Gledelige Lervig Juleøl 4,7%

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Rerate, 2005, 330 ml bottle: This is the first year that this beer is actually brewed by Lervig in Stavanger, but they haven’t changed the recipe much since it was contract brewed by Mack/Trio. "Gledelige" has been added to the name. It is still a very unpretentious "klasse D" juleøl, but I somehow think the hops are slightly better this year. Easy drinking, not offensive, OK with a meal, but not a "big" beer in any way. Original rating, 2003: (330 ml bottle). Norwegian "klasse D" Yule beer. Copper coloured, good head. Malty aroma with hints of caramel and oak. You don’t expect much from the grocery store versions of "juleøl" - and (at least in this case) you don’t get much either. Nothing offensive about it, just a one-dimensional beer with some maltiness (but not too sweet) and just a hint of toffee and oak - hardly any spices. Okay to wash down a meal, but for Christmas you want something better than this!