Beer TN: Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon (16% abv yet balanced!!!)

Today I shared a bottle of a freakish, but wonderful beer, Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon 1. Edition. It weighs in at a Mollydooker-like alcohol level of 16% and costs 12,72€ / ½liter. The colour is black. It is made like normal ale at first, but then a mixture of coffee (Columbian) and sugar with a wine yeast (which one? anyone know?) was added.

The nose, surprisingly to me, is balanced and not alcoholic. It shows an almost vinous bitterness and herbeaceousness - rather reminiscent of another favourite big beer of mine, the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot ale. It is sweetly malty, yet has a fresh lift from the hops. There is a roasted and coffeed character which is no surprise since coffee is actually used.

It is lightly carbonated. The palate certainly is big, but like on the nose, I don't sense alcohol any more than I do in other winter warmer beers of more moderate alcohol. Considering how refreshing it tastes despite its malty sweetness, there must be truckloads of hops. Long.

Considering that I rarely care for table wines with high alcohol, I was very surprised that this was not only drinkable but a great beer. This is better balanced than any high alcohol wine I've tasted.

-O-

Otto
Good timing as I tried a Sierra Nevada Bigfoot yesterday. FWIW I think their claim to be making it in a 'Barley Wine' style is fair and not at all shadowed by the ones I remember from my youth. A fine beer. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the glass, but must admit I struggled to finish it. 9% in a beer seems to have this effect and whilst I'll acknowledge the depth of flavour, 200ml or so was about as much as I could drink before it became too heavy. Odd that 9% would be light for a wine and I reckon I could have drunk more of a 13% wine than this

regards

Ian

Terrible!! No, that is the name of a beer from Montreal that would suit both Otto and Ian. One glass was all I could handle!!

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22/3635/

I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the glass, but must admit I struggled to finish it. 9% in a beer seems to have this effect and whilst I'll acknowledge the depth of flavour, 200ml or so was about as much as I could drink before it became too heavy. Odd that 9% would be light for a wine and I reckon I could have drunk more of a 13% wine than this

I agree, Ian, I wish beers could be bought in "half" bottles also! When big beers are well made they can be stunning experiences and great during a cold winter day, but they are too huge to drink a whole bottle of. I regularily share a 500ml bottle of such beers as I can manage a half no problem. But sometimes I do want to drink some when I don't have anyone around to share it with. I wonder if beers will keep well overnight like some wines?

-O-

Terrible!! No, that is the name of a beer from Montreal that would suit both Otto and Ian. One glass was all I could handle!!

I have to agree with you. The Terrible is a bit much. The Unibroue beer I really enjoy is the Fin du Monde and the Vintage 2004.

Interesting.

The addition of coffee?

That sounds frightening. What about the terroir.

Is it a common practice among beermakers?

We made a variation on an Imperial stout some years ago that was pushing 15%abv. It too had a healthy dose of brewed coffee as well as a couple of bars of Ghirardelli chocolate. Our first shot at it had too much residual sugar so we ended up cutting back on added sugar and priming sugar, upping the bittering hops, and changing the type of the flavoring hops and it came out ok. It was still a bit too sweet for me though.
I'd like to try this one you found, Otto. Sounds yummy

Interesting.

The addition of coffee?

That sounds frightening. What about the terroir.

Is it a common practice among beermakers?

My colleague at the bookshop who is a beerfanatic, says that adding coffee to dark, roasted types of beers isn't perhaps common but is still a well established tradition. The coffee here isn't the freakish part, but the alcohol. And even more so IMO is that it is actually balanced and drinkable.

Bill, though Nøgne Ø is a small "hobby" brewery, they have a good following and very well respected outside of the Nordic countries. I believe someone does import them to the US - I can try to find out if you're interested.

-O-

I can try to find out if you're interested.

I've asked my local beer shop and they said they'd try to track it down but any info you have would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

A bit lazy of me replying on this post, but here goes anyway

I tried the Blanche du Chambly tonight and again a fairly authentic take on a traditional style, this time a wheat beer. We've tasted some good german versions over the previous couple of weeks and whilst happy in their company, probably doesn't stand out to the same degree. It's noticeably uncloudy in comparison (not a crystal clear, but something inbetween). The nose is very expressive and perhaps smells more lees-like than other wheat beers - an almost vinous nose! On the palate it's a shade simple, but on a different day I'd call it elegant and subtle Comparing it to Franziskaner (sp?) and Schneiderweisse amongst others is perhaps tough, but this is certainly a beer I'd drink again.

Ta for the recco folks

Ian

I've asked my local beer shop and they said they'd try to track it down but any info you have would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

Shelton Brothers import Nøgne Ø to the States, but this experimental Dark Horizon wasn't on their list. They seem to have some other stunning beers (Cantillon ) also...

Sounds good Ian! I have a tough time with most Wheat beers, but on occasion Franziskaner and a few others go down well.

-O-

Thanks, Otto. I'll check them out!

This beer sounds yummy!!! Unfortunately, I don't think I could get it around here. I am a fan of beer, and especially the darker beers with a more complex twist. - More fun for the taste buds and the mind.

I'm glad to hear somebody else enjoys the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot! I've only had it once, and all of my companions at the time absolutely hated it, thus being the reason it ended up in front of me.

By the way, I'm Cynthia's daughter Liz. Nice to meet you.

This beer sounds yummy!!! Unfortunately, I don't think I could get it around here. I am a fan of beer, and especially the darker beers with a more complex twist. - More fun for the taste buds and the mind.

Hello Liz! Try the Shelton brothers link I posted. They import Nøgne Ø, and their other beers are as good or even better IMO than the Dark Horizon. I was speaking today with my Norwegian friend who told me a rumour that the second edition of the Dark Horizon might make it to the States.

Don't dismiss pale coloured beers - try to find Cantillon (and approach it with an open mind as it doesn't taste like beer or anything else, perhaps Lambics should be considered a genre of alcohol in itself?) or a fresh batch of Real Ale or an India Pale Ale from a good brewer and you will have a beer as complex as the best dark beers, but usually more refreshing. I guess since I tend to drink white wines more than reds (I like minerality and acidity and an overall sense of brightness), I also tend to drink more pale beers than dark ones.

I'm glad to hear somebody else enjoys the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot! I've only had it once, and all of my companions at the time absolutely hated it, thus being the reason it ended up in front of me.

I don't think I'll be lying if I say that SN Bigfoot has a cult following! It can be a challenging beer if one is used to industrial lager (aka soda water) and even if one does have some experience, but the bittersweet tones I find irresistable. I find it a great example of "barley wine" - but Thomas Hardy's Ale is the classic of this style. Can you find that? If so, try to get a bottle with 7-10 years age on it and drink it with a chunk of stilton <bliss>.

By the way, I'm Cynthia's daughter Liz. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you too! I hope you'll join the chat on Sunday hosted by the Princess!

-Otto-