Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

Rich chocolate and coffee aroma, dark malts and roasted barley. Pour very dark brown almost black, with a tan head. Strong hop flavor which surprises me, molasses, chocolate malts, sweet, with hints of pine resin from the hops. Pretty good winter beer! Even though i’m in florida and its over 90 degrees.

16.9 oz bottle purchased at Oak Tree. Pours a nice deep dark black with a super huge light brown foamy head. Aroma starts off very nice with notes of chocolate liquorice, mollasses, raisin, dark fruit, alcohol, roasted malts and grain. Medium to full bodied with good carbonation and some noticable alcohol warming. Flavor of chocolate, mollasses, grain, slight citrus. Really nice beer that leaves great lace and really "warms" you up.

Bottle @ RBESG2005. Some roastyness in the nose, quite spicy. Very dark brown body, small tan head. Fruity flavor, richly spiced, mainly cinnamon and likewise.

16.9 oz bottle. Dark brown with an oatmeal head. Vinous, woody morels. Molasses, cinnamon and mace. Taste is French Roast coffee and plum pudding. Medium body, light carb. Licorice finish with restrained bitterness.

50cl bottle from systembolaget. After kicking myself for not getting any Nøgne Ø while in Oslo, I headed straight to systembolaget and picked up this as a consolation, even though with prices in Norway, its probably cheaper here. I’m still trying to get my head around that one. Well, its beautiful out of the bottle, with a near black body and huge lasting tan head with plenty of lace as i make my way through. My first impression is imperial stout, but the aroma reveals belgian qualities, with a little roast and not as much yeast, sweet brown sugar, some peat, and some floral hops. The flavor is thick and sweet, with some chocolate, alcohol, and a nice hop bitterness to finish it off. The body is full and silky, with a little stickiness in the finish. This is a really good beer; it reminds me of a Belgian strong crossed with an imperial stout. Unique and pleasant. Now I wish that I had gotten more Nøgne ø in Oslo!

22oz bottle my neighbor brought over. Pours a rich, dark brown color with a small off white.beigish head. Nose is slightly metallic with rich nuts and toffee and some chocolate. Palate is fluffy. Flavors of coffee, light metal, caramel and toffee.

Pours next to black in color w/ a tall, fuming head. Even right out of the cold fridge, this thing pushes up a frothy fountain high into the sky. Hanging in there forever this one has some seriously sticky lacing. It’s leaves a full downy canopy and a fat island to ponder life upon. Aromas of roasted coffee and sweet malted herbs. Boasting a full oily body and texture, the carbonation is a tad modest. Fat blackened molases w/ a huge roast. Only mildly sweet, this brew is pretty intense. Roasted coffee bean w/ bit-o-pine spice, and herb. Black mocha pudding could describe this brew. There is a defined hop presence, yet only mildly, is effective. This brew is thick, chewy, and very warming. It’s the kind of brew you smoke w/ a fat cigar. The finish is generous and lasting w/ good bittering. Eat it with a knife and fork. Highly recommended.

Very dark pour, with a thick mocha head. Looks like a porter. Aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, and alcohol, and a tiny bit of hops. Flavour is thick, and loaded with roasted malt, and some caramel, but ends with a big alcohol wallop. A definitive sipper.