Raw (Norwegian Farmhouse Ale)
Nøgne Ø

 

 

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a lightly hazy, medium golden amber with a fine, two finger white head with sheets of lacing. Aroma lightly grainy malt, juniper, smoke and lemon, somewhat vegetal. Flavor is bready and mildly grainy malt, moderate smokehouse smoke, mixed orange and light stone fruit, mild juniper. Lingering light smokiness. Medium bodied with light to medium creaminess. Quite a unique farmhouse ale. I did not expect the smoke character, but it is beautifully done. The malt and yeast are hard to identify, almost a hybrid of a German bready malt and a more traditional sason malt and yeast. There is a somewhat sweet, unidentifiable fruit component that is quite pleasant. Very close in flavor to a sahti, but smokier. Nicely balanced, interesting and flavorful. I liked this a lot. The name does it a bit of a disservice, there is little raw about the character.