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Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon First Edition

 (RETIRED)
Percentile
100
overall
Formerly brewed at Nøgne Ø
Style: Imperial Stout

Grimstad, Norway

bottled
available

on tap
unknown

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
4104.22/5.04.2/5.0Special16%97.9Snifter
Commercial Description:
This is our first edition of Dark Horizon. It is the first, for us anyway. There will be more to follow, and even though they will be other editions, they will still be firsts. “Let’s go crazy!” said Tore. The last time he said that, we created #100, which proved to be a success. How could I not agree to his suggestion? “How crazy can we be?” I responded. “Go all the way!” he answered. So we started off with a beefed up Imperial Stout, extra dark and extra bitter, not much to it really, but maybe a bit over the top. When this brew had fermented, we gathered again on a sunny Saturday morning, ready for next move. Half a ton of demerara sugars and our homemade extract of coffee were waiting for us. Standing there with sticky sugars all over the brewery and us, I just couldn’t resist asking Tore: “Don’t you have better things to do during week ends?” To this point he still hasn’t answered me. After adding a hefty volume of wine yeast, we left this brew to itself for month. A good month, that was.

This is ale; it is also a wine, and a coffee drink. We’ve been playful and brewed a hybrid. Do yourself and your friends a favour and share this bottle with those you deem worthy. Dark Horizon is indeed a global brew. Inspiration from the US Midwest, malt from England, bottles from Germany, name from Japan, sugars from Mauritius, hops from the Pacific rim, Yeast from Canada, coffee from Colombia, brewed in Grimstad, Norway.

All bottles of Dark Horizon are numbered with its unique number, and all together we launched 6000 of this brew.

37 P, 75 IBU, 16% ABV.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Rastacouere (5552), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/56/103/514/20
Oct 29, 2007  
Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 4     Light Brown(1)->Pitch Black(5) : 5     Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 2
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 3   Off-White(1)->Dark Brown(5) : 2   Lasting: 2   Lacing : 2   Nitro : XX
Aroma:
Intensity : 4  
Yeast : 1   Bread : 2   Apple : XX   Tropical Fruits : XX   Ink : XX   Tar : XX   Olives : XX   DMS : XX
Malt : 5   Biscuity : 3   Burnt Toast : 3   Caramel : 2   Nuts : 3   Pumpernickel : XX   Cereals : 4   Coffee : 3   Dark Chocolate : 4   Vanilla : 3   Grapes : XX   Blackberries : 2   Cherries : XX
Hops : 3   Noble(1)->American(5) : 3   Leafy : 2   Floral : 2   Lemon/Lime : XX   Grapefruit : XX Orange : XX   Herbal : 1   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX
Notes :   Earth : 2   Wood : XX   Mint : XX   Smoke : 2   Soy : 2   Bourbon : XX   Anise : 2
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 5   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Sourness : 1   Lactic : 2   Bitterness : 3   Complex : XX   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 5   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 4   Clean : XX   Sharp : 3   Watery : XX   Oily : 2   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : 5   Mineral : 2   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: Dark malt monster, simply. Kind of a blend of World wide stout and expedition, but with more of the former, including the immense sweetness. Obviously aiming at being a sipper, but still feels inferior, to me, to their excellent regular Imperial Stout.


 Fin (3410), Merton, Oxfordshire, England
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/105/519/20
Oct 29, 2007  
Bottle in the company of Casey, Traci and Loz Pours black with a tan head that quickly disappears. This has a festive aroma that reminds one of Xmas I couldn’t quite point out the familiarity of it but it certainly wasn’t port or sherry I was getting maybe some dark burnt molasses hinting as Traci noted that it could be dark rum that I was getting? The flavour was quite staggering, whilst this really was a beast in terms of it’s strength it was so well crafted you just had to admire it for what it was, a truly world class beer. The stickiness coats the glass, and the fumes continues to waft as you take each sip totally bombarding the senses this is the drink equivalent of Raquel Welch in One Million Years BC, a thing of great beauty indeed maybe the presentation box should be a fur clad affair? Wonderful rich dark fruits, some quality chocolate the alcohol is there but never once intruding, I’ve got to stop writing and just savour this. This is up there with Westvletern 12, and is a quite staggering beer. Many, many thanks to Casey and Traci three great beers finishing with this quite legendary beauty, cheers.


 Doppelganger (1353), Dry County, Arkansas, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/59/105/518/20
Oct 28, 2007  
Bottle from henrikb--many thanks! Sipped this one with Traci, Fin and Loz, at our stout tasting. Murky black/brown pour, rough tan head coats the surface for a moment and then retreats into the fumes. And what fumes they are. Licorice, blue cheese, maduro tobacco. A surprisingly soft combination, and while there is some indication of the strength, this is by no means an aggressive or rough smelling beer. Flavor runs strongly to dark rich fruit: plums, caramelized raisins. Sour chocolate notes, rum, lovely mouth drying tannins that elegantly check the thick sweetness. A beer so full of flavor that sipping it by the teaspoon would still be utterly satisfying. Thanks again Henrik for a chance to try this!


 Ernest (4483), Boulder, Colorado, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/104/518/20
Oct 26, 2007  
500 mL bottle. Head is initially small, frothy, brown, fully diminishing. Body is opaque black (flashlight tested). Aroma is moderately to heavily malty (chocolate, caramel, roasted grain, coffee), with notes of vanilla, juniper, alcohol, earth, currant. Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly bitter, lightly acidic. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, creamy texture, soft carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Yeah, it’s that good. As some people have told me, it’s reminiscent of Bells Expedition (or DFHWWS on a good day). Elegant despite its size, and very rich. An Imperial that doesn’t clobber you, but doesn’t lack muscle either. Expedition is about as good, and cheaper in this country, though, so this is admittedly a tough sell due to the very high price tag ($21 or so in CO). But rest assured, it’s not a $40 drain pour like Baladin Xyauyu, and a single bottle can last you two nights. Worth trying without question, but for stocking up on? Too pricey for me.


 mgumby10 (1850), Jupiter, Florida, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/105/518/20
Oct 25, 2007  
Courtesy dsnowden. Thanks for sharing Cheeseman as always!! Pours pitch black, with a bubbly light tan head. Really rich looking. So far so good. Smells of big, rich chocolate, stinging alcohol notes, and dark malts and mild roast were noticeable as well. The mouthfeel was full, rich, and insanely intense. The alcohol seemed to pound away relentlessly the entire way through. The chocolate and dark malts were the most profound flavors, but the intensity of this beer was almost mind-numbing. The palate was incredible, andthe flavor was damn good as well. One of the more intense beers Ive tried and it did not disappoint. Thanks again Dan!!


ElTequila (1), Drobak, Norway
does not count click to see why this rating of Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon First Edition does not count
4.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/510/105/518/20
Oct 25, 2007  
A strong, wonderful, tasty beer. The typical Nogne O flavour and the exciting after taste does this to an unique travel. Of course the cofee must be of Columbian origin with its roasted bitterness. Sadly it sold out very fast, So let’s hope for a second edition very soon. An ale for special occations. It just made my day!


 mcbackus (740), Merritt Island, Florida, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/518/20
Oct 24, 2007  
bottle thanks to dsnowden: pours a very dark chocolate black with no head, but a bubbly line of tan around the edge. aroam is intense of esspresso, and roasted chocolate. a fantastic aroam of something i just cant figure out, possibly a vanilla bourbon, and fruit. this aroam comes right at you. flavour is very thick and comes at you also with some alcohol bourbon like, roasted esspresso ans some chocolate. pretty intense. and would like to revisit after it sits for a while, but very enjoyable.


 kkearn (999), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Oct 24, 2007  
500mL Bottle, #2216, from Capone’s (Norristown, PA). Poured deep black, with a moderate sized brown head. Sweet malt aroma, with chocolate, liquorice, vanilla and strong alcohol. Big roasted malt flavor, with notes of chocolate, herbs, brandy, prunes, and other dried fruits. Coffee was not as strong as I expected. Smooth body; little carbonation. Long finish, mostly sweet malt with some bittersweet chocolate. Tasty, but I think this may benefit from some time in the cellar.



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