Brewery: Jämtlands Bryggeri
Country: Sweden
Size: 33cl
ABV: 5%
Price: 20kr
Systembolaget: 1307
While I was judging the beers at Nolia Beer this year, I had the pleasure of trying over 137 different beers with the majority hailing from around this region. As this was a tasting to celebrate the great beers that are coming from Norrland, it was a perfect opportunity for me to check out my favourites and buy them in for this night. The winner of “best beer at show” at the festival was Jämtlands Barnsten, a märzen lager that I thought was a great example of its style. It was the perfect beer to start the night with, and I’m so glad I got to unearth this hidden treasure.
Unsurprisingly for a märzen, this was amber in colour with a slight cloud. Barnsten actually translates as amber so the colour was spot on. It had rather low carbonation with a medium body for the style. Upon smelling, the aroma was an interesting blend of caramel, fudge, apple, piggelin and pear cognac. It was very nice it must be said. It was so smooth on the palate, with the caramel malt really at the forefront along with a light pear and apricot freshness. The hops were light as expected but present on the back of the tongue. The toffee and pear lingered on the taste buds beautifully until it was time for another sip. The alcohol was not noticeable.
This was delicious. I voted this as the best beer of Nolia Beer as I thought it was delicious and so easy to drink. It was a perfect mix of caramel sweetness and pear that really excited the palate. I’m really happy I had the chance to discover this and it will be on my shopping list of lagers for the foreseeable future.