Norwegian craft breweries
Norway’s brewing traditions date all the way back to the Vikings who used to brew barley-based beers during the cold winter months. King Haakon the Good who ruled from 934 to 961 even made it a law that to celebrate Christmas with a beer. Those who didn’t include beer in their Christmas festivities would be fined.
A few centuries later the Norwegian legislative assembly, known as the Gulating, took the law one step further and required all households to brew Christmas beer for the festive season. Today, seasonal Christmas ales continue to be a (non-mandatory) part of the holiday season in Norway. And, in recent years, a great interest in craft beers, artisanal beverages, and microbreweries has emerged in Norwegian culture. Here are the best places to enjoy a craft beer while on vacation in Norway!
Ægir Brewery, Flåm
Ægir Brewery is located at the end of the world’s largest and deepest fjord. So, appropriately, the brewery is named after Ægir, the god of the sea in Old Norse mythology. The pub is meant to feel like a Viking-style longhouse. You can enjoy your beer beside a warm fire pit located inside the brewpub. You’ll have a range of drinks to choose from. The Ægir Brewery makes everything from lagers to sour beers to non-alcoholic brews and even gin and aquavit, a distilled spirit primarily produced in Scandinavia.
If you are in Flåm during winter, try a Fjord safari with Viking dinner and beer tasting in Ægir Brewery, a fun and cultural activity!
Nøgne ø, Grimstad
Nøgne ø is Norway’s largest supplier of craft beer, so you will find their products at many local pubs and bars around the country. Nøgne ø means ‘naked island’. The name was pulled from a poem by Henrik Ibsen and symbolic of the journey the original founders took to begin brewing and selling craft beer in the early 2000s when much of Norway was still primarily interested in the old-faithful classic lagers they had become accustomed to. Tours of the brewery, located in Grimstad, are available for pre-bookings and will give you an opportunity to taste Nøgne ø beer and learn more about the brewing process.
Svalbard Brewery, Longyearbyen
For those of you looking to explore the Arctic during your Norway travels, don’t worry, you’ll be able to find craft beer up there too! Svalbard Brewery proudly holds the title of the world’s northernmost craft brewery and is only accessible by boat during the summer months. Book a visit to tour this craft beer brewery to learn all about how the production team deals with the challenges of their northern location. You’ll also have a chance to sample beers and learn more about the brewing process. From IPAs to pilsners to pale ales, you’ll have plenty of varieties to sample in Norway’s beautiful Arctic setting.
Grünerløkka Brygghus, Oslo
If you’re looking for a microbrewery in Oslo, look no further than Grünerløkka Brygghus. This gastropub offers great English-inspired pub food, an easy atmosphere, and 22 beers on tap, most of which are brewed by their very own microbrewery. You’ll also find a few other local and imported microbrews on tap. If you’re interested in more than just a pint or a meal, consider signing up for one of their tours or one of their beer courses!
Contrary to popular belief, Norway offers much more than the classic favorite lager. In fact, Norway’s history of brewing of specialty beers dates all the way back to the Vikings and seasonal Christmas blends developed as early as the 900s. Today, those traditions continue with an abundance of microbreweries popping up all over the country. You’ll be sure to find a craft beer to sample no matter where you visit, even if your travels take you all the way to Norway’s remote Arctic region!
Norwegian food tours
Fjord cruise and dinner at Cornelius
Bergen • 5 hr
From 1495NOK
Available all year
Exclusive Experience
Local food tasting in Flåm
Flåm • 1 hr
From 550NOK
Available 15 May - 15 October
Oslofjord Sunset Cruise with shrimp buffet
Oslo • 3 hr
From 659NOK
Available 8 May - 5 October
Glamping at Trolltunga
Multiple locations • 1 day 4 hr
From 4750NOK
Available 1 May - 1 December
Best seller
Dinner cruise on the Oslofjord
Oslo • 2 hr 30 min
From 1290NOK
Available all year
Ulriken Gondola & lunch with a view
Bergen • 2 hr 30 min
From 1099NOK
Available all year
Geirangerfjord winter cruise
Ålesund • 9 hr
From 2550NOK
Available 1 November - 30 March
Travelers love this!
Fishing trip in Bergen
Bergen • 5 hr
From 2190NOK
Available 1 April - 31 October
Fjord cruise and dinner at Cornelius
Bergen • 5 hr
From 1495NOK
Available all year
Exclusive Experience
Local food tasting in Flåm
Flåm • 1 hr
From 550NOK
Available 15 May - 15 October
Oslofjord Sunset Cruise with shrimp buffet
Oslo • 3 hr
From 659NOK
Available 8 May - 5 October
Glamping at Trolltunga
Multiple locations • 1 day 4 hr
From 4750NOK
Available 1 May - 1 December
Best seller
Dinner cruise on the Oslofjord
Oslo • 2 hr 30 min
From 1290NOK
Available all year
Ulriken Gondola & lunch with a view
Bergen • 2 hr 30 min
From 1099NOK
Available all year
Geirangerfjord winter cruise
Ålesund • 9 hr
From 2550NOK
Available 1 November - 30 March
Travelers love this!
Fishing trip in Bergen
Bergen • 5 hr
From 2190NOK
Available 1 April - 31 October
Articles about Norwegian food and cuisine
Traditional Norwegian food
Norway has a lot of interesting traditional food, and any travelers visiting Norway would do well to sample some of the local cuisines. Culinary traditions in Norway have been dominated by meat, fish, and seafood that could be hunted or caught. These days the Norwegian food space represents an interesting mix of old and new due to culinary influences from all over the world.
Norwegian cider’s rise in popularity
Cider brewing is a Norwegian custom that dates all the way back to the 13th century. However, once the Vinmonopolet or the Wine Monopoly came into effect, the practice largely died down. Despite this, Norwegians continued to brew cider in their homes and cellars. And now the drink is experiencing a surge in popularity yet again. If you’re a cider lover planning a visit to Norway, here’s everything you need to know!
Top 3 Norwegian recipes to try
If you are a foodie or even just a lover of barbecue, then you will definitely want to make sure that you take a trip to Norway to experience the incredible local cuisine in places like Bergen and Røros. To give you a small taste of the kind of culinary experience you will get in Norway, here are three top Norwegian recipes that you can easily make at home.
Sustainable eating trends
Norway is already publicly recognized by almost every foodie as being home to some of the tastiest cuisine options in the world, with some truly exquisite national recipes like lutefisk and pinnekjøtt originating in Nordic countries. But what you may not know is that Norway is also a leader in bio-farming and sustainable food production.
Here's what you'll experience at this record-setting underwater restaurant
There are a lot of fantastic things to experience on land in Norway, but there is a new exciting activity that takes you under the water. At the southern tip of Norway in Lindesnes, you can find the world's largest underwater restaurant.
What did the average viking eat?
When your every-day activities include pillaging villages and exploring the impressive fjords in Norway, you are going to need a lot of energy to sustain yourself. This means eating some pretty astonishing meals in order to maintain proper health with such an active lifestyle.
What do you eat with Brunost?
Every culture will have its own set of unique food items that either impress or disgust visitors when they try it upon visiting. Norway is no different and offers an assortment of delicious Norwegian food that is unlike anything that can be found anywhere else in the world. Some of the more common examples include lutefisk and pinnekjøtt.
What is lefse?
Whether you’re planning to visit Norway or are just interested in Norwegian culture and tradition, you’ll want to find out more about lefse. Lefse has a long-standing history as a traditional food in Norway, and it remains about as popular today as it was a hundred years ago. Let’s take a closer look at what this tasty, simple food is all about!
Traditional Norwegian food
Norway has a lot of interesting traditional food, and any travelers visiting Norway would do well to sample some of the local cuisines. Culinary traditions in Norway have been dominated by meat, fish, and seafood that could be hunted or caught. These days the Norwegian food space represents an interesting mix of old and new due to culinary influences from all over the world.
Norwegian cider’s rise in popularity
Cider brewing is a Norwegian custom that dates all the way back to the 13th century. However, once the Vinmonopolet or the Wine Monopoly came into effect, the practice largely died down. Despite this, Norwegians continued to brew cider in their homes and cellars. And now the drink is experiencing a surge in popularity yet again. If you’re a cider lover planning a visit to Norway, here’s everything you need to know!
Top 3 Norwegian recipes to try
If you are a foodie or even just a lover of barbecue, then you will definitely want to make sure that you take a trip to Norway to experience the incredible local cuisine in places like Bergen and Røros. To give you a small taste of the kind of culinary experience you will get in Norway, here are three top Norwegian recipes that you can easily make at home.
Sustainable eating trends
Norway is already publicly recognized by almost every foodie as being home to some of the tastiest cuisine options in the world, with some truly exquisite national recipes like lutefisk and pinnekjøtt originating in Nordic countries. But what you may not know is that Norway is also a leader in bio-farming and sustainable food production.
Here's what you'll experience at this record-setting underwater restaurant
There are a lot of fantastic things to experience on land in Norway, but there is a new exciting activity that takes you under the water. At the southern tip of Norway in Lindesnes, you can find the world's largest underwater restaurant.
What did the average viking eat?
When your every-day activities include pillaging villages and exploring the impressive fjords in Norway, you are going to need a lot of energy to sustain yourself. This means eating some pretty astonishing meals in order to maintain proper health with such an active lifestyle.
What do you eat with Brunost?
Every culture will have its own set of unique food items that either impress or disgust visitors when they try it upon visiting. Norway is no different and offers an assortment of delicious Norwegian food that is unlike anything that can be found anywhere else in the world. Some of the more common examples include lutefisk and pinnekjøtt.
What is lefse?
Whether you’re planning to visit Norway or are just interested in Norwegian culture and tradition, you’ll want to find out more about lefse. Lefse has a long-standing history as a traditional food in Norway, and it remains about as popular today as it was a hundred years ago. Let’s take a closer look at what this tasty, simple food is all about!