At the office

Kontoret is one of the better places to visit in Bergen if you are looking for beer. The fridges are filled with quality beers, and the pub is among the better stocked places in the Norwegian town.

Myself, I prefer drinking draught beer when I visit a pub, and I have several choices at Kontoret (which means office in English). Old Speckeled Hen is a nice ale, and I prefer Murphy's to Guinness when I want a glass of stout. If I want a pint of the local Hansa pale lager, it is also available as a draught beer at Kontoret.

Kontoret is also supporting Norwegian craft beers. For the last year or so, one of the taps has been given to the little Ægir brewery. Before Christmas I was able to drink Ægir's Juleøl (Christmas beer) at Kontoret, and right now Ægir's IPA is available.

The IPA from Ægir is among my favourite beers from the little brewery in Flåm. On my last visit I came from Naboen and had just tried Vestkyst India Øl from Kinn brewery. The taste of it was still on my palate, so I wanted to try out Ægir's IPA once again to compare the beers.

Ægir's IPA was also a copper coloured beer, but it had nearly no carbonation. The head was medium sized, and in the nose I felt hops, plums and yeast. The plums danced with hops and a hint of citrus before a nice bitterness lead on in the aftertaste. This is a very good IPA, and it is one that I really recommend.

But which is best, then? Kinn or Ægir? I liked Kinn's IPA effort very much, but it is Ægir's IPA that is the one I feel is the best. The price? 94 NOK for a half litre of IPA from Ægir at Kontoret.