Imperial DunkelWit
Nøgne Ø

Sep. 2009: On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV was 10%. Cloudy brown colour, minimal head. Very moderate carbonation, like a Southern English cask ale. Vinous aroma, notes of oak and balsamic vinegar, coriander and orange peel. The flavour has notes of alcohol (not very well hidden), fortified wine, coriander (and undefined spices) and orange peel, with distinct hops throughout. Somehow the flavour elements seem not perfectly balanced. Maybe too much bitterness and alcohol crashing with the more delicate wheaty elements? Goes down well enough though.

Pours a dark brown color. 1/4 inch head of an off-white color. Slight retention and slight lacing. Smells of sweet malt, juniper, yeast, coriander, candi sugar, slight alcohol, and a hint of wood. Fits the style of a Witbier. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with a low carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, juniper, yeast, coriander, candi sugar, slight alcohol, and a hint of wood. Overall, blend is sporadic, but body is strong and tasty, the juniper and yeast dominate, but a poor appearance.

This was poured into a tulip. The appearance was a sly dark brown color with a thin finger-ed white to off white foamy head that dissipated within less than a minute. Lacing clung decently around the glass. The smell started off with a huge coca cola flavor rounding over some nice light spices of ginger, all spice, and coriander. Orange peel seems to be the bitter part to balance nicely. The taste was mainly sweet through the previously mentioned flavors and taking the spices to be the balance all about. Orange peel is still there, but becomes slightly sticky sweet in the aftertaste and moves slyly and sweet over the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body as there wants to be a nice sessionability about it, however, I find myself sipping this one. Carbonation runs super smooth and has a sticky coca cola feel over my tongue. Overall, I really don't think this is a witbier by style, that's just in the name that Nogne gave it.

Enjoyed form the 22 oz bottle in a snifter. This unique brew pours a clear medium mahogany color with a moderate head of off white foam that dies down to a thick ring with light lacing. Nose of bitter orange, medicinal notes of licorice, coriander, and sweet malts. Flavors follow the nose with blonde licorice and orange peel that rests on the heavy side on the front and middle, strong booze touched with candy malts hit middle and sides of the taste, and finish with a medicinal blonde licorice malt note that is warming and strong on the fresh coriander flavor that resides on the aftertaste. Decent mouth feel, medium light carbonation, and full on the taste. An interesting wit hybrid that is unique.

Not everyone's cup of ale...this is a strange brew, but it is interesting and substantial.

Cheers

 

 

Poured into a Dogfish Spiegelau glass. No freshness date.

A- Pours a medium brown color with a 1/2 inch dark tan head that retains well before becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and big side bump of surface foam. Semi-resilient lacing slides down the glass.

S- Whoo boy. Orange peel and coriander pour out of the aroma bringing to mind the smell of a Vitamin C tablet pill bottle...not sure if I like that or not. Other non-distinct spices are there, all of which are quite powerful.

T- The first taste is pure booze, almost grain alcohol-like, and then the spices come and attempt to bring some character. They almost succeed since they, along with the malt creating a dark bread flavor, have a complexity but it all just bounces around with no real purpose. Yeah, I can't get over the overbearing sweetness and booziness. Otherwise, this might actually taste nice. Earns points for uniqueness though. Once the palate acclimates, things become manageable.

M- Syrupy with medium carbonation and a fullish body.

O- Usually I like Nogne's spiced offerings but this one is just way too chaotic and hot to be very appreciable. Glad I got to try it though.

 

 

0.5L bottle
Served in a weizen glass

It is a murky black tea color. It wasn't that cloudy until I dumped in the yeast. It is capped with two inches of tan head that leaves a little lacing.

I get a medicinal aroma along with orange and coriander.

The taste has orange and coriander, as well. It also has a bit of a medicinal taste.

It is undercarbonated for a witbier. Smooth almost full mouthfeel.

I think the high abv combined with the orange and coriander created the medicinal smell and taste. It reminds me of orange flavored cough syrup or sizzurp or orange drank. Whichever seems appropriate.

 

 

few have gone where this thing goes, a style hybrid of epic proportions, but even more like a beer/gin hybrid in a lot of ways. tons of gin on the nose and front palate, while other pines and orange zesty and herbal notes are apparent at random throughout. strange and enticingly medium brown, molasses colored, with an inch of well compacted khaki head. gin hard in the nose, but other things too including sweet brown malt, english ale yeast, which doesnt fit the bill, belgian fruit esters, dried winter spices, and some salt water taffy i had and didnt really care for when i was too young for high end treats. overwhelming cornucopia of intense flavors too, all of these, with some toffee brittle, birch syrup, and botanical medicinal curiosity. its almost more than i can handle in terms of understanding, but not more than i can stomach or appreciate. you would never guess its strength in terms of alcohol, and would never know it was supposed to be an imperial germal style belgian wit (and whatever else). it matches none of these in style, but is a wholly unique offspring of a number of different brewing traditions that i think is extremely effective. wily and robust, i would buy this again.