Dark Horizon 1st Edition - Nøgne Ø - Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri A/S

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

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

From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue III:

Bottle #01759. Inspired by the USA, malt from England, bottle from Germany, the name is from Japan, sugars from Mauritius, hops from the Pacific Rim, yeast from Canada, coffee from Columbia and brewing skills from Norway. 75 IBUs.

Black. Pitch black. Like death waiting for you at the bottom of an abandoned well. Massive cascading milky coffee-colored head that retains a very healthy looking creamy foam lace that's got plenty of leg. Fresh roasted coffee, dark sugars, suggestions of dark forest fruits, fermented honey, dark chocolate, cream sherry, and a slight hint of port wine booziness in the nose, incredibly complex, yet soft. Whoa. This is one seductive beer. Silky creaminess on the palate, with a full and viscous body that's a bit syrupy and slowly coats the palate with a rich and roasted malt character of dark-roasted coffee and high percent and slightly bitter dark chocolate. Sweet sugary center with buttery toffee. Juicy sherry-soaked cherries. Slight alcohol burn with some spiciness. Lingering chocolate cake and a hint of smoke.

Despite it retailing for around $22 a bottle, it's well worth seeking out for the experience and definitely not as hot and boozy as we expect for a 16-percent beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 02:23:05 | More by BeerAdvocate

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-19-2013 16:46:36 | More by Photekut

jbuddle

New York

4/5  rDev -7.4%

04-25-2013 13:45:36 | More by jbuddle

Sparky44

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -13.2%

03-24-2013 21:58:14 | More by Sparky44

GrumpyOldTroll

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +10%

03-10-2013 22:16:02 | More by GrumpyOldTroll

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Big thanks to ClockworkOrange for sharing this. 500ml poured into a snifter, the brew appears black in color with tan cap. A thin penline of head sits atop and some lighter brown is seen around the edges.

The smell includes notes of raisins and a bit of booze. Some chocolate and roast. Faint coffee before a smoothness similar to vanilla creeps into the nose.

The flavor is roasty with hints of coffee and alcohol. Raisiny alcohol esters evolve getting mildly solvent. Some vanilla and sweet chocolate round things out.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is mild almost watery at times but thats probably due to the volume of alcohol and age at this point. It is very easy drinking and I appreciated the chance to try this after regrettably passing on this years ago when I saw it with a big sticker price.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 20:32:31 | More by stakem

DmanGTR

New York

5/5  rDev +15.7%

01-29-2013 18:35:02 | More by DmanGTR

clayrock81

Virginia

4.24/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured a blackish body with minimal tan head that left lace forever. A boozy, berry-esque aroma filled with brown sugar, coffee, bitter chocolate and/or caramel, some barleywine notes like dark fruits and crisp hops. A slow sipper only because it's so alcohol heavy, not that the alcohol is noticeable, this beer has great balance as it passes rather easily over the tongue despite a little syrupiness and doesn't coat or nuke my tastebuds, but instead I can pick out the sticky sweet malts of chocolate and toffee as well as the roasted, bready coffee notes and then I keep tasting dark fruit or cherries/berries with some minor hop bit as well. Finishes easy and dry thanks to hops and alcohol and leaves me wanting to keep drinking and is not a boozebomb at all.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2013 12:44:04 | More by clayrock81

brandoman63

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

01-15-2013 15:21:46 | More by brandoman63

westcoastbeerlvr

California

4/5  rDev -7.4%

01-10-2013 21:22:38 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

11-28-2012 05:38:23 | More by t0rin0

imperialking

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.4%

10-22-2012 17:40:38 | More by imperialking

djrn2

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -7.4%

04-23-2012 20:22:45 | More by djrn2

billab914

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to IrishColonial for sharing this one. Poured from a 500ml bottle into a tasting glass. It poured black in color with a small amount of bubbles sticking to the edges of the glass. Pretty close to still looking.

The aroma is somewhat boozy with chocolate, dark fruits and a little bit of soy sauce. The dark, roasted, slightly burnt malts are noticeable, but a little overshadowed.

The taste also shows a lot of boozy alcohol throughout. Some nice dark fruits, cherry like flavors are there along with a little chocolate and light roasted coffee.

The mouthfeel is a little slick with carbonation being moderate.
Overall it was a good, but not great beer. It was a little too boozy and sweet, but the dark fruits and chocolate were pretty good in it though.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 15:28:37 | More by billab914

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From 500mL bottle to Portsmouth glass on 3/24/12
*From notes

-- Muchos gracias, IrishColonial --

A: Dark, but then what's new. A good pour yields a dissapointing .25 finger head that fades entirely too fast. The creamy colored collar is decent at best.

S: Boozy for sure. Hints of green earth and a solid amount of minced garden box herbs.

T: For a beer this big, it's incredible how well hidden the alcohol is. Lightly roasted coffee hits the fore and rides to the mid, where the alcohol kicks in and rolls back. A touch of char and grass wrap things up.

M: God is this thin. Pretty flabby stuff. Dissapointing.

O: Lets cut things straight here: we had this in the same evening that featured RareR DOS, Peg's Batch 100, BCBS '05 & '06, BCBS Vanilla and East End Toaster. So you tell me how WOW this is given the night's prior transgressions.

Having said that, this is just not the beer I was hoping for. Inspsired? Sure, but it just didn't come together to form a coherent and vibrant RIS. For a beer this old, it seems to have held up well, but it ain't something I'll seek out.

A decent tick.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 19:53:41 | More by Rhettroactive

Sean9689

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks, Alex! Bottle poured into Darkness tulip.

A - Pours black, thin mocha head, thin ring.

S - Light roast, dark chocolate, somewhat smooth booze (for 16%), and some char. All nice and smooth...the age has done this one some good. The sweetness and booze work nicely together.

T - Similar to the nose. Roast, chocolate, booze, and some light dark fruity notes. The booze is definitely there, but the age has mellowed it down to a "standable" level. The sweetness is nice as well, and mixed with the booze makes this an enjoyable brew.

M - Full, light carbonation, rich and boozy creamy finish.

O - A nice RIS that's smoothed out wonderfully. I would suggest opening your bottles now, as I think the booze is smooth enough to enjoy, while still packing a punch. Recommend.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 16:14:38 | More by Sean9689

ChrisPro

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.4%

01-25-2012 04:11:06 | More by ChrisPro

MasterSki

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review #2200. Thanks to rpohagan for the trade, as I missed this on store shelves in late 2007. Bottle #2663. Served in a Cigar City snifter.

A - Quick-dissolving wisp of tan foam. Black body, faint glint of brown at the bottom of the glass.

S - Dark chocolate, mild smoke, dark fruits, of a bit of umami, lightly charred malts, and a touch of anise. As it warms up a pronounced melted semisweet chocolate flavor comes out, helping to balance the roast flavors. A touch of alcohol, but less than you'd expect from 16%.

T - Again, it's heavy of toasted grains, dark chocolate, and char, but with more red fruits and licorice, yeasty bread, and some vinous port-like oxidation. From a small enough sample you could *almost* mistake this for a Cabernet Sauvignon with strong chocolate and dark berry flavors.

M - Full bodied, chewy, viscous, sticky. Minimal carbonation, and surprisingly little alcohol warmth. It's appropriately weighty for the alcohol and the flavor depth.

D - I held off opening this after tasting the 2nd Edition fresh, and I'm glad I did. As this approaches the five year mark it's eminently enjoyable and worth seeking out for an extremely unique experience. If you can't find it, grab a bottle of the 2nd Edition and hope for the best. Hopefully in future Nøgne Ø returns to this specific recipe.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 06:32:47 | More by MasterSki

AgentZero

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.4%

01-22-2012 23:12:02 | More by AgentZero

ygtbsm94

Virginia

4/5  rDev -7.4%

01-12-2012 05:09:49 | More by ygtbsm94

MrHirschybar

California

4/5  rDev -7.4%

12-27-2011 02:21:49 | More by MrHirschybar

jophish17

Georgia

4/5  rDev -7.4%

12-24-2011 07:34:23 | More by jophish17

JohneHoodlum

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +15.7%

12-08-2011 22:34:25 | More by JohneHoodlum

GbVDave

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into multiple glasses. Thanks to everyone for the assist!

Bottle # 04107

A: Pours an oily, evil black that slides out into the glass. A mocha coffee colored head forms briefly on top before settling down to a creamy skim and collar that left a small amount of lace behind.

S: Blackened malt, rum sauteed raisins, dark chocolate fudge, molassas/brown sugar, and a hint of hot booze & soy sauce. Sadly the coffee was just a memory at this point as it had completely faded away.

T: See above with quite possibly the slightest suggestion of peat. Spicy chocolate flavors were abundant and I noticed the very beginnings of soy sauce.

M: Slick and oily on the front end. Bitter, spicy, and astringent on the back end. And, a middle that was an excellent balance between the two.

O: This was quite a lovely stout. It held up very well in the 4 years that I've had it in my fridge. Would've loved to try it when it was fresh to see how the coffee played into the rest of the flavors. Very, very good.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 18:50:10 | More by GbVDave

rvdoorn

Netherlands

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

Look: The beer pours a extremely dark black color with a nice dark brown head
Smell: roasted malts, coffee, raisins, vanilla, molasses and some warming alcohol
Taste: Malts, espresso, dark fruits dark chocolate, vanilla and molasses. In the aftertaste creamy coffee and warming alcohol appear.
Mouthfeel: thick body with medium-low carbonation
Overall: nice beer, would love to drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 17:36:24 | More by rvdoorn