, spicy, interesting, pine. Taste: lingon bitterness, honey sweetness, smokey, very interesting and tasty!

Bottle from the Davis Beer Shoppe. Pours prune juice with bubbles for head. Aroma is sort of dark fruit and twigs. Body is a bit thinnish - but there’s some dark fruit thickener and it’s so smokey that any small blemishes are covered. Think I get the cranberries and juniper, but I could wish for more of both. Heck I even think there’s something with the same taste effect as chocolate. Certainly interesting. Tasty. Different. etc. etc. etc.

On tap from the Närke booth at Borefts Beer Festival 2012. Clear deep mahogany body with a fingerthick creamy light brown head leaving excellent lacings. Smokey honey and maple syrup on the nose. Smoke, honey sweet in the mouth. Smooth and full bodied leaving a dry mouth and flavors that endure.

For the life of me, I can’t understand some of the low ratings. Must be some spoiled batches out there. I thought this was solid. Aroma is a sweet tart smoke much like norwegian wood. Pours red brown (sienna?) with a frothy medium head. Taste is wonderful and complex with cherries, smoke, cranberries, smoke, spice, smoke, and toffee. Very thick feeling and a lovely brew. I was impressed.

On tap at Haand Festival 2012
Dark dark brown, thin beige head. Smells of smoke, honey, roasted malts, herbs and hops. Malty taste, medium to heavy sweet, honey too, tons of smoke. Nice. Medium body, soft carbonation. Nice bitter finish, nice hops, light to medium bitterness

Bottle at mechanics hall with Andrew duringthefestival. pours murky amber with thin brown lacing. Aroma is pure sweet honey. Mouthfeel is thin with notes of smoke, honey and roast.