Advent Calendar Window Eight

Right, I seem to be falling behind with these posts, but like a hungover Father Christmas with a lame reindeer ahead, I'll keep going because that's what Jesus would have wanted (probably.)

Saturday's beer, (drunk on Friday - like you never opened windows on your Advent calendar early as a child) was Nøgne Ø's God Jul, one of the beers I was really anticipating, especially as I had no idea what to expect. Though I've enjoyed many of their beers, and their Sunturnbrew will probably be my beer of the year less something remarkable happens in the next 21 days, sometimes I feel they can be a little overhyped. Still, it's my first Norwegian Christmas beer, and mine's a 2011 version so surely it'll be great.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this pour a dark stouty brown with thick head. This has similarities with their Imperial Stout immediately to me. There's a lot of chocolate, coffee and sootiness on the nose, as well as gentle sweet aroma. It also has a strange roasted nutty flavour to it and a liquorice presence, before conceding to those chocolaty malts. The coffee finish is sweetened, like your favourite flavoured latte. I'm half expecting a lasting hit of gingerbread or allspice, just to make the snowflakes around the label worthy. But nothing happens. This is warming, delicious and worth savouring. Perhaps this is the ideal Christmas beer in Norway. But it has too much in common with their regular Imperial Stout, which is superb, to be a stand out beer on its own. Buy. Drink. Enjoy. But one for any time of the year.

Enjoy with: all the twee songs from the John Lewis adverts, because even though they are meant for Christmas, they're still pleasant throughout the year.

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