Ölvisholt Jólabjór (2009-)

Brewed by Ölvisholt Brugghús
Style: Smoked
Selfoss, Iceland

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

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Aroma: The smell is sweet and smoky, like a smoked sausage, some spices and chocolate.
Appearance: The beer is dark amber with hints of copper, the head is off-white, very high and fluffy, but settling slowly and leaves good lacing. Some curtains.
Taste: Upfront intensely sweet, brown sugar and dark bread, sweet dried fruits, then we have bitter burned notes. Roasted coffee and a dry spiciness.
Palate: Medium low carbonation, small bubbles, a thick smooth feeling, a huge body, and a dry finish.
Overall: The sweetness and thickness is almost a notch too much. But as an after-dinner-by-the-fireplace beer it is very suitable.
Note: Bottle 330 ml. Reviewed 2010-12-14.

Bottle from systembolaget, Christmas beer tasting. Helsingborg, November 2011.
Sweet caramel aroma with a spicy, slightly smoky vibe. Spices, leather, rope, tar, salt and peat smoke together with sweet caramel notes. The taste and body is smooth with a light refined smokiness, caramel flavours and some leather. Long finish.

UPDATED: MAR 8, 2012 Bottle. Dark amber colour with a beige head. Christmas cookie aroma! Complex flavour with a lot of spices, fruity, caramel, light smoked barley, light hops. Not to far away from Nøgne Ø Underlig Jul.

330ml bottle, 2012 edition. Mahogany body with a dash of brown, dark white foam. Nice smoky campfire touch, along with tar, burnt sugar, cloves, smoked meat and a light citrusbitter finish. Nice addition to the x-mas table.

Bottled (thanks omhper!). Amber colour, small brown head. Aroma is bready malts, some smoked and roasted notes along with some spices and caramel. Flavour is fruity, caramelly, wooden, spicy and mildly herbal notes as well. As it warms up some smoked wet wooden notes start to show. Fruity and grassy bitterness along with mild smoke in the finish.

Draught @ Sorbon. Sweet and spicy beer. Great nordic christmas feeling. Big bodied.

Bottle. Deep bronze clear body, small beige head. Nose is roasted malts, cured game and ham with hints of caramel. Taste is burnt caramel, cured game, deep malts and hints of grains. Sweet and kinda salty at the same time. Full mouthfeel, great balance. Very nice and a great style marriage.

Botella. Clear dark red-brown colour, Beige medium head, rather short lasting. Spiced well toasted malty caramel bit fruity sweet like aroma with some smoke to it. Good mouthfeel. Smoked sweet spiced toasty malty caramel pleasant aroma, medium bitterness, lightly dry, good smoky malty caramel spiced finish. Nice!

(Draught at Bishop’s Arms Vasagatan, Stockholm) Reddish amber colour with frothy, beige head. Malty, slightly fruity nose with notes of caramel, red berries, smoke, a touch of cinnamon and spicy hops. Malty taste with caramel, toasty and smoked malt, red berries and a spicy, citrussy bitterness leaning in the marmalade direction. Slightly above medium body, with a little alcohol bite in the finish. Smoke initially a bit subdued, but comes through as the beer warms up. Nice and well balanced beer.

Stiff head that lasts for a while. Flowery and smoky smell. The aroma is rather deep with lots of malt. Low carbonation. The flavor is a bit surprising - I had mine with a meal of ginger and honey grilled ribs, and the beer tasted about the same as the ribs, but with more hickory smoke and bitter aftertaste. A singular experience I’d like to do again (...?)