Nøgne Ø God Jul (Winter Ale)

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Pours out a deep, opaque, coffee-like sable with a frothy beige head. Aroma is malty with an overtone of molasses and hints of smoke and spice. Rich flavor has tones of molasses, unsweetened chocolate and coffee with just a whisper of sweetness. Texture is thick and heavy, smooth and fizzy, leaving a finish like smoky molasses. Happy Holidays!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

The pour is impressive enough. A dark, nearly blackness in colo with a big tan head. Some hang time settling into a nice frothy capping atop the ale. The aroma is roasted malt with a balance of molasses and dried dark fruits. The body is full and smooth. Coats the palate so impressively. I get coffee, roasted malt some fruit in the taste.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

sorry, not only do i not get the "spice" notes in this beer, but...there are NO spices in this beer, so why it's classed as a spice beer, who knows. 5 malts, heavy on the chocolate and carmel. 3 hops, English ale yeast, and local water. NO spices!! Poured a beautiful dark brown, between a porter and a stout. Neverending head is the theme. Still there 20 minutes later. Good mouthfeel, and it hides the 8.5% dangerously well. I can kind of see where one reviewer gets the "irony" taste, but there is nothing unpleasant in this beer. Great balance of hops and sweet malt in both the nose and flavor. Only 30 ibu's...really?! GREAT balance. Lots of caramely chocolate in the flavor, especially as the beer warms. Nice, warming finish. I want more. Gotta give Nogne O some props...pretty solid after 4 of their beers.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

I really enjoy sampling this brewery. Aroma on this one is malty sweetness as well as spice. The aroma is nice and pleasant with some roasted malt overtones as well as some java and dark chocolate notes and is very inviting. The appearance is a jet-black to charcoal in color but a nice and rich mahogany-chestnut when held to the light with a nice head on top that is full and robust and a light-brown in color that diminishes to a nice lacing that coats the glass well. The mouthfeel is very full-bodied and very robust with tremendous malty complexity as well as some nice bitter balance with a palate that is syrupy and almost chewy and coats very nicely and is sticky. The flavor is of dark chocolate and roasted malts with nice java and coffee overtones with an aftertaste that is bitter that showcases the dry-hopped combination and is very full with a finish that is nice and bitter as well as chocolatey with hints of coffee. Overall, fantastic brew here and done very well and is silky smooth with no alcohol coming through at all; I sure am glad I found this gem! Great creation here."

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Pours with a deep red body topped by a meidum thick, light brown head with some lacing. It’s sweet and malty with a touch of alcohol esters and a piney hop note. Medium to full bodied and slightly warming.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

Poured a brown color with small head and weak lacing. Aroma was chocolate and nutty. Flavor was was much the same, very nutty and chocolate.Some was a little off, some sort of bite there that is nasty.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Poured a brownish color, ok initial head, decent retention, weak lacing. The aroma was nuts, chocolate, even some coffee. The flavor followed suit, some cocoa-chocolate notes, nuts for sure, and an un-named spice I couldn’t put my thumb on. A touch of astringency made this a little off in my book, light mouthfeel, slight acidity.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This strong ale pours a deep brown color from a 500ml bottle. Medium to large sized white foamy head. Aroma is sweet and spicy, with lots of clove and some chocolate. Medium bodied Strong Ale. Malts are caramel and sweet, with lots of chocolate and dark fruit. Hops are earthy and floral. Spiced with cloves. Well balanced. Smooth tasting, Good XMAS beer. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

NorCal tasting Apr 07 - This beer seems to be a bit of an enigma to me. I can't figure out if it's supposed to be a spiced ale, barleywine or some sort of a strong ale. It seems to hop around in all the catergories and not really finding a home in one. The aroma mostly roasted malts and it had this bloody, irony character to it. Flavors was sweet malts, some spice like anise or cardammon with some alcohol present. I've been impressed by their other beer I've had, but this one just didn't do much for me.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Pitch black colour, big brown head. Aroma is caramel, spices with slightly roasted malts and alcoholic notes. Flavour is roasted malts with some caramel and licorace. Spices become present after the roastiness and caramel vanishes. Pleasant and smooth, but it does feel "quite" standard compared to a few of the other Xmas theme beers from Nøgne Ø. Hides the alcohol very well.