Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

bottle. Pours black with a 1 inch tan foamy head and some lacing. Aromas of dark cherries, figs, plums, and some roasted malts. Flavors of coffee, chocolate, dark fruits and roasted malts. There is definitely some heat from the alcohol on this one. Overall though very enjoyable.

50cl bottle. Definitely 2 ways to describe this beer: a longer and a shorter one. The longer: pours a dark brown color with a big brown head. Good lacing. Aroma is sweet and complex: notes of licorice, coffee, wood, dried fruits, orange peel. Taste is again mostly sweet, with molasses, roasted malts, coffee and hints of chocolate and spices. Cinnamon too. Full bodied and decent carbonation. Sweet but complex and enjoyable brew. The short way: coke+coffee. It should not, but it really works!

Bottle. Almost black with an offwhite lasting head. Aroma: Yeast, malt, spices, a little roasted, raisins and a little alc. Taste: Very hoppy but in a pleasant way. Good balanced by the spices and roasted malt. Really nice beer.

Bottle: Batch 366: Nice brown foamy head on top of an almost black beer. Smell liquorice, strawberry, hint of roasted malts, hint of yeast, light chocolate, rubber, spices, some dried dark fruits, raisin and a hint of alcohol. Taste liquorice, spices, little warmth of alcohol, light roasted malts, hint of caramel, light bitter and hint of some dark sweets, mostly liquorice.  Light grassy lighter liquorice smooth bitter aftertaste.  Low carbo and almost silky mouthfeel. Interesting brew.

UPDATED: MAY 15, 2011 500 ml bottle into tulip. A bit of a gusher bottle. Pours extremely dark brown color with a huge 2 finger tan head with incredible retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap that lingers for a bit. Aromas of tons of caramel, roasted malt, molasses, chocolate, and coffee. A bit of spicy and citrus hops as well. Taste of huge caramel flavors and molasses, with roasted malt and chocolate as well. Fairly low bitterness on the finish with lingering caramel and roasted flavor. Medium-full bodied with medium-low carbonation. Very nice and creamy mouthfeel. Overall an excellent brew, tasty and smooth.

75cl bottle in a private beer tasting. It pours a murky very dark brown-black liquid with a dark tan small-medium froth that lasts throughout the beer, leaving some lacing. The aroma has anisette, some distant floral hops and dark malts, with hints of chocolate (mainly) and a little coffee. It tastes less spiced, with lots of dark chocolate; very intense. A little fruitiness (dark friuts) can also be sensed. Sweet and with medium-high bitterness, it is medium-bodied with soft carbonation. It ends rather dry, and leaves an aftertaste similar to an espresso coffee. A very nice, warming brew for winter; I really enjoyed this one. Presentation is very smart and careful.

Bottle at Henrik Øl og Vinstove. Pours black with tan head. Aroma is roasted malts, dark fruit, chocolate and caramel. Flavor is chocolate, fruit, spice and some licorice with a sugar sweetness. (Rated offline 2011/04/13)

Dark brown/black pour with large tan head. Nose is rich with complex caramel malt, cinnamon and notes of chocolate. Lots of roasty malt and caramel notes. A little cinnamon and a little chocolate. Spiced yet smooth finish. Very well balanced and mild. Should be easy even for non-beer afficianados.