Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottle conditioned, RBESG 2005, Grand Tasting (courtesy of the brewery). Golden colour, low head. Yeasty aroma, notes of fruits (esp. raisins) and oak, flavour is oaky and raisiny with a certain alcoholic punch. Not bad at all.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Up to 2017: 500 ml bottle, batch #991, from Det Gode Brygg, Sandnes. ABV is 4.5%. Golden colour, moderate white head. Fairly nice aroma of German(?) and/or Czech(?) hops, grassy and herbal notes. Bland flavour, dry and "dusty", easy to forget. 2018 onwards: 440 ml can, from Bunnpris Sauda. ABV is 4.5%, IBU 10. Hops are Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Eukanot. Malts are pilsener, wheat and oat. Very cloudy pale yellow colour, moderate white head. Aroma of various citrus fruits and tropical fruits. Fizzy and citric mouthfeel. Flavour of fruity (citric, tropical fruits) and piney hops, the bitterness is moderate, but seems higher than 10 IBU.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Herbarium, Stavanger. ABV is 8.0%. Hazy orange to brown-ish colour, moderate white head. Aroma of piney hops, caramel and orange marmalade. The flavour has some malty sweetness with caramel, balanced by fairly distinct piney / resinous hops. Nice beer.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, bought at Maxi Stormarked, Sandnes. Batch 151. ABV is 4.5%. Cloudy yellow colour, big to moderate white head. Nice and strong yeasty aroma with spicy and herbal notes, hints of citrus. Spritzy mouthfeel, high level of carbonation. The flavour is also spicy, even peppery, but the yeast is a bit too dominant. Still a beer I’ll most likely buy again.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Bottle conditioned, RBESG 2005, Grand Tasting (courtesy of the brewery). Murky / cloudy pale brown colour. Lots of sediment in the bottle. Typical hefe aroma, cloves and ripe bananas. Yeasty flavour with cloves, a bit more hops than in many other hefes.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9%, IBU 28. Brewed 22.06.10, bottled 03.08.10. Black colour, big to moderate tan head. Lovely vinous aroma, notes of red berries and dark fruits, hints of vanilla, spices, leather and oak. Soft and warming mouthfeel. The flavour has moderately sweet malts (not much roastiness), chocolate and dark fruits, moderate bitterness, hints of spices and liquorice in the finish. A soothing beer indeed.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.5%. Very dark brown colour, appears as black. Moderate beige head. Aroma of medium roast malts, brown bread and smoke. Soft mouthfeel, moderate carbonation. Moderately sweet flavour, brown malts, brown bread, caramel, hints of prunes, moderate but noticeable hops. Nice to drink.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

On tap at HaandBryggeriet tasting, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Cloudy pale yellow colour. Both aroma and flavour have a well hopped character, with notes of citrus, tropical fruits and spruce. Moderate but sufficient bitterness.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

On tap at Olympen, Oslo. Cloudy orange colour, low white head. Strong yeasty and fruity aroma, also notes of cloves, coriander and oranges / orange peel. The flavour is wheaty and fruity (oranges) with yeasty and spicy notes. A bit sweet and "heavy" for a cross between Witbier and a Belgian Ale, but nice enough.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 12%. Hazy and deep reddish brown colour, moderate to small off-white to beige head. Nice aroma of malts, brown sugar, caramel, over-ripe red berries, dark dried fruits. Medium sweet flavour with the same elements, also molasses and fairly distinct bittering hops in the finish. Noticeable alcohol.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.0%. Opaque yellow colour, moderate white head. Distinct aroma of various tropical fruits and citrus. Slightly sweet but refreshing flavour, again with tropical fruits and citrus, hints of resin, but the bittering hops are very moderate.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Clear golden colour, large white head. Moderate aroma of fruity hops. Lagerish mouthfeel. Well hopped flavour with a "clean" bitterness, no "fruit cocktail" here. Nothing "christmassy" about it, but a very drinkable beer.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger, as HaandBryggeriet Costa Rica Porter. Black colour, low tan head. Lovely aroma of mild coffee and dark chocolate, a hint of cigarbox. Medium dry flavour with coffee, dark chocolate and a touch of tar and smoke. Another good beer from HaandBryggeriet!

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

750 ml green bottle, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 7%. Gusher bottle. Cloudy dark reddish brown colour, shortlived head. Aroma of oak, red wine and unfresh notes of blackcurrants. Fizzy mouthfeel. The medium sour and vinegary flavour has the same elements as the aroma. Not my cup of tea.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, bottle conditioned. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Both aroma and flavour are dominated by roasty malts, chocolate and leather. A good beer, but a little too sweet for me.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Shared bottle at hotel room tasting, thanks to OleR. Black colour, low tan head. Moderate roasty aroma, oaky notes. Dry flavour, oaky and roasty. Decent enough, but I can’t say it is better than the "ordinary" Dark Force - on the contrary, I’d rather say.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

330 ml can, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 16%. Pitch black colour, small brown head. Aroma of roast malts, coffee, molasses, fusel, oak, vanilla and caramel. Warming mouthfeel. Medium sweet flavour of roast malts, coffee, vanilla, oak and chocolate.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, as HaandBryggeriet Dobbel Dose IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle conditioned, unfiltered and unpasteurised. Batch #108, brewed Nov. 07, BB Nov. 09. ABV is 8.5%. Very cloudy orange-brown colour, big off-white head. Nice hoppy aroma, notes of flowers and orange marmalade, a hint of oak too. The flavour is sweet (too sweet) and somewhat alcoholic, with a substantial dominance of hops (as expected from a Double IPA), but not quite as extreme as I feared. Bitter finish. When pouring the last sediment in the glass the beer becomes extremely muddy, but the flavour also becomes more complex and interesting.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Rerate, cask at HaandBryggeriet’s stand at Parkteatret’s "Beer Day", + bottle at Bar & Cigar, Oslo: Remarkably good - I’m upping it a few points! Original rating: 500 ml bottle, as HaandBryggeriet Dobbel Dose IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle conditioned, unfiltered and unpasteurised. Batch #108, brewed Nov. 07, BB Nov. 09. ABV is 8.5%. Very cloudy orange-brown colour, big off-white head. Nice hoppy aroma, notes of flowers and orange marmalade, a hint of oak too. The flavour is sweet (too sweet) and somewhat alcoholic, with a substantial dominance of hops (as expected from a Double IPA), but not quite as extreme as I feared. Bitter finish. When pouring the last sediment in the glass the beer becomes extremely muddy, but the flavour also becomes more complex and interesting.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Bottle conditioned, RBESG 2005, Grand Tasting (courtesy of the brewery). Murky dark brown colour, lots of sediment. Yeasty aroma and flavour, some cloves.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml waxed bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 14%. Black colour, minimal brown head. Aroma of roast malts, molasses, fusel alcohols, liquorice, oak and bourbon. The flavour is sweet but not too much, smooth roast malts, distinct notes of bourbon and oak, hints of liquorice.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

500 ml bottle, batch #262, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Also sampled at Håndverkerstuene. ABV is 7.5%. IBU 25, EBC 64. Black colour, moderate tan head. The "perfumed" aroma has notes of ripe dark fruits, woodwork, chocolate and mild coffee, hints of smoke. The flavour is well rounded and mellow for its strength, notes of dark malts with only a slight roastiness, hints of prunes, dark chocolate and mild coffee, moderate hops and a touch of smoke and juniper in the finish. Very drinkable. I wouldn’t mind having this served in my "gravøl", but as I won’t be able to sample it there myself, I’d better drink some more now!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Pale yellow colour, large white head. Aroma of citrus / grapefruit and spruce, hints of tropical fruits. Light bodied. Bitter and citrussy flavour, notes of grapefruit.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Batch #315, ABV is 6%. Hazy deep golden colour. Huge and rocky head, slightly off-white. Lovely aroma of fruity (passion fruit) and resinous hops. The flavour is again fruity and resinous hops throughout, notes of tropical fruits, with a sufficient malty backbone. Excellent beer, very enjoyable.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 12.3%. Pitch black colour, small tan head. Aroma of smoke, roast malts, oak and whiskey. Rich and warming mouthfeel. Rich and strong flavour, medium sweet, notes of roast malts, coffee, smoke, liquorice, oak and bourbon whiskey.