- My Rating: [A-], I gave it a (3.8 of 5) on Ratebeer.com
#500 (Imperial India Pale Ale) – Nøgne Ø (Nogne O), 10% ABV – 0.5L, (Grimstad, Norway)
on the front-right label:
“Nothing is like celebrating your own milestones. This is a celebration of our 500th batch of ale. It was brewed with joy and splendor; the brewer wore a suit, and a TV station filmed the event. As a base for this ale, we have elected to play with numbers: 5 hops, 100 IBUs, 10% alcohol by volume. Indeed it is an Imperial India Pale Ale. Big and bold. Great for a celebration!”
- Style: Imperial India Pale Ale
- Taste: Caramel-toffee malt brandy sweet smooth alcoholic
- How much: $9 (after 10% off), @16th St. Liquor Store (W.Van), Sept 2013
- Do I love this enough to drink it again: probably not
- Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: good stuff for sure
Visual: Their signature plain label with just the Ø, but the true excitement is inside. Pours murky root beer brown with a very small head, a thin layer of micro retention, a few micro slow streams here and there.
Nose: aromatic caramel+toffee sweet malt (lvl-7)-pungency
Attack: alcoholic crisp
Mid-palate: (lvl-7)-sweetness, (MAIN) caramel malt, toffee, nutty, brandy
Finish: subtle soft bitter hops, malty sweet smooth finish.
Summary: This drinks way too smooth for a 10%. Not much bitterness for an IPA, tastes like a strong amber. Good taste:$$$ ratio.
