Nøgne Ø # 100 (Batch 100)

Pours pitch black with only the slightest of mahogany edges when held to a light source and a massive three finger frothy, pillowy coffee colored head. Excellent retention, only slowly fading into a thick cap that coats the glass with chunks of soapy lacing. Very malty aroma with deep roasted coffee bean, hazelnut, chocolate and sweet alcohol notes. There are also some subtle hops but I’m really surprised so far how malt this beer looks and smells. Much more like a stout than barleywine. The motuhfeel is extremely rich, resinous and chewy and the flavor is again dominated by a strong malt character. Lots of roasted chocolate malt, coffee bean, hazelnut and sweet alcohol. Again, some subtle hops shine through but this beer is extremely malty with plenty of roasted notes. There is a bit of sweet alcohol flavor and warmth but overall the alcohol is excellently masked resulting in an extremely drinkable beer. To me this beer is much closer to an Imperial Stout than a barleywine in pretty much every aspect.

Brown with a small beige head. Rather hoppy on the nose with a underlaying dark malt layer of caramell, chocolate and some esters. Flavour is similar with additional chocolate and a fairly hoppy finish. Not really a I/DIPA at all but at the same time a rather weird barleywine.

Dark brown, much darker than most barleywines I’ve come across. A rather small tanned head settles into small lacings after a while. Quite an impressive smell. Lots of chocolaty malts mixed with fading yet prominent hop notes of grapefruit and pine-needles. Big notes of caramel as well, and hints of dark fruits (cherries), dust and fudge. Although the hops makes for a quite lively smell, it’s still on the heavy and dense side. Well, what do you know, the taste is actually really good. Sweet malty caramel flavors quickly leave room for citric hop notes with a grapefruit character. Hints of floral hops as well. A pleasant chocolate character coats the other aromas from start to finish. Nøgne Ø’s distinct house character is noticeable. The finish is very bitter with lots of hop aromas, minerals and a hint of wood. The bottle I sampled is over a year old, so the hops have probably faded considerably, but here is still lot of hop excitement going on and the beer as aged well. Rather full-bodied with a very smooth texture. A very tasty beer with an interesting combination of sweet malty flavors of an English barleywine and generous amounts of American hops. Also, the prominent chocolate flavors add a little extra to the brew. Serving type: bottle (Copy of old Beer Advocate review)

Bottle. Pours a dark hazy brown body with small white head and great lacing. The aroma is hop and wheat - an interesting combo. The taste is strong! Flavors of floral hop, chocolate, and slight wheat.

bottle - Pours hazy dark amber with a dense, lingering, light tan head that leaves heavy lacing. The aroma is of malt with caramel and dark fruit. It tastes of sweet malt with toasted caramel and ample hops bitterness. The finish is bitter and lasting with some alcohol. Nice brew.

Pours a deep black with a lovely dense head. Then having a sniff, I don’t know how you can get a better nose, I may be proved wrong in the future but for me this nose has everything, power & complexity. There is this deep malt with toffee & drinking chocolate & underneath lies this terrific floral perfume with a touch of fruit & lychees. The palate is round & silky, conditioning is good, the flavours are great too, dark fruits, some sweetness, liqourice & then good balancing bitterness.

50 cl bottle. Dark brown to ruby colour. Massive and thick head is creamy and looks awsome. The aroma has loads of hops and sweet maltiness. Hop profile is fruity(mango, lemon). Resiny pine needles in the aftertaste. Slighy roasted and chocolatey malt base. Sweet and a bit creamy toffee cuts some of the bitterness of the finish. Very long and hoppy aftertaste. Full bodied and syrupy thich mouthfeel. Biting bitterness in the finish. Good stuff but a few months in the cellar might make it even better.

23/10/2009. 750ml bottle, shared, at Hashigo Zake. Hazy chestnut (though it’s dark in there and hard to tell). Light tan head. Burnt sugar toffee and resinous hops. Herbal. Solid, pleasant, but unspectacular.