Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

"Winter Ale", 19 ºP, 30 IBU, 8%ABV. 22oz bottle. Pours opaque dark brown. Aroma of dark malts, chocolate. Nice chocolate flavors. Flavor is rich malt backbone. Very Balanced.

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.

Pours with a deep red body topped by a meidum thick, light brown head with some lacing. It’s sweet and malty with a touch of alcohol esters and a piney hop note. Medium to full bodied and slightly warming.

Bottle from Sam’s Quik Shop in Durham, NC. Gusher alert! Very dark pour with a medium head and decent retention. Deep aroma with notes of chocolate, toffee and rum soaked fruit. Very complex taste. Roasted malt aroma with caramel, chocolate, rye, hop bitterness, port and a little bit of smoke. Definitely on the shopping list next time I get down to NC!

Bottle: Poured a deep black color ale with a big foamy head with good retention. Aroma of medium bitter roasted malt with some subtle spices. Taste is reminiscent of a porter with some spices and light chocolate notes with a medium hoppy finish. Body is above average with some medium carbonation and a nice creamy texture. I thought this beer was well balance throughout but would have enjoyed a bit more emphasis on spices.

Poured a brownish color, ok initial head, decent retention, weak lacing. The aroma was nuts, chocolate, even some coffee. The flavor followed suit, some cocoa-chocolate notes, nuts for sure, and an un-named spice I couldn’t put my thumb on. A touch of astringency made this a little off in my book, light mouthfeel, slight acidity.

500 ml bottle from Pizza Port. Dark brown with a fizzy tan head. Chocolate and spice aroma and taste with some nice vanilla and caramel notes to the finish.

Deep, dark mahogany body with crimson highlights. Small, asymmetrical, bubbly khaki head. Minimal sudsy lace. The aroma is rich, robust, and inviting with darkly roasted caramel malts, dark chocolate, coffee, oak, and hazelnut liquor showing through. The taste is exactly what a winter warmer should be. Rich, creamy coffee blends smoothly with bittersweet chocolate, burnt oak, dark caramel, hazelnuts, and a touch of vanilla. Very earthy in its use of wood and nut flavorings. Some piney hops show on the back end, adding bitterness. Well balanced, and not too sweet. Substantial body. Very smooth. Lingering, dry roasted finish. A nice, warming, roasty slow sipper. Great beer.