God Jul - Nøgne Ø - Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri A/S

mxchap

California

4.7/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

(served in a 15cL sample glass)

Appearance: Very dark brown, hint of red. Rich creamy head
Aroma: Dark chocolate, coffee, and smoked malt.
Taste: Caramel, chocolate throughout, candied fruit, and toffee. A smokiness is also present.
Mouthfeel: Perfect! I wish most dark strong ales could match this. Dry finish but enough residual sugar to balance it.
Overall: Excellent winter ale!

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2013 21:22:17 | More by mxchap

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at When Pigs Fly. This was one of the best beers, if not the best, that I've had in 2012.

In a snifter the beer was a very dark brown with a hint of red. A small tan head left a smatttering of lace.

Roasted malt aroma. Strong coffee, chocolate, cocoa.

Amazing taste. Espresso, dark chocolate, a hint of sweet cocoa. A little bit of charcoal.

Dry mouthfeel. Great depth.

If you ever have a chance to drink this beer, grab it!

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2012 15:42:20 | More by lordofthewiens

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at TJ's Restaurant and drinkery served chilled and allowed to gradually increase in temp.

The color is as black as coal with no light passing through and thick light tan cap. The bead is fine and retention is good. The smell is very malty with cocoa dominance and slight caramel essence with a light alcohol impression. The feel is mostly sweet with good body if perhaps on the thin side for the style. There is a lot of roast but it stays in balance with mild alcohol.

The tast has some bitter roasted grain with subtle creaminess from the caramel which brings some sweetness and there is a chocolate character which is more dark chocolate in flavor with very mild bitterness. The finish is mostly dry with a slight alcohol presence. Overall this is a big porter which is very drinkable and may just be a little dry for the style but has plenty of malt flavor. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a roasty strong porter.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2012 14:56:23 | More by Slatetank

garuda

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Black, with a tan head that retains and laces well.

S/T - Nice robust earthy roast character, with some smokiness and mild leafy, grassy hoppiness. Some dark chocolate peeks through in the finish with more of the coffee roast.

M - Full body, low carbonation, thick, chewy. Just like a big porter should be.

O - Splendid. I wouldn't hesitate getting this again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 01:31:51 | More by garuda

NilsFrisk

Norway

4.97/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appears dark, with little to see through when you hold it towards the light. It has a creamy tan head.

Smells fruity, a little bit of roasty, but way less then what i've expected from the colour. A bit sweet booziness in there too.

Wow this beer is so incredibly smooth and easy, yet so heavy at the same time. A lot of bananas and caramel flavours. Moutfeel is full, creamy and very smooth.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2011 19:16:59 | More by NilsFrisk

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes taken at the Armsby Abbey's yearly Belgian Christmas on 12/15.

A - Deep brown almost black pour with a nice one finger head that clings to the sides nicely.

S - Smells like well, a smokey porter. Nice roasty malts and some chocolate and even some toffee notes.

T - Again, this is a solid smokey porter. Touch of vanilla and some light sweet notes with just a touch of hops as well.

M - Light carbonation with a very nice fresh porter type feel to it.

D - This is a pretty dangerous porter. It goes down just far too easy for a 8.5 %.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2011 05:52:18 | More by rudzud

despainmakesbeer

Kentucky

3.9/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thin 1/4" head at pour, settles to a light cream colored ring around edge of glass. Dark brown color. Big minty aroma, can definitely smell the pine/juniper to this one. Also has some earthiness and licorice to aroma. Moderate carbonation. Flavor has same big mint and roast characters. Thick mouthfeel. End and aftertaste slightly reminds me of drinking mint dip juice. not quite that repulsive though. Dry hop finish. Warmth brings more roast and tames the mint skoal taste. Warmth also brings some alcohol to the nose, smooths out the mouthfeel and smooths out the complex earthiness of beer. Warmth helped warm me up to this one, robust flacors seem to mellow out making it a more drinkable. Extreme piney/mint in every aspect of this beer held me back a little at first. Decent lacing on glass. Nogne O fails to disappoint again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2010 02:32:46 | More by despainmakesbeer

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

What makes a beer a Christmas Beer? Is it adding the predictable holiday spice? Is it just an excuse to make another beer and market it differently? Or do you pick one flavor that represents the holidays well and then hammer it home? This is the tact that Nogne-O takes in this sprucey Porter.

The expected Porter pour delivers a dark brown, slightly hazy beer with a terse rise of off-white foam with moderate lace. A standard Porter look through and through.

Aromas of chocolate and coffee carry robuts (but not out of hand) notes that provide a springboard for spicy, piney hops. All rounded with a mild smokey scent, the beer has a smoother, sweeter scent and also a sharp and bitey hop aroma.

Flavors of caramel and toffee set the tone while coffee, walnuts, and cocoa strike first. Before the initial impression of flavor settles, the on slaught of spruce, pine, and frech cut grasses from hops rival the malt taste and balance it well. All is backed by a soft earthy/peaty/smokey taste that adds more complexity and pulls the flavors together.

Robust and relatively full for a Porter, the body seems to lighten because of the fleeting carbonation, rising alcohols, and hoppy dryness. Quite drinkable in the finish for the robust nature of the mouthfeel early on.

This is a very piney and sprucey American-style Porter. A bit high on roast and coffee along with a bigger overall impression, but not yet a Stout either. Delicious and complex throughout.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2010 08:23:10 | More by BEERchitect

DoubleSimcoe

New York

4.43/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nogne Winter Ale (aka God Jul) on tap at Max's on Broadway, B'more, MD, served in a pint.

Appearance: Brownish elm color/aged walnut, kind of like your grandma's dresser. No head. Barely any lacing.

Smell: Smoke! Sun-dried cherries, applewood-smoked bacon. Sort of a morning beer, feels like a good old country breakfast.

Taste: Smoke upfront, followed by sugars. Very hearty. Like a turkey that has set the smoke alarm while the cranberry sauce burns slightly on the stove and comes out overly sweet but somehow it feels like home and we love it. A bit wrong, sure, but warm and comforting. Some spice and hoppiness to boot, cinnamon and clove. Utterly winterly/holiday-y.

Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, full smoky flavor and medium-to-high body. Well balanced, alcohol is well played. Not heavy or sticky-sweet as I feared.

Drinkability: Nice! I could pound this, like a willing hole between meaty cheeks. At first, the smokiness turned me off. But as you drink, it gets better, very close to perfect. Well done!

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2010 18:30:43 | More by DoubleSimcoe

tempest

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Tap and Table. I was curious and asked the manager why they had a Winter Ale in May, and he said they just like to get Nogne-O beers whenever they can. I guess now they can get it. Anyways, this beer was a big chocolatey imperial English porter, if I can make that style up. It's full of caramel, toffee, and mild (not too) dark chocolate flavors. The big, smooth candy flavors are complimented by subtle citrus hop flavors that help keep the malt flavors nice and dry. Check this beer out. It's not your average strong porter.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2010 01:32:12 | More by tempest

augustgarage

California

4.28/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood. Served in a wide-mouthed generic tulip.

Red-tinged dark chocolate brown with faint auburn highlights; otherwise opaque. A finger of beady beige cream recedes slowly leaving a strange series of craters on the surface. There is a pleasant gradient of lacing and thin sticky legs.

Cedar, well water, roast malt, prunes, black bread, coriander and caraway aromatics. Served a little too chilled for the style, so I could be missing some nuances here.

Molasses, brown bread, peper, prunes, charcoal, and waves of malt form the flavor profile. This brings to mind a Baltic porter more than an English one in many ways, although the waves of varying roast level and use of ale yeast rather than lager yeast do clearly distinguish this beer as the latter. Hints of caramel, but still pretty dry in the finish. Well done, and very refreshing (once again, that Grimstad water!).

Medium bodied, well carbonated, with moderate (and quite pleasing) astringency.

The potency of a Baltic porter with the refinement of an English - this is a very well balanced and unique take on the style. Worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2009 05:42:14 | More by augustgarage

silverking

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Very dark cloudy mahogany. It has a big tan creamy head with excellent retention. The lacing forms an incosistent sheet down the sides of the glass.

S- Ripe cherries, smoke, roasted malts, figs. It's wonderfully inviting.

T- Dark fruit initially, followed immediately by rich notes of smoke, dark roasted coffee, and burnt malts. The finish has a nice cocao bitterness in the back of the palate.

M- Rich, with moderate/light carbonation. feels a bit creamy. A little warmth from the alcohol is detectable.

O- Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 19:37:31 | More by silverking

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.49/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Nøgne Ø Winter Ale
16.9 oz bottle, no apparent freshness dating.

As it is the month of May as I sit down to review this beer (labeled "Winter Ale") I highly doubt that this bottle is even close to being fresh. I'd guess it's about 8 to 10 months old. Surprisingly, it shows no signs of oxidation. Of course it does appear to be bottle-conditioned, which would help. As for the hops or anything else, I'm not sure. Keep that in mind...

It's a very dark mahogany brown in the glass, but not black. Initially it was clear, but once I roused the yeast it became cloudy. Of course that's fine for such a dark beer. The head is an orange-tinted dark tan, and although it drops, it does maintain a silky surface covering; and it does leaves nice spots of tiny lace around the glass.

The aroma displays dark fruit (cherries, raisin), light chocolate, some lightly smoky/roasty notes, and a bit of peppery and piney character. It's interesting and welcoming.

In the mouth it's medium bodied with a distinctly dextrinous edge. The carbonation is median, and it's delicately bristling before warming to become creamy smooth.

Flavor... ? The flavor is exactly as the aroma suggests it will be, but fuller. I get more fruit, including plums, figs, and some juicy apple; and I get more chocolate, fudge and toffee/dark caramel. What I don't find is a lot of dark roastiness, which I appreciate. If this is an English-style porter then we can leave that behind. There's a bit of coffee-like roastiness, yes, but it's more like a sweet and creamy coffee than espresso. It's not harsh or acidic, but as it warms it really opens up, and a much more smokey note appears. It becomes much rounder, and softer as well, with the sharper notes of the fruitiness fading into the cushion of the milk-chocolate and caramel drizzled malt. Ahh, and there are hops! It's fairly well balanced by a bitterness that keeps to the lower end but pushes at the malt, but there are also some pine and spruce-like and leafy hop flavors that appear in the finish. Quite nice. I'm thinking East Kent Goldings for the leafiness, but I'm not sure where the spruce and pine is coming from (Chinook? Actual spruce tips?). Surprising! Who would have thought it could be so complex at the start of the glass?

Overall, it's quite an impressive ale. It's surprisingly complex, and it takes the taster on a journey through several different types of flavors (fruitiness, maltiness, and hoppiness) while always displaying a varied 'listing' in each category, and never going overboard on any one of them. Nicely balanced. Superb!

Note: The recommended serving temperature for this beer is "12˚C/53˚F", and I would totally agree with that. However, I started this beer cooler, and without doing so I highly doubt you'd find such a variation of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 22:05:48 | More by NeroFiddled

UCLABrewN84

California

3.71/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours an opaque super dark brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Thick foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, char, spices, and soy sauce aromas. Taste is much the same with smoke and slight band-aid flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of smoke and roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is fairly heavy on soy sauce and smoke aspects in the aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 04:00:52 | More by UCLABrewN84

superspak

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. A slow gusher upon opening. Pours fairly pitch black color with a nice fairly dense and fluffy tan head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice foamy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of raisin, apple, chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, cocoa, toast, toffee, molasses, clove, pine, floral, light smoke, dark bread, and roasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark malt and fruity notes. Taste of raisin, apple, chocolate, toast, cocoa, caramel, roasted malt, toffee, dark bread, molasses, floral, light pine, light smoke, and roasted earthiness. Lingering notes of dark fruit, chocolate, caramel, toast, roasted malt, floral, light pine, light smoke, and earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic balance and complexity of dark malt flavors with moderate fruitiness; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and lightly slick mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent English porter! Great balance and complexity of robust dark malt and dark fruit flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 04:08:03 | More by superspak

pkalix

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

my first norwegian beer. i think. still special. had a heck of a time trying to locate it on BA, though.... a small grammar/language/typo barrier...
an 'english porter', it's the typical super dark with small tan head on top. 2nd pour was of a thicker head.... and thick lacing down the sides.
smells fig-gy and fruity sweet. interesting. kind of a cross of a super malt and a stout.
taste is also very interesting. earthy, dark-fruity, malty and thick. at 8.5% abv, this is quite a product. the website doesnt list a description for this one particular brew but i am intrigued with learning about this brew and company. it's a smooth drink, a little bitter, a little thick, a slight spice and a lot of sweet malt taste.
at 8.5%, they did a great job on the flavor. i honestly wasnt expecting much; i was thinking it would be more along the lines of those pathetic russian Baltika beers that really just suck (see? capitalism IS a good thing!). but it serves a definite and distinct purpose and i like it! not to be unoriginal, but 4.25 straight across the board.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 02:25:03 | More by pkalix

BrownNut

Florida

3.94/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - 4.75 - Black unless you hold it right up by a light bulb, then it's deep ruby red around the edges. Thick, creamy, textured, beautiful, cream-colored head with a shiny moist look like pudding. Endures for quite a while. Now that's a head. A beautiful beer.

S - 3.5 - Wet malt, faint coffee, a little chocolate, fruity in a way that's hard to put your finger on, almost a candied yam element. But fairly faint. Would score higher in aroma if not so faint.

T - 4.0 - Mild malt sweetness, a little tangy, with that same vaguely yam thing going on. Reminds me of the liquid in a can of candied yams. Faint bitterness from black malt, hint of milk chocolate. A mature bitterness lingers in the aftertaste.

M - 4.0 - Medium body, slightly sticky, yet very easy drinking. Feels good in the mouth.

O - 4.0 - Very enjoyable. Mild yet flavorful and interesting. I had a fresher one a couple years ago and I think it's better fresher. The difference was significant. I think some of the char fades and the sweetness comes forward. It's still very good at that point but somewhat less complex. I've since found that you definitely want to pour the sediment rather than leave it in the bottle - it adds some of that complexity you want.

Original review from Thanksgiving 2011:
Wow. This is one of those beers that makes you realize beer is an art. I haven’t had a beer this well crafted in a long time. It's hard to put this taste into words. The aroma is something like leather - reminiscent of Ardmore scotch in that way. That’s not something I expected or wanted, but it makes for an additional interesting facet.

When I poured it, I thought that the marvelous head could be eaten with a spoon. So I ate a mouthful. The flavor I got was moderate hop bitterness, that’s all.

But when I drank that thick, black, viscous stuff, I got something so smooth, with something almost fruity in there. Somewhere in here too is the taste of ash or char, a bitterness that's not a hop bitterness, which adds a nice layer of complexity. So rich and thick and smooth and complex and balanced. Aftertaste on the exhale is ash with a hint of dark chocolate.

It’s gone now and I’m sad. These Nogne O people know what they’re doing. Everything of theirs I’ve tried so far has been excellent. Norway, what other treasures are you hiding?

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 15:51:21 | More by BrownNut

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Labeled as "Winter Ale" - Product of Norway

LOOK: Pours a pitch blackish brown. Light whipped cream like head tops a solid two inches and has staying power. Leaves plentiful lace down the pint glass.

SMELL: Roasted malt, cocoa and dark chocolate aromas. Alcoholic esters are in full force with hints of fruit and anise. Dark breads and more than a whiff of hops.

TASTE: Chocolate and molasses flavors are well defined from the malts used. There is also a considerable hop presence chiming in with pine, resin, peppery spice and earth tones. Very light acidity but noticeable. Astringent roast adds a drying note in the finish. As it warms, coffee, wood and slight heat come through more or less in balance.

FEEL: Medium bodied, smooth creamy consistency with adequate carbonation level for the style. Does finish ashy, roasted and dry.

OVERALL: The kind of beer that grows on you, by the time the bottle was finished I really enjoyed it immensely. A homage to a once again relevant export trade, this is a fine porter. I would recommend this beer to any dark beer drinker.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 01:21:07 | More by Stinkypuss

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

4.48/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving type: 500 ml bottle. No freshness date. The bottle cap was quite dusty so I assume it has been sitting around for a while. Hopefully not too long.

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is very cloudy black; it turned to a murky, deep amber brown when I held it to a lamp. There is quite a bit of sedimentation. Three fingers of dense, cappuccino-colored head dissipated slowly.

Smell: Brandy and a forest along the NorCal coast. Very sappy and evergreenish. The aroma is very intense and boozy, but it also has a very enticing and festive spiciness. Very herbal and woody (as oppose to tinny). Others have pegged it as juniper and I will refer to them. Underneath is a solid malt base of caramel and chocolate, but the spice and booze dominate.

Taste: The booze is completely masked by the herbal, woody spice. (Juniper? Perhaps. It tastes a little like pine, too.) Unlike the smell, though, the malts are much more pronounced and effective; caramel, toffee, and chocolate. The herbal spice and hops leave a subtle bitterness after each sip.

Drinkability: In essence, it tastes like a spiced Christmas wreath. And I have no problem with that because it is tasty as hell.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 05:18:08 | More by TheQuietMan22

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ultra dark copper/amber, looks brown obviously but lots of colorful highlights. billowing off white head that slowly fades away. Dried cocoa, vanilla, little bit of paint thinner, herbal noble hop.

Lots of sweet chocolate up front. Minty oddly, herbal. Nice crisp clean mouthfeel. Good balance. Touches of dark fruit beneath it all. Lots of different flavors going on with a very strange minty alcohol heat like presence. Full bodied lots of complex flavors and hidden layers but some off flavors though too. Letting the beer warm and air out, it comes together a bit more. Flavors are strange but work together a bit. Kind of like a malty mint chocolate herbal cookie. Pretty nice. The boosted alcohol is probably what gives this english porter its unique flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 01:06:51 | More by jtierney89

Ghenna

California

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an Orval Chalice. Inky black. Froofy coffee colored head that lingered on top of the beer until it was finished.

Heavy spice on the nose, reminds me a lot of the general profile of the Anchor Steam Xmas ale. General malt sweetness, a bit of alcohol on the back end.

Again, pretty similar to to AS Xmas ale. bit of roast, bit of sweet, a bit of chocolate/roast, plenty of spice. I'm not sure if it is mental conditioning or what, but along with the chocolate flavor I'm getting a bit of andes chocolate mint. Weird.

Does what the Anchor Steam tries to, and accomplishes it without the inclusion of Worcestershire sauceiness.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 23:45:05 | More by Ghenna

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bomber served in a SA "perfect pint" glass.

pours an opaque dark brown/borderline black with a creamy, two-finger mocha-toned head. impressive retention, doesn't seem like this thing has designs on receding anytime soon; middling lace.

in the nose i get chocolate, roasted malts. a touch of coffee. not getting the hoppiness others have noted. good smell though not spectacular. flavor follows the aroma but with added complexity. here i get more of the hoppy characters and some caramel. this is a really tasty, very well made porter. smooth, medium-plus bodied mouthfeel.

originally reviewed: 12-29-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 20:57:33 | More by BostonHops

beergoot

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark, ruby-red body with a thick, light tan head.

Aroma hits you with pine and juniper hop aroma with hints of rich malts. Licorice. Spicy...

Rich, smooth, and complex taste and mouthfeel. Rye, licorice, anise mix well with a nice, dark roasted malt character. Some brown sugar and molasses hints in there, too. A very pleasing bitterness at the finish, balancing nicely with the alcohol. A relatively medium bodied beer for something with so complex taste.

Wow! I wouldn't call this an English porter as such; definitely a winter / fest beer of sorts and delivers on its Northern Europe dark beer roots. Very enjoyable and highly recommended to anyone looking for a distinctive dark beer experience.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 03:40:29 | More by beergoot

AgentMunky

California

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a half-litre bottle into a cervoise glass. No visible best before date. (19P, 30IBU, 8.5%)

A: Three fingers of head. Not amazing retention, but still pretty damned impressive. Darker brown. The body of the beer is black; opaque. Good lacing.

S: Incredibly fruity. Really nice! Subtle, spicy, Christmas fruitcake. This smell is exceptional. Caramel-sweet, malty base.

T: Oh yum. Lingering caramel and bright fruit are the obvious flavours. The hops are administered heavily, and the ensuing bitterness is both pleasant and balancing, but also almost (but not quite) metallic. The endtaste is tart and (almost) puckery, but the endtaste is malty-dry. Not as excellent as I expected, but still damn good.

M: Not quite thin, but not heavy. Hoppy-dry, malty-rich. I'm a fan.

O: Nøgne Ø is consistently excellent. Highly recommended. Would drink again, if it weren't for the price. Excellently spiced winter ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 21:57:59 | More by AgentMunky

Immortale25

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Sierra Nevada pint glass. No freshness date.

A- Pours a fully opaque black color with an inch of light tan head that retains a good while before trickling down to a 1/4 inch head and leaving a full coating of lacing behind.

S- Heavy wafts of clove and anise along with some nutmeg. Maybe some cardamom.

T- The cloves are nearly overpowering before the big malts come around and bring about some equilibrium. Some hops are detected but the spices steal the show with notes of anise, rosemary and even thyme. As one drinks on, there's eventually a warming caused by the high alcohol...but one does not care, for this is tasty. A bit of a metallic taste is sensed upon pouring the rest of the bottle into the glass and taking a sip, but this is easily overlooked.

M- Quite succulent actually. Borderline chewy. Medium-high carbonation.

O- Spectacular across the board.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 04:24:42 | More by Immortale25