Hello everyone.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Nogne O Imperial Stout produced by Nogne O – Det Kompromisslose Bryggeri A/S located in Grimstad, Norway.

I was pretty impressed with the Nogne O Porter that I tried a while back, so I’m hoping that the Imperial Stout follows the same path. 

Here’s a brief description of this brew from the website, nogne-o.com.

We thing the Russian tsar would have liked his stout this way.  A dark, rich ale in which a generous sweetness with roasted malt bitterness.  Great with vanilla ice cream or dark chocolate.

Time for a taste.

This brew has an ABV of 9.0% and it comes in a 16.9 oz. bottle.

The Nogne O Imperial Stout poured pitch black.  No highlights whatsoever.  A very dark tan head was formed from a fairly easy pour.  It was very smooth, silky, creamy, and smooth.  The retention time was excellent and the lacing was thick and sticky.  A gorgeous looking beer I thought. 

The nose presented some heavily roasted malts and grain.  Earthy/herbal hops intermingled with tones of black licorice.  Light espresso notes amalgamated with hints of chocolate and creamy oatmeal as well.  The bouquet was very well balanced, harmonized and very pleasing.

The taste revealed more of that roasted malt and grain.  It was nearly burnt tasting to be honest.  Toasted coffee beans and espresso savors.  Earthy hops and bitter, chalky chocolate goodness provided a good tickle on the tongue.  Some very, very relaxed dark fruits were distinguished also, which provided an extra kick of sweetness.  No discernible alcohol taste even with the relatively high ABV.  Overall, this brew kind of reminded me of a creamy Oatmeal Stout only with a touch more roastiness. 

The mouthfeel was medium to medium/full bodied.  Dry, smooth and slick.  It had a chalky aftertaste too, but it was somehow creamy going down.  Very nice I thought.  The carbonation was medium to low, although fitting.  It left a good amount of flavor behind after each sip also.

I’ll tell ya what.  This may not be the best Stout I’ve ever had, but it’s pretty darn good.  It was a very easy drinking, proper and becoming beer.  I think it could easily be a “go-to” brew for me throughout the cooler months.  It has a lot of character and personality without ever becoming an over-the-top, challenging or tiresome beer like some Imperial Stouts can be.  It was still best enjoyed when sipped and pondered, however I had no trouble taking a bigger gulp from time to time.  The bottle went down fairly easy.  If you guys are looking for a no frills, solid Imperial Stout, I’d say give the Nogne O Imperial Stout a try.  I think that you may find it rather enjoyable.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  4.05 out of 5
Grade:  A-