Porter - Nøgne Ø - Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri A/S

eric5bellies

Australia

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Drank from my Duvel Tulip.

A - Pours a very dark ebony colour with a tanned head that retains well and laces.

S - Pleny of roasted malts, with some cocoa and coffee.

T - Heaps of raosted malt here with some serious chocolate too.The middle is burnt toffee with a little dark fruit.Finishes with a little licorice and some more roasted malt.

M - Medium to full bodied with medium carbonation.

D - This is a very respectable porter and I recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 13:06:11 | More by eric5bellies

rarbring

Sweden

3.65/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer is black, with hints of brown, a tan thick head, good lacing.

Burned malt, snuff and dark soda in the aroma.

Tasting of sweet ginger bread, marshmallows, chocolate and a slight bitter finish.

Low carbonation, soft small bubbles, smooth and big body, a dry finish.

A mellow, soft porter.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2010 20:37:36 | More by rarbring

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had seen some Nogne bottles in the UK but didn't buy any because I didn't have space for them. We've finally got them in Vancouver now.

Rich coloured body bordering on the black as opposed to the ruby side of the spectrum. Coffee predominates the nose, with a healthy dose of roasted malt.

Creamy coffee, almost mocha taste. Dry finish. Very smooth for the ABV.

Good creamy body, mild carbonation and easy to drink.

Very impressed with this...can't wait to try more from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 07:15:58 | More by BDTyre

paulozanello

Brazil

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this beer on tap at Pizzeria Paradiso in DC.

Pours a pitch black and opaque color with a beige one finger head that dissipates after one minute leaving good lacing.

Smell is roasted malts, some dark fruit and lots of chocolate.

Taste starts with lots of bitter-sweet chocolate, dark malts, some dark fruit and a tad of smokiness.

Body is on the heavy side for a porter, but it works well. This beer is thick and flavorful. Carbonation is moderate. The aftertaste is a pleasant mix of chocolate and smoke.

Overall a great porter that is heavily focused on chocolate and will make a great end-of-session / dessert beer.

Highly recommended!

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2010 23:09:31 | More by paulozanello

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle enjoyed at Chancey Smith's in London, Ontario. Pours pitch black in colour with two fingers of frothy, mocha tan head and sheets of lacing on the pint glass. Smell and taste are dark chocolate, black coffee, barley, espresso beans, rich roasted malts, a hint of smoke, dried fruits, some sweetness, port wine, and a bold hop bitterness. As the beer warms the fruit and port flavours give off a slight tartness towards the end. Mouthfeel is fuller than medium, creamy and oily middle, prickly carbonation, spicy and astringently bitter finish with a chalky, cocoa powder aftertaste. Exactly what I want from a porter. In terms of drinkability, this beer is much thicker and more robust than others in the style, as it took me nearly an hour to finish the bottle. So it's not as quaffable as I thought it would be. But that's a minor quip - this is still a marvellously complex and warming ale that I plan to sip on frequently as the cooler fall and winter months approach.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2010 18:49:08 | More by cratez

billab914

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 500ml bottle into my Bruery tulip glass. It poured pretty close to pitch black in color with a frothy tan head filling the top inch of the glass. It had some nice head retention to it while also leaving some decent lacing on the glass.

The aroma shows a lot of chocolate in it. A bit of a roasty, bitter, coffee flavor is present but not as strong as the chocolate. A touch of dark fruits seem to come through in it as well.

The taste also has a lot of bitter-sweet and dark chocolate to it. Like the nose, it had a bit of a roasted malt, slight coffee flavor to it with some burnt and bitter dryness coming in the finish. A little bit of a fruity presence, almost apricot like, is there as well but very subtle.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation being moderate. Drinkability is good, it had some very nice flavors to it and it was a very good version of the style. The chocolaty flavors were particularly nice and made for a nice beer to sip on this evening.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 02:11:52 | More by billab914

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Nøgne Ø means 'naked island' and normally the thought of islands conjures sun and sandy beaches; in this case, however, all we see is black. Brighter light might reveal shades of brown or burgundy but all I make out is an obsidian void. Its head looks like something Nana has yet to complete sewing; the sheet is tattered, its bubbles only loosely knit.

The aroma, frankly, has too much going on to keep track of everything. Leafy, budding hop cones, a lactic-type sourness, very stout-like roasted malts, a bag full of coffee beans and a solid chunk of bakers chocolate - all team players, cooperating wonderfully to make for a bouquet where the sum is greater than its individual parts. What a pleasure this is to smell.

Nøgne Porter doesn't offer a ton of different flavours but it's very generous with those that it does. Bakers chocolate and coffee, alongside the roasted malts, are in such ample supply that this really resembles a stout more so than a porter. Hey, no complaints here - there's nothing wrong with ensuring your beers are stouthearted (pun intended).

The label boasts a lot of malts (five to be exact) and the body does too - it's built like a rugby player: thick as a brick house. There's a ton of coffee-like roast and an unyielding hop bitterness. But the beer takes both in stride, its bulky sturdiness disallowing either from stepping out of line. Its pleasant sweetness is harmonized with roast and leafiness.

This beer came with its mind made up: it was going to be stout and substantial, focus in on one or two really key flavours and be sure to keep all contributing elements in check. You gotta love its resoluteness. There's nothing like drinking a beer that is undauntedly flavourful, deliberately brazen and exactingly well-built. To and through, this is fine porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2010 04:04:10 | More by biegaman

regspeir

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a standard pint glass at TJ's. This beer poured a very dark brown/black with a mocha head which dissaptes completely. Lacing is ample and lasting. Nose is chocolate, caramel, malts, and dark fruits. Taste is sweeter with dark chocolate, roasted coffee, licorace and some dark fruits. Hops add some citrus and a welcome bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium with decent carbonation. FInish is a little sticky but not unpleasantly so. All-in-all, this was a nice offering I would try again for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2010 23:48:43 | More by regspeir

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at TJ's...
Appears a dense, dark black with a good amount of CO2 pumping to the top of the dark tan head. Lots of lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of roasted grain, ripe fruit, raisins, coffee, cocoa, caramel, and cream.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with a smacking of hops along the palate that make me want to delve deeper into this brew.
Mouthfeel is full bodied, roasty, chewy, and a tad boozy.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2010 20:21:36 | More by weeare138

silentjay

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

we have a gusher. of epic proportions. I crack open the cap, put the bottle up to my nose to take a big whiff, and up my nose goes a big gushing head. I try to sip quick enough to save the beer, but to no avail. I stick the bottle in the sink and let it gush out a couple of minutes before I pour it.

It pours a dark opaque brown with a mocha colored head. the head is generous and lasts a while, but there is obviously something up with this bottle, so I dont know how consistent that is.

slightly roasted aroma of molasses, caramel, cocoa, coffee, toffee, pretty typical for a porter.

taste is distinctively more charred (not quite roasty) producing a bitter burnt coffee flavor with the molasses, caramel, some dark fruits, a bit of hoppy spice, some yeast. nice, but not earth-shattering.

I'm assuming this may be due to the gushing problem, but the whole beer felt like It was all beer head. full of carbonation that was fluffy, prickly, lively, and not suited for the style at all.

eh. went down rather well. would give a second shot. tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 05:32:02 | More by silentjay

dtivp

West Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark brown to black with a small tan head, dissipated very quickly into a ring.
Aroma had very light hints of coffee and roasted malt.
Taste was very mild and weak with coffee and malt.
Light body beer close to being too thin and light carbonation.
This was an OK porter, I would not turn one down, however, I would not go out of my way to buy.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 21:55:09 | More by dtivp

froghop

Washington

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a jet black with a large light brown head that lasts, and great lacing.

smell is of cocoa, malt, a little fruit, some coffee, and some spice.

taste is of malt, cocoa, a little fresh roasted coffee, some fruit in the back, and a touch of caramel, ends on the dry side.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 14:58:29 | More by froghop

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

10 ounce goblet - $9.00 at Taco Mac in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Passed along to me a body colored black and topped off with a foamy, khaki-hued head.

Smell: Dark, particularly roasty maltiness yielding fragrant notes of conspicuously charred barley, espresso powder, smokey charcoal briquettes, prune juice, and black licorice, though only a hint of dark chocolate.

Taste: A start of pungent roasted grains, modestly sweet, and with tastes featuring bittersweet chocolate and rudely burnt coffee. Minor dark fruitiness. From top to bottom, it's fairly roasty with a light astringency to it. The black jelly bean licorice character is building and becomes a bit tiring. Very small hint fo woodiness. Some hop bitterness and acidity showing on the otherwise roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Reasonably smooth mouthfeel.

Drinkability: As with Korean cuisine, I'm likin' it, but I'm just not lovin' it. Still, I'd say give it a try, as most everyone else seems to be diggin' it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2010 20:19:52 | More by ChainGangGuy

jpoder

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a: black, black color...tan head that started thick and creamy. fades to thick ring

s: sweet fruity.. coffee tones.

t: coffee sweet/sour, bitter finish.

m: seems thin at the beginning but finishes sticky sweet.

d: good

really liked this one. would buy again. I'm still unclear of the line between porter and stout...this seems to push the boundry. I'd like to see a little less sweet.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2010 03:21:56 | More by jpoder

thetomG

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a typical dark brown color. Minimal head. No Lacing.

Aroma is nice - has everything you'd expect from a good porter, but also some other interesting notes that I can't quite pin down. Flavor is a bit more standard. Roasted malts dominate with just a smidge of some bitter chocolate and coffee coming through. Lighter side of medium bodied and carbonation seems just right for the body.

Have to say I'm slightly let down by this. It's decent, but if I want a porter Edmund Fitzgerald is still my go to... glad I tried this one though.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2010 19:54:22 | More by thetomG

drabmuh

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at a local beer bar. Beer is black and slightly brownish at the corners of the glass. Almost no head to speak of, or lacing or carbonation. Just a diffuse, loose assoication of microscopic bubbles that cling to the walls of the glass. Looks OK.

Aroma is sweet with a mild roast to it. There is also a hint of smoke. Smells good.

Beer is medium to light in body and has a decent amount of smoke in there. Mild carbonation on the palate and finishes with some coffee and a minimal chocolate bitterness. Overall the beer is easy drinking and smooth.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2010 18:23:51 | More by drabmuh

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a snifter at ChurchKey.

I've passed on this brew a number of times, so I figured, while I was at CK, I might as well finally try this guy out. He pours an opaque black brown headed by a finger of dark khaki foam. The smell comprises dark, roasted malts, coffee, vodka, spruce, and pine. It's as though a thicker version of a baltic porter was roasted a bit more than normal. The taste is identical, though, just to be different (those crazy Norwegian liquids!), a firm touch of bitterness is added. It's interesting, I'll give 'em that. The body is a hefty medium, with light carbonation and a sticky feel. Overall, a solid porter, but a bit of a let-down. Maybe, after all of the passes, I'd built it up a bit mentally, but, either way, I'm not all that impressed...though my thirst has indeed been slaked.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2010 06:33:02 | More by TMoney2591

biglite351

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A - tall tight head, medium amount of red around the edges but not too much for a porter.

S - rich malty goodness. Nice and deep scent, inviting.

T - the flavor is good, but not near strong enough, it seems like something is missing. Mild rosted malts and coffee.

M - not thin but no real coating or tingles, a bit boring.

D - would be great with a meal as the flavor is good yet mild enough to not overpower the flavor of the food. The mildness make it not worth drinking alone though.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2010 11:15:50 | More by biglite351

rfgetz

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice , deep dark brown color with firm cap of khaki head, leaving decent lacing. Scent if of molasses, charred grain, roasted nuts and some earthy qualities. Taste brings a moderate amount of molasses along with toffee and roasted nuts, hints of chocolate and medium roast coffee and hints of cherry. The background is a nice fresh grain profile, found in many of Nogne's beers. Interesting floral hoppy profile dances around. Fuller side of medium bodied, a touch high level of carbonation. A good porter with a lot of freshness to it.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2010 16:53:45 | More by rfgetz

Chico1985

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap into a 8oz glass at Sierra Grille, reviewed from brief notes.

Pours black with a small tan head. Turns into a thick ring and leaves some lacing.

Smell is a bit faint but I pick up some chocolate, malt and maybe dark fruits. Pretty average for the style.

Taste is unexpected - usual porter tastes such as chocolate and coffee, but also some nice citrus hops and a tart sweetness - almost like Sweet Tarts candy. The chocolate and coffee are great in the aftertaste. Extra points for originality.

Mouthfeel was great, very fluffy and smooth.

Pretty drinkable and enjoyable, I'd get it again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2010 15:26:19 | More by Chico1985

rwf08

Texas

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pour from a 16.9 oz bottle into a snifter.

A: Pours out a dark brown to almost black. Ruby tones around the edges where light can pass through. One finger head that dissipates quickly and leaving no lacing.

S: I get the smell of Guinness draught. That sour smell, it isn't an over powering wild smell but a distinct twang. Swirling the beer the alcohol comes through. I get hints of roast but the sour masks them.

T: Ahhhh much more pleasant than the smell. Nice roasted coffee, some cocoa, dried figs, and some burnt sugar. This is a very pleasing porter for sure.

M: Medium mouthfeel with good carbonation. Kind of juicy on the finish. Really makes you want to take another drink.

D: For a 7% porter I'd say it has good drinkability. Tastes great, feels good on the tongue. The appearance and the smell are the only things that bring this down. I'd drink it again if we had it in Tx.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2010 01:41:52 | More by rwf08

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Duck Rabbit snifter. Formed a single finger tan head that receded quickly leaving very little lace behind. The body is blackish-brown, allowing very little light through on the edges.

The nose is mostly roasted malts, chocolate and black coffee. I am also picking up a strange, sour odor...hope this one is ok...

The taste is right on (no sourness). Pretty complex for a porter...starts off with roasted coffee beans that turn into a (slightly bitter) hop center. The finish mellows out into a sweet malt landing.

Medium mouth feel, creamy with mild carbonation.

This is very drinkable. Would have been rated higher if not for the sour smell. As is, this rocketed to the top of my porter list!

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2010 13:25:24 | More by mgbickel

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz into pint. 30 IBU, 7% ABV.

A- Dark dark rustic brown. Nice tan head, significant lacing. Head settles to a thin thin film but there's great rings of lacing here.

S- A bit roasty, hints of black coffee and a bit of caramel. Slight sweet/floral notes? Hmm.

T- A bit bitter, heavy malt bill, robust and a faint twang. Nice coffee notes, dark roast straight up.

M- Good balance in the body, good flavors. No qualms here.

D- Moderately high. A very tasty beer, the price and availability may limit how often I revisit this one but

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2010 19:17:26 | More by ShogoKawada

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I saw this on sale for $8 when it had been $10 so I bought it despite the fact that it still was a pretty bad deal for a 500ml bottle of porter. It was black of course and smelled a little roasty but also a tinge of metallic so I knocked the score down. The taste was nice, sweet, roasty, pretty good. I will of course never buy a second bottle because it is just to expensive but this was a pretty good American porter with a robust flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2010 14:29:48 | More by ArrogantB

popery

California

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pretty much dead on for my mental picture of a strong porter. Great chalky roast character that, for me, is the signature of the style. Dark, bitter chocolate combines with bready malt, light caramel and mild English yeast. Relatively big bitter citric hops push through, despite the relatively low IBU count and at least four or five months of age on the bottle. There's a licorice flavor in there, too - no idea what that's from. Dry flavor. The beer looks great. It's black with a big head, creamy and light brown. Mouthfeel could be a touch fuller, but it's quite good. Excellent porter with great bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 06:38:00 | More by popery