Another IPA

Drinking beer in Bergen is enjoyable these days. There are several good beer bars, and most of them can offer interesting draught beers. Henrik is now the leader of the crowd with 44 beer taps. Baran used to be the local tap race leader, but the current 18 taps are not that bad. Among them you can find beers from Norwegian craft breweries and exciting import beers.

I recently visited Baran and found that they had Crooked Tree IPA from the American Dark Horse brewery. As I am fond of IPAs and Crooked Tree was a new acquaintance, I chose that beer. In the nose I felt some grapefruit and pineapple. The beer tasted of fruit coctail with assertive pineapple and a touch of pine. The finish was partly bitter, and in all I felt this was just an average IPA. I would prefer Norwegian IPAs like Kinn Vestkyst, Ægir IPA or one of Nøgne Ø's IPAs compared to Dark Horse Crooked Tree.

Nevertheless, Baran is always worth a visit while in Bergen for a beer enthusiast. And there is more to come! It is rumoured that Baran will start brewing their own beers soon. That will be interesting, as the management show great knowledge in beers and beer styles.

Liquid fruit

Now and then I go to Baran in Bergen. This is the pub with the most beer taps in the West Norwegian city, and there are always some interesting draught beers available.

On my last visit I tried Fyr & Flamme from Haandbryggeriet. The name is an idiomatic expression meaning fire, so I was expecting a rauchbier. What I was served was something different. Fyr & Flamme was actually an IPA.

In the glass this was a cloudy beer with some carbonation. I felt grapefruit and mango in the nose. The beer was very fruity. I felt peaches and mango before a partly bitter finish. The beer was enjoyable, but one half litre was enough.

Baran is a great place for beers in Bergen, and it is more than worth a visit.

Back to Baran and Cacti

After my first visit to Baran Cafe earlier this year, the cafe has become one of my favourite beer temples in Bergen. Friendly bartenders, a nice atmosphere and an excellent selection in draught beers with 16 taps. That some of them are dedicated to craft breweries like Haandbryggeriet, Nøgne Ø and Ægir make Baran a must for visitors to Bergen. In addition to this Naboen and Henrik are nearby, so the Engen area of Bergen has become a mecca for beer lovers.

On my recent visit to Baran Cafe I wanted something simple and ordered a lager. Not just any lager, actually, as I decided to have a Pilsner Urquell. Sure, it is better on tap in the Czech Republic, but it is probably the best lager beer you can get on tap in Norway.

From the visitor statistics I see that many visitors these days look at my post about Cacti Art Cafe in Bergen. A new visit was therefore neccessary to see if the cafe had changed during the last months. Cacti Art Cafe has a reputation of having many beers available, but this month I only found three draught beers. Just like in August these were Bitburger, Mack Arctic Beer and Erdinger wheat beer.

Of course the bottled beer menu is large at Cacti Art Cafe, but I am interested in draught beer. I can drink bottled beers at home. Therefore I ended up with Mack Arctic Beer from tap. This is a nice Norwegian pale lager with a distinct nose and body with a grainy character. It was as expected at Cacti Art Cafe, but I should have chosen the Bitburger. It is a better beer.

Cacti Art Cafe has a better draught beer selection than most pubs in Bergen that normally only sell Hansa or Ringnes pale lagers. But to have exciting draught beer, I prefer other places than Cacti Art Cafe. Baran Cafe is one of them, but it is on the other side of Bergen's city centre. But if you want bottled beers in that neighbourhood, why not try Bar Barista at Stølegaten street? It has an exciting and cozy atmosphere that Cacti Art Cafe lacks.

Best beer selection in Bergen?

Back in Bergen I had a walk through the Nygårdsgaten street. On a corner I found a bar I had not noticed earlier. A sign said that Cafe Baran was established in 2002, and through the windows I could see several beer taps.

Inside, I was really impressed. Baran could offer no less than 16 taps. One was for Magner's cider, while the rest had draught beers. The selection was rather interesting being a Norwegian bar except for the local Hansa pale lager.

At Baran you can drink draught beers from breweries like Pilsner Urquell, Erdinger, Old Speckeled Hen, Marston, Newcastle Brown Ale, Murphy's, Bitburger, Haandbryggeriet and Ægir. In all this is the best selection of draught beers in Bergen, and I can see myself visiting this bar now and then to check out the beer line-up on the taps.

There was time for a beer, so I ordered a Marston's Oyster Stout. The beer was black with a solid head. There was a hint of dark chocolate in the nose, and the beer had a lovely, creamy texture. In the mouth I felt some coffee, a hint of roasted nuts, a touch of dark chocolate and a finish with more coffee and some pines. I liked it, and I am happy to know there is an alternative to Guinness and Murphy's stout in Bergen.

Baran was a small bar room with old furniture an a cozy atmosphere. The Swedish speaking bartender was helpful and did a good job. I am sure to be back trying some of the other beers very soon.