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

ggaughan

Pennsylvania

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

Last Nogne we sampled the other night. Poured a deep pitchblack night color with a deep brown head and solid lacing on the glass. The nose threw off some distinct chocolate and roasted notes. The taste was sweet and had bitter chocolate tones as well. The body was very filling but pleasing at the same time.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2007 03:31:05 | More by ggaughan

mbutter1997

Nebraska

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

A: Black, dark black. But if held just right to the light, there's a mild hue of red. 2-3" of thick malty brown head. Sticks around throughout and sticks nicely to the glass.
S: Malty aromas of chocolate, molasses and roasted malts.
T: Taste mirrors the aroma. The roasted malts are delectable, with a touch of espresso. The hop character is blended well. Aftertaste is a touch bitter, but still good.
M: Rich & creamy; alcohol is definitely present but well blended into the beer.
D: Would definitely have this again. Am curious as to what else this brewery has to offer. Back to Beertopia for some new beers...

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2007 02:47:01 | More by mbutter1997

hunteraw

China

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

My 300th review, hard to believe... Picked up after a very long day. Poured into a Samuel Smith's nonic.

Appearance: Dark head over an incredibly dark body. Completely opaque, even when held up to a light bulb. Exceptional retention and lacing.

Smell: Coffee and bitter roast aroma.

Taste: Acidic. Flavor a bit lighter than I'd expect from the color, but good. Fairly typical chocolate & coffee, finishes bitter.

Mouthfeel: Full and creamy. Sticks to the inside of your mouth.

Drinkability: Good, particularly after a long day like this one. I'd anticipated planning out my 300th review, picking something in advance, and all that, but after such a long day this did just as well.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2007 03:05:24 | More by hunteraw

ElGordo

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the 500ml bottle into a tulip glass. Body is an inky black topped by a sizeable, creamy, deep tan head. Rich aroma of roasted malt, with a hint of lactose sweetness. Palate is rich, smooth, and slightly sweet. Roasted malt is the dominant flavor, accented by mocha, dark fruit, and a touch of licorice. Finish is mildly bitter, as a few hops come out at the very end. Body is thick, creamy, and slightly oily, making this beer a slow sipper. A pleasure to drink, especially in tandem with a slice of chocolate raspberry cake.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2007 05:42:25 | More by ElGordo

RedHaze

Nebraska

3.78/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle.

Pours an inky blacky with a dense one finger head that fades slowly to a thin cap, leaving behind a thick webbing of lace. The lacing is very sticky, and lasts throughout the entire beer. The second pour, which is only a little more aggressive, produces a two finger head that takes a really long time to fall.

Smell; dark roasted chocolate malts, with some hints of coffee and molasses really jump out at me. A bit burnt sugar and some dark fruits are present, and in the background, there's some traces of anise.

Taste; lots of roasted coffee beans and malts, that slowly fade to some chocolate and molasses. It's a touch sweet, but the roasted flavors more than offset the sweetness. A bit of hop bitterness and anise come out on the back end, and there's a little sourness in the finish. Not as in your face as a lot of the American imperial stouts are, but this is one damn fine beer.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, with a very nice smooth carbonation that helps to give this a great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2007 01:28:55 | More by RedHaze

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from a 500ml bottle into my Imperial pint glass and allowed to warm up for 15 minutes. Appears an opaque deep brown color with about an inch of thick dark tan foam. A thick layer of lacing coats the inside of the glass and doesn't budge. Awesome smokey nose. Aromas of dark chocolate, espresso beans, smoked and roasted grains, and black licorice. Taste is rather sweet at first, leading into strong mocha notes with a heavy lean towards dark roasted coffee and bittersweet cocoa. This is followed by a light smokiness, a touch of alcohol, and a pleasant bitterness. This is a nice full bodied beer that reminds you that you are drinking something with some substance. Carbonation is in line with the style. A very rich and satisfying Imperial Stout, albeit a little pricey for a 500ml bottle, but certainly worth trying at least once.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2007 04:20:46 | More by ClockworkOrange

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

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

Dark chocolate coating, creamy, roasty tan head, good 1/2"...

Smooth, creamy, milky aroma, light cocoa tones, toasty, ...

Big on the palate, full and rich, big chocolate, some espresso below that, thick and tasty, ...very full, lightly hoppy, nice moderate bitterness, with a deep, and gorgeous flavor below. Wow. Tas-tee!

Yum. Quite a treat, this one, not too this, not too that...just right.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2007 08:17:59 | More by feloniousmonk

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a small foamy head with minimal retention. Aroma of black chocolate with subtle coffee notes was well balance and very enticing. Taste is a perfect balance between some black chocolate malt with a very subtle hint of sweetness and some subtle coffee. Creamy texture is incredible with a thick body à la Bells Expedition. No alcohol was detectable and carbonation was low. Definitely the best beer I have tasted from this brewer up to now.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2007 19:29:19 | More by Phyl21ca

grub

Ontario (Canada)

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

biegaman hooked me up with this one in a recent trade. thanks jan!

pours very dark brown, nearly black and almost completely opaque. a big dense dark brown head rises up, then slowly falls to a thick ring around the glass. although there is very little lace, the head just keeps rising back up.

aroma is great. rich dark chocolate. coffee. caramel. roast. bit of alcohol. light sweetness.

taste is great. lots of roast. bittersweet chocolate. light caramel sweetness. big bready malt. hint of alcohol. coffee.

mouthfeel is good. big body. nice medium carbonation level. light astringency.

drinkability is great. very well balanced and quite tasty. very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2007 03:49:33 | More by grub

Gavage

New Jersey

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

Appearance: pours a deep dark black color with a chocolate colored 3"+ head. The head lasts for most of the session which for an imperial stout is impressive. Nice lacing paints the glass.

Smell: huge chocolate, molasses, and roasted malts are easy to pick up well outside the glass.

Taste: the flavors follow the nose as the chocolates, molasses, roasted malts, prunes, hints of coffee, decent bitterness, and mild alcohol tones make up bold flavored brew.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp at the start. The finish is smooth and a touch dry. The chocolate and molasses flavor glue themselves to the tongue and last a while. Heavy in body.

Drinkability: this is an awesome beer in my opinion, and depsite the alcohol tones this went down easy. I could have had a few bottles of this in a session. Find some of this and try it.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2007 17:58:21 | More by Gavage

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I don't believe this is retired, it was readily found and delivered by Papsoe. A 500 ml. with very thick body and head, dark brown. Straightforward quality RIS, some chocolate and coffee, roast, but not too much of anything. Roast and anise aroma. Bittersweet chocolate mostly. A bit acidic in mouth like having unsweetened hot cocoa. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2007 05:10:16 | More by northyorksammy

GbVDave

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into a 20oz imperial pint.

A: Absolutely pitch black! 1/2 finger of espresso crema colored head. The head eventually recedes to a few faint whisps of skim.

S: Huge aromas of espresso roast coffee, overripe plums, raisins, toffee, and dark chocolate.

T: Fantastic flavors of espresso, roasted malt, caramel, sweet dark fruit, molassas, dark chocolate, some bitter hops, and, as noted in an earlier review, the faint tang of blueberry.

M: This one starts off full, smooth and creamy and turns quite bitter at the finish. Slick and oily, this RIS coats everything in the mouth and the delicious finish defies the die-off and just keeps going...

D: Very good drinkability with this one. This is one to be sipped upon and enjoyed for quite awhile. Make sure you end the evening with this one. Your tastebuds will be cashed!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2007 19:29:52 | More by GbVDave

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

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

A - Brown, nearly black, brew with a faint yellow tint, small brown head and small flecks of lacing.

S - Caramel, chocolate malt and toffee - a nice aroma, but a tad mild.

T - Mild chocolate with a strong toffee presence, a bit of alcohol. Aftertaste is mild, almost nothing there, but a touch of coffee.

M - Smooth, thin, slightly refreshing.

D - Alright. It is very good, but ntohing amazing, definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2007 02:20:03 | More by mrasskicktastic

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

86sportster883

New Jersey

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

It's Valentine’s Day 2007, the Jersey Shore is covered in 2 in. of ice, work is closed, schools are closed and I'm enjoying a day at home with the wife & kids & this excellent imperial stout from Nøgne Ø.

The Nøgne Ø Stout pours an opaque black; topped with a dark caramel ring after quick tan head fades away. It smells of sweet dark, roasted and chocolate malt, with hints of bitter chocolate, alcohol and dark fruit. It’s smooth, moderately full bodied with low carbonation that works well on this beer. The taste too, is extremely well balanced; combining robust sweet maltiness with hop bitterness and alcohol. It somehow reminds me of the inexpensive chocolate covered cherries, that are popular on a day like today. It finishes semi-sweet, slightly warming and leaving a mild bitterness.

The Nøgne Ø is a very enjoyable imperial stout that I found to very, very drinkable on this hallmark holiday that became a day off. A beer that you should seek out and stash away for a day to remember.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2007 22:35:31 | More by 86sportster883

Ego

New Jersey

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

eyes...
pours thick, you can see the apparent weight, deep cocoa head is thin but the color is lovely, this has more "legs" than some wines, lacing leaves a nice sheet of foam but recedes quickly. this one is dark enough to cause global warming (somebody call al gore, I want to thank him for that internet thing also).

nose...
deep roast coffee, cocoa powder, there is some sweetness in there also... this is good

taste etc...
decent thickness, easy drinking, maybe a touch too thin actually... it is very smooth so mouthfeel is really hard to score here, on one hand I would like it a touch thicker but yet it is velvety.. so keep that in mind, this one has a nice burnt taste too it, but not overpowering and then finishes sweetly with a hint of warmth. This is a nice smooth RIS.

verdict?
a really nice RIS, not up there with the big guys (rogue, stone, rasputin) but pretty damn close. this is very drinkable. A nice RIS for RIS fans.. a definite recommend.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2007 03:50:42 | More by Ego

Jredner

Florida

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

Aroma is burnt malts and sweet fruit (very blueberry accented) that is highly concentrated. Deep black with a compact mocha head. Fore is fruit accented chocolate...rather like one of those fruit filled Cadbury Bars. Mild coffee...dark chocolate and ripe dark fruits last through all ranges...very different approach than the American Imperial stouts. I rather like the variation and that nearly blueberry fruitiness is a compliment to the base burnt dark malt and coffee flavors. very nice.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2006 00:09:38 | More by Jredner

Sigmund

Norway

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of "Venner av Nøgne Ø". Like all NØ beers bottle conditioned. Pitch black colour, impenetrable for light. Large and thick brown head. Lovely aroma with vinous qualities, also notes of Colombian coffee, liquorice, chocolate and dark dried fruits. Flavour is dominated by strong notes of bitter coffee, mixed with a substantial malty sweetness, hints of molasses. Also some acidic notes, I’m not sure if they are wanted or not. Strong "coffee" bitterness in the long aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2006 21:21:48 | More by Sigmund