Skål! Norwegian Beer Brewing Old and New

Two travel options: Aug. 1-9 or Aug. 10-18, 2024

Typical beer tasting and meal. Photo courtesy Ægir Brewery.
World-famous Pulpit Rock in Norway (Preikestolen)
Traditional Kjenge. Photo courtesy kjenge.no.

Norway has a rich home brewing culture and on this tour, we’ll find out all about local brewing traditions, while making connections to Norwegian folk art and enjoying the natural beauty of the scenic Norwegian fjords!

We will visit six microbreweries on Norway’s West Coast – Bergenhus Brewery in Bergen; Kinn Brewery in Florø; Ægir Brewery in Flåm; Voss Felles Brewery in Voss; Lervig Brewery in Stavanger; and 7 Fjell Brewery in Bergen. At each one, we will have a beer tasting and go behind the scenes to learn about their brewing philosophy.

At Voss, we will learn about the old-world tradition of ale bowls (kjenger) from a renowned Norwegian expert Sverre Strandenes. An ale bowl is more than a drinking vessel. It represents some of the best Norwegian folk art and craftsmanship, an important part of Norwegian cultural heritage used in social and ceremonial roles.

On a free day in Stavanger, we will visit Norway’s Pulpit Rock! Pulpit Rock Brewery in Decorah and Lervig Brewing in Stavanger have collaborated on a beer in 2023. Pulpit Rock is named after a local geographic feature in the Decorah Driftless region and also after the world-famous Pulpit Rock in Norway (Preikestolen). You can hike up Preikestolen or enjoy a ferry ride to view it from below.

You will not want to miss this tour. You will experience Norway’s iconic landscape and learn about an important part of its history and culture, while getting a taste of some of the best beers in Norway.

$3495 (Land only. Airfare not included.)
$470 single supplement
Prices are subject to change without notice.

Day 1 August 1 or August 10: Bergen (D)

Arrive in Bergen, check into the hotel, and enjoy a welcome dinner for group members to get to know each other. Dinner and overnight at Thon Hotel Orion.

Day 2 August 2 or August 11: Bergen (B, D)

Our morning begins with a guided walking city tour of Bergen, including the UNESCO World Heritage Bryggen and Bryggens Museum. We will also visit the oldest building in Bergen, Håkonshall, built in the 13th century and still used for official royal functions. The afternoon is free to explore Bergen. Our evening dinner will be at the Bryggeriet Restaurant with beer tasting and presentation by the Bergenhus Brewery. Overnight at Thon Hotel Orion.

Day 3 August 3 or August 12: Bergen-Florø (B, L, D)

Today we will bus north to Florø and ferry across the mighty Sognefjord, Norway’s biggest fjord. We stop for lunch at the Lavik Fjordhotel Restaurant. In the afternoon we will have a tour of the Kinn Brewery in Florø. We will get a beer tasting and presentation at the Vesle Kinn Brewery. Supper will be at the Hjørnevikbua restaurant. Overnight at the Quality Hotel Florø.

Day 4 August 4 or August 13: Florø-Flåm (B, D)

Today we bus from Florø to Balestrand over the Gaularfjellet, one of Norway’s spectacular scenic highways. At Balestrand we will take a passenger ferry to Flåm through one of Norway’s most beautiful fjords, the Aurlandsfjord, another UNESCO World Heritage site. In Flåm we will have some free time to explore the area before our beer tasting, and presentation by Ægir Brewery with dinner. Overnight at the Flåmsbrygga Hotel.

Day 5 August 5 and August 14: Flåm-Voss (B, L, D)

Our tour continues with a short bus ride to Voss, Norway’s extreme sports capital. We will have a morning visit to the Voss Folkmuseum. At the museum we will meet Sverre Strandenes, who has written two large volumes on Norwegian drinking vessels. Sverre will tell us about the old world tradition of farm brewing and show several examples of ale bowls from his own collection and the museum’s collection. For lunch we will take the Voss Gondola for a ride to the restaurant at the top with scenic views of the whole valley. Next we visit the Voss Fellesbryggeri for beer tasting and brewery presentation on Kveik yeast, used in Norwegian farmhouse brewing for generations. Our evening dinner will be at the Smalahovetunet with an opportunity to try two traditional Christmas specialties, Smalahove and Pinekjøtt, washed down with beer and aquavit. Overnight at Park Hotel Vossevangen.

Day 6 August 6 and August 15: Voss-Stavanger (B, L, D)

On our morning bus drive we will cross the queen of Norway’s fjords, the Hardangerfjord. This region is known as the fruit basket of Norway. We will have lunch and cider tasting at the Siderhuset Ola K. In the afternoon we bus to Stavanger, Norway’s third largest city and headquarters of Norway’s oil industry. We will visit the Lervig Local Pub for beer tasting, brewery presentation, and dinner. Lervig Brewery and Decorah’s own Pulpit Rock Brewery have collaborated on a beer they are producing together in 2023. Overnight at the Thon Hotel Maritim Stavange.

Day 7 August 7 and August 16: Stavanger (B)

Today is a free day in Stavanger. This is an opportunity for the group to visit Preikestolen, Norway’s own Pulpit Rock. Fans of Pulpit Rock Brewery in Decorah, Iowa, will especially want to take advantage of this. Tour members can elect to hike to Preikestolen with a guide (a medium difficulty two-hour hike) or can view Preikestolen from below by ferry. Lunch and dinner on own. Overnight at Thon Hotel Maritim Stavanger.

Day 8 August 8 and August 17: Stavanger-Bergen (B, L, D)

We start the day with a two-hour guided morning bus tour of Stavanger. Visit the picturesque old city with its wooden houses. We will also visit the historic monument, Sverd I Fjell (swords in rock) erected in 1983 to commemorate the Battle of Hafrsfjord, which united Norway under one king. In the afternoon we will bus back to Bergen for a late afternoon visit to 7Fjell Brewery for beer tasting and brewery presentation. Overnight at Thon Hotel Bergen Airport.

Day 9 August 9 or August 18: Bergen (B)

Our tour comes to an end. A short shuttle brings us to the Bergen Airport for our flight home.

 

The tour operator reserves the right to make changes necessary in order to give travelers the best experience possible.

Maximum of 35 participants
Please read “Tour Terms and Conditions”

Price Includes:
– Hotel accommodations for 9 nights
– Daily breakfast (B), 4 lunches (L), 7 dinners (D)
– Ground transportation in a comfortable motor coach
– Gratuity to bus drivers
– Admission fees to museums and attractions
– Use of a personal listening device
– Vesterheim luggage tags and tour information

Please Note: The tour will involve standing, walking (including cobblestones and uneven terrain), and stairs. There may not be elevators at all sites. You will handle your own luggage at airports, and at hotels.

Reserve Your Spot on Tour

For more information about upcoming tours:

Rolf Svanoe
563-382-9681, ext. 240

Tour Guide and Leader

LEADER: Rolf Svanoe

As Vesterheim Coordinator of Tours to Norway, Rolf has many connections to Norway and experiences leading tour groups. Find out more about him here.