Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

Batch 96 - 2004. Deep brown/red - almost black. Brownish head that soon disppears. Lot of taste: Fruity, a bit spicy leaving a good, roasted malty aftertaste - that lasts. And the sedimentation: It’s mud - nicly clinging to the bottom. KI=6

Bottle shared with cgarvieuk. Pours really black with a whitwer head than expected. Aroma is really hoppy, grassy cirtus, lychee typical of nogne. Taste has hints of coffee, roasted barley with hints of citrus.

Bottle. Dark brown body with a tan thick head. Malty aroma with spicy notes. Chocolate and nuts is there as well. Flavour is chocolate, spices, dark fruit and hops. Its smooth and very well balanced.

The aroma was aromatic with chocolate and caramel. The caramel contained a light sweetness and a bready and biscuity presence. The beer poured into the glass clear black with an amber highlight and a tannish head which lasted to lace the glass. The flavor was nutty and chocolately with a winey character of dark fruits, namely raisins and prunes. The flavor also was nutty and bready and contained a light bit of roast which was never overpowering. The bittering was well achieved, but the malt characteristics ruled the day. The finish was dry with a lasting chocolate character lasting into the aftertaste. The body was medium-full with a moderate level of carbonation and a creamy texture on the palate. A really nice Strong Ale, more of a Porter, very smooth and interesting. 16.9 ounce bottle. Labeled as Winter Ale.

(500 ml bottle from Downeast Beverage (labelled as "Winter Ale"), cellared for 10 mos. after purchase) Pours very dark brown with some lighter brown highlights. One finger of fairly sturdy tan head that recedes to about 1/8” and stays. Sweetish aroma of coffee, chocolate and raisin. Mouthfeel rather soft and light but still meaty enough – not watery. Fairly smooth. Nice light weepy rings of lacing. Flavor is dark and bitter chocolate upfront along with coffee. Sweeter flavors of dark caramel, chocolate and raisin emerge more as it warms. A nice really tasty beer with a decent bit of interesting complexity. ABV well-hidden.

Sweet raisins with chocolate liqueur. Lots of malty sweetness in the flavour, and it really combines well with the aroma. A very good depth, and a lovely warming glow. Top notch

50 cl bottle, Fargo, ND, USA via Chicago. Deep opaque mahogany colour, thick illustrious head like a carpet on top of the liquid. Coffee, bitter chocolate and ink aroma, with caramel coming through on the first sip. Substantial sugar cane followed by liqorice, oak and a satisfying alcohol burn at the end.

"Winter Ale" bottle. Deep brown, nearly opaque pour with a frothy, cascading tan head. Molasses hits you right in the nose. Some roasted malt, earthy spice, and instant cocoa as well. Smooth taste of molasses, but blended nicely with the caramel and chocolate malt. The hops give it a porter-like balance, as well as a spiced quality. This is exactly what I want out of a winter warmer.