Nøgne Ø # 100 (Batch 100)

Pours black with a 2-finger light beige head. Really nice lacing as well. Has a nose of floral hops and a little bit of fruity undertones, but it is really light and understated. Achieves being very sweet and bitter simultaneously. Some chocolate and caramel maltyness, but leaves a huge piney bitter taste on the tongue. One of the best bodied beers I’ve ever had. I want to eat it with a spoon.

16.9 oz. bottle from Liquid Solutions - Pours a brown color with a huge light tan head. Well it took about 5 minutes for the head to settle enough to start drinking the beer. Thick lacing. Aroma is light toasted malt and lightly spiced hops. Flavor has that sweet Maris Otter taste. Nicely balanced this the spicy, herbal flavor of the hops. Very smooth. Full body. A very nice beer.

Bottle: Dark chestnut colored pour wtih a large, creamy beige head. Thick lacing. Malty and citrus filled aroma with bits of pine. Piney and citrus hops blend with some chocolatey maltiness. Bits of roast and a little candied sugar. Smooth and creamy with a nice warming sensation. I wish I would have known this was an IIPA rather than a BW so I could have tasted it fresher. Still, quite nice.

Bottled. My label says "Barley Wine Style Ale" under the "#100." Beer is very dark brown, nearly opaque. Head is large, tan, frothy/creamy. Diminishes steadily but mostly lasts. High bridges of lacing stick on the glass.<P>The aroma’s initial impression is a varied hop bouquet growing in a garden of earthy malts. Malty with moderate notes of toasted grain, lighter note of toasted bread crust; Hoppy with moderate-to-heavy notes of resin/pine, grapefruit oil, moderate dried apricot, herb, light lemony grassy notes; Yeasty with a light-to-moderate note of deep cellar; Light woodsy note of frail raisin, pepper.<P>The flavor is forceful. Moderately sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter with a long, heavily bitter, lightly-to-moderately acidic, lightly sweet finish. Aftertaste grips lightly and lingers on and on.<P>The body is full, the texture is watery-to-syrupy and the carbonation is average.<P>Very much a IIPA. A nice example, but still doesn’t sway my dislike for a lot of hop in my step.

16.9 oz. bottle. Pours a dark brown with a moderately large, long-lasting, dense head that left very nice lacing as it receded. Very pleasant fruity aroma with lots of caramel and some alcohol notes as well. The flavor is caramel up front followed with some fruit and a bit of pepper. Bitter finish with a definite warming from the alcohol also present at the finish. Very good.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown colour with a beige head. At first I did not get all that much on the nose - but after a while the aromas opened up - dried fruits (raisins), malt, some spices and liquorice. Flavour is quite sweet and complex - dried fruits, peppery alcohol, malt, spices and salt (which made me think of moist snuff). A good amount of bitterness. The finish is quite dry, roasted and salt. Good one!

This dark brown ale poured with a fluffy tan head. The flavor is malt and toffee with a chalky slightly bitter peppery finish. This beer is not sweet enough to be considered a barleywine, as clarified in the Editor’s note. However, it is an excellent double IPA.

Pours a black color with off white head. Aroma is rich caramel, alcohol and toffee. Taste is has a spicy hoppiness to it with the usual barleywine suspects, caramel, alcohol and toffee. Slighty fruit and peppery. Finally, something decent from Nogne.