Nøgne Ø Saison

Brewed by Nøgne Ø
Style: Saison
Grimstad, Norway

500mL bottle, courtesy of argo0. Thanks, Aaron! Pours a milky, murky whitish color; thin white head. Pleasant citrus, doughiness and yeast in the aroma; a decent hoppiness. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: pleasant citrus / mineral hoppiness with a solid yeasty and doughy core; plenty of yeast and dry citrus in the finish.

Bottle. Unclear medium orange color with a small to average, fizzy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white to white head. Aroma is light malty, toasted, moderate hoppy, citrus / grapefuit, moderate yeasty, fruit acidic. Flavor is moderate sweet, acidic and bitter with a average to long duration. (Fruit acidic). Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. (101107)

Pours a pale golden color w/ a two finger head. Good head retention reducing to a fluffy ring and a clumpy, sticky canopy that lingers. Aromas of biscuit malts and very pretty spice. Medium full nectar w/ perfect carbonation. Texture is like oil on velvet. This brew really hits the spot. Perfectly balanced malt body w/ a persistant spicey hop component that allows the flavor to show beautifully. Only mildly fruity and peacefully spiced w/ corriander singing a delightful song while the others clap in time. Lemony citrus, vanilla bean, tropicals. The finish is bittered by the peachpit factor leaving me ready for another sip. Strong flavors in balance making this one very enjoyable brew true to it’s heritage. Highly recommended.

Poured from a 500 ml bottle. Light gold appearance; mostly clear. Pungent, pear juice and salty cheese aroma; some chlorine, fluoride, and butterscotch strangeness leading into a sweet recovery of almonds and pistachio oils. Seems to betray itself a little by highlighting those more bizarre suggestions of its herbal character. Crisp and bitter flavor of dry grasses, more fluoride and mint, and rained-upon foliage and flower petals. Quite clean, with nuances that are too light or tangential, though it retains good character. Thin to medium in the mouth; being taut and overstretched, the herbal notes seem to pull it toward imbalance, though this never quite occurs. Sweetness in melted butter and sugar in a warming finish. Reasonable. Thanks for sharing, Aaron!

Pours a clear golden bronze with a wispy, thin-lacing white head. Fruity nose of ripe apples and peaches. Spicy and light fruity flavour coriander, clove, nutmeg and white pepper. Light sweet and light citrusy bitter with notes of orange peel and a touch of lemon. Hop bitterness finish.

Bottle from Knightly Spirits. Thanks for holding this one for me, Alan. Looks like lemonade or very watery orange juice when it’s poured. Foamy off white head, mostly lasting, some lacing present. Nose is very odd, reminiscent of hair perm chemicals or nail polish, I can’t decide which, and I am ashamed that I know what those smell like. Also get some nice yeasty notes, along with citrus - grapefruits and oranges, mostly - assorted spices and a slight soapiness. Flavor improves on the nose, thankfully dropping the chemical notes, leaving behind a pretty good, if a bit reserved, Saison. Light bodied, very fun to swirl around the mouth. Finish is short, but full of spice and fruits. Could be very interesting with a little age on it. Hopefully I will have a few more chances along the way to sample this one.

Bottle: Hazy gold, bright white head and lacing. Nose of tart bright yeast, tons of citrus, nice grass and hop, plenty of light sulfur, bright yeast, decent tail with the yeast. Good saison, but not Belgian at all.

Yellow straw. Finely woven white froth lethargically settles and disperses. Good retention. Bright notes of candied lemon zest, peppery yeast, honeydew melon, and fresh hay line the aroma. Herbal whispers underscore the flowery hops. Subtle scents of sourdough, pineapple and banana. Firm yet creamy carbonation. Quite soft and succulent in flavor, and brightly flowery from the start. Beautifully dense with a polished fruitiness and banana tinged yeastiness which binds to the starchy malt and bolsters the body. Yeast generates notes of spicy clove and black pepper which penetrate the ever so slight wetness with precision. Compact medley of flowers and coarse herbs tease the palate with a pleasingly refined bitterness. Spicy phenols gently crackle in the background, but the borderline-flabby body largely obscures them. Malts are well-textured (soft, full and dusty) despite the mild graininess, and contribute understatedly sweet notes of honey-drizzled hay. Wheat also lends a pleasant twang which further boosts drinkability. Vibrant honeydew intermittently flashes its luster beneath the profusion of flowers and herbs. Residual sweetness becomes overpowering as the temperature approaches 60F. Finishes rather wet and coriander-laden, with a sweet wafery quality amplifying the sweetness. Shows LOTS of promise, given the delicate acidity and wide array of other subtleties. Unfortunately by the end of the bottle, the pepper becomes fatiguing, as does the sweetness. Solid rendition.