Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

Courtesy of Marsiblursi. 50 cl bottle. Perfumey alcohol and spice dominate the aroma. It’s somewhat harsh really like a faint whiff of acetone. The body is a deep brown and holds fairly lasting thumb thick tan head. Sweetened pumpernickel, spice and lightly roasty with a soft mouthfeel and a very mild spice/alcohol heat.

Bottled. Almost black coloured with a brownish head. Roasted and malty - some sweetness from various spices. A bit yeasty.

Bottle. Pours unclear dark brown with a fingerthick light brown head. Aromas of roasted malt, spices, yeast and alcohol. Taste is dark malt, dark chockolate, licorice with a dominant hopbitterness. Lingering bitter finish. Very nice!

black with a large creamy brown head. big hoppy aroma with some chocolate, caramel and coffee. flavor is a good blend of many flavors. lots of chocolate/coffee, some sweet buttery caramel, and a pretty big hop addition. medium bodied. bittersweet. nicely done as usual from the norwegian fellers.

Bottle at HDG. Deep dark brown in color with a nice reddish brown head that leaves a nice lacing. Chocolatety dark fruity aroma. Plums, raisins and fig notes. Malty and chocolate flavor. Medium bodied. Well balanced beer. Smooth tasting. Finish is chocolatey. Very nice beer.

Deep brown with auburn hues. Delicate pour generates a voluminous and rocky cap of froth. Nose is cleanly lined with an array of malt-derived subtleties reminiscent of tobacco, charcoal, black chocolate, and toasted bread. Quite lively with airy esters fused with relaxed plum, anise, and raisin notes. Fluffy and expansive on the palate. Airy and spicily estery, initially, yet densely chocolaty and teasingly malty-sweet. Brisk flash of charcoal acidity briefly tempers the sweetness before giving way to a soft and lush bed of deep-rooted malt. Although the succulent core is bolstered by juicy hops, the hop character is entirely devoid of brashness or acidity. Chalky bitterness imparts dryness while underscoring the perceptible yet wonderfully composed citric-tinged hop bitterness. Stacks of rich complexities and pillowy textures, coaxed cleanly from the malt, link up with a tangy twinge of black licorice and plums which underscores the sophisticated malt profile. Finished deceptively sweet due to the clean attenuation and snappy malt accents, with a peppery estery bite which dovetails with a note of chocolate pudding and pine needles. The vast majority of American breweries could learn a thing or two from Nøgne Ø, as this particular beer features the classic combination of high-alpha “C” hops yet contains absolutely none of the typical dirtiness, brashness or overt acidity found in such styles like American Strong Ales with similar hop formulas. In fact, in a blind tasting you’d be hard pressed to peg any of these hops as being American. Really good beer.

Ha! I guessed it would be classed under American Strong Ale at first whiff, and I was right! Hooray for me! Duh. Anyway, big complex aroma that features quite a bit of malt and hops, Chocolate, nuts (toasted almonds, pecan pie), some roasted malt, and resiny grapefruit hops that are a touch sweaty. I like how they are definitely present but do not overpower the rich malt aromas. Creamy smooth palate, with a roasted chocolately nutty flavor, with only mild sweetness balanced by a mild resiny hop component at the edges, all leading into a semi-dry smoky, ashy finish. Wonderful. Dark reddish brown appearance, thin head.

Dark brown in colour, rich lingering tan coloured head, good lacing. The aroma is very earthy, burnt and toasty, caramel and chocolate malts, liquorice, nutty and spicy. The flavour is quite sweet but not overpowering, some molasses, light smoke, good roast, caramel, chalky chocolate. Mildly bitter mouthfeel, medium/large body, medium carbonation. Finishes long, light alcohol warmth, light spice, bitter. Excellent winter warmer, great balance with good sweetness. The alcohol only makes an appearance at the very end.

500ml bottle from the <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/new-york target=blank>Premier Gourmet in Buffalo, New York graciously picked up for me by <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?U target=blank>IPFreely, many thanks Tim.
Opened on June 1, 2007.
No best before date.