Norwegian beer
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Norwegian beer is the product of a rich tradition of brewing in Norway, despite the high taxation and stringent rules governing when and where alcoholic beverages may be sold that makes Norway somewhat of a harsh climate for beer drinkers.
Currently, the Norwegian beer market is dominated by two large brewers: Carlsberg-Ringnes and Hansa-Borg. Most of their output is in the form of pale lager-style beers such as Pilsner and Fatøl which are widely (and to some extent exclusively) available and heavily consumed.
According to the Norwegian brewers' organisation Bryggeriforeningen almost 92% of beer brewed in Norway is in the Pilsner style.
Bayerøl, a kind of dark lager, slightly sweeter than German dark lagers, is also readily available. Frydenlund Bayerøl, brewed by Ringnes, is the most ubiquitous example of this style. This beer draws its name from the Bavaria-area in Germany. Once rivaling Pilsner in popularity, its market share has dropped from 20% in 1950 to just 0.2% in 2004.
Juleøl is a type of beer produced for the Christmas period, usually an amber lager. It comes in standard (4.75% ABV) and strong (5.3-7% ABV) versions.
Bokkøl is a stronger style of beer, typically 6-7% ABV, dark, with a sweet, complex flavour. A good example is Hansa-borg’s Borg Bokkøl.
Lyst Sterkøl is a type of strong pale lager between 5.3-7% ABV, roughly similar to a Bavarian Spezial.
Due to government restrictions, beers above 4.75% ABV are only available from licensed premises or the state-run Vinmonopol chain of shops. This rule has had a rather drastic impact upon the market, hence the production of stronger beers for Vinmonopol sale, yet it is well worth the effort of locating them.
Craft brewing has a long history in Norway, harkening back to the days when no farm was complete without a brewhouse. Many structures found at old properties do indeed include a designated "bryggehus": a separate building where beer was produced. Home brewing in Norway is a rather common, albeit understated (due to its association with home distilling, which is illegal) pastime.
Small breweries in Norway can be found in Oslo at Olso Mikrobryggeri, Scandinavia's first microbrewery and brewpub, and Nøgne Ø in Grimstad, most known outside of Norway as a producer of international ales of the "Big Beer" style.
NORØL (Norske Ølvenners Landsforbund - Federation of Norwegian Beer Consumers) is a consumer organisation which campaigns to support traditional styles such as Bokkøl and Bayerøl.
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