Nils Oscar Julöl 2001 & 2002

Formerly brewed at Nils Oscar
Style: Scotch Ale
Nyköping, Sweden

Bottle, Stockholm, Sweden. 2001. Very dark/ruby brown color with a small white head. Aroma shows sherry-like oxidation with a touch of brown sugar and toffee. The beer tastes old, but tastes suprisingly vibrant and well balanced. Flavors of hazelnut, toffee with sherry-like oxidation that lingers well on the palate.

Bottle [2002], bought @ Den Tatoverede Enke, Cph.
Pours deep, deep red with a small frothy off white head. Aroma is sweet, lightly musky, some berries and a good dose of spice. Low carbonation, quite oily, but still rather light. Flavour is softly malty at first, then gets a touch of warming alcohol and super balanced spice. Perhaps a bit too thin for its own good.

(50 cl bottle) Shared with a good friend on New Years Eve, he’s saved it for lots of years, now he shares it with me so I could rate it :) 2001 vintage. Best Before Nov 06. Clear brown color, tan head. Dry grainy scent, some marzipan. Sweet malty grainy taste. Medium mouthfeel, low bitterness. Sweet aftertaste, some corn. I would guess this beer hasn’t aged well, can’t say I liked it, still nice to have tried it of course.

(Bottle) Pours hazy brown to red. Nils Oskar malty aroma with some dried fruits, butter, toffee, caramel and smoke. Notes of vanilla sugar and chocolate in both nose and taste. Some nettle and vegetation. Well carbonated with a round mouthfeel. A bit spicy/peppery with some smoke. Medium body.

Bottle, vintage 2002. Dark brown body with a small, tan head. Burnt malty aroma with hints of dark fruits. Port-like taste that got elements of plums, raisins and figs. A bitter and yeasty touch in a soft aftertaste (Sampled with Finn and Omhper at Glenfiddich Warehouse in Gamla Staden, Stockholm 30.11.2006)

On bottle at Glenfiddich Warehouse No 68 Stockholm 30 Nov 2006. Shared with omhper and Rune. Dark brown coloured. A small off-white head. Sweet aroma. Sweet malty flavour. Leaves you with a sweet mouthfeel.

2001 bottle, 5 years old. 7.0%. Powerful, sweet peppery aroma. The aging gives it a little sherry flavour, but not too much. Clear brown colour, small light brown head. The flavour is quite bready, but it goes well with the considerable maltiness and pepperiness. Nice, creamy mouthfeel. Very nice and warming.

Bottle at RBESG Grand Tasting, August 2005. 2001 Vintage. Dark brown. Vinous and a little oxidised. Lots of treacle and toffee malt. Hop presence seems to have faded and it seems rather sweet and sticky, tending towards Doppelbock in style. OK from a small sample but I think I would have struggled with a full bottle. Interesting, but a bit past its prime I think.