Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

Bottle labelled Winter Ale. Poured a dark brown color with a smallish light brown head. Fantastic aroma of chocolate, nuts, caramel, dark fruit and vanilla. Somewhat thin palate and somewhat creamy; a slight smokey finish. Flavor really starts to come out with a little warmth. Chocolate, nuts and caramel dominate the flavor.

Pure choco goodness. Chocolate aroma, strong dark licorice. Pours opaque black, tan head. Roastiness, chocolate and that licorice again. Somewhat astringent finish. Body is thin. An enjoyable pint.

Bottle. Sweet chocolate aroma, lots of roast and a hint of mocha, with some nice porterish dark chocolate and spritely, somewhat spicy hoppish hints. Black pour with a lovely, creamy, rocky light brown head. Dry, lightly bitter taste, roast and chocolate with just a touch of sweetish citric hops darting about. Not quite nutty, but there does seem to bit just a bit of (juniper? spruce?). Lightish body seems a bit watery at times but does not want for potency; dark and musky, almost smoky finish. Smooth feel with slight too-ripe fruit. Soft and gentle with a not-exactly complimentary spice, a little rubber with well-hidden alcohol. A winner.

50 cl bottle, batch#300, 2007. Dark brown color, brown head. Sweet roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, fruit. Complex, balanced and one of the great x-mas beers. Re-rate: From cask at Cardinal in Stavanger, 12.12.07. Very hazy, but fantastic aroma and flavor. Heaven!

Bottle from River’s Bend. Poured dark brown color with an average fizzy brown head that lasted and produced good lacing. Heavy complex toasted nutty malt and alcohol aroma. Medium to full body with a sticky texture. Heavy balanced nutty bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of long duration. This is a standout beer.

Nice beer. Pours an almost stout-like black with shade of brown, tannish brown head, sweet carmel aroma that seems a bit weak, the flavor made up for the aroma with a heated sugary carmel flavor and burnt sugar on the finish. I’d like to give this beer a higher rating but the nose lacked a bit.

(note: I drank this beer 8°C when recommended temperature is 12°C) 500ml bottle: Light brown head. Almost pitch black. Aroma is sweet roasted malts with fruity apricot like hint. Palate is nice, Sparkly at tongue, but vanhishes fast. Aroma is more with same apricot-fruity tone, roasted malt is on the background. Sweet, but not too sweet because of little bit bitterness at the end. 8% alc vol, warms you up, like beer of this season should. I think I now know what I’m drinking on "christmas table" (traditional food board served at Christmas in Finland)

21 oz. bottle labeled "Winter Ale." Very dark, essentially opaque, mahogany with ruby highlights and a generous creamy tan head with good durability and lace. Dark caramel, coffee, dark chocolate, roasted nut, and a hint of spruce in the aroma. Rich, medium/full body, light carbonation, some astringency, and a quite dry palate. An initial blast of dark malty sweetness is quickly supplanted by a burnt/roasty bitterness that brings on a long dry finish. When I see "Winter Ale" or some similar name, my expectation is something that’s all spiced up, but this is decidedly different. This is just a very good beer, no pretensions and no gimmicks