Nøgne Ø: Blonde - A Reason to Never Leave

“Nøgne Ø, blonde” (naked island, blonde) sounds like something out of a movie with quirky music, bad audio, and a plot about one lone man’s trials and tribulations in an island adventure that takes a dramatic turn for the better when he finds the island populated with beautiful and barely clothed blonde women. Throw in some bottles of Nøgne Ø blondes and you’ll give him a good reason to never leave.

The simplicity and distinctiveness of the company’s yellow “Ø”, surrounded by a black label attached to a half-liter brown bottle, immediately gives away Blonde's Norwegian origins. The Nøgne Ø bottle simply looks wonderful alongside some of the others in my small display collection.

While I must admit that some of these blonde ale varieties have far too much citrus flavor for my taste, Nøgne Ø’s 4.5% ABV version is one that I find myself drinking on a regular occasion. When pouring it, you’ll notice its golden brown color, its good carbonation, respectable one-inch head, and fat lacing. Blonde's aroma is super fruity, including hints of bananas and lemons of sorts. Try hard enough and you’ll be reminded of apples and spices along the way. 

Given the well balanced and mild taste, this Nøgne Ø's Blonde would be pleasurable for nearly anyone. However, I find that, with the exception of the citrus aroma, the nose does not really predict the flavor. The citrus flavor is as overpowering as the nose might lead you to believe and the banana flavor does not really come alive in the taste. Next to the wit, Nøgne Ø’s Blonde is probably one of my least favorite in their line, but it’s easy to get, highly enjoyable, and rounded enough to hand out to the occasional guest. Nøgne Ø Blonde is a great summer beer and I absolutely recommend it.

Links

Nøgne Ø Blonde on Ratebeer.com: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/nogne-o-blond-kos-pa-groos/89187/

 

Nøgne Ø Blonde offical site: http://www.nogne-o.com/constant-production/blonde.html

Nøgne Ø Blonde on BeerNorway: http://www.beernorway.com/2011/08/28/beer-review-nogne-o-blonde/