Beer in Norway

Beer in Norway has a long history, going back at least 1000 years. Until around 200 years ago no farm was complete without a brewhouse. From the early 20th century brewing was industrialized and home brewing outlawed. Significant consolidation in the brewing sector has reduced the number of major breweries to just a handful. With the exception of the malty juleøl (Christmas beer), most beer styles brewed in Norway today trace their ancestry to central Europe.

Currently, the Norwegian beer market is dominated by two large brewers: The giant Carlsberg-Ringnes based in Oslo and Copenhagen, Denmark, and the smaller Hansa-Borg, based in Bergen and Sarpsborg. Each produce beer branded in a variety of traditional Norwegian beer brands, as well as foreign brands bottled on licence. This system is a result of the large-scale consolidation of Norwegian breweries that has taken place over the last 50 years.

Craft brewing has a long history in Norway, harking back to the days when no farm was complete without a brewhouse. Many structures found at old properties include a designated "bryggehus": a separate building where beer was produced. Home brewing in Norway is common, albeit understated (due to its association with home distilling, which is illegal) pastime. Examples can be found in Oslo at Oslo Mikrobryggeri, Scandinavia's first microbrewery and brewpub, and Nøgne Ø in Grimstad.

As with most countries in Europe and America, the most popular style of beer in Norway is pilsner-style pale lager. According to the Norwegian brewers' association, most beer brewed in Norway is pale lager. Until recently, this was the only style of beer to be had, except at Christmas time, when Christmas beers become available. These are dark malt beers traditionally brewed for the holiday season.

Due to government restrictions, beers above 4.75% abv are only available from licensed premises or from the state-run Vinmonopolet ("wine monopoly") liquor stores. This has resulted in some foreign breweries decreasing the alcohol content in their beer in order to make them legal for supermarket retail.

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