#263 Nøgne Ø – Saison

Name: Saison
Brewery: Nøgne Ø (Grimstad, Norway)
Style: Saison
ABV: 6.5%
Source: Galbraith’s Alehouse

Oh, fuckadoodledoo.

I just wrote a 5-6 paragraph post on this beer, which included multiple pictures and divulged secrets, amusing jokes (I thought) about Norwegians and flowery descriptions of the beer, only to have it all disappear on me during the final proof-read.

Well, sod it. I’m not doing it again. Instead I will just tell you that I loved the beer (classic saison done right – yeasty, lemony aromas, sweet in the mouth and then spicy and dry), and that I drank it to counter-balance a slightly gloomy evening.

Instead of actually describing said gloom again, I will just post this photo of my flatmates (and the beer, see?) and let you make up your minds on what the sad faces were about. Go ahead – be creative!

#109 Nøgne Ø – India Pale Ale

Name: India Pale Ale
Brewery:  Nøgne Ø (Grimstad, Norway)
Style: IPA
ABV: 7.5%
Source: Galbraith’s  Alehouse (Auckland)

You might think, given that my last post was about the Nøgne Ø tasting session, that I just cheaped out and used two beers from the same day for two posts. But it’s not so! I just went back to Galbraith’s yesterday and had another one, because I liked them that much. (Also, because I was going  to a concert at the Powerstation across the road).

Anyway. I already wrote a little about Nøgne Ø(and how to pronounce it) in the last post so I’ll just cut straight to the chase. The IPA, which is on tap at Galbraith’s RIGHT NOW) had an intense aroma of fruity and piney hops, and was crisp and spicy in the mouth. It was really bitter but balanced with a toffee malt sweetness, and had a lip-smackingly refreshing dry finish.

The only problem with this beer was that it was kinda pricey (I think it was $12.50 for a tulip on tap) – which isn’t surprising give that the keg has come all the way from Norway. Even so, as someone who’s not exactly rolling in Rutherfords, I’d probably go for a more affordable (and perfectly respectable) New Zealand equivalent next time.

Righty-ho. Time to sleep – drink today’s beer – watch election results – moan – drink more beer, etc etc. I promise the next post will be better, and it will be about the newly crowned (as in, about an hour ago) Champion Brewer of the National Homebrewing Competition. Ooh err!

#108 Nøgne Ø – Imperial Stout

Name: Imperial Stout
Brewery: Nøgne Ø (Grimstad, Norway)
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 9%
Source: Galbraith’s Alehouse (Auckland)

Say it with me now: Nurg-nuh er. Nuuuuuuuurg-nuh errrr.

While it sounds as if I am trying to expel mucus from somewhere deep in my throat – what I’m actually trying to do is pronounce Nøgne Ø – the Norwegian brewery name that literally translates to mean “Naked Island.”

If you live in Auckland (and other places too, I expect), you will need to learn to say nurg-nuh-er. This is because there are Nøgne Ø beers currently for sale at Galbraith’s (you can even try the IPA on tap, if you’re quick), and believe me you don’t want to miss out simply because you’re too shy to get guttural.

I had this Imperial Stout at Galbraith’s on Thursday, as part of a tasting session with Nøgne Ø’s brewer - Kjetil Jikiun. Kjetil had flown over all the way from Norway (his ‘day job’ is flying planes, FYI) and Dominic from Hashigo Zake was taking him on a beer tour of NZ.

We tried around seven of Kjetil’s wonderful beers (maybe more, maybe less – things got a little hazy tbh), starting with a crisp, Belgiany Saison and climbing ever higher toward the big black beast that I’ve named this post after. For each one I took a photo thinking this would be my beer of the day, and then changing my mind when I tried the next one.

While we drank each beer Kjetil gave us a little run-down of how the beer came about and what they were trying to achieve etc etc, which looked a bit like this:

Now, on to this Imperial Stout.

As I said it was about the seventh beer we’d had so my memory is p r e t t y rubbish, but I do know that it tasted like Christmas and Easter and my birthday all at once. It was rich and boozy and perfectly bittersweet, and slipped down my throat like chocolate milk. I think there were flavours of dark chocolate fudge, raisins, a hint of espresso and sharp fruity hops… along with sugar and spice and all things nice. Obviously I’m trying to describe the indescribable… So just get to Galbraith’s and try it for yourself.

And remember: Nuuuuuuuurg-nuh errrr!