Hel

Hel is a figure of contrasts and the mistress of the inevitable. As the daughter of the trickster god Loki and sister of the monstrous Fenrir wolf as well as the Midgard Serpent, her fate was sealed from birth. Out of fear of her dark lineage, the Aesir banished her from the glamorous Asgard. But Hel did not let herself be broken. Far away from the gods, she established her own realm in the cold North: Helheim.

Here she rules as the goddess of death over those souls who died the “straw death” – taken by old age or illness, instead of falling in battle. Hel is no cruel tyrant without reason; she is considered the Just. To those who led a good life, she meets with gentleness and offers them a peaceful home. But woe to the souls whose hearts were black in life – they get to feel Hel’s relentless harshness and cruelty.

It is said that Hel forgets nothing and no one. In hiding, she waits patiently. She gathers the dead around her and forms a massive army. When the Twilight of the Gods (Ragnarok) breaks, Hel will step out of the shadows to take revenge on the Aesir for her banishment.

The Beer

Our Black Ale is a homage to this duality of the goddess of death. It is our very personal interpretation of a style that – just like Hel herself – unites two worlds that should actually be separated.

In the glass it presents itself deep black and impenetrable, like the darkest corners of Helheim. One expects the heaviness and impact of a classic Stout. But the first sip is a deception of the senses: Instead of heavy sweetness, you are hit by the bright, zesty freshness and the hop fruitiness of a Pale Ale.

The dark roasted malts provide character and depth (the “evil”), while the fresh hop notes ensure vibrancy and “drinkability” (the “good”). A beer that proves: Appearances can be deceiving, and in the dark one often finds the most freshness.

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I am the goddess Hel! Ruler of Helheim, world of the dead for the sick and old… and my time - will come!