How Norway's Best Drink is judged

March 4nd, 2026 | Last updated March 4, 2026 | News

Norway's Best Drink is Norway's national championship for Norwegian drinks. Each year, the competition brings together a wide selection of products from Norwegian producers, and is assessed by a professional jury according to clear and professional criteria. This is how Norway's Best Drink is judged:

The judging is conducted by a jury consisting of sensory experts, chefs, industry professionals, producers and partners. Together they represent a broad range of professional expertise in taste, raw materials and beverage production.

The goal is to identify and highlight high-quality products – and at the same time provide manufacturers with professional and constructive feedback.

A professional jury

The jury for Norway's Best Drink consists of around 60 judges, divided into several judging panels. Each panel is put together to ensure a good professional balance.

Among the judges are:

Trained sensorians
Experienced chefs
Brewers and beverage manufacturers
Representatives from the industry
Professionals from collaborating environments

This composition ensures both professional weight and different perspectives in the assessment.

Jury leader and professional responsibility

The professional management of the competition is handled by the jury leader and sensory expertise.

The jury chair is the internationally renowned sider expert Gabe Cook, who leads the work to ensure a consistent and professionally sound assessment process.

He is assisted by sensory scientist Mats Carlehög from Nofima, who contributes expertise in sensory analysis and methodology.

Together they ensure that the assessment follows established professional standards.

A weighted 100-point system

Starting in 2026, Norway's Best Drink will use a weighted 100-point system.

The system is developed to clarify the quality differences between products – especially at the top of the competition.

Taste and overall impression together account for 55 percent of the total score. This is the most commonly used system in international competitions.

The most important assessment criteria are:

Taste
Balance
AROMA
Mouthfeel
Overall impression

By giving greater importance to the sensory experience, it becomes clearer which products really stand out.

Individual assessment and joint conclusion

Each judge evaluates the products individually and makes their own notes before assigning points.

The judges at the table then discuss their findings and reach a joint assessment. The result is an overall score and a sensory analysis of the product.

This analysis forms the jury's reasoning and provides the producers with valuable professional feedback.

The goal is for the assessment to not only select winners, but also contribute to development and quality improvement in the industry.

NM status imposes stricter requirements

From 2026, Norway's Best Beverage will have official NM status. This means clearer quality requirements and higher prestige associated with the medals.

The ambition is that a medal in Norway's Best Drink will be a clear seal of quality.

NM gold is supposed to be difficult to win – and silver and bronze also require very high quality.

A seal of quality for Norwegian drinks

Norway's Best Beverage has been established as a national arena for professional evaluation of Norwegian beverages. Through a professional jury, clear criteria and a transparent evaluation system, the competition contributes to highlighting the quality and diversity of Norwegian beverage production.

For producers, participation provides both professional feedback and the opportunity to be recognized among the country's best.