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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10%. Black colour, large to moderate tan head. Aroma of caramel, chocolate and roasted hazelnuts. Soft mouthfeel. Sweet flavour but not cloying, notes of moderately roasted malts and loads of caramel, also hazelnuts and hints of chocolate, very moderate hops. Nice to drink.

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

Cask 1/3 pint, gravity dispense, at the 16th Twickenham Beer & Cider Festival. Deep golden colour. Pleasant aroma of fruity American hops. Hoppy and peppery flavour, medium dry.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.2%. Hazy yellow colour, huge white head, takes "forever" to settle. Aroma of pineapple, vanilla, lactose and coconut. Medium sweet flavour with the same elements as the aroma, slightly bitter finish.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Herbarium. ABV is 8.1%. Black colour, large to moderate tan head. Aroma of roast malts and mild coffee, hints of dark chocolate and liquorice. Rich mouthfeel. The flavour is medium sweet, with the same elements as the aroma, and a slightly salty finish. Moderate hops, a little more bittering hops would not hurt. A fine beer as it is, though.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.3%. Hops are Herkules and Huell Melon. Sampled 1 month before BB date. Gusher can. Hazy orange to brown colour, small off-white head. Aroma of caramel, malts and old jam. Flavour with the same elements, decent bittering hops.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

500 ml bottle, from EkoMarket Stavanger. ABV is 4.6%. Hazy honey-coloured beer, small white head. Aroma of malts, grass and honey. Sweet flavour of honey and malts. Some bittering hops in the finish. Not too bad.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

330 ml clear bottle, from Rema 1000, Tau. ABV is 4.5%. Crystal clear pale golden colour, moderate white head. Sweetish aroma of maize, pilsener malts and newmown grass. Dull and boring flavour, not quite as sweet as I feared though, with far too little hops, but not directly offensive. Next!

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Really a cross-breed between a European pale lager and an American standard, this is a pretty 'neutral' beer that should neither offend nor excite anyone (but it obviously has). I had it with seafood, at least it was a better choice than Kirin.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 4

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal, Stavanger. Ingredients include maize (corn) and rice. 10.8 degrees Plato. ABV is 4.3%. Very dark colour, nearly black, ruby in the highlights. Low head. Very moderate malty aroma, hints of coffee. Flavour is surprisingly watery and bland, drinking it after the excellent Nøgne Ø and Nørrebro beers obviously didn’t help. "Boiled" notes, wet cardboard and dust abound. Disappointing.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

330 ml bottle, in France. ABV is 4.9%. Golden colour, low head. Moderate corn and rice aroma, not unpleasant. Flavour has some alcoholic notes despite the moderate ABV, acceptable hops. Better than I feared.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Sampled RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. Golden colour, low head. Moderately hoppy aroma with grassy notes. Fairly clean malty flavour with some caramel and tolerable hops. Average.

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

500 ml clear bottle, from a Sainsbury Local in Whitton, London. ABV is 4.5%. Copper colour, large white head. Typical Shepherd Neame aroma of lightstruck hops, not unpleasant though. Also toffee notes. The flavour has also toffee notes, but is not very sweet. Hints of citrus. Moderate hops. Nice enough to drink.

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

September 2015: 330 ml swingtop bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.9%. Brewed with 10% rhubarb juice. BB date 23.11.14. Slightly hazy golden colour, moderate white head. Distinct aroma of rhubarb jam. The flavour is a weird combination between rhubarb acidity, alcohol and IPA bitterness. Not bad, but not a favourite of mine.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

330 ml stubby bottle, as Saint Germain Page 24 Black Edition Double I.P.A., from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 8.9%. Moderately hazy brownish-orange colour, moderate to small white head. Aroma of American hops, piney and catty notes, not as fresh as I hoped. Piney and grapefruity flavour, notes of caramel and crystal malts, distinct bitterness in the aftertaste. Drinkable, but not a winner in a field with many competitors.

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

November 2013: On tap at Amundsen, Oslo. ABV was 6.9%. Ruby red colour, moderate off-white head. Nice aroma and flavour of Christmas spices, malts and caramel. Not too sweet, pleasant. Would buy again.

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

750 ml swingtop bottle, from Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget. ABV is 4.9%. Some sediment in the bottle, I turned it upside down. Hazy pale yellow colour, huge white head. Strong aroma of wheat ale yeast, notes of coriander and cloves, hints of citrus and banana. The flavour is wheaty and moderately yeasty, notes of coriander and cloves again, while the orange peel is very subdued. Noticeable but very moderate hops. Very refreshing.

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

June 2013: 750 ml swingtop bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård. ABV is 7.9%. Beautiful ruby colour, moderate beige head. Lovely malty aroma with plenty of caramel and rye bread, some mild roasty notes in the background. The flavour is also distinctly malty but not too sweet, caramel, brown bread and mild roasty notes again. Moderate hops in the finish.

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

July 2012: 750 ml swingtop bottle, from Vinmonopolet Kvadrat. ABV is 5.9%. Amber colour, huge white (or slightly off-white) head. Sweetish malty, herbal and "spicy" (the chicory?) aroma. The flavour is pleasant, smooth and easy drinking, not too sweet, notes of caramel malts, chicory and moderate hops. Might buy again.

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

750 ml swingtop bottle, from Vinmonopolet, nettbutikken. ABV is 6.9%. Deep golden to amber colour, big to moderate white (or slightly off-white) head. Spicy and herbal aroma, hints of flowers and honey too. The flavour is fairly sweet and malty with caramel and moderate hops, hints of honey, the alcohol is noticeable. Lacks the crisp freshness of the Hildegarde Blonde.

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

750 ml swingtop bottle, as St Germain Page 24 Réserve Hildegarde Bière de Garde Blonde, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.9%. Pale golden colour, just a slight haziness, big white head. Nice aroma of "Belgian" (French, actually) yeast, with spicy / peppery notes. Some fruit and grass too. The flavour is first crisp and moderately spicy / peppery, leading to a fruity moderate sweetness, ending in a moderately hoppy and spicy finish and aftertaste. A truly enjoyable bière de garde - will buy again.

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

750 ml swingtop bottle, new at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 7.9%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, large white head. Pleasant spicy aroma, also notes of oxidised fruit, hints of farmhouse. Rich mouthfeel. The medium sweet flavour is spicy and somewhat alcoholic, some fruit too. Tolerable hops in the aftertaste. Not a bad beer, will buy again.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

500 ml can, from Carrefour, Cartagena, Spain. ABV is 6.2%. Deep golden colour, large white head. Strong sweetish and sugary aroma, some caramel, grassy hints. The flavour is fairly sweet, with some caramel, and the beer is not undrinkable - but it has very little to do with an "abbey beer", by any stretch of the mind.

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

440 ml can, from BilkaToGo, Skalborg. ABV is 4.5%. Moderately hazy pale straw colour, moderate white head. Wheaty aroma with moderate notes of coriander seeds and orange peel. Citric and wheaty flavour, orange peel and moderate coriander, very moderate hops.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

500 ml can, from Netto Brønderslev, shared with Holmen1 and Holmen2. ABV is 8.0%. Golden colour, large white head. Malty aroma. Malty flavour too, fairly smooth, some alcohol warmth.

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

750 ml corked & caged green bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6%. Pale golden colour, large to moderate white head. Distinct sweetish aroma of spicy saison yeast, wheat (or more specifically spelt) malt and grassy hops. Also hints of old jam. Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is medium sweet (not "very dry" at all) with the same elements as the aroma. Not bad, but a bit too much on the sweet side.