Nils Oscar Julöl 2000

Formerly brewed at Nils Oscar
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Nyköping, Sweden

A clear brown beer with a small disappearing brown head. The aroma is very sweet with notes of prunes, raisins, and alcohol. The flavor is sweet malty with notes of prunes, brown sugar, and alcohol.

Sampling of the 2000 Christmas version in March 2002. Very dark brown in colour. Big banana aroma. Sweet, crystalized sugar flavour. I believe this beer needs more time to mature, and get the flavours melted together. It is enough sugar in there, and the 8.1% alcohol should keep it developing for yet some time.

Bottled (huge thanks to omhper!). Ruby red colour, small off-white head. Plum, raisins, alcohol, some marzipan and caramel malts in aroma. Flavour is plum, raisins, spices, caramel malts, toffee and some hints of yeast. A very wellbalanced and wellaged beer.

An abbey ale, not bad but less flowery and smooth than I would like. Some fruity, sweet malt and touch of bubblegum flavours.

Bottled (BB 01/2006, vintage 2000 sampled in April 2007)
Red ruby color, small off-white head. Toasted malts, berries, hints of alcohol and prunes. Ageing has made palate very smooth and creamy, almost liquer-like. Alcohol is almost non-existent. I can trace flavors of chocolate, vanilla, prunes and fudge. Sweetish aftertaste. This beer has aged great, absolutely fabulous vintage of NO Julöl.

Akkurat Dark reddish brown coloured ale with a quickly departing off-white head. Strongly yasty nose, mostly the bready type and staying in conjunction with the rather rich, soothing malt character that has started to develop light sherry flavors that mingle around plum pudding, grapey minor acidity, strawberry. Rather warming, perhaps a bit rummy if not overwhelming in its alcohol notes. It got a desserty tang, besides being a bit roasty, say an overcooked chocolate cake might unveil similar aromas. Limited sweetness. Still in rather good shape, the carbonation, despite the restrained head, remains rather vigorous, but waiting longer would be pointless.

dark brown colour, no head, fruity and malty nose, very sweet, long caramel aftertaste

Bottled: Dark amber coloured. Clear. Beige medium sized head. Alcahol, fruit, sweetness, marzipan, cinnamon and other spices in the aroma. Chocolate, spices, sweetness and some fruits in the aroma. Has a light alcaholtouch on the lips in the end. Very good one.