From Father Christmas

It is New Year, but the various Christmas beers are still available here in Norway in shops, supermarkets and Vinmonopolet. One of the Christmas beers is Haandbryggeriet's Nissefar. Nissefar means Father Christmas in Norwegian, and Haandbryggeriet also sells Nissemor, which could be translated to English as Mary Christmas.


This beer builds a large head in the glass. It is almost black with some carbonation. The nose is exciting with several scents I can not pinpoint, but there is a prominent feeling of coffee and chocolate. In the mouth there are many tastes competing for the lead. The coffee and chocolate is there still, but they are supplemented by raisins and a solid dose of bitterness. The bitterness stays through the aftertaste, and in the end this beer gets too bitter for me.

Still, a nice Christmas beer from Haandbryggeriet, but this Christmas I would rather go for Nøgne Ø's Special Holiday Ale og Aass' Juleøl Premium.