Results - Norwegian Championship in Corn Beer 2021
The judging committee at work.
This year there were 41 beers in the competition, and the judges worked hard to evaluate them. In fact, they worked so hard that they didn’t finish until well into Saturday. The judging committee consisted of:
- Dag Jørgensen, Voss Bryggeri (chairman)- Sølvi Strifeldt, beer blogger and beer judge- Torkjel Austad, Bygland Bryggeri- Linda van Loon, microbiologist and brewer- Lars Andreas Tomasgård, traditional brewer (2-time champion)- Per Øyvind Arnesen, chairman of Norbryggs judging committee
All beers were judged blind. The judges received no other information than a numerical code that did not correspond to the codes in the program.
The finalists were judged by all six judges together, while the others were only judged by two judges.
1st place
A satisfied brewing club receives the prize.
Ørsta og Volda Bryggjarlaug with beer #8: Hollywood. The judges’ assessment:
Easy-drinking, fresh and complex beer with pleasant and complex aroma of grain, citrus, juniper, tropical flavors and spices like fir needle and peppermint. The taste has a clear malt character and has a balanced bitterness with noticeable acidity, orange, phenols and pepper. A very good corn beer that the brewers can be proud of.
Prize: a rifle stock from GRS Riflestocks in Hornindal.
It’s worth noting that the beer is called Hollywood because it was brewed during a corn beer brewing demonstration where none other than Hollywood star Michelle Rodriguez came by and asked questions about the brewing. Perhaps that’s why it turned out so successful?
2nd place
Per Magne Bjørdal receives the prize for second place. And yes, he had to come up again when Ørsta/Volda won 1st place.
Per Magne Bjørdal with beer #29, Konjøl with halibut and Skare-kveik. The judges’ assessment:
Well-balanced beer with sweet aroma with honey, flowers, caramel and juniper. The taste has a good and complex fullness with caramel, honey, citrus, phenols, marzipan and pepper. A very good malt-forward corn beer with good freshness that represents the type well.
Prize: A Teku glass and a gift card worth 1000 kroner from Brewshop .
3rd place
Thor Humberset with the diploma for third place.
Thor Humberset with beer #12, Røyk, brewed with home-malted grain using Hovden-kveik. The judges’ assessment:
An exciting smoked beer with a strong smoke character from alder and sauna in the aroma. The taste is medium-bodied with caramel, grain and dried fruit, orange and juniper. A well-balanced beer and an interesting take on Stjørdalsøl.
Prize: A Teku glass and a gift card worth 500 kroner from Brewshop .
Finalists
There were some beers that made it to the final and were judged by all six judges, without quite making the podium. We list them as well.
Jørund Geving with beer #33, Stjørdalsøl with Idun Blå.
A heavily smoked beer with good aroma of fire, bacon, leather and caramel. Balanced caramel sweetness, but has developed a strong sourness that becomes too dominant.
Mads Leonard Holvik with beer #36, Ospegjerdeøl.
A beer with citrus, floral notes, grain, juniper, orange, juniper and strong sweetness. Not quite finished fermenting, but good potential.
Sigurd Johan Saure with beer #37, Sunnmørsk bondebryllup (7%).
Strong and complex with flowers, juniper, spices, orange, distinct malt and bitterness. Gets a bit too alcoholic and bitter.
Thor Humberset with beer #14, Pors.
Strong caramel, orange marmalade and juniper, with strong grain flavor and some bitterness. Gets a bit too many phenols and a bit too much bitterness.
Judge sheets
All judge sheets have been uploaded as one file, sorted by the beer’s number in the program. The program can be downloaded here:
Here is an example of a judge sheet. Look up the beer you want to find in the program first and note the code. Then you find the judge sheets that have the code from the program written in a circle as shown below. Don’t look at the anonymized code!
