Aku Aku Lemongrass Ale

Nøgne Ø Aku Aku Lemongrass Ale is another brew from Nøgne that was brewed especially for the Aku Aku Tiki bar in Oslo. 5.5% very light yellow in colour and quite hazy, initial aroma had some ginger but very little lemongrass and spicy. The lemongrass was a lot more dominant on the palette and I did not like this after-taste at all, dare to say it was like drinking a lemon toilet spray at times. 

Quite soapy and had some mild bitterness but did not get much malt at all. Nice to have tried this and possible during the summer drinking this cold might be a lot more approachable, either way this time round it was a flop for me. Tyttebær is finally joined by another beer as my worst ranked Nøgne beer.

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Andhrimnir Barleywine

My second time drinking Nøgne Ø Andhrimnir Barleywine and still believe that this is a great brew but still prefer their own smoked barleywine, Sunturnbrew. 

Very dark amber to reddish brown in colour with little to no head on this beer, a typical barleywine looking beer. The aroma is loaded with sweet malt extracts, caramel and toffee, a quite sweet barleywine that is quite fruity with no alcohol in the aroma which is good. Very heavy and thick flavours to this beer ranging from malt, dark fruits, sugar and some alcohol. Very well hidden alcohol again by Nøgne who seem to be kings with such tasks. 

Definitely a more balanced barleywine now having tried it 1 year old and now 2 years after bottling and as with all barleywines, a sipper that needs to be consumed not too cold and not too warm in order to get the best out of it. The finish was long and enjoyable, dark fruits and raisins with a light bitterness in the finish. 

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Asian Pale Ale

Nøgne Ø Asian Pale Ale is a light and refreshing pale ale with generous amounts of lemongrass added later in the brewing process. Aku Aku was a previous lemongrass beer from Nøgne Ø that i did not like, this version appeals a lot more to me and I can taste and understand the crispiness that the lemongrass adds to this version.

Brewed with malted barley, wheat and rye malts and pacifica, cascade and nelson sauvin hops. As always, Nøgne Ø like to push the barrier here by adding some extra ingredients to make the beer even more multi-dimensions. Not happy with just adding lemongrass, 2 other ingredients were added that compliment the lemongrass. Bitter orange peel and bergamot leave which gives this pale ale a more citrus and herbal aroma and taste.

Light yellow to golden in colour, very big scum and in the beginning it felt over carbonated, but after a few minutes when the beer adjusted to outside temp this was no longer an issue. Aroma had definitely lemongrass in it, along with some light malt, spices and citrus tones. 

Taste had lots of lemongrass and this beer would work very well with lightly spice foods. Body was medium with a nice long bitterness that was both from the lemongrass and the hops and at 4.5% alcohol and just 10 IBU it had great balance between aroma and taste.

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Aurora Australis

Nøgne Ø Aurora Australis was brewed at Bridge Road Brewers in Beechworth, Australia. Maturation took place in red wine barrels on its journey to Norway and was bottled at Nøgne Ø. 

Aurora Australis (the southern lights) is of beer style quadruple and has a dark brown colour, with an off-white head that is quite large for this style. The aroma is amazing, lots of vanilla, wood, red wine barrels right off the nose. Getting lots of dark fruits, chocolate, this beer is a true sipper and a great beer to nose all night.

The taste is similar to the aroma, a bit sweet with hints of toffee and caramel with the high alcohol very well hidden. The red wine touch makes this a great Belgian Strong Quadruple and a big favourite of mine, highly recommended.

Aurora Borealis is the twin brother to Aurora Australis and that version was originally brewed in Norway before being packaged into whisky barrels and sent south to Australia. And as we already know Aurora Australis was brewed in Australia and shipped over the seas in Victorian wine barrels.

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Bitter

Nøgne Ø Bitter is a light ale with a slightly cloudy appearance and a rich yellow colour. It has a very herbal/floral hop aroma with some orange peel, grass and light citrusy. Nutty flavour which probably comes from Maris Otter with the East Kent Golding hops giving it the quintessentially English taste and a tea like bitterness in the finish.

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