Norwegian Wood (2020+)
HaandBryggeriet (Norway) in Drammen, Buskerud, Norway 🇳🇴
Traditional Beer Regular|
Score
7.13
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Once every farm in Norway was required by law to brew its own ale. The ale had smoky flavor, and most of it was spiced with juniper. This is our take on this traditional style.
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8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 9
Overall 8
Reviewed from notes.
Can to becher glass.
Appearance: amber/light maroon color in the glass with a two and a half fingers of eggshell white foamy head which fell to leave some light messy lace
Aroma: sweet smoky but not the meaty vibe, this seems more of a fruity sweet smoke, mostly from the juniper tones
Flavor: pretty mirrors the aroma and adds in a light woody taste which is very well welcomed then a light finish of the juniper/fruity smokiness
Texture: medium bodied, leaning towards being a sipper, very smooth along my tongue, no harshness of anything anywhere
Overall: one of the smoothest beers I've ever had without any cream added to enhance that.
Can to becher glass.
Appearance: amber/light maroon color in the glass with a two and a half fingers of eggshell white foamy head which fell to leave some light messy lace
Aroma: sweet smoky but not the meaty vibe, this seems more of a fruity sweet smoke, mostly from the juniper tones
Flavor: pretty mirrors the aroma and adds in a light woody taste which is very well welcomed then a light finish of the juniper/fruity smokiness
Texture: medium bodied, leaning towards being a sipper, very smooth along my tongue, no harshness of anything anywhere
Overall: one of the smoothest beers I've ever had without any cream added to enhance that.
Tried
from Can
on 08 Feb 2026
at 16:02
7.8/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can at home. I’d had older year buckets but not newer. Amber pour smaller sized head. Nose is smoky and woody. Tatses of cedar, dried woood, campfire smoke, dark breads. Odd palate and lingering finish
Tried
on 05 Nov 2025
at 07:08
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can, best before Jan 10, 2028, drunk Oct 21, 2025.
Light haziness. Soft-toned cherry-amber-beige. Small, well-retained, butter-colored head.
Fruity-sweet, smokey and peppery with dry wood smoke not the bacon and salt of Bamberg. The fruitiness is lovely, lending a pleasant cherry-like character to balance the dry smokiness and spicy black pepper phenol. Very clean and polished, doesn't seem intensely malty.
Big malts up front, mostly texturally, with only moderate sweetness. It dries out with woody smoke, big pepper phenol and fruity cherry. The big, chewy texture never leaves, though, and it ends with lingering, satisfying maltiness.
Light haziness. Soft-toned cherry-amber-beige. Small, well-retained, butter-colored head.
Fruity-sweet, smokey and peppery with dry wood smoke not the bacon and salt of Bamberg. The fruitiness is lovely, lending a pleasant cherry-like character to balance the dry smokiness and spicy black pepper phenol. Very clean and polished, doesn't seem intensely malty.
Big malts up front, mostly texturally, with only moderate sweetness. It dries out with woody smoke, big pepper phenol and fruity cherry. The big, chewy texture never leaves, though, and it ends with lingering, satisfying maltiness.
Tried
from Can
from
Crafted
on 21 Oct 2025
at 18:01
7.6/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 9
Overall 7
Can. Pours clear hazel, merlin beige head, good lacing. Aroma is light smoke, caramel, malt earth, toffee. Flavor is light smoke, light plus sweet, light plus bitter. Merlin body.
Tried
from Can
on 05 Jul 2025
at 23:08
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
440ml can, #1677, bought at Vinmonopolet Trondheim Torg. Bubbly, off-white head, near-clear amber body, crocheted lacing. Smoked malty nose with a little spicy bite. Similar solid taste of smoked malts offset by dried fruits and lightly spiced. Lingering smoked malty ending. Well bodied. Likeable. (Hotel room, 02.08.2024).
Tried
from Can
on 07 Aug 2024
at 18:30
3-29-24 HC&B
Tried
on 30 Mar 2024
at 00:18
6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
[2/18/23] Draught at Dok Brewing in Gent. Clear brown. Malt, wood, smoky, meat, sweet, bitter finish.
Tried
on 28 May 2023
at 20:06
7.1/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
3 March 2023. Sudden Death TTO @ Hal 16. Cheers to Anke & Pieter!
A: clear red, very thin, off-white head.
A: raisin, redcurrant, tobacco, juniper, brambleberry.
T: sweet raisin, sourish juniper & redcurrant, (BBQ) herbs.
F: herbal hops, berries, smoke & burnt wood.
P: medium body, slick texture, average carbonation.
Nicely smoky & fruity, very autumnal.
A: clear red, very thin, off-white head.
A: raisin, redcurrant, tobacco, juniper, brambleberry.
T: sweet raisin, sourish juniper & redcurrant, (BBQ) herbs.
F: herbal hops, berries, smoke & burnt wood.
P: medium body, slick texture, average carbonation.
Nicely smoky & fruity, very autumnal.
Tried
on 06 May 2023
at 14:39
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Amber with off white head - Smoked malt aroma - Smoked malt body - Smoke linger for a long finish - This was nice
Tried
on 15 Jan 2023
at 20:11
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottled.Hazy amber colour with a mediumsized slightly off-white head. Aroma is smoked wood, mild toffee, some rye bread and juniper as well. Flavour is smoked malts, some wood, juniper and some slight rye bready tones. Very pleasant.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Jan 2023
at 19:21