Since the Grumpy Troll opened in 1998, it’s created many different brews and witnessed an evolution in beer tastes. It recently brought back its first IPA, which it first offered a decade ago. While this beer, Norwegian Wood IPA, has periodically made an appearance on the brewpub’s taps over the years, this year’s version was made using the original recipe developed by a local homebrewer in fall 2005.
What is it? Norwegian Wood IPA from the Grumpy Troll Brewpub and Pizzeria of Mount Horeb.
Style: The India Pale Ale emphasizes the bitterness of hops, which provide herbal, citrus and piney character to both aroma and flavor. English renditions often emphasize the herbal and floral hoppiness associated with U.K.-grown hop varieties. American IPAs are a showcase for U.S.-grown hops. IPAs are medium-bodied and golden- to copper-colored, with a range in strength of 5.5% to 7.5% ABV. Their level of bitterness commonly falls between 40 and 70 IBUs (International Bitterness Units).
Background: Norwegian Wood IPA was developed by local homebrewer Ted Gisske and former Grumpy Troll brewer Steve Itzenhuiser (who now works at New Glarus Brewing). Current Grumpy Troll brewmaster Mark Knoebl recalls that at that time, hoppy beers were nowhere near as popular as they are now. Norwegian Wood came about as a challenge between Gisske and the brewpub’s previous owners to make more assertive beers. “Ten years ago we didn’t think hoppy beers would sell at all. IPAs were few and far between,” says Knoebl. He credits Giske with pushing the brewpub to take notice of how tastes and styles were evolving. Gisske is well-known among local homebrewers in Dane County, and at the Grumpy Troll he holds mug #1 in the mug club.
Norwegian Wood is made with lots of English tradition. Along with its Maris Otter malt, it’s hopped with English Fuggels, East Kent Goldings and Styrian Goldings hops. Those hops give the beer herbal, grassy and woody bitter qualities. Over the years, Norwegian Wood’s recipe has been tweaked. However, this year’s version goes back to the original recipe. Knoebl phoned Giske and was able to get the details from his homebrewing journal.
Norwegian Wood ends up at 6.1% ABV with an estimated 64 IBUs. It sells for $4.50/pint, $13/growler (refill). The beer shares a name with a 1964 Beatles song, which seems to apply, given the large number of wood-carved trolls decorating the highway into Mount Horeb (aka the Trollway).
Tasting notes:
Aroma: Floral, herbal hoppiness; also a light grassy woodiness.
Appearance: Golden-copper with a slight haze. A medium, bubbly, light tan head.
Texture: Medium-bodied, bubbly and a sharpness accentuated by the hops.
Taste: Starts with a crisp herbal and grassy bitterness that becomes dry. This is a hop-forward beer, yet there’s modest balance with English malt.
Finish/Aftertaste: Floral-herbal hoppiness that makes it solidly bitter with lingering dryness.
Glassware: Give this beer a nod to the English traditions and serve it in the British pint glass.
Pairs well with: This beer goes great with pizza. Its hoppiness can compete with a little spice from the pie. From the Grumpy Troll menu, my pick is the pie that goes by the name the Grumpy Troll, featuring andouille and Italian sausage mixed with five different cheeses.
The Verdict: This is a solid hoppy beer. There’s a firm bitterness that is crisp, floral, herbal and dry. I really enjoy the balance with the biscuit tones of the Maris Otter malt. It is a hop-forward beer, but it doesn’t go out of its way to assault the taste buds with bitterness. It’s more at the level of an assertive pale ale, but there’s no fault in that. Remember, this recipe was developed over 10 years ago, when IPAs were just emerging on the craft beer scene, so what was an IPA then may seem a little tame to today’s hop enthusiasts. It’s also an “English” version of the style, so don’t expect it to take you on the roller-coaster ride of hops found in an American IPA. Bottom line: I like this beer because it’s flavorful, and its bitterness isn’t so aggressive that the hops take over the palate. Which is also a good trait for a versatile meal beer.
