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OK, so I’m only doing a couple of reviews while I’m out here in Scandinavia, if only because I’m meant to be having fun, not writing blog posts. However, I’ve been a little bit fascinated by this, Tuborg’s Julebryg. It’s Denmark’s fourth best selling beer, despite only being on sale for the 10 weeks around Christmas. The advertising campaign and launch day, known as J-Dag, has almost become a national holiday, and features an amusing animated TV ad where Santa chases a Tuborg lorry in pursuit of the beer.
Carlsberg, who own Tuborg, give out free samples of the beer, and develop special Christmas carols which their salespeople sing as they hand them out. They even had to move J-Day to a Friday from a Wednesday, because it was having such an impact on businesses when all their staff came in Thursday rocking massive hangovers.
The beer itself is pretty powerful stuff – 5.6% – and is infused with liquorice, giving it a potent flavour to match. As you can see, it’s pretty dark, although it is brewed in a lager style. I have to admit, I’m not overly enamoured with it; it’s kind of sickly and overly sweet with a mix of toffee and liquorice flavours before mixing with a drier lager hoppiness. A bit better cold. A nice (if over commercialised) tradition, but all the same not to my taste.