Solstice Bells is a Norwegian Christmas brew spiced with honey, juniper and bog myrtle, aged in French wine barrels (Vouvray) and American bourbon barrels. Boiled overnight for proper caramelisation. The barrels add flavors of candied pears, marmalade, dried apricot and vanilla.
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8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 9
Texture 9
Overall 9
330ml bottle 6180/7000, Yuletide gift from Frau Eva. Stable fawn-coloured head leaving scattered lacing on the glass, coal black in the glass. Attractive aromas of honeyed malts, some spices and oak. Well balanced and rich taste of stewed fruits, oak, figs, and juniper on a kveik yeasty backbone. Lingering, mouthfilling finish with oak and a bourbon bite. Full bodied slow sipper. Enjoyed for an hour on a lazy Sunday afternoon. (Tromsø, 29.12.2024).
Tried
from Bottle
from
Vinmonopolet Tromsø, Langnes
on 29 Dec 2024
at 12:32
8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Luke 17/2-24: en sublim ølopplevelse i beste NØ-tradisjon; en bunnsolid maltbase bærer elegant frem delikate inntrykk av mørke dessertchokolader, julekrydder, fatlagringsinntrykk og en balanserende bitterhet i den vinøse avslutningen. Et kognitivt støttehjul nå i en adventstid som dessverre er totalt dominert av sjelløs markedsføring av alt man ikke trenger.
Tried
on 18 Dec 2024
at 20:40
7.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Black with a brown head - Dark malt aroma with some spicy notes - Malt body with some chocolate and wood barrel flavours - Dark malt and wood barrel flavourss goes into the finish - This was good
Tried
on 15 Dec 2024
at 22:07
8.5/10
Nice! Lots of honey and porse, some juniper twigs. Not too bitter, not too sweet. More whiskey barrel than French wine, but it's all very well balanced. A treat.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Dec 2024
at 05:21
8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 9
Lovely tasty evening sipper. Deep amber pour and a fine head. Good intensity in the aroma. Balanced sweetness and a fine carbonation level. Pleasant to drink. Dark malt, fruity, chocolate, some spices and some oak in the flavor [Bottle at Saxon King in Horten, Norway]
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Dec 2024
at 17:42
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
26.11.2024, 0,33l bottle (#3012/7000) @ hotel room in Førde:
Big fizzy-creamy longlasting head, hazy dark brown colour. Aroma is slightly rich and sweet boozy, tobacco, cough syrup, dried dark fruits, dark malts, bourbon, salty licorice, tar, old rope, dark sugar, oak, spices. Taste is slightly dry sour-ish boozy, old rope, cough syrup, bourbon, dark malts, fruit stones, tar, tobacco, oak, salty licorice, dried dark fruits, spices, hints of peat. Medium to longlasting bitterness, slightly dry sour-ish boozy mouthfeel. Nice.
Big fizzy-creamy longlasting head, hazy dark brown colour. Aroma is slightly rich and sweet boozy, tobacco, cough syrup, dried dark fruits, dark malts, bourbon, salty licorice, tar, old rope, dark sugar, oak, spices. Taste is slightly dry sour-ish boozy, old rope, cough syrup, bourbon, dark malts, fruit stones, tar, tobacco, oak, salty licorice, dried dark fruits, spices, hints of peat. Medium to longlasting bitterness, slightly dry sour-ish boozy mouthfeel. Nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Nov 2024
at 19:21
8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle @ home. Unclear, dark brown/amber body under a fading, foamy beige head. Aroma has malt, dry fruit, wood and vinous alcohol. Complex and nice taste of dark malt, dry fruit, wood, caramel, grapes, vinous alcohol and a hint of spices without recognizing any particular spice. Can’t say to find the honey either but all inn all this is such a complex and well balanced beer so all the single flavors is difficult to recognize, this is just a very nice and tasty beer all over.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Nov 2024
at 19:11
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Kristiansand Juleølfestival 2024. Dark brown color with a beige head. Aroma is bourboon, roasted malt, juniper, coffee. Flavor is spices, honey, juniper, oak, caramel, roasted malt, vanilla, cinnamon, coffee. Powerful beer.
Tried
on 22 Nov 2024
at 09:05
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle, at Kristiansand Juleølfestival. It pours an unclear dark brown body and a small beige head. The aroma has lots of barrel and oak, it's quite vinous, with bourbon, dark dried fruit, toffee and chocolate. It's full-bodied and warming, nicely carbonated, with a nice carbonation level. Quite sweet. The flavor has a nice bitterness and a pleasant vinous acidity, along with lots of dark dried fruit, toffee and a good dash of chocolate. Booze and oak. Quite sweet. Lasting warming finish which feels drier than the initial flavor. Can't really say I noticed any of the honey and herbs added, but we didn't get much time to enjoy each beer so I guess I should revisit this one. 241102
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Nov 2024
at 08:42