Mike Loves Beer

Name – Special Holiday Ale – Nøgne Ø/Jolly Pumpkin/Stone Collaboration
Country – Norway
Type – Winter Warmer

Appearance – Pours a very bubbly dark brown color with a big little brown head that disappears quite fast.

Smell – The nose has spices and a slightly minty/menthol like smell.

Taste – Juniper and mint right up front and it sticks there through out.  Kind of candy cane like.  Some other warming spices and a little bit of a dark fruit taste.

The strong juniper and mint taste really caught me off guard.  Upon reading the bottle I do see that juniper berries were used in it.  For the season it fits quite well.  It has the nice warming effect and the juniper taste just screams festive at you.  I know not many of these can be found but if you can still find it and are feeling adventurous do pick one up just for the experience alone.

Overall Grade – C+

Name – Nøgne Ø Doppelt IPA
Country – Finland
Type – American Double IPA

Appearance – Poured a cloudy copper color with a big slightly off white head that left lacing on the glass.  I noticed bubbles rising almost through out the entire time drinking it.

Smell – Nice citrus like hop profile with some pine hints to it.

Taste – Big full citrus hop taste with some pine notes.  Nice caramel malt backing that has a bit of a bread like taste to it as well.

This is a collaboration brew between Nøgne Ø and the brewmaster of Yo-Ho Brewing in Japan.  A pretty well balanced DIPA that doesn’t have overpowering hops and a nice malt backing to it to even things out.  I was kind of surprised to read it is 100 IBUs as I have had some brews with less IBUs that this one that the hops are very dominate in.  But I found this a pretty good DIPA overall.

Overall Grade – A-

Name – Nøgne Ø Brown Ale
Country – Norway
Type – English Brown Ale

Appearance – Poured a very dark brown with a big tannish head.

Smell – Rich roasted malts and slightly sweet caramel smell.

Taste – Roasted malts, coffee, caramel and toffee.

Another new one to our area, I decided to go with the Brown Ale as my first venture since I haven’t had one in the style for a long time.  It was pretty on to what the style should be and I enjoyed it.  I look forward to trying their other brews that we got too.

Overall Grade – B