Nøgne Ø God Jul

Brewed by Nøgne Ø
Style: American Strong Ale
Grimstad, Norway

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

Picked this up at Five Points Bottle Shop in Athens, Georgia. I cannot remember how much I paid for it. VERY carbonated. I had to suck the foam from the bottle, booooooh! Nice head color; off-white in apperance. Actually has a nice black color with a nice tan head. This is a very good looking beer. Huge sweet barley wine-type style aroma. This beer is very sweet and very aromatic. I wish it had more hops, but just a very caramel sweet malt aroma. The beer is very pugent. Smooth palate. A very smooth beer. A huge sweet malt flavor. Slight buttery taste. This beer is pretty good, just expect a very sweet/malty taste.

Bottle pours dark and opaque with dense, beige colored head. The aroma smells of dark chocolate, mixed nuts, cigar ash, and dark fruit. The chocolate is extremely present in the flavor, also showing notes of cola and cinnamon. The overall mouthfeel is slick and oily with a sweet approach and slightly bitter finish. Good beer, anytime of the year!

Bottle courtesy of Cheeseman. A nice representation of what a Holiday beer should be! Pours a clear dark mahogany. Aroma is sweet, with chocolate, pipe tobacco, and dark fruits. Flavor is butterscotch, dark rum, chocolate.

Pours a fluffy, tan head that laces with a dark brown body. Aromas of roasted malt, molasses, herbal, hint of smoke. Flavors of roasted malt, molasses, mint, sage, slightly spicy, some smokiness. Finish is dry, lasting dark flavors.

THOUGHTS: Quite good and particularly beautiful. Very malty and chocolaty with a perfect blend of hops that make it almost seem like there were spices involved. Not extremely Christmasy, but a nice, malty and slightly warming beer. A bit like those chocolate oranges I used to get for Christmas. A great beer. It really does go well with chocolate chip cookies. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brown that was nearly black in the glass, but glowed reddish brown in the light and looked like a dark wood stain. It also had an average, tan head that mostly diminished and left fair to good lacing. The aroma was moderate to heavy, roasted malt, caramel and chocolate; light to moderate pine, resin and orange hops; hints of smoke; toffee, hint of butterscotch; light alcohol, dark fruit and tobacco. The initial flavor was sweet; while the finish was very sweet, light to moderately bitter and acidic with a long duration. There was caramel, chocolate syrup, slight butterscotch, toffee, molasses, oranges, orange hops, pine hops, roasted malt, hints of coffee, dark fruit and slight soy sauce. The medium body was a bit syrupy , but oily and then a little dry with tingly carbonation and a slightly alcoholic and lightly metallic finish.

Bottle from Port Carlsbad bottle shop: Started foaming over as soon as I poped the cap. Jet black with an initial medium, but fast fadeing light brown head. Aroma is dark chocolate with a hint of licorice. Flavor starts black coffee followed by dark chocolate, licorice and nuts with a light dry, lightly hoppy finish. Medium body is rich and creamy with moderate-lively carbonation.

Found this in a bomber bottle at Binny’s in St. Charles, Illinois. Very thick, opaque dark brown pour with a thick, tan head. Awesome nose of roasted almonds, cherry, raisins and black licorice. Flavor is just as good, with some spiciness, huge amounts of chocolate and coffee malts, and some smokiness. No alcohol in the finish; I had no idea how strong this beer was until it had already knocked me on my butt. This was outstanding.

Glad that this came after Peculiar at my holiday tasting, as this is certainly the more superior beer. Pours charcoal black with an inviting brown head. Loaded with molasses, roasted coffee, pine, and fruit cake. Great depth and warmth.