Icelandic Arctic Berry Ale
Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)

Icelandic Arctic Berry AleIcelandic Arctic Berry Ale
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From:
Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)
 
Iceland
Style:
Witbier
Ranked #170
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
83
Ranked #23,731
Avg:
3.67 | pDev: 11.44%
Reviews:
45
Ratings:
159
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 22, 2023
Added:
Aug 02, 2014
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  29
In Iceland, Sumardagurinn fyrsti means the arrival of warmer temperatures. At Einstök, we celebrate with this limited-edition Ale, a refreshing witbier flavored with tasty bilberries, hand-picked near the Arctic Circle. It’s the perfect ale for your summer adventures, but enjoy it while you can – it will disappear with the midnight sun.

Wheat malt, pilsner malt, oats, bavarian noble hops. Subtle flavor from bilberries, hand-picked near the arctic circle.
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Ratings by craft_is_king:
Photo of craft_is_king
Rated by craft_is_king from California

3/5  rDev -18.3%

Aug 29, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.25 by BucBasil from Rwanda

Jul 22, 2023
 
Rated: 3.23 by WickedBeer from Alabama

Feb 26, 2022
 
Rated: 2.84 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Jan 27, 2022
 
Rated: 3.76 by Sellen from Connecticut

Dec 29, 2021
Photo of Nass
Rated by Nass from Florida

3.12/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
The pour is golden yellow. The taste is bilberries & wheat. Oh well, it was interesting to try a beer with bilberries in it. Cheers! B-
Nov 06, 2021
 
Rated: 3.85 by 22Blue from Kansas

Aug 07, 2021
Photo of rudiecantfail
Reviewed by rudiecantfail from Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
11.2 ounce can poured into a Duvel tulip glass. Best before 1/25/22.

L---Slightly cloudy medium gold color. Fluffy white head had good retention and left very nice lacing.

S---Well, I can't say that I know what the hell a bilberry smells or tastes like, but it smells pretty good. Sweet smell overpowers the wheat.

T---I guess I like bilberries. The wheat that was missing on the nose shows up here.

F---Medium body with very good carbonation.

O---It's tasty. It's good.
Jul 16, 2021
Photo of UrbanCaveman
Reviewed by UrbanCaveman from Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
12 oz can, poured into a weiss glass at 40 degrees F.

L: Pours a pretty and mostly clear pale straw gold, and forms four fingers of dense fluffy white foam head. Excellent retention, with spotty lacing.

S: Salty sea air near a berry patch full of ripe blackberries and raspberries.

T: Interesting. Crisp mineral salinity hits first, followed almost instantly by a wave of tart berries. Beneath that comes some coriander and orange peel. The vaguely sour berry flavor lingers a bit after the swallow.

F: Light and lively, crisp and fizzy up front, with a watery breakdown at the finish.

O: It's an interesting take on a berry wit, though I do prefer their regular Icelandic White Ale. That said, should I stumble across this one again, I would likely pick it up.
Jul 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.05 by markallmon from Tennessee

Jul 11, 2021
Photo of teromous
Reviewed by teromous from Virginia

3.32/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
From the bottom of the can: "17.02.21 -14:08 BF 17/FEB/2022"

Appearance: The body is a desaturated, dull, pale straw color that is very hazy. It has a medium-sized white head that looks fluffy on the surface.

Aroma: The room fills with a berry aroma as soon as the can is cracked, and it only intensifies after it is poured into a glass and rests. A closer inspection gives off notes of raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, and a strong aroma of pomegranate. It is very inviting with how the aroma is presented.

Taste: There is a tart berry flavor up front with a slightly sour sensation mixed with a hint of wheat. The flavor drops off quite a bit towards the middle of the mouth, tapering off far too soon. There isn't much flavor left towards the rear of the palate. After a few sips there is a vinous quality towards the back of the mouth, and if the beer is consumed quickly it also appears. There is a light, watered down, berry flavor in the aftertaste. At times there is a very interesting wildflower character that shows up.

Mouthfeel: It is very light bodied and extremely easy to drink. It has a nice wash of carbonation that feels a bit high but works well with the berry flavors.

Overall: The aroma is fantastic but the flavor leaves something to be desired. The flavor starts off well but it quickly falls short. The base beer gives way to the berry character which helps it to shine, but it does nothing to support or build on the berry flavor. The can states that this is a "WHITE ALE BREWED WITH BILBERRIES" and the beer definitely has a clear berry aroma and has a very present berry flavor. Unfortunately the base beer doesn't provide much character which makes the beer feel more boring than the berry character would suggest. As a whole I probably would still drink it again but it isn't something I would recommend unless somebody was curious what a Bilberry tastes like, and even then I would only recommend a single.
Jul 02, 2021
Photo of KT3418
Reviewed by KT3418 from Colorado

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I thought this was great. I really enjoyed they stuck with their roots and went with Bilberries. In America I've only experienced this berry with Icelandic Provisions yogurt but it was definitely close to to a blueberry flavor. Great year round beer if you ask me although I know its a limited release
Jun 18, 2021
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

3.78/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
12oz can poured into a pint

A- pours parley golden in color with a one finger foamy white head that has decent retention

S- smells of berries, muscadine grapes, toasted wheat, a hint of lemon, fruity pebbles

T- plenty of berry notes up front, leaning more towards a strawberry-like flavor. Some cereal grains at mid palate gives it a bit of a fruity pebble vibe. The finish gives a hint of toasted wheat with more sweet and slightly tart berries on the linger

M- light-medium body with moderate carbonation leads to foamy mouthfeel that continues into a crisp finish

O- the berry notes work well here, nice refreshing summer time beer
Jun 09, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by Taenim from Maine

May 17, 2021
 
Rated: 3.58 by EdmundBlackadder from Ohio

May 16, 2021
Photo of DrBeergood
Reviewed by DrBeergood from Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
L: Straw yellow. Cloudy. Frothy and lively.

S: Chock full of berry goodness. A hint of wheat yeast esters, barley, and fresh noble hops.

T: Mildly bitter in a sophisticated way--More than enough to balance the sweetness. A hint of berry on the front palate, barley and hops activate the side palate, leaving wheat and berry on the finish. This is a full palate experience--My palate is dancing with joy.

F: It's dry and light characteristics make for a crisp and refreshing beverage.

O: I've come to expect balanced and approachable beverages--Made from high quality ingredients--from Einstök. This is no exception.
May 10, 2021
 
Rated: 3.82 by ZombiePlus from California

Mar 19, 2021
 
Rated: 3.76 by mattjp03 from Alabama

Oct 15, 2020
Photo of Smakawhat
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

3.99/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from the can into a Hoegaarden witbier glass.

Very clear, with a deep neon yellow color and a good amount of pin-head sized streams of carbonation. Light white in colored head, but small. The head manages to reach about a finger then settles to a thin puck and bowled collar.

Aroma is berries indeed. Fruity sensing, with a bit of cereal grains behind it giving off a little bit of .. Well breakfast cereal sweetness but surprisingly not heavy. Hits sort of like strawberries on the nose, a little faint touch of herbs in there but it's really tiny. Solid and kind of a neat aroma.

Palate takes the beer into a nice place. Gone is a suspected sweet rush, but a nice light tartness of berried fruit and a good sharp bitterness as well. Fruity mid palate with a biting hop and almost twiggy/pine bitterness. Finishes a little empty, but aftertaste continues a nice berry and mixing mineral water like flavor. Lends to a bit of gaseous flavor but not terribly.

Pretty neat tasting beer, and quite unique.
Oct 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by generallee from Virginia

Aug 22, 2020
Icelandic Arctic Berry Ale from Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 159 ratings