Nøgne Ø Imperial Premiant India Pilsner is another new beer from Nøgne Ø this time using a type of hops that we are probably not so familiar with. Premiant is a Czech hops type that was first introduced 1996, has high alpha acids and a spicy aroma. Imperial Pilsner at 9% alc and with 60 IBU I knew this beer was going to put up a good fight.
Aroma of wet grass, bitterness from the hops, citrusy like you get with lemon peel and some light spices. Very nice aroma that was quite stinky but in a good way, high alcohol level and weight of the beer could be guessed from this powerful aroma. This pilsner is not you average and is super full-bodied, slightly sweet, pine resin sweetness comes to mind.
Definitely not a beer top drink a full bottle alone like I did, such a powerful beer needs to be shared. It reminded me of a nice Czech pilsner on steroids, the aroma and flavour profile was off the chart, just a pity it was such a heavy and slightly boozy brew. Worth trying for all those pilsner lovers out there.
Nøgne Ø India Pale Larger is one of the very latest beers to come out of the brewery and just recently sold out so it was so so nice of Cathie to give me a bottle to try. Better still, I tried it at the brewery in the good company of some of the staff there, I know Cathie really likes this beer as she insisted that I don't leave any after me. Appearance had a nice golden colour to the beer, mahogany to brownish orange with a very white head. Still having Python Pilsner on my mind (easy to confuse the two beers) I was not expecting another such powerful and tasty beer.
Aroma was obviously very fresh, lots of floral fruity hops, bready as most pilsners are from the pils malt. Slightly piney to grassy, for sure apricots and caramel there with a very sturdy malt backbone to this larger. The hops were well blended with the malt as the bitterness was just right here, some pine and citrus in the beginning with the caramel malt sweetness to follow it up. Medium body, light carbonation and a very easy beer to drink and enjoy its deep flavours.
Really loved this beer, a lot easier to handle that the Python Pilsner as I believe this beer has less abv. If it was available I would most definitely buy a box, but unluckily for me this is one of the new small release beers from Nøgne Ø that I might not be drinking it. Had 2 glass more of this great beer at the Nøgne Ø Julöl party the following night, lucky me.
Nøgne Ø Imperial Phyton Pilsner was a new beer in 2012 for Nøgne Ø and a beer I should have posted a review about months ago. Another great label and the idea of a pumped up pilsner can only be good, lets hope this beer has plenty of venom to offer.
Golden to straw yellow in colour with a medium sized white head. Carbonation was high on this beer and it must be the high abv and use of champagne yeast that causes this. Very yeasty aroma, definitely some winey tones from the yeast also which was very strong. Spicy Belgium aroma, getting some cloves and tartness, not sure if I like or dislike this aroma as it so different, reminds me a little of Evil Twin Disco beer that also has champagne yeast.
Moving on to the body, slightly boozy and remember it is a 9.5% beer so this is ok. Sweet flavour, lots of fruits like red apple, pineapple and some caramel.The yeast here is also present in the flavour and if their existed and Imperial Belgian Wit then this beer would be close to it with it's flavour profile, some citrus and orange. I really liked this beer and after having it a few times now and being aware of it's strong pungent flavours it kind of puts me off drinking a full bottle.
Nøgne Ø Pils was the first beer I tasted on draft at Patricks pub in Kristiansand, a Czech pilsner of 5.1% and unfiltered as with all beers from Nøgne Ø. I expected this to be a touch better than the average pilsner one gets and this beer had both a nice aroma and taste. A well brewed pilsner with an aroma of floral hops, citrus, grass, pilsner malt and some biscuit notes.
Flavour had a mild bitterness with more malt and grainy to it. A beer I would love to be able to get hold of when out on the town and knowing that once can drink a few of these and still enjoy the taste experience. Definitely one of the better pilsners I have had and a nice addition to the Nøgne Ø stables as a draft beer for the pubs.
