Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout
If you're not familiar with Nøgne Ø brewery from Norway, don't worry. I think most average folks in Toronto would be surprised to see a beer from Norway at the LCBO, but for this year's winter release, that is exactly what we got. Nøgne Ø has been producing excellent bottle-conditioned ales in Norway since 2002. These beers are quite sought-after here in Ontario, so when the list of beers for winter was released, this was one of the most talked-about bottles on the list. While I've had other products of theirs, this is the first time I will have had the Imperial Stout. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited. As a side note, Nøgne Ø also makes saki. I know, crazy. If you're ever in Norway do try some. Here we go!
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Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout - Sorry about the iPhone picture, long story[/caption]
From a 650ml bottle with a freshness date, Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout pours a deep dark black opaque with a nearly red head that fades to a light mocha as it settles. Aroma is molasses and burnt sugar, rum and dark rye bread, hints of tobacco and vanilla, and a heap of awesome. Taste is huge, leathery with a touch of salt, molasses is back, but less sweet with more of the burnt sugar smokiness; there is no doubt there is a generous dose of hops in here too. A bit of a mineral dryness, with some herbal notes hits the mid to back palate, with a coffee dry finish. Surprisingly, there is no lingering sweetness, but the smokiness echos around with the nice dry clean finish. Just lovely. This is strangely both hugely accessible, and also quite complex. The balance makes it a beer that I wouldn't hesitate to offer to s new Imperial Stout drinker, and is still a beer i wish I could afford to keep cases of in my fridge. I would also like a case or two to age. Because I'd be seriously interested to taste it after a year or two.
About the Brewery
The name Nøgne Ø means "naked island", a poetic term used by Henrik Ibsen to describe any of the countless stark, barren outcroppings that are visible in the rough sea off Norway's southern coast. We think the name also gives a symbolic picture of what the two Norwegian home brewers did early 2002, when they decided to found a new brewery. Their urge to share their passion of good beer was unbearable. Their vision was to bring diversity and innovation into commercial brewing of real ale. The result – Nøgne Ø.
Nøgne Ø's subtitle - "The Uncompromising Brewery" is a plain statement of our mission to craft ale of highest quality, personality and individuality. The alchemists realized that they could only create gold from gold – so have we. Our gold is Maris Otter; Cascade, Centenneal, Chinook and Columbus. We think Maris Otter is the best malt obtainable, hand malted barley in the traditional manner in the UK. The big C’s are full flavored hops, grown in the USA. We only use ingredients of highest quality in order to make beers of uncompromising quality.
Nøgne Ø has grown from a 300 hl production in 2003 to an estimated 3500 hl production in 2010. We make more than 20 different styles of ales, and we export more than 70% of our total production. We do not aim to become much bigger, but we always focus on being better!
2 comments
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Big fan of this beer. Tried it for the first time a few days ago and was impressed by its complexity and great balance. I have to say, you've got a much stronger palate than I. Great review.
Thanks Michael. While I do know I've got a fairly well developed palate, it comes more from nurture than nature. Having been trained as a chef, intentionally thoughtfully tasting pretty much everything I consume has been drilled into me. It is something I kept when I stopped cooking, and certainly is partially why I feel comfortable writing these reviews. But I would encourage everybody to delve a bit deeper into what they are drinking. It can be intimidating, worrying about "missing" something, or using a bad description. But I always remind people, that taste is subjective, and nobody can disagree with you about what something tastes like to you. Which can be liberating. That being said, reading a review here or someplace like ratebeer.com or beeradvocate.com as you taste can help you dig through some of the flavours you might be encountering, and is helpful as you teach yourself to pick apart beers (or wines, cheeses, whatever).
Cheers!