Hopyard named Norway's best lager bar

Solera Beverage Group – the main importer of Pilsner Urquell in Norway – has sent its beer specialists to outlets around Norway to find the country's best pilsner bar. In the end, it was Hopyard that came away with the title of "Pilsner Urquell Outlet of the Year 2018".

Hopyard impressed on all counts when Solera's beer specialists paid a visit. Here, it's not just about pouring a beer and smiling nicely, the "beer agents" have a set of criteria that must be met - and Hopyard delivered. The small beer bar in Mathallen scored highly on, among other things, pouring technique, temperature and pH value of the lager, and not least the bartender's level of knowledge. All in all, it was about showing that you have a love for the product and not least a good knowledge of it. Hopyard proved this - for the second time. Norway's best lager bar is awarded every five years, and Hopyard also came away with the victory in 2013!

Here it must be drained correctly

Pilsner Urquell is the world's first pale lager, brewed in 1842. The word "pilsner" means "from Plzen" - the Czech city where the brewery is located. Pilsner Urquell has different, classic pouring methods, where foam plays a big role. Here you can be served a half-liter Urquell with lots of foam, also called a "Smooth", where the pouring technique helps to preserve the sweetness of the foam. You can also go for a 0,4 Urquell which has a slightly different pouring technique - a so-called "Crisp". Here the pilsner is poured hard into the glass so that it comes into contact with air. This gives the beer more bitterness, there is more acid and better carbonation.

"Many Norwegians have the opinion that a lot of foam is a negative thing – that it helps the carbonation disappear. That's not true! The foam actually has an important function, it keeps the beer fresh longer by preserving the carbonation and flavor. Pils should not be swallowed – it should be enjoyed! If you pour it correctly, the foam acts as a lid and protects the pils."
– Kenneth Iversen, assistant general manager at Hopyard.

Something for every taste

The bartenders at Hopyard have a passionate relationship with beer. Kenneth is a trained beer sommelier, and general manager Kim Daniel Bergersen has won the World Cup in bottling. There are both trained and self-taught beer enthusiasts behind the bar, who know a lot about beer that they are happy to share. Here you can buy food to take away from one of the eateries in Mathallen, get a beer recommendation and enjoy your meal at Hopyard.

Hopyard can tempt you with over 200 different beers in the bar, including some non-alcoholic local varieties. Part of the charm is that it's local. The bar collaborates with several small Norwegian breweries who come and deliver the beer personally. This contributes to better collaboration and mutual learning, while also giving a hand to the "underdogs". It's all seasonal - in winter there's an abundance of dark beer, in summer there's more light varieties. Hopyard also offers beer tastings, so all you have to do is gather your friends or work group and arrange a time for a private tasting.

"Norwegian beer is all the rage. We have a lot of visitors from tourists who have discovered that Norwegian beer offers exciting flavors and good quality. The majority of our guests are people who visit Mathallen, but we also have some regular guests who come weekly, and many who become regulars after their first visit. It's very nice. We also have the "beer nerds" who drop in to try new things."
– Kenneth Iversen

With an exciting and inspiring bar menu, pleasant premises, and cheerful and knowledgeable staff, Hopyard is a little beer paradise in the middle of Mathallen.

Contact and opening hours

Hopyard is open Tuesday to Friday from 10.00:23.30 to 10.00:00.30, Saturday from 12.00:20.00 to XNUMX:XNUMX and Sunday from XNUMX:XNUMX to XNUMX:XNUMX. This means it is possible to have a beer here after the shops in Mathallen close. If you would like to arrange a beer tasting, contact Hopyard at post@hopyard.no.