Ø!

Its the end of winter, but not yet the end of winter beers. This one is from Norway, and the Nogne Ø brewery, where winters are long and beers are strong. Simply called "winter ale", it caught my attention.
It pours very dark, a near opaque deep brown, with a cocoa colored head. The aroma is both sweet and fruity, and dark and malty. Which turns out to be an excellend combination. The first taste lets you know that it means business. Like most winter ales, the alcohol content is a bit high, at 8.5%. This gives you a bit of alcohol burn as you sip. The flavors are smooth and soothing. You get a good deep malty caramel flavor, with some coffee bitterness, balanced by some fruity high notes of plum and fig. Then the hops take over and carry you into a mellow sour aftertaste that leaves you wanting more. Overall a great way to spend a cold day.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - deep and dark
Aroma: 3 - good mix of sweet and malty
Taste: 4 - layers of bitter, sweet, and nut
Feel: 3 - solid body
Total: 3.5