[Beer] Norway craft beer "Nøgne Ø"

Few months before, I was buying beers on an online store and found a Norway craft beer call Nøgne Ø. Norway’s craft beer is quite new to me because in HK is not easy to find it, besides some craft beer shop only. This time, I saw that online store has many choices available. Thus, I bought 6 different styles to try out, included Pale Ale, Global Pale Ale , IPA, #100, India Saison and Saison. Nøgne Ø is a fresh brewery, established in 2002 by Gunnar Wiig and Kjetil Jikiun. By the time Norway only had commercial lager beer dominant the market, Nøgne Ø wished to start a brewery, which brews difference beer style for the market. Most of the commercial lager beer is filtered and pasteurized, that’s why it taste light and look clear. Nøgne Ø prefers to brew complex, fruity and full body beer. They call their beer as living beer, it means, they didn’t filter the beer, yeasts would keep in the bottle for the 2^nd fermented. This time, I only tried 6 different styles but Nøgne Ø still has various styles of beers available and those are interest to try out, such as Strandhogg, Asian Pale Ale, Imperial Brown Ale, Vic Secret IPA, etc. From now, my favorite is Pale Ale, IPA, Global Pale Ale and Saison.

Pale Ale (IBU: 40 / ABV: 6%): This pale ale had smooth bubbles white head and shows orange copper color, little hazy. It has honey, caramel and citrus fruits aromas. Taste slightly sweet, fruity and medium strong hoppy, aftertaste has a long conformable bitterness. Overall, I like the style of this pale ale, it didn’t taste like traditional pale ale, is more bitterness and hoppy style.   

India Pale Ale (IBU: 60 / ABV: 7.5%): This IPA had hazy golden orange, only little bubbles. It has light flora and fruit aromas, such as citrus, orange and grapefruit. Taste slightly sweet, fruity, hoppy and full body, the bitterness last very long in the mouth. Overall, it tastes strong like US IPA but this one come with little fruity flavor.   

 

Pale Ale

Saison (IBU: 25 / ABV: 6.5%): This saison had yellow and pale golden color with very little bubbles. It only has fresh fruits aromas such as Peach, Apple and lemon. Taste fruity acid, medium sweet and with a lovely peach flavor. Overall, this beer is easy to drink, very refreshing, suitable to drink in summer.

India Saison (IBU: 40 / ABV: 7.5%) This beer has deep yellow color, the top has thick whitehead and very fine bubbles. Taste hoppy and sweet, aftertaste has a sharp bitterness. Overall, it taste like IPA mixed with Saison or a hoppy Saison.

 

Saison

Global Pale Ale (IBU: 40 / ABV: 4.5%): A Pale Ale made with 13 different types of hops from all over the world, included England, Slovenia, New Zealand, Czech Republic, USA, Germany and Australia, that’s why it names as Global Pale Ale. The color show hazy amber, white head on top and fine bubbles. Aromas have grapefruit, citrus and gummy candy. In the mouth is medium body, it tastes fresh and mild bitterness. Overall, this beer style is similar to a mild IPA because it carries a strong hop aroma. If, you like hoppy beer with low alcohol lever, Global Pale Ale will be a good choice.

#100 (IBU: 80 / ABV: 10%): #100 is a barley wine style beer, it has dark brown color with thick bubble on top . The aromas have dried fruits like dried raisins, caramel, chocolate, roast malt, etc. This beer is full body like bold style with high alcohol. It tastes sweet, light acid and powerful bitterness and come with herbal and hoppy. Overall, this beer is quite rich and complex, in the mouth can feel dried fruit sweet then after taste is hoppy and little smoky.

Global Pale Ale 

#100 

之前幾個月,我在一間買啤酒的online store遊覽, 發現了一款來自挪威的手工啤酒叫做Nøgne Ø.挪威手工啤酒感覺好新鮮,一般在香港都比較難搵到,除了一些專買手工啤酒店舖.今次我在online store見到有多款不同啤酒風格選擇, 於是我買了6款來嚐試,包括Pale Ale, Global Pale Ale, IPA, #100, India Saison and Saison. Nøgne Ø係一間較新是釀酒廠,由Gunnar Wiig和Kjetil Jikiun兩位釀酒師,創於2002年.當時挪威只係有一些大眾化或工業式拉格啤酒主導市場, Nøgne Ø想開一間釀酒廠,釀一些不同風格的啤酒來供應給手工啤酒愛好者.多數工業式拉格啤都會經過殺菌和過濾,所以味道會比較清淡和外表清晰. Nøgne Ø就係想釀一些複雜性,Fruity,和厚身(重型)的啤酒,這就是他們不會過濾啤酒,酵母都會保留在瓶內來進行第二次的發酵.雖然今次只係試了6款啤酒,其實Nøgne Ø仲有好多不同啤酒都好值得去試,例如Strandhogg, Asian Pale Ale, Imperial Brown Ale, Vic Secret IPA, etc.目前我最鐘意係Pale Ale, IPA, Global Pale Ale and Saison.

Pale Ale(淡愛爾啤酒) (IBU: 40 / ABV: 6%): 這款pale ale倒出來的時有細绵泡沫,顏色是朦朧橙色帶小小銅色.啤酒帶有蜜糖,焦糖和柑橘類水果的芳香.味道方面剛開始有輕微水果甜,之後感覺到啤酒花味道,到aftertaste有很長啤酒花的苦.整體我很喜歡這款淡愛爾的風格,它沒有傳統淡愛爾的溫和.它是有多一些啤酒花的香和苦味.

India Pale Ale(印度淡愛爾)(IBU: 60 / ABV: 7.5%): 這款IPA外觀帶有朦朧的橙金色,只有小小啤酒泡在杯頂.啤酒帶有輕輕的花香和水果,包括有柑橘,香橙和柚子芳香.味道方面開始有輕微的甜,fruity,有比較重啤酒花味道,之後苦味會在口內持續一段時間.整體這款IPA跟美國的IPA有些相似,不過它的味道就比較fruity.

IPA

Saison (IBU: 25 / ABV: 6.5%): 從外表看這款Saison有清晰淡金色帶一點黃色,沒有太多泡沬.啤酒只有新鮮水果芳香,包括有水蜜桃,蘋果和檸檬.味道方面它帶酸,類似水果的酸,中等甜度,飲用時可以品嚐到美味的水蜜桃香.整體我覺得飲這款啤酒好涼爽,甜味會好易入口,之後又有點酸來刺激味覺,然後水蜜桃香留在口腔內,感覺非常適宜夏天飲用.

India Saison (IBU: 40 / ABV: 7.5%): 這款啤酒帶深黃色,杯頂有一層白色細緻泡沫.飲落有啤酒花味道和帶甜, aftertaste比較苦.整體我覺得India Saison好像IPA跟Saison兩款啤酒調配出來的味道或可以說是一款帶啤酒花味道的Saison.

India Saison

Global Pale Ale (環球淡愛爾)(IBU: 40 / ABV: 4.5%): 這是一款淡愛爾用了13種啤酒花釀造出來,而且所有啤酒花都是來自全球7個國家,包括英國,斯洛文尼亞,新西蘭,捷克,美國,德國和澳洲.所以這款啤酒叫做Global Pale Ale.啤酒顏色是朦朧琥珀色,倒出來時候杯頂有一層白色細緻泡沫.香氣方面有柚子,柑橘和一些類似橡皮糖芳香.飲落感到清新,中等酒身,有啤酒苦味比較溫和.整體我覺得它是一款輕巧型IPA,因為它帶有複雜啤酒花香但是酒精濃度都是較低,味道都較溫和.如果喜歡啤酒花香,這枝啤酒不會令你失望.

#100 (IBU: 80 / ABV: 10%): 這款#100是一種叫做Barley wine/大麥酒style的啤酒,口感會比較重口味.顏色係深啡色,杯頂有一層厚厚的泡沫.啤酒有乾果(類似乾提子),焦糖, 朱古力, 烤麥芽, 等等..的芳香.口感方面係屬於厚身,重口味型啤酒,帶有高酒精濃度.飲落味道有甜,微酸,強烈苦味再帶多一些草藥和啤酒花的味道.整體來說,這款啤酒是較為濃厚和有點複雜,可以品嚐到有乾果的甜,之後到Aftertaste有啤酒花苦和一些煙燻味道.