Brekkefossenvann
HammerHeart Brewing Company

From a 750mL mini-growler, 2019 norwegian yeast version:

Appearance: Cloudy brown-orange, good head.

Smell: Smoke, ham, some caramel.

Taste: Mild sweetness, then black pepper and mild smokiness. Kind of like a smoky Belgian beer.

Overall: The 2019 version uses funky Norwegian yeast which gives a black pepper taste that reminds me of some Belgian pale ales. Of course there is some trademark Hammerheart smoke in there, but not overwhelming.

fashioned as an amber kolsch, this is another unique beer with the hammerheart signature earthy smoked profile, yeasty and old worldy, never really seen anything like this before. copper colored, eggshell luster, frothy tan head with lots of lace. light smoke to this, dried red apple, and a sweet european crystal malt complexion, not as obviously german overall to me than a normal kolsch would be, but there is some element of that in the yeast that finishes this one off, and its a far more complex take on the style that i have ever seen before. the smoke is lighter in this than in a lot of their stuff, an earthy rawness among the grain richness, really nice bitter balance from it too, but the beer also remains light, especially for these guys, and it does have a crisp mature almost lagered finish, a neat way to wrap up a beer like this. i think its perfect for fall, has enough going on to demand attention, and has a glorious frothiness to it, the texture is great. hammerheart is one of the most exciting breweries in the country right now if you are into these old world smoked ales, cant get enough of their stuff right now!

 

 

On tap at the Hammerheart taproom. 16 oz. serving in a tall pint glass.

Appearance: Color is a hazy amber red. Moderate amount of bubbles and a slight finger of off white head which settles into a thin patchy layer.

Smell: A toasty and sweet balanced aroma with a scent of caramel and biscuit. Toasted malt with a scent of caramel, toffee, biscuit, grains, wheat, and cracker with some yeast. Earthy and floral hops with a scent of grass and pine. Light hints of oak and smoke. A pretty solid red aroma.

Taste: Like it smells, a toasty and fairly sweet balanced taste with notes of caramel and biscuit. Bready malt notes of biscuit, caramel, toffee, toast, grains, wheat, and cracker along with yeast. Floral and earthy hop presence with notes of pine and grass. Subtle notes of smoke and oak. A very solid taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Creamy and pretty smooth with a drying finish.


Overall: A very solid take on a Red Ale. Nice balance of sweet bready malt and hop bitterness.