Nøgne Ø Saison

Brewed by Nøgne Ø
Style: Saison
Grimstad, Norway

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.

A gift from my friend Audra. 22oz bottle, pink label. 14°P, 25 IBU, 6.5% ABV. Hazy golden color. Thin white head. Aroma of freshly proofed bread.dough. Flavor is rich malts, wheat, yeast. Bready. Very dry finish w/ a chewy medium body. Very rich, somewhat complex body. Ultimately refreshing & enjoyable. A+

Nice and Spicy. A great representation of the style! Ginger and Cinnimon. Crisp finish. Belgian-esque esters.

Hazy golden yellow color, not a very large head. Aroma is spicy, your typical peppery saison aroma, with a touch of citric hops. Flavour is very smooth. Beautiful notes of orange, lemon. The peppery flavour of a typical saison is there, but is nice and mellow, it doesnt hit you over the head like some other saisons. Wow, this is incredibly drinkable. Wicked Saison.

Bottle (on several occasions). Hazy golden with enormous off-white head dragging fat sticky laze. Fairly funky aroma of citrus, bakers yeast, marmalade and something grassy. Flavor is dominated by fruits and a salty note underscoring the funkiness in the aroma. Fairly sweet and "trippleish" but still with a dry finish. Some more spiciness would have been nice, though. Smooth sparkling mouth feel. Tasted this alongside Dupont Biologique, which was nice, but not as nice as this Norwegian. Thirst quenching and yet complex.

Extremely dense, this Saison pours a thick-hazed amber body beneath a wet head of white soap suds. Yeasty aroma, cheesish and lemony. Mild cardamom and pepper. An aroma which makes my mouth water. Gorgeous meld of flavors runs from sweet to tart with herbal bitterness to temper and finish. Thick bodied, smooth, fluffy... long-lasting on the palate and quite satisfying. Rather than drinking this on a hot summer day (as suggested in the commercial description), might I suggest to wait until the cooler days of fall to enjoy this in the true spirit of the Saison-style? I’m certainly happy that I did.

Since I can no longer provide you with an extremely helpful html link to the bottleshop’s RateBeer page, I will simply mention that I bought this pint bottle about a month ago at Kenwood Liquors in Oak Lawn, IL.

16.9oz bottle. Wow, underrated. Pours a slightly hazed lighter golden with a nice wispy white thick froth, gorgeous 4.5. Aroma is airy, fruity, crisp hoppy, lightly sweet candied wheat, little bubble-gum, urinal cake, lots of Belgian yeast character. Flavor follows aroma, haven’t come across something like this in almost a year, quite hoppy, candied wheat, very herbal, dry bread and grass, fruity, lots of Belgian yeast, finishing very dry with lingering bitterness 8.5. Great mouthful, slightly chalky with fine tingly carbonation and very even feel, medium bodied leaving the mouth quite dry. Very impressive. It’s hard to believe this isn’t loaded with coriander... maybe they forgot to add it to the ingredient list? This really is delicious and a great a fantastically well brewed beer.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 4     Pale Yellow(1)->Copper(5) : 2     Still(1)->Volcanic Sparkling(5) : 3
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 4     Lasting: 3     Lacing : 3
Aroma:
Intensity : 4  
Yeast : 4   Bread : 3   Dough : XX   Esters : 3   Phenols : XX   Dusty : XX   Spicy : 3   Apple : XX   Banana : 1   Tropical Fruits : XX   Brett : XX   Barnyard : 3   Leather : XX   Wood : 1   Vinous : XX   Cheese : XX   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX Sulfur : XX
Malt : 3   Pilsner : 4   Pale : XX   Vienna : XX   Biscuity : XX   Toasty : XX   Hay : 2   Caramel : XX   Honey : 2   Cereals : 2   Grainy : 3   Wheat : 3
Hops : 3   Noble(1)->American(5) : 1   Leafy : XX   Perfume : XX   Orange : 1   Floral : 3   Lemon/Lime : XX   Herbal : 1   Grassy : XX   Piney : XX
Notes : Pepper : 3   Cloves : XX   Coriander : XX   Ginger : XX   Orange : 2   Earth : XX   Vanilla : XX   Oxidation : XX   Bubblegum : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 2   Sourness : 2   Acetic : XX   Lactic : XX   Bitterness : 3   Farmy : 3   Complex : 3   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 3   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 3   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : XX   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : XX   Mineral : XX

Comments: A gorgeous Saison with an exquisite firm, natural and yet crisp palate. Expertly extracted pils malts, bright and lively Dupont-like hops that I assume to be EK Goldings. Beautiful, authentic yeast and a most balanced attenuation level, leaving an ample body and yet a gradually drying out finale. Complex, unspiced and remarkable. I think it’s my favourite from the brewery.