Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

Pours deep dark brown with red edges and weak light brown head. The aroma is light with seemingly roasted malts, sweeter malts and faint dark fruitiness. This beer tastes like a hybrid Porter – Imperial Stout but leaning much more on the Porter side of things. The biggest flavor note to start is burnt malts followed by chocolate malts and then a lighter amount of sweet malts and caramel. By midway a hint of dark fruitiness surfaces and is then run down as the malt flavors return. I notice a burnt malt and slightly caramel flavor left behind in the after taste.

(50cl bottle) Medium head atop an opaque brown-black body. Aroma is moderately sweet, raisin, roast, some chocolate, light candied orange. Taste is sweet, chocolate, roast/coffee, raisin, some candied orange. Creamy medium-full body, some stickiness.

Bottle: Dark brown, almost black, large foamy beige head, fairly sticky lacing.   Don’t see too many Norsk beers that look this good!   Rich roasted malt nose, slight charred wood, a touch of lactose like sweetness.   Perhaps a slight hint of some sort of spice, too little to pinpoint as of yet.   Roasty flavor, slight coffee bean, muted spices, perhaps a bit of that charred wood and ash.   Good malt base, the hop aspect is low.   Drinks like a really spiced up Porter.   Body and mouthfeel are average.   Clean finish, lingering lactose sweetness.   Pretty impressed!   I look forward to trying a few of their others.

This strong ale pours a deep brown color from a 500ml bottle. Medium to large sized white foamy head. Aroma is sweet and spicy, with lots of clove and some chocolate. Medium bodied Strong Ale. Malts are caramel and sweet, with lots of chocolate and dark fruit. Hops are earthy and floral. Spiced with cloves. Well balanced. Smooth tasting, Good XMAS beer. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Pours a hazy brown color with a tan head. Aroma is malty, slightly spicy. Flavor is watery, with some malts and spices

Bottle sampled on 3/12/07: Pours a nearly opaque with dark mahogany edges and a thin-lacing froth of dark tan head. Aroma of sweet earthy dark caramel malts with a touch of light spice. Body starts sweet and earthy with some sticky dark caramel and a drier lingering milk chocolate finish.

Bottle. "Winter Ale" Pours a beautiful black with brown highlights. Great nose: caramel, roasted coffee, roasted malt, caramel and nuts. Nice malty sweetness balanced by some hops. Finishes quite robust and dry. I really enjoy this brewery.

Bottle thanks to the Perfect 10 trade. Pours dark chestnut color with a light hazy head. Heavy aroma with minerals, maple and molasses. The flavor is immediately bitter with caramel and hints of unsweet chocolate. Notes of dark fruit are there but take a while to be noticed. Some semi-sweet notes an the finish. Dry finish with a full body. Good, but lacking the power and depth of my favorite American strong’s.