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

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

DavoleBomb

Ohio

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

Poured into a snifter.

4.0 A: Black color. About two and a half fingers of medium brown, frothy/creamy head. Retention is good and a good sized ring of lacing is left behind.

4.5 S: Smells wonderful! Caramel and chocolate form layer after layer after layer. It could be argued that the caramel is lightly tangy. Noticeable vanilla component. Silky, but potent, roastiness. Simply put, it smells rich, like a high quality cup of hot chocolate. Something along the lines of plum and prune fruitiness. Light herbal and citrusy hoppiness.

4.0 T: Tastes like it smells. Loads of caramel. Almost as much chocolate. Big, silky supple roastiness. Light vanilla. Hints of dark fruits. Very faint bitterness along with a very mild herbal hop flavor. Despite it's resemblance to the nose, it doesn't impress me as much, though it is still quite tasty.

4.0 M: Heavier medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Nice creaminess to this.

4.0 D: Solid imperial stout. I wish this was cheaper because if it was I would definitely include it in my rotation. Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 02:50:35 | More by DavoleBomb

BostonHops

Massachusetts

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

500ml bottle served in an oversized wineglass.

pours your standard imperial stout deep, dark brown/borderline black and yields about a finger of a chestnut toned head with respectable retention and lacing.

nose is dominated primarily by roasted and chocolate malts, with coffee being evident as well. more of the same pull through in the taste, plus secondary notes of dark fruits and molasses. heavy-bodied, velvely mouthfeel. while not my personal favorite, this is a tasty, well-built imperial stout well worth a try.

original review on: 08-26-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 22:07:10 | More by BostonHops

bump8628

Oklahoma

4.6/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I think in Norway a year-around Imperial Stout is pretty much a necessity and this is a damn good one. Yeah it's black. Frothy espresso-like foam sits on top. It looks menacing and inviting all at once. Deep cocoa and French roast coffee. Am even, earthy bitterness holds off the malt assault. Thick but not too sweet. Perfect balance. Smoke, tobacco, and charred sugars emerge as it warms. One of the best, no frills Imperial Stouts around.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 16:44:55 | More by bump8628

divineaudio

Michigan

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

1pt .9oz bottle into my deschutes snifter. from notes.

a - pours a deep, dark brown and forms an inch thick, dense, light brown head. retention is good, calming slowly to a thin cap. leaves thick, chunky lacing in the glass.

s - rich roasted barley, molasses, dark chocolate, faint vinous fruits.

t - rich roasted malt character with dark chocolate notes. has a faint pumpernickel sort of breadiness to it. nice bittersweet finish.

m - full bodied but never syrupy. adequate carbonation with a medium co2 profile. very smooth.

o - drinkability is high as is enjoyment. the only thing stopping me from drinking this on a regular basis is the $9/bottle price tag. as the label states, this pairs very well with vanilla ice cream.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 18:38:31 | More by divineaudio

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

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

Appearance: It has a nice jet black color to it. It has a nice thick dark mocha head that dies down slowly and leaves nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitly give out hints of dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and dark fruit.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a chocolate bitterness with notes of coffee, roasted malts and a dark fruit sweetness.

Mouthfeel: It has a low carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth and creamy drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 19:29:20 | More by SebD

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle poured into tulip 28/4/12 thanks liamt07 for the bottle

A a little red cola at the edge of black liquid, a gentle pour still leaves half a glass of dark mocha foam that slowly falls to a thick film leaving a single partial ring of lace

S milk chocolate, coffee, booze, still has some hops even after 8 months, a little smoke and licorice smells great with some sweet oatmeal nicely roasted

T coffee's more like espresso and the smoke turns to charred wood, milk chocolate is darker chocolate in the mouth, its similar to the nose but with deeper, darker roast and better concealed booze and faded hops

M not overly thick for the color but so creamy from perfect carbonation, dark finish lingers strong, burnt coffee and milk chocolate is what I'll be tasting tomorrow

O bad ass stout going on in my glass, still hoppy and yet quite rich with a wonderful dark roast profile, slightly sweet from the oats and dangerously concealed booze, very well rounded and other then a basic look this one is kicking ass

cheers liamt07 for knocking this one off my want list, I could drink this one daily like lame folks take vitamin's, so rich and creamy without being super heavy. this is worth seeking out, I love imperial oatmeal stouts and this one is a beautiful example of one

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 07:56:58 | More by wordemupg

rappmann

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

.5 liter bottle poured into nonic pint glass 9% abv

A - pitch black two finger mocha head that lasts. particles suspended within

S - dark chocolate, roasted coffee, roasted malt, rich earthyness, chesnut

T - coffee, chocolate roast malt, exactly what i expected from this beer, really roasty almost smoky flavour.

M -Somewhat lighter than I expected but it's really nice, coats the palate and sits there

O - a really good imperial stout, I'm glad I have a couple more!

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 02:44:39 | More by rappmann

beerismysavior

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: medium-thick bubbles, moderate head retention, dark chocolate brown body, espresso crema colored head w/ yeast particles present in the bottom of the glass

Aroma: Sweet roast (equate to medium roast coffee) w/ a moderate to high chocolate presence and nutty tones underneath. Very reminiscent of a blended mocha.

Taste: Lost of backend booze, very subtle hint of metallic off-flavor, mild roast bitterness. Lacks overall "rich" flavors, somewhat thin on flavor.

Mouthfeel: Rich and full-bodied mouthfeel with residual sugar remaining on the lips and silky finish. Low carbonation + warming sensation from the booze, mouthfeel is really quite pleasant.

Overall: Nose & mouthfeel stand out, use of oats created subtle pleasantries in the body. Somewhat brown for an imperial stout and lacked depth of flavor overall. Would love to try this with some vanilla ice-cream.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 03:52:10 | More by beerismysavior

chocosushi

Oklahoma

3.65/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Leinenkugel Flight Glass
A ~ Jet black with mocha head. Perfect lacing for a stout in my book. Very creamy on the sides of the glass.

S ~ Dark malt, Toasted Oats, Carob, Grapes.

T ~ Red Wine, Dark Breads, Baker's Chocolate...Some nuttiness evolving into a resinous sappy note fading with some faint ashyness & darker chocolates.

M ~ Some heat on the back end. Nice & vinous on the palette. Reminds me of Red Wine in a way before some of the other malts make a bolder opinion. There's some heat.

D ~ A good stout. New to our state, & glad that its here. Worth a try for sure!

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 03:09:49 | More by chocosushi

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

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

Beautiful inky black pour yields an impressively creamy, coffee-coloured head. Mouthfeel is pleasantly silky and not nearly as viscous as I'd expected.

Aromas of chocolate nibs and oaky coffee, with a molasses baseline. Well balanced flavours of roasted malts and barrel tannins with a pleasantly bitter finish. Nicely warming finish is the only sign of the dangerously well hidden 9% ABV.

All in all, an impressive imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 22:05:45 | More by hopsolutely

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.7/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle into a goblet

A: Pours pitch black with a finger of dense medium brown head. The beer appears highly carbonated, but not to the point of overcarbonation. Retention is good.

S: Heavily burnt malts, dark fruit, and anise. Slight fruity hoppiness in the background. I get an odd sour twang, almost like rotten fruit.

T: Varies quite significantly from the aroma. An English yeast strain is evident. The flavor starts out with a nuttiness followed by dark fruits in the way of raisins and ending with a burnt malt flavor. I get tobacco and slight smoke in the finish. As I get with a lot of darker beers with English yeast strain, the dark fruit is very evident but the beer remains fairly dry. I also get a slightly sour twang in the finish. Quite complex, yet not overly satisfying. As the beer warms, I get more smoke flavor and some dark chocolate. I like the flavor more and more by the end of the bottle.

M: A bit thin, yet creamy with good carbonation.

O: I find myself enjoying the American style versions of imperial stouts more often with more chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt flavors. This beer was quite complex and I enjoyed drinking it, but I find it merely suitable.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 03:06:42 | More by coreyfmcdonald

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

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours ink black with a compact tan head. It lasts a good while and coats the glass in foam. The aroma is roasty and fruity. The first thing that struck me in the taste is smokeyness, not rauchbier levels, but more than is usual for the style. Expansive chocolate, coffee, berries, and indeed leather all mix together seamlessly. Hops provide a strong bitterness but a restrained flavor, probably only because of the barage of other flavors. Alcohol is incredibly well hidden. The mouthfeel is thick and creamy and light on carbonation. Roasty malts and dark chocolate make up the long lasting finish.

A fantastic IS. Very full flavored and easy to drink. Huge amount of sludge left in the glass, this is indeed a live beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 23:13:47 | More by CAMRAhardliner

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

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

Part of the LCBO's winter release that, thankfully, made it to Thunder Bay.

A - Pours pitch black, two thumbs of dark mocha head, solid retention and huge chunky lacing.

S - Dark cocoa, rich brownies, hint of espresso, slightly musty and leafy green finish.

T - Sweet cocoa, grainy malt, espresso and cocoa comes through alongside a leafy, bitter hop flavour. Comes across a tad sour, but non-offensive, with a hint of ABV sweetness lingering.

M - A tad thin and could use a carbonation lift, goes down smooth and finishes with a touch of dryness.

O - Nice bold flavours, though more bitter than sweet. The mouthfeel was the only drawback, but certainly well worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 15:51:16 | More by andrenaline

ThickNStout

Georgia

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

500mL bottle from Sherlock's (Marietta, GA). 7.99. Poured into my trusty $2 snifter from Goodwill. No bottling info. 

Pours oil black with a nice 3 fingers tan head that slowly recedes into a coating layer of fine froth. Very little lacing. 

Pleasing smells of dark fruits, roast malts, cocoa and some coffee. 

Nice bitter chocolate combined with semi sweet plum/ dark fruits up front. Those flavors stick around as roasty malts and coffee join in. The tastes are bold and complex. The 9% abv is near unnoticeable. 

Medium thick feel with low carbonation. Mildly sticky and coats the mouth well. 

Overall a great stout. It has a good deal more dark fruit qualities than many others and has earned a place in my regular rotation of imperial stouts. If it's this creamy and complex now, I look forward to seeing what some age is going to do to it. This one is well worth a try if you see it on the shelves. 

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 03:47:08 | More by ThickNStout

CaptDavyJones

New York

4.63/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Poured a motor-oil black color from a 500 mL bottle, with ABV on the label. Couldn't find a date of bottling or freshness date. Nice one finger dark tan colored head that dissipated very slowly to a thin film that stays. Very good head retention.

S- There is a distinct hop aroma upfront, unlike most Russian imperial stouts. The bitter hop aroma slowly gives way to malt, yeast, bready notes with chocolate/cocoa and hints of coffee. The aroma becomes very pleasant as the beer warms up.

T- Wow, this is such a super malty stout. Rich, smooth and silky that coats the palate so very well. There is so much going on in the taste; chocolate, coffee, malt, cocoa balanced by just that slight hop bitterness. Extremely well-balanced and tasty. So easy to drink, does not feel like a 9% beer at all.

O- Overall this has to be one of the best Russian Imperial Stout's I have had, period. Very tasty, very smooth, very well balanced. Paired perfectly with dark chocolate. Definitely worth a try and is very highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 02:30:27 | More by CaptDavyJones

shangwang

Pennsylvania

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

Poured into my Dogfish snifter. Been aging this one for half a year.

Jet black body with a finger-plus of cocoa brown foamy head. Head dissipated quickly leaving a half finger and chunky lacing on the sides of the glass. Smelled of fresh hoppy bitterness with a touch of caramelized sugar, like creme brulee- a very interesting blend. Tasted like roasted malt and coffee beans, with a bitter acidic finish. The roasted character was smoky and very noticeable, almost like a rauschbier. Also a bit of vanilla sweetness in the taste- there were several layers to this one. Mouthfeel had a bit of carbonation, and was medium in weight, suited well for the flavor profile.

Overall, a very good beer. I was surprised at how complex the flavor was, as it seems like a lot of beers in this style seem to be dominated by coffee and dark roasted malt. There were a lot of characteristics that reminded me of a black IPA, and the hop bitterness was a major contributor to the taste. Definitely dug it and will be looking for it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 01:03:19 | More by shangwang

PatrickSwayze

California

3.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a deep dark black with really really thin lacing at the edges.

S: Grassy bitter hops, with what I can distinguish is bold smokey/roasted  nose.

T: I feel a thin smokey forward flavor  joined by a delicate yet bold roast from the malts pushed together by some earthy grassy hop flavor and tad bit of bitterness ending with gentle chocolate

M: Really dry and thin compared to most imperial stouts.

O: Im enjoying this stout though to smokey for my tastes. They don't even use smoked malts in this beer which surprises me that it comes off that distinguished in the flavor. Decent overall stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 02:40:32 | More by PatrickSwayze

NightINgale

Quebec (Canada)

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

50cL/500ml bottle.

A - The body is of a very dark brown, almost black colour. The head is also quite dark. Great head retention and nice lacing. Looks beautiful in my snifter!

S - Very roasty aroma, with strong hints of dark chocolate and vanilla. Slight hints of coffee, hops, and maybe dark fruit.

T - Up front you get a blast of chocolate, vanilla, and coffee. The sweetness is quite high but not to the point where it's too much. Then the hops show up, adding some floral notes and a hint of citrus to the otherwise very malty flavour. Quite bitter overall, but the sweetness balances this bitterness really well. The after-taste is chocolatey, roasty, with a some hops and caramel notes. This is like liquid dessert!

M - Medium-bodied. Fairly highly carbonated, but that's only logical, provided it's a bottle-fermented ale. The ABV is very well-masked. This beer is creamy and smooth on the palate; it drinks really well overall.

O - Beautiful RIS! Complex, smooth and not boozy. This is my first Norwegian beer, and I can only hope I'll try more Nøgne Ø beers in the nearest future.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 00:22:51 | More by NightINgale

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

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

Near black. Supple sienna head. Some stickage. Elegant.

Roasty sweet. Some lactose, molded raspberry, freshly ground coffee, melted sugar, and clay. Smells like an Imperial Baltic Porter.

Roasted grains, wort sugars, overly creamed coffee, and that's kind of it for description. Some nuances here and there. Malty sweet and somewhat one-note, but assuring. Not particularly bitter, but rounded and easy to imbibe. Nice medium-thick body with lacking carb, but a heady smoothness.

More authentically English in the RIS style, but mellowed. Not out there or upfront. Just... good. Not rich, but satisfying. Not incredibly complex, but complete. Pretty average, but exemplary. Fitting. Glad I had it.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 13:37:07 | More by thecheapies

derkfromwi

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Nice one finger mocha colored head, pitch-black color, some lacing

S: Sweet caramel, nice roasted malts, vanilla, dark chocolate, bit of smokiness and coffee, touch of hops

T: Rich and complex, roasted malts, smooth and bitter coffee, chocolate, alcohol nicely hidden

M: Medium to full-bodied, smooth, oily texture, light carbonation, good mouthfeel

O: Good imperial stout, very drinkable and smooth, nice balance of bitter and sweet

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 05:33:52 | More by derkfromwi

Avagadro

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep and dark in its blackness, and topped with a mocha-colored head. Served in an over-sized wine glass, this beer looks delicious.

S: The bouquet is bold and upfront, with chocolate and creme brulee giving sweetness, and a touch of coffee to round it out.

T: Slightly sweet, but far from cloying, this beer delivers plenty of goodness. Milk chocolate and caramel mingle well with the roasty notes of this brew.

M: A bit lighter than I would have preferred, but it has a nice velvety texture to make things interesting. I assume this is from the oats used in the grist.

O: My first Nogne O offering, but certainly not my last; this impressive stout has inspired me to try a wider range of their portfolio.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 01:59:26 | More by Avagadro

eat

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottled August 26, 2011; roughly five months upon opening. Motor-oil style pour with a viscous, pitch black body and copious, dense and rocky mocha-coloured head. Lots of nice lacing and great retention. Beautiful imperial stout, just what I like to see.

Fairly lactic nose with lots of caramel, malted milk and milky chocolate (~50% cocoa-style). Yeast, earthy hops, a touch of grapefruit, alcohol and a hints of coffee and mixed berries.

Possibly the slightest bit under-malted if I was going to find any fault; not nearly as sweet as the nose might suggest. Very solid though, with a dark profile featuring roast malt (including a touch of char), well-placed alcohol and soily hops. Hints of dark-roast coffee, cocoa, berries and tobacco. Caramel sweetness is just present enough but I wouldn't call this stout sweet at all; drying roast and warming alcohol take over on the finish.

Not as full-bodied as I was expecting given the nice pour. Good medium body and light-moderate carbonation.

I would fully believe the label's claim that "this beer ages well" and would definitely pick up a couple more to test out if I run into it again. Smoother alcohol with more fruit and leather/tobacco is what I'd expect and would be much appreciated. I've been very impressed with imperial stouts out of Scandinavia; for some reason it makes sense that they would be brewing up fine specimens of this style. No exception here, really great stuff. Wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 06:04:12 | More by eat

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

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

Bottled August 26, 2011 (BB Aug 26, 2016).

Beer is jet black with a thick and solid-looking cocoa head. Very good retention and quite a lot of lacing.

Roasted malt is the first smell I get, along with some coffee.

Taste is also full of roasted malt, with cocoa and coffee flavours strongly present as well. Relatively bitter, particularly at the finish. The alcohol is very well hidden. Not overly complex, but a nice bold flavour that goes down very well.

Quite creamy and full-bodied. Given the amount of head I took this to be quite a carbonated beer, but it is quite subtle when drinking. Feels great.

A really good beer, in my opinion. Very glad that the LCBO brought this one in.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 21:56:52 | More by jrenihan