Nøgne Ø India Pale Ale

Nøgne Ø
Grimstad, Norway

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Copper-brown color. Thick cream-colored, rocky head. Cloudy, lots of suspended yeast.

AROMA: 3/4
Fruity-sweet. Floral. Prune/raisin notes, chamomile notes, licorice. No hop aroma.

TASTE: 6/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: Malty but watery. Hop at end.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Prune, raisin, coffee. Fades to a bitter finish that lasts.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Strange bounce–sour citrus front. A bit watery, astringent.

OVERALL: 2/3: Tastes like a Belgian strong, not an IPA. Complex. Watery. Very pruney, little hop aroma.

TOTAL: 13/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Weird–this isn't an IPA. More like a kind of Norwegian cough syrup.
Ben: Decent on its own terms, but not an IPA in any sense of the term.