Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

The snowflakes on this Winter Ale bottle label were a slight departure from the stark Nøgne Ø bottles seen before. The beer came out dark brown, and formed a four finger thick beige head. The smell was a wonderful symphony of raisins, plum, chocolate, and hops. The taste was similar, and felt a little like biting into a chocolate coated rum raisin candy from a Christmas gift tin. The finish was a little astringent-roasty and presented some mouth drying hops. A bit small and coarse in the mouthfeel department. Another winner from the brewery that refuses to disappoint.

Fab, man, fab! Really interesting play on characteristics. Poured with a big foamy frothy tan head with lots a lace. Very dark brown. Sweet yet dry; luscious yet stark, and bittersweet even so. Lots of bitter chocolate, coffee, dark ripe fruit, heavy hops. Lots going on here. Superb beer. Long finish. Not a session beer. But that’s ok.

Bottle (500ml). As "Nøgne Winter Ale". Opaque deep reddish brown, solid lasting plug of tan foamy head (4.5 but hey why not 5?). Deep almost burnt roast grainy malt, heavy overtones of currants, raisins, figs, increasing alcohol, dark baker’s chocalate and molasses. The taste is THICK, bitter chocolate, burnt malt, background of tart fruit (more like cherry), the alcohol isn’t really detectable in the miasma of roast and bitterness. Thick, chewy body, almost viscous, mild carbonation, pretty intense bitter chocolate and syrupy malt - I’d call this a reduced stout, but whatever, another fantastic beer from this brewery - t’umbs up, baize!!

Dark brown with a red hue. Small beige, creamy head. Roasted aroma with a definite citrus nose from the hops employed.Flavour starts sweet, balanced by good bitterness. Nice and complex with hints of coffee and dark chocolate and some citrus fruits. Oily, full body. Delicious, not very unlike the Nøgne Ø Porter (and quite different from traditional Norwegian Christmas beer).

Bottled at Uptown. Dark brown with a nice brown head. Vinous aroma with sweet and roasted elements. Full-bodied with roasted and belgo-like sweet, warming flavor. Dark chokolate and coffee too. Bitterhops towards the end. Not the typical Norwegian christmas beer, but maybe that is why it is so good? Had it with traditional norwegian pork-based christmas-dishes, and it worked well, but it also go as a night-cap to digest all the food. (051103)

Bottle. Dark brown with huge dense long lasting pale brown head. Aroma of roasted malts and spices. I can´t remember the name of it. Taste roasted with lots of spices and some chocolate notes in the end. A very nice beer. And half price due to post christmas sales. Maybe not so much of a christmas ale.

Bottle via trade with The_Epeeist, thanks Chris! Pours a dark ruby/mahogony color eith a smallish tan colored head. Aroma is fruity, caramel, soem chocolate. Flavor is is dried fruit, sweet fruit, rasins, figs, caramel, toffee, coffee, chocolate. Palate is full bodied,, medium carbonation, finishes sweet and sticky. This is my first Nogne, and there will be many more for sure. This was a spectacular brew, with a rainbow of flavors, brilliant silky texture, and an punch of alcohol warmth. I drink it any day of the year.

So I finally found an opportunity to give this brew a proper test. No xmas atmosphere, however, as the snow is almost gone, the trees are getting green and the midnight sun has just returned to the Arctic. Anyway, the Norwegian Constitution Day had to be celebrated. I turned off the TV, put on the great music of Dinosaur Jr’s Beyond and got ready for the test which took more than two hours. I had three bottles, same ale but quite different batches. My ratings are based on an average of the three bottles. All were served at the right room temperature. The test turned out to be a rather heavy night-cap...
a) [Batch 96-27.07.2004] Brownish head that fades quickly. Deep dark brown body. Delicious aroma of milk chocolate. Well-rounded taste of vanilla and chocolate offset by a careful sourish touch. Hints of cinnamon, cloves and anise. Yeast and bitterness in a prolonged ending.
b) [Batch 176-14.08.2005] Marked piny aroma. Light brown head, short-lived. Very dark brown-tinged body. The emphasis is on pine needles, juniper and liquorice acidity. Added flavour of peppery notes and dark fruits culminating in malty bitterness. This batch is quite different in aroma and taste compared with a) and c)
c) [Batch 251-02.08.2006] Long-lived tan head and good lacing. Black-brown body. Smell of dark malts and sweet chocolate. Roasted malty depths in flavour supported by herbs, figs and a nutty touch leading to a dry bitter tail, and finishing off with warmth from the alcohol. Should be even more joyful on a dark xmas eve (17.05.2007).