Vinmonopolet's September news

Every other month the state owned alcohol outlet Vinmonopolet in Norway releases new products. This month two beers are among the offers. Ægir Harvest Ale was also available last year, but Høst Porter from BrewDog is a new beer.

The little Ægir brewery from Flåm is not able to make all their beers at the brewery site in the Fjord district. Harvest Ale is therefore brewed in Belgium at a disclosed brewery. This year's beer is a brownish and somewhat cloudy beer. It has some carbonation and a small head. There are aromas of yeast and fruit. I feel grapefruit and a touch of fruit cocktail in the mouth. The aftertaste is yeasty with a touch of bitterness. The beer is nice and has 6% alcohol. It is above average, but I felt this was a better beer last year.

BrewDog Høst Porter is a new beer. For some reason this beer from BrewDog has a Norwegian name. I guess the brewery wants to check out the Norwegian market with a beer that sounds Norwegian. The name is in English translated into Autumn Porter. The subtitle of this beer is Renaissance Baltic Porter. By the way: BrewDog should be reluctant paying their Norwegian language consultant. Høst Porter should be spelt in one word in Norwegian and not in two.

This is a nearly black beer with some carbonation and a small sized head. There is lots of cocoa in the nose. Coffee and cocoa struggle for domination in the mouth with a touch of cold coffee in the aftertaste. This is a nice porter that I will not turn down if somebody offers it to me. In shops I will prefer Sumbel porter from Ægir or Aass' Gourmet Stout if I fancy a black beer.