Gotlandsdricka
Jester King Brewery

GotlandsdrickaGotlandsdricka
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From:
Jester King Brewery
 
Texas, United States
Style:
Smoked Beer
Ranked #29
ABV:
6.6%
Score:
82
Ranked #24,691
Avg:
3.63 | pDev: 16.25%
Reviews:
60
Ratings:
310
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 05, 2024
Added:
Oct 19, 2012
Wants:
  28
Gots:
  57
Gotlandsdricka, meaning “Drink of the Good Land”, is believed to have been the beer of the Vikings. Our rendition of this ancient style is inspired by the traditional farmhouse ales once brewed on the island of Gotland, off the coast of Sweden. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and naturally-conditioned.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of mikeg67
Reviewed by mikeg67 from New Jersey

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle from Rare Beer club. Pours hazy golden with tall, long-lasting, foamy white head. Nose is of barnyard yeast, smoked malt, leather and citrusy fruit. Body is full and tangy. Taste is of barnyard yeast, smoked malt, herbal hops, spices and some grapes. Finish is long, smoky and sour. Tasty brew.
Feb 05, 2024
 
Rated: 3.96 by YuckQi

Jan 27, 2024
Photo of JacobusFavier23
Reviewed by JacobusFavier23 from Texas

4.04/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
L-Pours at least a three fingered head that does not dissipate easily. A straw, slightly amber colored body that is, for the most part, see through but has a very slight opaqueness to it.
S-An earthy, savory, and smokey mix of beechwood, malt and oak upfront. Pork BBQ? This is followed by a wild yeast aroma. Backboned by a funkiness and slight fruitiness (juniper and grape).
T-Very interesting. The upfront smokiness is absolutely present, but takes a backseat to the slight sweetness from the juniper berries. Theres obvious funkiness that gives this beer an almost tangy profile. The smoke is layered throughout, and is pretty delicate and in no way off-putting. As for other notes, I get some lemon grass as well as some spice, most notably clove.
F-Dry mouthfeel per usual. Slightly less dry than expected, though.
O-I typically love what I have have from Jester King, and to no surprise I am really enjoying this beer. I never judge a beer by its breweries pedigree, or by it's score on here and this review is no different. Is this beer perfect? Absolutely not. But what it has in uniqueness makes this one of the more enjoyable beers I've had this year. I've had smoked beer before, and while I've enjoyed what I've had from the style in the past I can definitively say that this beer is uniquely Jester King, and Jester King rarely misses.
Aug 26, 2023
Photo of puck1225
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

3.96/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Purchased a bomber of this beer at the brewery this past weekend. Poured into a tulip glass. Bright hazy yellow color with good fluffy white head and and good curtain lacing. Herbal and slightly smoky smell and taste. A hint of lemon and a bit of pine. Nice full, satisfying feel. Sort of rustic. Smokiness and juniper flavors intensify as it warms. A beer I would drink again.
May 31, 2023
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

4.16/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
had the most amazing experience with this one at our monster jester king tasting. being able to drink a couple vintages of this side by side was a real treat, and while neither of them were fresh, they were radically different from each other, so much so that it made me question whether it was even the same recipe. batch 2 from 2014 and batch 6 from 2017, cool way to get introduced to a beer i had never before been able to try. its a funky brew down with birch smoked malt, juniper, and an herb called myrica gale, and its wildly interesting, one of the most heavily smoked jester king beers ive had, which is definitely saying something, and well aged now, perhaps tarter than it might have been fresh, which is how their culture sometimes runs, but its still got plenty of funk, has saison nuance to it, seems pretty heavily wheat based, and is exceedingly dry. hazy washed out looking straw to rust colored brew, varies a little between the two, frothy creamy white head, more sediment towards the bottom, but lovely carbonation on both. not everyone in our group loves the smoke, especially with the acidity here, and the light oxidation, and the bitterness from the juniper and gale, its polarizing and not for everyone, but its definitely for me, i like the iodine and minerality, the campfire smoke intensity, the robustness of the pale grain in here still, and even the way it seems to be fading. i get a lot more juniper in the newer one, quite a bit more smoke on the older one, and some sweetness on the newer one too that somehow doesnt seem to me to be grain derived, could be the gale i suppose, but this is the least familiar and least identifiable ingredient in both vintages i reckon. a tea-like note here, some obvious lemon, especially in the older one, a definite gin note, but also christmas tree, pine sap, burnt orange, slate or shale type minerals, and uniquely a little more alcohol in the older one. we let them sit awhile and come to temperature, and they both are massively robust warmer, some serious tang coming into play too, thyme and rosemary culinary notes, char, oak, and wet clay too. really complex, but absolutely smoke forward. if you like curious rauchbier types, this is a dream come true. i would love to try it fresh, but it was cool to taste a couple of older bottles next to each other, lots of variance but both were awesome. perhaps the newer one was a little more approachable for most, but this ages quite splendidly. fuller feel but nice carbonation, long aftertaste of herbs and bitterness, slightly acrid from the smoke on the older one. overall a head scratcher, but a one of a kind brew!
Aug 12, 2022
 
Rated: 5 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 16, 2020
Photo of Parmesan
Reviewed by Parmesan from Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
L: Pours a cloudy yellow color with a very large white gushing head that dissipates rather and leaves several fingers of lacing on the glass.

S: Starts off with a strong note of smoked meat, but then some notes of Brett funk, juniper and other berries follow, with a light floral hop.

T: Smoked meat mixed with notes of juniper and berries, mixed with a bit of Brett funk and lemon from the Brett, followed by a very light bitterness and floral hop.

F: Lighter body and nice carbonation.

O: This is a very unique and tasty beer, I really like how the Juniper berries and the smoke play off of each other.
Jan 01, 2019
Photo of Jslove
Reviewed by Jslove from Colorado

4.15/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
An artfully crafted beer that carries itself where many ‘novelty’ type offerings often falter. It’s important to recognize that this is not supposed to be atrial rubicite. I suspect that its relatively low rating (by JK standards) is due to too many people buying a Jester King instead of Gotlandsdricka.

This batch was brewed November 2017 I believe. It was a proper gusher. Lots of pretty pure white head that hung out for quite some time. Hint of haze. Smells a bit of funk and forward but not aggressively smoky... Like a cold junipery smoke. Taste starts with subdued smokiness, just the right amount for me, who likes bacon but not in beer. There’s a definite eucalyptus-like character to the taste that brings a menthol like sensation to mind. This is likely from the sweet gale. Mouthfeel is light, but just luxurious enough to carry the abundance of flavor.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I was immediately transported into a wood fired sauna with eucalyptus steam somewhere in the northwoods. I guess I’ll have to keep waiting for Jester King to let me down. Until then, I’ll stay here in the Good Land.
Jul 28, 2018
 
Rated: 3.37 by g00ey from California

Jul 08, 2018
 
Rated: 3.25 by denver10 from New Mexico

Apr 29, 2018
 
Rated: 3.85 by TheGent from New Jersey

Apr 18, 2018
Photo of NilocRellim
Reviewed by NilocRellim from Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
Pours a hazy yellow/gold colour, very vribrant. Smells light, clean and smokey, with a hint of hay and sweet grains. Tastes slightly sweet, lemon peel, smokey hay, and refreshing.
Mar 23, 2018
 
Rated: 3.96 by zotzot from Vermont

Mar 04, 2018
 
Rated: 4.02 by gilgar from Texas

Feb 07, 2018
Photo of brew-Ed
Reviewed by brew-Ed from Texas

3.43/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Body: Bright light yellow, a bit hazy, carbonation
Head: White foam an inch thick but goes pretty fast, no lacing

Smell: Heave smoke with a hint of sweetness, malt

Taste: BBQ brisket, sour lemons, sweetness towards the end

Feel: Light body, smooth, carbonated

Overall: Pretty unique sour. Mixture of smoke, sour and sweetness.
Feb 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.81 by mamaraza from Texas

Jan 21, 2018
 
Rated: 4.37 by Ristaccia from Nebraska

Dec 28, 2017
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
BOTTLE: 750ml format. Brown glass. Branded pry-off crown cap. Batch #2 - 12.08.2014.

IBU 18. FG 1.003. ABV 6.90%. Unfiltered. Unpasteurized. 100% bottle-conditioned. "Farmhouse ale." "Gotslandsricka."

Ingredients: Water, Beechwood smoked malted barley, Birchwood smoked malted barley, rye, oak smoked wheat, hops, juniper berries, sweet gale, farmhouse yeast, wild yeast, souring bacteria.

Served chilled into a tulip and allowed to come to temperature over the course of consumption.

HEAD: Frothy, soft, and white in my tulip. One of the more vibrant bright white hues I've seen, and when coupled with the vibrance of the body it's a gorgeous looking brew. Light lacing adheres to the sides of the tulip as the head slowly recedes. Head retention is quite good - ~8+ minutes.

BODY: Vibrant clear (i.e. translucent & transparent) yellow of excellent vibrance. Appears filtered in spite of being unfiltered, with superb clarity. No yeast/lees/berry muck is visible within. I'm pretty surprised this was unfiltered...I guess they employed secondary fermentation to excellent use.

Looks fantastic. Well-carbonated judging by the appearance, and lively across the board. I'm eager to sample it.

AROMA: Boasts a superb subtle smokiness that entices the drinker, hitting on nuanced woody subtleties and showcasing the various woods used excellently: beechwood and oak unite to great effect. I don't pretend to know what birchwood smells like, but there's more smokey complexity here than you'd find in your typical rauchbier aroma. Not too harsh or aggressive with the smoke; it's more mellow than a proper Bamberger rauchbier but more prominent than a liechtenhainer or grodziskie.

Wheat and fresh 2-row keep the malt backbone soft and sweet, lending some balance to the brew and taking the edge off all that smokiness. Some floral hop character lends additional complexity...or maybe that's the sweet gale lending actual floral aromatics?

I don't get any spiciness from the rye or any of that dry berry character from the juniper.

Any farmhouse aromatics are reticent if not non-existent, as are any bacterial aromatics. Just not finding them.

Aromatic intensity is average, but the subtlety evoked here is wonderful and this aroma suggests a balanced and drinkable smoked ale. Quite lively and inviting.

TASTE & TEXTURE: The softness of the mouthfeel bolsters this ale's easy drinking, but there's plenty of smoked malt character and woodsy flavour bouncing around, hitting on subtle white oak and beechwood without any concomitant harshness or smoked aggression.

Floral hops (and, I suppose, actual floral/subtle fruity character from the sweet gale) adorns this already intricate brew with flowery fruity nuances. There's a lot going on here, and the smoke is dominant, but it's shockingly well balanced for a smoked ale (regardless of style) and the pleasantness of the fresh malts (rye not included; it just isn't there) is surprising.

There are traces of farmhouse yeast funk and some bacterial tartness on the finish, but otherwise they're not noticeable against the backdrop of the prominent smoke.

Mouthfeel is...well, almost perfect. Strikes a perfect balance between smoothness and coarseness. Tends towards the wet side of the dry/wet spectrum, but the smoke does drag a bit on the palate (especially in the early second act), which has the effect of lengthening flavour duration and giving one more time to appreciate the beer's astounding complexity and balance. Well-carbonated (Bottle conditioning was, as usual, the right call) and even refreshing...how many smoked beers can you say that about? Light to medium-bodied. Mild thickness/heft on the palate. Stellar execution across the board.

There's impressive harmony of flavour here. Depth of flavour is moderate and could be improved. Flavour intensity is moderate (a nice change from the many overbearing smoked beers out there). As it warms, I clock some mild (~2/10 in terms of intensity) sourness.

OVERALL: I approached this fearing it would be merely a "dollar store Sahti" given the (ostensible) use of juniper berry, but it's anything but. Closer to a well-made grodziskie but with more intricacy and better balance, Gotlandsdricka is anything but a gimmick beer. Many breweries seem to be brewing obscure beer style resurrections as a marketing ploy (here's looking at you, Dogfish Head), but Jester King delivers with this subtle and teasing brew, showing restraint with respect to the smokey flavour and dipping into some lesser used ingredients to good effect.

I can't speak to what effect the ~2.5 years of aging I gave this had, but it's a remarkable brew I'd recommend to any discerning drinker and I count it amongst Jester King's best. I'll enjoy greedily polishing off this 750 solo.

A- (4.08) / EXCELLENT
Jun 16, 2017
 
Rated: 2.5 by Nichols33 from Massachusetts

Mar 20, 2017
Photo of mothman
Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Batch 5.

White head. Golden sunset orange.

Very sour. Lemon acidity. Some fruits and tannins. Peated and smoked malts. Oaky.

This is a very odd beer. The first sip is rough, but then it gets better. I'd like it if it wasn't so sour.
Mar 15, 2017
Gotlandsdricka from Jester King Brewery
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 310 ratings