Nøgne Ø # 100 (Batch 100)

Brewed by Nøgne Ø
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Grimstad, Norway

American strong ale for sure but does it qualify if its not made in America? I would say so- especially since one of the best Baltic Porters was brewed in New Jersey. The style is just that- style, not geography. Onyx colored with a creamy head that laces thickly on the side of the glass. My first thought is arrogant bastard- dark and sweet malt with chocolate and tobacco tones followed by a wallop of needly, citrus hops. Missing the transcendence of a Stone creation but well made.

Pour is dark brown with off-white head. Nose is hoppy with some roasted aromas. Flavor is hoppy with plenty of citrus. Some caramel as well. Finish is bitter. Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, somewhat sticky, and smooth. Good IIPA or BW - which ever this is.

500. Thanks so much, Maria! Wow, this is an amazing beer. Pours grainy, cloudy-ish dark brown, nearly black and certainly opaque. Thinnish whitish film of a head. Huge sweet caramel and chocolate nose, very candy bar like. Nice medium body with very, very soft carb (not flat, but close). Swirling dark fruit, brown bread, chocolate, caramel, and then bitter creosotey hops. Bitter, clingy finish. Amazing stuff.

Labeled as "Barley Wine Style Ale", 1 pint .9 oz bottle pours dark brown with a giant head that hangs on for quite some time with thick lace sheets. The aroma is of understated grapefruit being peeled in a pine forest on a bright sunny day. The flavor ranges from sweetness, to bready malts, to piney hops, with some ale fruitiness dancing around. It tastes like I can also detect some coffee, chocolate, vanilla in there too. Wow, I am a fan of the IIPA style, but this is not an IIPA. However, this beer works wonders and defies style. I really like the understated bitterness that allows some of the other less IPA like ale flavors to shine through. The palate is rich and fills the mouth well. This is a good beer, a very good beer. Eminately quaffable!

This pours a cloudy very (almost surprisingly) dark brown with beige head. The aroma is raisiny with some sweet spiciness and brown sugar. The flavor is caramel, herbal and lemony hops, and a sticky smokiness in the finish.

Poured from a 500ml bottle, and served in a tulip. The label on the bottle said "Barley Wine". This brew poured a dark brown color with a large, rocky, dark tan head. Some very thick, sticky lacing was left behind. The aroma of the beer consisted of piney/citrus hops, light chocolate, and also a bit of caramel. The flavor was made up of chocolate, french roast coffee, and light pine. The mouthfeel was full-bodied and thick and creamy with light carbonation. I am still not sure what to think of this beer. I would not describe it as a barley wine or an IPA. It was definately not as hoppy as a normal double IPA, but at the same time, it also lacked the complexity of a fine barley wine. The flavor almost came across like a hoppy stout. The best way I can describe it is as a high alcohol stout with a very bland flavor. It sure seems like a candidate for the American Strong Ale category. A bit disappointing, to say the least.

Pours a deep brown almost bordering on black with a large foamy/bubbly tan head that left tons of lacing. Aroma of orange, pine, dark fruits, toffee, caramel and floral notes. Flavors of toasted malts, coffee, nutes, pine, grapefruit, hop flavor and bitterness, tobacco, dark fruits, caramel and some cocoa.

It says "Barley wine style ale" on the label. Very dark burgandy, wuth a beige head. Interesting aroma - coffee and caramel, mostly. Flavor is herbal, earthy, and notes of coffee and pipe tobacco and leather. In a good way, of course. Thanks to Springslicker for bringing this to the tasting.