Andhrimnir Barley Wine Ale: Nøgne Ø

Ahh, the obligatory longship...

Whenever life gets you down, just remember, it could always be worse.  Take, for instance, the example of poor Sæhrímnir.  Sæhrímnir is a beast in Norse lore, some say a large boar, others say a giant sea beast.  Anyway, Sæhrímnir’s sole job is to hang out in Valhalla (where all good, dead Vikings go) until suppertime.  Then, he is slaughtered and prepared for the evening feast, only to rise again the next morning to do it all over again.  Sæhrímnir will do this until Ragnarok, or the end of time as we know it.  So, here is this giant pig whose only purpose in existence is to die and be eaten on a daily basis until the end of the universe.  Quit yer goddamn whining!

This, however, is where Andhrimnir comes in.  Andhrimnir’s job is not only to slaughter and prepare Sæhrímnir, but also to make the glorious mead and brew consumed by all these undead berserkers squatting for eternity in Odin’s living room.  In honor of this timeless brewmaster, Nøgne Ø has introduced a barley wine.  Does it live up to the high standards of the einharjar (you know, those dead Vikings)?

Color: Buff colored, lively head (the best kind), dark amber brown bordering on burgundy, very clear, excellent

Aroma: Spring allergies have seriously dampened my aromatic tools, but I am getting a heavy waft of malt with some pretty serious alcohol tang.  Add a dash of toffee along for the ride.

Taste: Heavy mouthfeel, light effervescence.  Blast of caramel at the onset with a pretty overpowering dose of the ethyl alcohol bringing up the rear.

Overall: I expect more from my barley wines, simply because they are one of my favorite varieties of “beer” (tipping my horned helmet to you true connoisseurs).  All I really got from this one was a heavy blast of the ethanol, which was covering up what may be a very good taste experience.

I’m only going to drink one of these this evening due to the high alcohol content.  If I imbibe anymore, I may wake up tomorrow knowing exactly what Sæhrímnir endures with each rising of the sun.

Until then, think about all those unemployed Vikings just trying to get by…

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