Nøgne Ø God Jul

Brewed by Nøgne Ø
Style: American Strong Ale
Grimstad, Norway

500ml Bottle: Lightly sweet aroma. Smells of malts, chocolate, raisins, and hints of fruit and alcohol. Poured dark brown in color with a large, dense, foamy, brown head that lasted throughout. Opaque. Very good lacing. Flavor of chocolate, dark malts, candi sugar, roasting, piney hops, and a hint of vanilla. Medium body. Creamy, chalky texture. Soft carbonation. Sweet, chocolate finish is a bit chalky. 8.5%ABV is well hidden.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown body with full, foamy, cream-colored head and when held aloft to the light -- chunky bits everywhere! This beer is obviously a creature of the night, so please keep it far away from sunshine and harsh, bright lighting. Smell: Dark malt aroma with notes of dark chocolate, licorice shavings, and a mild roastiness. Taste: Dark malt flavors of dark chocolate with some roast. Twinge of tart fruits. Sip of cool mint water. Herbal hops. An earthy, roasty bitterness builds as you drink, obscuring the sweeter malts. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: A solid winter release from Nøgne Ø.

Dark, with a big foamy brown head. Deep aroma of licorice and sweet malts. Creamy flavor with bitter notes of the hops used. Roasted but balanced and a good level of carbonation. More malty on the finish, even a bit sweet too.

Bottle from Port Carlsbad bottle shop: Started foaming over as soon as I poped the cap. Jet black with an initial medium, but fast fadeing light brown head. Aroma is dark chocolate with a hint of licorice. Flavor starts black coffee followed by dark chocolate, licorice and nuts with a light dry, lightly hoppy finish. Medium body is rich and creamy with moderate-lively carbonation.

Bottle from tbone_, thanks Timo! Deep dark brown color. Coffee, licorice and caramel in the aroma. Creamy, velvety flavor with coffee, cacao, caramel, licorice. Pleasant creamy roastbitter aftertaste with coffee. Indeed, a very good beer.

Very dark brown/red with a big tan head. Aroma and flavor of spices, caramel and nuts. Very good.

bottle labeled as Winter Ale, pours a coca-cola like dark black color with a small foamy head with little bubbles, aroma of malts, coffee, taste is great lots of coffee flavor and such. very good beer.

Bottled as the Winter Ale. Pours a nearly opaque black with a thin, slightly tan head. Looks more like a heavy porter than an Imperial stout or American Strong Ale but it may take a trained eye to tell. Smells of dark roasted malts, nuts, licorice and chocolate. Flavor is similar, heavy on the chocolate and coffee with hints of toasted nuts on the back end. Finish is a balanced bitterness of hops and roasted coffee but also a little watery and drinkable. As always with the Nogne-O beers there is something murky and dangerous lurking in the nose and flavor. Must be that scary Grimstad water. Overall, very drinkable for a beer with 8.5% alcohol.