Thursday, August 18, 2011

A more than average brewpub in Oslo

The traditional brewpub in Oslo is Oslo Mikrobryggeri. Oslo Mikrobryggeri was founded in 1989 and was for several years the only brewery in Oslo. The large Ringnes brewery moved its production of beers and sodas to Gjelleråsen outside Oslo in 2001.

Oslo Mikrobryggeri is based in Bogstadveien street north of the Royal castle. The brewery brews several beers, and on my recent visit I tried three of the available six. The three beers I did not taste were Oslo Mikrobryggeri's stout, porter and weizen.

The first beer was Oslo Mikrobryggeri's Steamer. This was a brownish beer with nearly no carbonation and a medium sized head. There was not much aroma from the beer, but I felt some toffee and grapes. In the mouth toffee took the lead before a watery finish. This was a nice beer, but I felt it lacked some punch in it.

Oslo Pils was a pale lager with some carbonation and a small head. In the nose there was grass and some caramel. I felt malts, toffee and grains before a grainy finish. This was another nice beer, but there are better pale lagers around in Norway.

I also tried Oslo Mikrobryggeri's IPA and was a bit disappointed. This brownish beer was not as hoppy as I had hoped for. Instead I was served a beer with aromas of toffee and grapefruit. In the mouth there was toffee and some bitter citrus before a partly bitter finish. Again Oslo Mikrobryggeri offered another nice beer, but I like my IPAs with a more assertive hop bite.

I have described the beers I have tasted from Oslo Mikrobryggeri as nice beers. But they are not extremely good. They are adequate, inoffensive session beers that are better than the average pale lagers. Oslo Mikrobryggeri is a fine pub. There is no food served there, but the beers make the brewpub a must for a beer ticker. For the average beer visitor to Oslo there are more interesting places to go.

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