Imperial Stout - Nøgne Ø - Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri A/S

ehammond1

California

4.03/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Black and substantial, shiny, body with a small dark brown head that leaves irregular spiderwebs of lace down the glass.

Fairy typical aroma of a big stout: dark, roasted malts, some coffee and chocolate, along with mild dark fruits and licorice.

The flavor is similar to the aroma, though there's more licorice and dark fruit character present than in the aroma. This is complemented nicely by big notes of roasted malt and some mild chocolate.

Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation, at least for the style.

Good, and I'm glad I got to try it, but often too expensive to make a purchase worthwhile.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2012 22:04:48 | More by ehammond1

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Chappy's. Pitch black color with an inviting mocha head. Head fades a bit, but leaves some nice looking lace. Can't really ask for much better look for the style.

Nose has plenty of chocolate and caramel. Maybe a hint of vanilla thrown in with some slight roasty notes.

Roasty malt is the theme here. Some dark chocolate as well. A hint of caramel, but not as much as I thought from the nose. Well hopped, with some hop bitterness combining with the roasty notes pretty well.

Body is full, with some softer carbonation which gives a creamy feel. Some warmth from alcohol but not overwhelming. A pretty nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2012 19:49:22 | More by Bierguy5

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap at the pub across the road from Mountain Goat in Melbourne. From notes.

A - Poured black with one finger of dark brown head. Spotty lace and a film of retention.

S - Tons of roasty coffee with rich milk chocolate. Very inviting with layers of malt and obvious hops mixing in.

T - Rich chocolate again with that coffee roastiness. Huge sweet malt with rich elements.

M - Good carbonation with a full body and sweet chocolate finish that leads into a light bitterness.

O/D - Nice strong stout. Really rich and complex. Good stuff and enjoyable to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2012 01:08:09 | More by tbeckett

clayrock81

Virginia

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

Poured a oil like black body w/ tan han that left some lace down the glass. A somewhat boozy aroma of thick, roasted malts w/ some oakiness and I'm getting minimal sweet malts and very little hop bitterness. Actually poured smooth and creamy w/ touches of oak and chocolate before a large, chewy chunk of bready, roasted malts hit my toungue for the dryness I was expecting. Finishes dry and crisp, more perhaps due to the large amount of roasted (bordering coffee) malts and ABV than the somewhat muted floral hop bitterness. Nice balance, a good sipping stout I enjoyed after dinner and I like the minor sweetness as well.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2011 17:06:57 | More by clayrock81

Pintofbrown

Iowa

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

App- This monster has an opaque dark brown body. There are two fingers of milk chocolate fluff that dies slowly, good amount of lace. A really attractive RIS, I would like it even if it didn’t have the head it does.

Smell- This one has loads of syrupy sweet malts, and even some roast in there. There is a little bit of dark fruit and brandy sweetness, but it mostly comes from that chocolate malt. Again, quite good.

Taste- The flavors are dominated by the chocolate and caramel malts, while the roasted quality comes up mid drink. The finish gives notes of milk chocolate and molasses. It skimps a bit on the dark fruit syrupy sweetness, but what it has is really good.

Mouth feel- It is not near as chewy or full as some other RIS offerings, but it is still thick and appropriate for the style. There is also an incredibly oily slickness as it slides over the tongue.

Overall- Very well crafted and masks any alcohol that might be in the drink. The mix of roasted and chocolate malt save it from being boring. Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout is a must try.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2011 16:04:29 | More by Pintofbrown

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew was on tap at the Tap & Table, I managed to get the last of the keg right before it was kicked. The look of the beer was a murky blackish brown color. There was a ton of sediment in the glass from the bottom of the barrel. However the smell of the beer was decent, it had lots of roasted malts, a sweet boozy aroma, a little coffee in there too and some earth. The taste of the beer was pretty good, again chocolaty and roasted. Found it to be a little too earthy, probably from all the yeast and stuff in it. I'd need to have this one again to really get a good grasp of it. The mouthfeel was pretty good, overall this beer seemed to have a good amount of potential. If I see it again I'll have it again for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2011 05:32:12 | More by Knapp85

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Al's of Hampden into a tulip glass.

A - Pours dark as night black with a creamy half finger tall tan head, dissipating down to a light film, leaving little to no lacing down the glass.

S - Smells of dark chocolate malt, coffee, booze, and a light hop bitterness toward the back. This one is pretty sweet with more and more booze coming thru as it warms up to room temp.

T - Plenty of dark roasted chocolate malt up front quickly giving way to a mix of coffee roast, light vanilla sweetness, and a light hop bitterness once the roast dies down a bit. The finish is quite roasted with plenty of it lingering, along with plenty of alcohol burn, for some time. Pretty good but not great by any means.

M - Heavy body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Thick, roasty, feel with plenty of dark roast lingering on the pallet for some time after finish.

O - This one was pretty good but I would go chasing it down or anything. It seemed to be a little confused with itself, with lots going on and nothing really standing out.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2011 22:29:01 | More by orangesol

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Als of Hampden served in a tulip. This brew appears black in color with a little bit of lighter browness around the edges. A head appears very dark brown in color that recedes to a thin film across the top.

The smell of this brew is dark chocolate malts, oats to fresh grains, coffee, minerals and a fruity aspect that seems somewhat like dark fruit mixed with a fresh fruity hop scent. A light tingle of alcohol hits the back of the nose.

The taste is fruity with hops and alcohol. Dark roasted grain imparts a flavor of coffee mixed with some minerals and green yeastiness. There is a soft, faintly musty aftertaste that leaves a lingering vinous taste inside the mouth.

This is a medium bodied brew with a very lively amount of carbonation that is maybe a bit too high. It is quite roasty and fruity but so carbonated that it distracts from the experience quite a bit. The abv is bold with fruity esters and a solid warming factor. Overall not bad but nothing to go out of your way for.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2011 13:49:00 | More by stakem

THECPJ

Delaware

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

Reviewed from notes had on tap at Al's of Hampden.

appearance: black with a 1 finger mocha head

smell: roasted malts, coffee, alcohol

taste: roasted malts, coffee, dry, bitter finish

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, full body,

overall: a decent RIS just a little to bitter and dry for me to really enjoy. But glad I got to try it.

Cheers,
The cpj

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2011 03:12:21 | More by THECPJ

timobkg

New Jersey

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

Poured into a flute.

The beer is a dark brown, immediately calling to mind roasted grains.

The aroma is wonderfully enticing, dark roasted grains and bitter chocolate.

The taste is divine. It tasted like heavily roasted grains, the absolute darkest roast you can imagine, but that's not doing it justice. My taste buds cried out in joy with every sip. Easily one of the tastiest imperial stouts I've had.

The alcohol in this beer is very well hidden, and it drinks easy for such a strong and heavy beer. I could easily drink this all day, if it weren't for the alcohol content.

Overall, this is one of the finest imperial stouts that I've had. It doesn't have bitterness of Stone, Stormking, or even Rasputin, nor the malt taste of Samuel Smith and Brooklyn, nor the coffee of Founders. This beer is all about the darkest roast, and thus is unlike any other RIS I've had recently. One of my favorite imperial stouts.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2011 02:33:16 | More by timobkg

glid02

Georgia

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

On-tap at the Porter Beer Bar in Atlanta.

Pours black with a one-finger light brown head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of smooth roasted malts with good amounts of light coffee and dark chocolate aromas. As the beer warms the coffee fades substantially and the aromas sweeten with the addition of dark molasses.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Equal parts lightly roasted malts and dark chocolate flavors kick things off. Joining in shortly thereafter are slight amounts of heavy coffee flavors. Midway through the sip the flavor profile sweetens as sweet molasses flavors take over, carrying through to a mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with solid carbonation.

Drinkability is very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.

Overall this was a very easy-drinking beer for the style that has a lot of things going on. Well worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2011 22:00:11 | More by glid02

claspada

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

Aromas are stright dark bitter chocolate and manly espression coffee. Definitely all heavy roasted malts; with some molasses comes as it warms..

The tastes are of bitter, extremeley dark and robust chocolate, charred baking coco, some milk chocolate mixed in on the backend as well. This beer is serious; extreme slickness, stickiness, and thickness from the malt/body; top 3 most "chewy" beers I have ever consumed and I am a huge Imperial Stout sampler. Lower medium end of the carbonation spectrum, so darn thick and chewy for just 9% ABV.

Overall this beer is huge, so much more than expected, but not in a bad way at all. Big and extremely bold, but well balanced. At first I thought pretty one dimensional but it had a lot going on with this as it got warmer and warmer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2010 01:09:32 | More by claspada

rarbring

Sweden

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is pitch dark black, an oily small brown head, good curtains.

The smell is earthy, concrete, autumn leaves, anise and yeast.

Tasting sweet, licorice, some coffee and possibly a salty twang.

Medium carbonation, lots of small bubbles, a complex body with an oily surface.

A powerful and complex brew. Sampled at a beer tasting at De Klomp, Linköping, Sweden.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2010 21:00:15 | More by rarbring

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

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

Had this last week at the Old Bridge Pub in Reno, what a find.

Good black and red appearance, reminiscient of the Abyss. Not as thick. Aroma, licorice and dark chocolate seems to dominate. Hides the alcohol quite well. Not heavily hopped, not bitter. No massive shift throughout. Drinkable, but pricey.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2010 22:10:40 | More by Beerandraiderfan

OskarL

Sweden

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

Appearance - A black color with a brown small head that leaves lacing.

Smell - Roasted malts, bitter coffee and sweet chocolate.

Taste - Bitter chocolate, roasted malts, faint coffee and fruity sweetness.

Mouthfeel - Medium/full bodied, smooth and creamy.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2010 04:30:49 | More by OskarL

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Max's the other day.

The beer pours the expected dark blackish brown color with OK head retention and lacing. The nose is pretty complex on this one (especially when compared side by side with a glass of 2007 Stone IRS), consisting of coffee, chocolate, licorice and nuts. Flavors on the palate generally replicate the nose, except the flavor profile is dominated by coffee and licorice. Mouthfeel is long and very smooth, with the alcohol fairly well disguised. However, the combination of licorice and alcohol is a bit much, and detracts somewhat from this beer's drinkability. Nevertheless, this is still a pretty decent beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2009 16:46:28 | More by johnmichaelsen

rajendra82

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up in a 500 ml. Brown bottle from Green's, the Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout poured out dark brown, and sported a khaki head that was nicely proportioned. The sniff indicated that this was a roasty stout as aromas of coffee, burnt toast, and chicory crossed my nostrils. The taste confirmed the relatively dry nature of the beer, as there was little to no sweetness to counter the astringency and bitterness. The higher than typical carbonation was quite apparent in the taste as a lot of chocolate sparkled across the tongue. Hops presented themselves in a citric and spicy manner. The body felt light for the style, but I would call this a deliberately effect enhance drinkability. Although thin, this did not feel watered down, just very well attenuated. Not much evidence of the 9% ABV anywhere. One of the easiest Imperial Stout to put down.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2007 04:36:36 | More by rajendra82

jamie2dope

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This review goes out to my friend Daniel, from Norway. I didn't even know there was beer like this in Norway. Anyway, this was on tap last night at Amherst Brewing Company last night. It was poured into what looked like a tall curvy pilsner glass. It was completely black (black as Norway black metal), with not much head at all. Smell was incredibly rich, with loads of cocoa, coffee, and some peppery spice. Taste brought out some dark fruit characteristics reminiscent of plum and blueberry. This was a pretty damn big beer, and the alcohol really did sneak up on me. Either way though, I would love to try this again at some point. It is a shame that it is retired. Hopefully they will still have some of it lying around next time I journey over there. Bam!

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2007 23:24:53 | More by jamie2dope

BeerRefugee

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle. Pours an opaque dark brown with a finger of fine light brown head. Good retention; minimal lacing. Aroma is medium roast and dark malt--notes of bitter chocolate and coffee. Flavor is similar: mild bitterness and roast up front, fading into dark chocolate, coffee and mild alcohol in the finish. Soft carbonation, medium body, and smooth texture. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 19:51:03 | More by BeerRefugee

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle. As spring seems tentative in its approach, I guess these heartier beers still have their place at this time. Ah, who am I kidding, I'd drink this in deepest, sweatiest August, if that's when it arrived here.

This beer pours a very solid black abyss, with only the slightest hints of basal cola 'highlights', and two fingers of thickly foamy, puff-chested light brown head, which leaves an undulating vista of mountain peak lace around the glass as it evenly recedes.

It smells of dark roasted caramel malt, somewhat sour black orchard fruit, thin treacle, grainy coffee beans, vegetal earthy hops, and a touch of zingy warming alcohol. The taste is big chocolate caramel malt, mildly tart dark fruit - the usual suspect plum, prune, and dried cherries, a piffling smokiness, earthy cafe au lait, a subtle oat-borne nut character, dead leafy hops, and a very tame booze edginess.

The carbonation is fairly understated, nothing really tickling the throat here, the body a solid medium-heavy weight, smooth without constraint, and creamy to a certain degree. It finishes on the sweet side, the chocolate, coffee, and caramel holding the fort, with some trickling hop and booze notes providing fodder for any hope of balance.

Another winner from this brewery that only seems to brew the beefiest of beer styles - not that there's anything wrong with that, given their obvious proficiency. Balanced, somewhat, i.e. not too sweet, and with an ABV that is most agreeably shy. What's not to like?

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 03:10:08 | More by biboergosum

Immortale25

Florida

4.19/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Saint Somewhere wine-style glass. No freshness date. Much appreciated, BlackBelt5112203

A- Pours a murky 99% opaque black color with a 1/4 inch brown head that retains a bit before soon degrading to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a nice-sized patch of surface foam. Resilient sheet of lacing has tiny speckles.

S- Strong scent of very dark roast brings notes of dark chocolate, molasses, raisin and caramel. The alcohol is quite apparent creating a bourbon-esque aroma.

T- A bit smoother than the smell would imply. The notes turn from dark chocolate to milk chocolate and the caramel is more pronounced. Yes, it's still quite roasty and a bit bitter but the sweetness is more of a key player in the taste. Booze is still around but doesn't spoil the party, just brings more of those hints of whiskey.

M- Quite creamy and slick with medium-low carbonation and the fullest of bodies.

O- A very bold stout with high roast character and a smooth finish. Met my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 23:42:04 | More by Immortale25

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.29/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

No date from what I can see.

A: Pitch black with a tall, fluffy, thick, medium brown head that leaves behind just a bit of lace and has a nice ring of foam.

S: Heavy roasted malt, molasses, brown sugar, dark fruits, some chocolate and coffee. Everything you'd expect but with a nice sweetness and chocolaty aroma when given a good swirl.

T: Super balanced between roasty, charred malt and sweet, chocolaty, woody malt. A faint hop presence in the finish?

M: Incredibly smooth, sweet, and seriously delicious. Roasted malt flavor is spectacular.

O: Really let this beer warm up. Allows it to shine. Well-crafted and such a joy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 02:56:05 | More by Gatch

duracell

Quebec (Canada)

4.26/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

500mL into a snifter. Batch 777, brewed on 20/02/12, best before 10/02/16.
A - Pitch black color with a thin ring of espresso color. Some thick lacing left on the glass.
S - Big espresso, dark chocolate, dark fruits (plums and raisins). Relatively sweet to the nose, no apparent alcohol.
T/M - Relatively sweet upfront with a fruity character followed by load of espresso flavors that dries out the mouth. Hop comes at the end with a balanced bitterness and some herbal character. Finishes really dry and lingers forever.
O - Good balance and nice complexity. Definitely coffee oriented but to style. Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 20:44:36 | More by duracell

superspak

Michigan

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

500 ml bottle into snifter, no bottle dating. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger dense dark mocha head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, char, roasted malt, coffee, toast, raisin, fig, licorice, and roasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with big balance, strength, and complexity of dark roasted notes and light fruitiness. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, char, roasted malt, coffee, raisin, fig, light molasses, toast, licorice, oats, and roasted earthiness. Light roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, char, roasted malt, coffee, raisin, light molasses, toast, licorice, oats, and roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic balance and complexity of dark roasted flavors and fruitiness; with zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very creamy, slick, and lightly chalky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with nearly zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic imperial stout. Great complexity and balance of very dark roasted malt flavors; and extremely smooth and easy to sip on. A highly enjoyable offering!

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 06:57:54 | More by superspak

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled 15.11.11 and bought at Ølbutikken.
Drank 24.09.12
Another hostel review.
Oh yeah, this looks like a big impy stout. I'm not getting any light even at the bottom curve. There is a nice large thick brown head. A nice almost full sheet of lace from where I'm not drinking from.
On the nose is a lovely roastiness like coffee with some chocolate and dark fruit and licorice undertones.
Coffee on the taste upfront and some dark fruit which gave way to dark chocolate and ends leathery and dry.
A big smooth and creamy mouthfeel on this. Just the right amount of carbonation for this beer. You can feel it moving gently on the tongue.
Thanks to Scandinavian beer prices I bet I paid more than I would have stateside, but my lovely state doesn't get this great breweries stuff. Had this in my backpack and had to crack it in Budapest after way too many lagers through east central Europe. Hit the spot.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 08:45:08 | More by MattSweatshirt