Winners of the Judges Competition 2023
This year’s judges competition was particularly difficult to judge because the level of the participating beers was very high. There were many good beers that performed well.
This year we had 8 judges, a mix of trained beer judges, enthusiasts and traditional brewers. The judges were divided into 4 teams who tasted their way through the beers and selected 3 each to advance to the final. Of a total of 54 beers, 12 made it to a final that all judges tasted their way through and voted on their favorites.
The judge panel. Photo: Bård Romar Hoveid / Huldrevatn
The judge panel consisted of (from right to left in the photo above):
- Jogeir Svee Halland, jury leader and traditional brewer of malt ale (Stjørdalsøl)
- Amund Polden Arnesen , brewer at Eik & Tid, Norway’s first beer sommelier and responsible for training Norwegian beer sommeliers
- Sigrid Ruyter Smolan, trained beer judge and beer sommelier at Ølakademiet
- Kjetil Dale, traditional brewer of home brew (Vossaøl) and operator of Eldhuset Dale
- Linda van Loon, Dutch microbiologist at Eik & Tid
- Sølvi Strifeldt, beer blogger and trained beer judge
- Lars Andreas Tomasgård, traditional brewer and double Norwegian champion in brewing corn beer
- Per Øyvind Arnesen, leader of Norbrygg’s judge committee
3rd place, beer nr. 35 Espe brewery c/o Arve and Frode Espe. Proper kånøl with Espe kveik
Frode Espe. Photo: Bård Romar Hoveid / Huldrevatn
Third place goes to a beer with complex aroma, clear juniper character, marzipan, grain and warming alcohol with distinct residual sweetness.
The corn beer that Frode Espe served is brewed by Arve Espe. Arve is a long-time participant at Kornølfestivalen and has over 50 years of beer brewing experience. The corn beer is brewed with Espe’s own kveik.
Prizes:
- Gift card from Brewshop 500 NOK
- Bag of malt from Vinbua
2nd place, beer nr. 57 Jørund Geving. Stjørdalsøl with Gjelland kveik
Jørund Geving. Photo: Bård Romar Hoveid / Huldrevatn
Jørund’s Stjørdalsøl is a complex beer that mainly comes from the process of drying the malt. It is a characteristic Stjørdalsøl with flavors of caramel, burnt wood, rum, raisins, leather and chimney soot.
Jørund has participated in the festival for many years and has won several prizes for his beer. In 2017, 2020 and 2022 he also took home the win.
Prize:
- Gift card from Brewshop 2000 NOK
- Bag of malt from Voss Gass
1st place, beer nr. 11 Ørsta Volda Brygjarlaug. Jonsokkfest with Skare kveik
Representatives from Ørsta Volda Bryggarlaug. From left: Eirik Hoem, Kjell Bjarne Bjørdal and Thor Humberset. Photo: Bård Romar Hoveid / Huldrevatn
Jonsokkfest is a traditional ale with juniper that the judge panel liked so much that it became a clear winner.
The beer had a distinct and good juniper character. With flavors of orange, marzipan and a fresh acidity balanced against a sugary sweetness.
Here the brewers have made a good beer they can be proud of.
Ørsta Volda Bryggarlaug is a regular participant at the festival and has brewed good beer for several years. They also took home the win in 2021.
Prize:
- GRS rifle stock
- Signed book by Lars Marius
Thank you to our sponsors:
- GRS Riflestock
- Brewshop
- Voss Gass (Heimabrygg.no)
- Vinbua
- Lars Marius Garshol
- Natrud
- Ørsta Volda Bryggarlaug
- Jernia Ørsta
The winners 2023. Photo: Bård Romar Hoveid / Huldrevatn