Nøgne Ø India Pale Ale

Kjetil and crew brew a number of different IPA variants - this one is the simplest and most straightforward.

Happily, simplicity is not the same as boredom here - a lovely nose of strong citrus, lemon, and grain sweetness heralds one of those beers that is just a pleasure to drink. The malt backbone is the star, delivered via a velvety smooth mouthfeel that seems to have immigrated across the border by dead of night from some of their excellent darker beers.

It's not a hops explosion by any means but there's enough fruit and spice there for balance - and balance is what this beer has in spades, a delicious all-rounder effort that should be entry level textbook reading for brewers looking to enter this field. 7.5% abv is spot on, and it's attractive to look at to boot.

At the (Australian) price point this beer has a lot of competition - but at least you know you're buying a beer that is rock solid reliable and guaranteed to please. 8.5