Naked Rabbit

Nøgne Ø Naked Rabbit is a collaboration brew between 5 Rabbit Cerveceria who are an Illinois based craft brewery and Nøgne Ø. This beer is a Pale Ale brewed with both juniper berries and mango and as it states on the label:

"A chance encounter between our two breweries led to a realization of some common values and a collaboration was born. It turns out that juniper from the cool north and mango from the torrid south are soulmates, amplifying each other and blending perfectly in this characterful pale ale. Motueka, Pacific Jade and Hallertaue Blanc hops add to the beautiful piney, fruity aroma."

Was really looking forward to trying this pale ale as I love mango, plus this beer being a rare one to get my hands on. Appearance was of a typical American Pale Ale, dark yellow to light golden in color with a medium sized egg white head. Then on to the aroma, wow it had so much freshly cut mango in it and not the stinky mango that many other beer have when using this fruit. It was both delicate and fresh and not over powering in anyway, I was in love with this beers aroma and could not wait to taste it. As for the juniper berries, they I find are difficult to pin point in a beer and only after smelling dried ones that I had in the kitchen, was i then able to find them slightly in this beers aroma.

The taste was just as good with more juicy ripe mango, orange citrus tones and a slight piney touch from the hops but all of this was gently in the front. The malt backbone was there and well balanced with the bitterness so it was not just a beer that tasted mango, taking away the mango it was also a great pale ale. Medium carbonation, this really is a juice bomb of a beer that is packed with fruity flavors and so easy to drink.

Yes the body of the beer could have been a touch more filling but the key to this beer is the balance between the malt, mango, juniper berries and spicy hops. As I mentioned above, have tasted a few mango DIPA recently and they all smelly of stinky mango like an over ripped one, where as this beer has a more delicate freshly cut mango touch to it which is great and I love. Highly rated as this now only is a great tasting beer but also a style and blend that I really like, people have complained about the price of this beer in Norway, in my opinion it is worth it and I would not bat an eye in buy many more bottles if it came my way.