Nils Oscar Julöl 2003

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

Muddy with tiny off white head. Sweet malty flavor with overripe fruits, caramel, chocolate and spices. Sweet complex flavor with notes of overripe fruits, caramel and chocolate.

Bottle. [Trade with thewolf, thanks buddy] Large beige creamy head that mostly lasted. Sparkling mahogany color. Good display of lacework. Heavy dried fruity sweet sniff. Also notes of caramel, grain, liquorish, lovely port wine like as well. Very thick and complex aroma I thought. Very full bodied with an almost oily texture and soft carbonation. This beer has a lot in common with a Belgian Quadruple. The yeast/fruity/port wine notes and well hidden alcohol. A higher % alcohol and this would most properly have been a Quadruple. Heavy sweet flavor. Lingering dried fruity and warming finish. Quit amazing for 7 %.

Bottled (BB 11/2009)
Ruby red, small off-white head, lace. Burned caramel with "vintage notes" in the nose. Dry, sherry-like palate. Dried dark fruits, raisins and coffee in the flavor with light caramelly and hoppy notes. A bit papery. Aging has thinned the body and it feels like 5 % beer. Seppo (sayaravai) was reading his rating from 2004, back then this was sugary. I think now as 4 years old this has peaked its prime, older ones are propably going to be less exciting. This bottle was already a bit too dry and thin for my liking.

Bottle. Clear amber colour with a small white head. Rich aroma and taste of malts and fruits. Softly carbonated.

Bottle. Nice head with good duration. Color is dark amber. Aroma and taste are sweet malt and hops. A bit sour and bitter.

Bolttle. Frothy white fair mostly deminishing head. Amber colour. Moderate malty and light hoppy aroma. Honey notes. Light sweet moderate bitter flavor. Average finish. Oily palate.

Bottle from Per’s stash. Minimal haze obstructs this rooty brown pour with orangey reflects. The off-white head is small and rapidly recedes to a lasting ring. Fairly malty nose with little yeast appearing. Candi sugar, pear, plums esters would be most of what may be belgian about it, but otherwise, this is a malt showdown. Fruity, aromatic, deep and dark grainy toastiness with various notes of caramel sponge cake, spicey-sweet dessert toppings. Bready through and through. Lots of residual sugars still, so the mouthfeel is not the most comfortable, leaving a little cloying film despite the still active carbonation. Rich nose remains its best feature thus, but this is a rather complex and audacious that feels bigger than its size.

rbesg06gt. reddish brown with a slim head. quite a rich aroma of butter, stonefruits and cocoa powder. same salty character with some muted spice, reasonably sweet but quite drinkable