Nøgne Ø
Nøgne Ø is a Norwegian brewery from Grimstad, on the south coast of Norway. The name comes from a poem by Henrik Ibsen and roughly means 'bare island'. At Hoptimaal, the focus is on the Nordic Noir 3 editions: heavy barrel aged beers that are highly rated on Untappd.
- LocationGrimstad, Agder
- Founded2002
- TypeMicrobrewery
- Untappd 3.69 · 1.3M ratings
- At Hoptimaal1 in stock · 2 in total
In stock now 1
Previously at Hoptimaal 1
Sold out. If a new batch is coming, you can ask for a heads-up on the product page.
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A brewery named after an Ibsen poem
Nøgne Ø is based in Grimstad, on the south coast of Norway. The brewery was started in 2002 by Kjetil Jikiun, a pilot at Scandinavian Airlines. On his many trips to the United States he brought home brewing supplies: bags of malt, yeast and barrels. Together with a welder and a housewife, he built up the brewery.
The name comes from Terje Vigen, a poem by Henrik Ibsen set in Grimstad. Nøgne Ø roughly means 'bare island'. In the Napoleonic Wars, the main character tries to break the English blockade of Norway. The founders saw that as a symbol of their attempt to breathe new life into lost Norwegian brewing craft. The official company name is Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri AS.
Ales, stouts and a brewer without rules
Norway had its own brewing tradition for centuries, but legislation and increasing scale made the independent brewers disappear. According to a blog from 2010, Nøgne Ø was among the handful of Norwegian breweries that took up the craft again.
That same blogger described four of the brewery's beers at the time: a Bitter with East Kent Golding hops, a brown beer with Maris Otter barley, a Wheat Stout and a Belgian witbier, all four at 4.5%. The beers are brewed with top-fermenting yeast. In 2010 Nøgne Ø also started making sake; the first batch appeared in May of that year.
That is a description from 2010. What the brewery makes now is best seen in the range below. On its own website, the motto is: 'There are no rules!'
Nøgne Ø at Hoptimaal
At Hoptimaal you will find Nøgne Ø in 33 cl and at 15% alcohol. On Untappd, the Nøgne Ø Nordic Noir 3 Brandy Barrel Ed. and the Nøgne Ø Nordic Noir 3 Loupiac Barrel Ed. are the highest rated. The range changes, so check the brewery page to see what is in stock now.
At 15% and with barrel ageing, you take your time with this one. Don't serve it ice cold but at around 12 to 14 degrees, in a small glass. Feel free to share the bottle and give the beer time to open up.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Nøgne Ø come from?
Nøgne Ø comes from Grimstad, in the Agder region on the south coast of Norway. The brewery was founded in 2002 by Kjetil Jikiun.
What kind of beer does Nøgne Ø make?
According to a blog from 2010, Nøgne Ø brewed a Bitter, a brown beer, a Wheat Stout and a witbier, among others, with top-fermenting yeast. At Hoptimaal you will mainly find the heavy, barrel aged Nordic Noir 3 editions.
What does the name Nøgne Ø mean?
Nøgne Ø roughly means 'bare island'. The name comes from Terje Vigen, a poem by Henrik Ibsen set in Grimstad.
