Style: Barrel aged imperial stout
Brewery: Amundsen
Origin: Norway
Size: 44cl
Alcohol: 13%
Price: 80kr
Systembolaget: 10530
I saw this beer on the small selection shelf at Systembolaget, and instantly I grabbed all the cans that were left. I just knew that this monster of a stout would be great. Amundsen is Oslo’s biggest brewery and one of Norway’s largest craft breweries. Opening in 2011 as a brew pub, they quickly expanded and now own a 42Hl capacity brewery which opened in 2016. This beer is part of the Amundsen “ultra stout” range, reserved for their biggest and heaviest stouts. It has been barrel aged in bourbon barrels and brewed with barley malt, wheat, oats and lactose. As it was such a potent beer, I knew I would have to have it last in the tasting so it didn’t destroy all the other beers. But was it any good? Oh, yes indeed.
There was no denying that this was a massive stout upon first inspection, with the beer about as dark as you can get. The body was extremely thick and glossy, along with a thick and creamy beige head that formed quickly and hung around for a long time. The aroma was just as expected, with massive oak, brown sugar, coffee and milk chocolate notes all blending well together delightfully. Upon sipping, the taste was potent indeed. The tar like body covered every inch of the tongue, with the aromas transferring almost exactly into the taste. The big wood notes combined nicely with the roasted chocolate, syrup and brown sugar character. The boozy hit of the 13% came through in the chest after swallowing, warming the whole body.
This was a monster of a stout, but still remained balanced. The big bitter notes were balanced with the sweetness, filling the senses with every taste. I had one of these on my own at home and it took me about 2 hours to drink. A 33cl can might have been a better size, but this 44cl can is perfect to share between two or three people. If you can still find it, I highly recommend you give this a go. An absolutely amazing stout.