Hammerheart Stjørdal Alderwood Smoked Farmhouse Ale.
7 % ABV, Hammerheart Brewing, Lino Lakes, MN.
And here we have the first appearance in the Nib of a Størdalsøl. Took me long enough to get around to one of these. Which I'd never heard of until this beer.
Lightly clouded, golden/amber hued, large white head that softly drifts down, leaving some lace.
In nose: Smoke comes screaming out of the glass. Soft, yet powerful. Rich and malty. Getting the wood and the fire. Very nice.
In the mouth: Smoky malt rules the flavors here. It's moderate, balanced, and delicious, though. A manageable monster. Hammerheart gets wrongfully categorized as being nothing but dark and smoked. They're not all dark, and sometimes, albeit rarely, they aren't smoked. This is a sweet delight. Clean, medium bodied, long, smokey finish, but light and easily consumed.
Once again, I gobbled the first three cans with utter joy, and not too much thought, saving that for now. With can number four, I can say that this one is another remarkable ale from Hammerheart whose great drinkability, yet surprising and wonderful flavors should come as a shock to no-one. It tastes as fresh as tomorrow, yet feels like it's been around for a thousand years. Sweet, juicy malt, with moderate hops for balance, and an incredible blend of the yeast and malt...and do I detect a hint of juniper?...for an unforgettable experience. Stjørsdalsøl, where have you been all my life?
Stjørsdalsøl is a rare beer style named after it's place of origin Stjørdal Kommune in Norway. This beer was crafted with custom alderwood smoked malt run through juniper boughs and fermented with native Norwegian yeast strain. Art by A. Lunn based on Stjørdal's coat of arms. Proudly brewed with Sugar Creek Malt Co. malt.
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