Imperial Brown Ale
Nøgne Ø

Imperial Brown AleImperial Brown Ale
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From:
Nøgne Ø
 
Norway
Style:
American Brown Ale
Ranked #49
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
90
Ranked #10,017
Avg:
4.02 | pDev: 10.45%
Reviews:
68
Ratings:
132
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 30, 2024
Added:
Mar 01, 2007
Wants:
  20
Gots:
  12
18°P, 30 IBU.

Ingredients: Maris Otter, wheat, brown, amber, Munich and caramel malt; Columbus, Chinook and E K Golding hops; English ale yeast, and our local Grimstad water.
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Ratings by Pintofbrown:
Photo of Pintofbrown
Reviewed by Pintofbrown from Texas

4.55/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
I poured this from a bomber into a glass stein.

Appearance- The head is great! It swells to three-fingers with a chalky consistency. The head is pot marked with lots of bubbles and craters. The lace is really thick, and web-like.

The body is an opaque dark chocolate. There are a few bubble columns noticeable in the glass. Very good looking beer!

Smell- A bountiful whiff of malts on the nose, mostly of the bread malt variety, which is how I like my browns. There is also a much sweeter note, like raisin dwelling in the depths. There is a slight brandy character from the alcohol as well, but it is very subtle.

Taste- Color me impressed! The drink begins with some more of the roasted and bread malt that is picked up on the nose. That continues through the entire drink, but it sweetens up as you move into the middle and end of the drink.

This is where some of that raisin quality starts to come out and mingle with the bread malt. The finish is not quite as sweet as it is roasted and spicy. That is thanks to the slight alcohol that comes out here.

More bourbon-like now than the brandy that is picked up on the nose. And again, it has a spicy quality to it, not quite as harsh as pepper, but easily picked up. Just a really solid brown that hits big with the roasted malt and bread malt qualities that make the style so enjoyable.

Mouth feel- I can not sell the mouth feel on this one well enough. Right away, the incredible creaminess of this beer is apparent; talk about rolling over the tongue!

And it is a very thick and heavy drink, definitely full bodied ad mouth filling. I really do not think this could have been done any better.

Overall- Everything that should be looked for in a great brown ale. The nose is full of malt with a distinct character, although maybe not as big as it could be.

The taste profiles incorporate the nose just as well, and remain interesting through the entire drink, however that peppery finish from the alcohol was the only thing keeping this from being a perfect flavor score.

And oh my the mouth feel. Just perfect use of carbonation found in this one. Nøgne Ø has done brown ale lovers a great service!
Nov 27, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.96 by Supper1

Jan 30, 2024
 
Rated: 4.23 by Heeenrik from Finland

Jan 14, 2023
 
Rated: 3.98 by JTuomi from Finland

May 13, 2022
 
Rated: 4.04 by Dentist666 from Russian Federation

Aug 17, 2021
 
Rated: 2.9 by stephenlee93 from England

May 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3.42 by Houborg1 from Denmark

Nov 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.08 by desint from Belgium

Jun 20, 2019
Photo of Tone
Reviewed by Tone from Missouri

3.8/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a black color. 1/2 inch head of an off-tan color. Great retention and slight lacing. Smells of alcohol, strong sweet malt, Euro yeast, slight roasted malt, chocolate, and a hint of wood. Fits the style of an American Brown Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with a low carbonation level. Tastes of alcohol, strong sweet malt, Euro yeast, slight roasted malt, chocolate, hint of smoke, and a hint of wood. Overall, great feel, decent appearance and aroma, but body is sadly weak in finish.
Nov 28, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.03/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured into a mug, the appearance was a muddy brown color with a finger and a half’s worth of sly tan foamy head. Milky lace. The aroma had the normal Nogne initial smell - coca cola followed but some hazelnuts, light milk and dark chocolate. Subtle grassy hops. The flavor was exceptionally sweet, that coca cola taste didn’t meld enough with the hazelnuts. The malt had some roastiness to it. Aftertaste was coca cola and hazelnut with a clean sweet finish. The feel was semi-cloying as the coca cola flavor produced a slick semi-oily texture. Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt fine. Overall, Nogne does something to their beers that I don’t know what it is, that coca cola syrupy thing just seems to not do it for me so much.
Jun 25, 2017
Photo of doktorhops
Reviewed by doktorhops from Australia

4.53/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Nøgne Ø, which apparently means “naked island” in Norwegian... if I was in Norway I wouldn’t be spending any time naked on any islands lest frostbite become my new bestie, but hey I’m a pragmatic man when it comes to endangering my own life. So I’ve had a few Nøgne Ø brews now: Imperial Stout, Sunturnbrew, and their red wine barrel Quadrupel... all of them dark and heavy, in fact at 7.5% ABV this is the lightest Nøgne Ø brew I’ve imbibed yet! The main reason I even picked this up was on a recommendation, and if it’s as good as their other brews I’ll have to grab some more from my local Black Sheep Bottle Shop (Newmarket that is). Until then - bring on the naked island!

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Nice murky Russet brown body with a fulsome 1.5 centimetre beige head that slowly recedes leaving some lace on the side of the glass - love shack baby! [I’ve decided for shits ‘n giggles to randomly inject B-52’s lyrics into my reviews - yep that happened since you were away]. 9/10.

S: Dark fruits and brown sugar with a side of molasses - this is going to be one sweet mother of a brew. Hint of nuttiness in there as well, so maybe it will having a dry character as well... you never know until you try hey? 8/10.

T: Top. Shelf. This is such a well-balanced IBA: Macerated figs, burnt sugar, pecan nut, caramel, touch of earthy espresso bitterness in the finish; well played Nøgne Ø, well played. The thing that really wins me over is how well managed the sweetness is - I was expecting a sugar bomb from the aroma, however this is not the case. It’s so very nearly a 10/10 for flavour, but then the aftertaste cuts in with just a little too much bitterness... so close Nøgne Ø Imperial Brown Ale! 9/10.

M: Silky mid to heavy bodied with a dense but flat carbonation - near perfect here too but, ahhh, what the hell Nøgne Ø: 10/10.

D: Exceptional Imperial Brown Ale, up there with the best of them... well Embargo is my current favourite - however I appear to be one of its few champions (though I have no idea why, it’s a fantastic drop). Nøgne Ø have glimpsed at the heavens and said “what the f__k, we can do it!” and they very nearly cracked that ceiling with this IBA. Great work Nøgne Ø! PSA: This review has the most frequent applications of the ‘Ø’ character in any review I have ever written - yet I am still unaware of how to actually pronounce this character. Carry on. 10/10.

Food match: Flavourful cheeses and grilled meats: I must agree with that label.
Apr 29, 2017
Photo of JamFuel
Reviewed by JamFuel from Sweden

3.74/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a dark reddish brown.

Smell is malty and bready, with some sweet raisin notes.

Taste is malty and sweet, with a bit of booze, nuts and dried apricot.

Medium bodied, nice crisp carbonation.

Brown ales are not my favorite style, but this was one of the better ones I've had. Nice and malty, good winter beer.
Mar 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4.15 by Dzu from Russian Federation

Jul 19, 2016
 
Rated: 4.03 by VashonGuy from Washington

Jul 02, 2016
Photo of JMUduke
Reviewed by JMUduke from Taiwan

4.4/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look: translucent brown
Smell: nutty and sweet...enticing
Taste: nutty, molasses, coffee resides on the back of the tongue
Feel: medium-bodied, quite smooth
Overall: delicious! my favorite brown ale to date
Jun 11, 2016
 
Rated: 4.03 by kristinc from Canada (BC)

May 09, 2016
Photo of Hat_Fulla_Beer
Reviewed by Hat_Fulla_Beer from Canada (AB)

4.13/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
500ml bottle poured into Sam Adams pint glass.

Pours a dark, hazy brick brown with half a finger of desert tan head that leaves a lumpy sheet of lace as it recedes. Lots of floaties and sediment.

Smells of baker's chocolate, roasted nuts, melted sugar, dark berry jam and leafy green hops.

Tastes of more semi-sweet chocolate, fresh baked bread dusted with brown sugar, mixed dark fruit and more gentle green hops.

Feels creamy and silky. Medium-full bodied with smooth, sturdy carbonation. Finishes mildly dry and nutty.

Verdict: Highly recommended. Nice and rich.
Feb 07, 2016
 
Rated: 4.17 by stephenlee from England

Dec 26, 2015
Photo of Ciocanelu
Reviewed by Ciocanelu from Romania

4.15/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Clear ruby-brown color with light brown head. Aroma has grassy hops combined with some caramel, dark cherries and nuts. Taste starts nutty, gets into caramel and roasty malts in the middle and hoppy and quite bitter in the finish and aftertaste. Body is medium-heavy, smooth but doesn't lack carbonation. Overall this is one of the better brown ales you can get.
Nov 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.3 by killcore from Russian Federation

Jul 01, 2015
Imperial Brown Ale from Nøgne Ø
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 132 ratings