Nøgne Ø God Jul

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

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

Perfectly balanced ale with medium spice burden. Unlike many other Christmas ales this one is not too sweet and has a wonderfully hopped ending giving it a dry finish. Very nice!

Pours a lot darker than I thought it would - very deep, dark brown with a tan head. Really nice aroma - dark fruits, some caramel and spices - this is certainly a winter ale. Very sweet, but it’s still well rounded. Really sweet flavor, adding a bit of molasses, some roasty coffee notes and a hop bitterness to keep it just crisp enough. I almost think this should be even more than 8.5% to counter how sweet it is, but I’m certainly enjoying it - smooth as butter. A great winter ale.

50cl bottle from systembolaget. After kicking myself for not getting any Nøgne Ø while in Oslo, I headed straight to systembolaget and picked up this as a consolation, even though with prices in Norway, its probably cheaper here. I’m still trying to get my head around that one. Well, its beautiful out of the bottle, with a near black body and huge lasting tan head with plenty of lace as i make my way through. My first impression is imperial stout, but the aroma reveals belgian qualities, with a little roast and not as much yeast, sweet brown sugar, some peat, and some floral hops. The flavor is thick and sweet, with some chocolate, alcohol, and a nice hop bitterness to finish it off. The body is full and silky, with a little stickiness in the finish. This is a really good beer; it reminds me of a Belgian strong crossed with an imperial stout. Unique and pleasant. Now I wish that I had gotten more Nøgne ø in Oslo!

Dark brown with a small beige head. Aroma is malty with a nice refreshing yeasty touch. Flavour is very malty and round with notes of chocolate, caramell and nuts. Ends on a lightly dry note with lingering hops and caramell sweetness. Very well balanced with a very smooth medium body.

2007 Bottle - What a great experience, unlike anything else I have tasted. Pours a murky dark almost black with a tan 1" head. Soy sauce, and olive on the front end, bitter astringent coffee hop finale. At first I thought that the alcohol was hidden, but now as I drink it, I realize that as it warms, it also seemingly fortifies. A jolly good brew that would have been better closer to christmas...

Pours an opaque dark brown with a tan head. Strong aroma of caramel and hops. Flavor starts sweet malty with caramel and hops and finishes with a nice roastedness. Good viscous body. Nice warming in the belly. Solid beer.

Medium beige head with long lasting lacing. Almost black liquid with shades of ruby. Rich and earhy roasted malts and sweeter caramel malts in the finish. Dark dried fruits and plenty of hops. Spices and some coffee notes in the long bitter finish. Flavor has malty sweetness with sourness and salty licorice. Medium bodied with smooth and thick mouthfeel. Surprisingly light taken into account the amount of alcohol. Fine beer wheter it is Christmas or not.

Crushed with Jakebra. Nice brew. These guys have yet to disappoint. Even though it’s 75 degrees here at the beginning of February, it’s still nice and warming infront of a fireplace. Impressed by the hop presence on the nose. Medium-bodied which is pretty cool. Nice mouthfeel and good flavor. Prety sexy brew.