Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

500 ml, "God Jul" version. ("Winter Ale" version for 2009 update). Huge head fizzes out of the bottle on this opaque black beer; settles down and lasts well with some nice frosty lace. (Winter Ale version head was much more tame - even better!) Chocolate, evergreen, juniper, vanilla, orange-caramel and slight hickory on the nose. Front taste is spicy orange, cocoa, dark-roasted nuts and coffee balanced well by some earthy-spiced whiskey and toffee. Charred mesquite and bitter-grass herbs catch up and finish strong, leaving a cured tobacco, charred oak, whiskey and peanut aftertaste. Medium-heavy body is roasty dryish, and drinkably smooth with some light tingle. Super complex brew. God Jul indeed!

Ooohh!! This is rich, this is powerful stuff. Once I got the top off the bottle it started foaming over the top. I quickly directed it down an old english pint I bought on Ghuznee Street, Wellington 18 years ago. It filled with coffee (not american, real!) colored aromatic stuff, crowned buy a thick foamy layer of tinted, airy ale. Head! That’s it. That’s an ale head, I finally grasp the meaning of it. I had a quick sip and offered one to my wife. She said Ooohh!! just like I had felt myself. So much aroma, so many flavors, so dense, so christmassy (it’s February now) ... so ...MUCH! This is an exceptional beer. You find all the usual christmas spices, but there is also a clear hint of resin and bog myrtle. It is good enough to just sip, and it just get better as it slowly approaches room temperature (I started it too cold - I know). I’ll have this with a sturdy meal with pork or brussel sprouts, or on its own just for pleasure, or with saffron cookies or marsipan bread, or a Västerbotten cheese, or anything else that can match its heavy generous amount of straightforward flavors. But first of all I hope I’ll have it again. And again, and again.................. I’m in love.................. I long for next Christmas.................

Found this in a bomber bottle at Binny’s in St. Charles, Illinois. Very thick, opaque dark brown pour with a thick, tan head. Awesome nose of roasted almonds, cherry, raisins and black licorice. Flavor is just as good, with some spiciness, huge amounts of chocolate and coffee malts, and some smokiness. No alcohol in the finish; I had no idea how strong this beer was until it had already knocked me on my butt. This was outstanding.

Maybe one of the best Christmas beers last year. Flavor is dominated of roasted malt, liqourice, coffee, chocolate and nuts. Quite complex beer overall, and defintely enjoyable. Maybe 50 cl is a bit over the top, but I had no problem enjoying it. 080827: Oh... this is amazing. I had a bottle from 2007 (bottled august last year) and it had aged beutiful. Not that roasty as I remebered, and much more balanced with a amazing palate. Aroma is a bit smokey with some chocolate. Flavour is chocolate, fudge, some coffee, nice hoppy taste of grapefruit. Maybe even the best beer from Nögne.

American Strong? Hmm.....More like an imperial porter, but why start up that argument on Christmas. Pours a dark, earthy brown and has so much head I was afraid I was going to make an awful mess. Roasty notes and coffee dominate the nose, with a delicate sense of warm, winter spices in the background. The flavor is great. Just amazing. Lots of espresso and chocolate and just enough nutty sweetness/bitterness to make the finish spectacular. Full bodied and oily in my mouth. GREAT beer for Christmas day.

[bottle from gareth young] very dark colour, small head. Aroma of caramel and a hint of dark chocolate. Dry bitter finish.A charming little beer.

Bottle. 4/11-05. Dark red, with a big creamy foam. Aroma of coffee and dark chocolate. Full body and long nice finish.One of my favorits at this brewery.

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.