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

Shared bottle at Bryne tasting. Deep golden colour, small white head. Moderate aroma of malts and a little hops, not unpleasant, a hint of juniper. Decent flavour, medium dry, a hint of juniper, nice hops.

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

Rerate, 330 ml bottle, batch #4, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. BB 03.09. When opening the bottle, the beer starts pouring out by itself. Very cloudy / murky brown colour, huge beige head. The aroma is malty and "raw", notes of hops, juniper and damp forest too. The flavour is much better than previous batches: hoppy and piney flavour, notes of juniper too, not too acidic. Distinct bitterness. Reminiscent of traditional homebrew. I’m upping it several points. Original rating: 330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Brew nr. 1 from this new Norwegian micro brewery. Called an "ESB spesial". BB date 1.7.08. ABV is 6.5%. Thick sediment in the bottle. Orange colour, clear first, cloudy when the sediment is poured in. Large and lasting off-white head with an orangey hue. Distinctly hoppy aroma, notes of yeast, hints of oak and barnyard. The flavour is very acidic, (nearly) closer to a lambic than an ESB. Is there a severe infection problem here? I can’t believe they intended the beer to come out like this - and cellaring it will surely not help. Still drinkable, when you get used to the acidity. There’s a certain hoppy bite in the finish.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, brew #2, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Cloudy straw coloured beer, with a huge white head that lasts "forever". Strong wheaty and spicy aroma, notes of cloves, pepper and bubble gum. The flavour is distinctly spicy / peppery with a firm bitterness in the finish. Long lasting aftertaste. Unusual beer, designed to go with "rakfisk" (= half-fermented stinking trout or other freshwater fish), the regional favourite dish of Valdres. I had it on its own though.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

330 ml stubby bottle, brew #1, ABV is 9%. Cloudy golden brown colour, big white head. Nice aroma of belgian yeast, spices and citrus. The flavour is very lemony, also with notes of white wine vinegar, probably infected, like so many other batches from Små Vesen. There are also some spicy notes, and a noticeable bitterness in the finish.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.5%. Slightly hazy brown colour, large to moderate off-white head. Herbal aroma (of the flowers of meadowsweet and rosebay willowherb, which both are part of the recipe here), also notes of brown malts, Bitter herbal flavour, sharpish finish, interesting more than really good.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

330 ml stubby bottle, brew #368, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.0%. Hop is EKG. Deep reddish brown colour, large off-white head. Aroma of malts, toffee, caramel, brown bread and earthy hops, hints of dark dried fruits. The flavour has the same elements, and is fairly dry.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, bought at Hotel Havana, Oslo. Brewnr. 2, BB date July 2009. ABV is 4.7%. Hazy golden colour, huge and lasting head. Aroma of citrus and cider, hints of cider vinegar. The flavour is citrussy and vinegary sour, apparently infected, like so many other batches from Små Vesen. Not a drainpour, but pretty close.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 3

330 ml bottle, bought at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 5.5%. Brew nr. 4, B.B. date 09.08. Thick sediment in the bottle. Hazy pale golden colour, huge and lasting white head. Strong fruity / hoppy aroma, but even stronger notes of yeast and spices and a blooming infection. The flavour is very acidic and lemony, nearly lambic-like, just like their Kvernknurr. Not much to remind you of a pilsener here. This new brewery obviously has some severe infection problems - if they don’t ship up pretty fast, they’ll be out of business before you know it.

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

440 ml can, shared in Oslo by my son Steinar, bought at Systembolaget. Golden colour, white head. Standard pale lager aroma and flavour, nothing special, i.e. not awful, but there's nothing here that makes me want to buy another can.

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

I had this one on tap in Scotland - it's definitely a good ale. Not brilliant, but good. Very good!

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

March 2018: 355 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Black colour, large tan head. Aroma of roast malts, coffee, prunes, raisins and chocolate. Soft mouthfeel. Medium sweet flavour, with the same elements as the aroma. Fairly low bitterness. Enjoyable.

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

Feb. 2015: 355 ml bottle, as Smuttynose Finestkind IPA, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Deep golden colour, moderate white head. Nice hoppy aroma, notes of oranges. Pleasant hoppy flavour throughout, notes of orange peel and pine, well balanced.

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

Dec. 2016: 355 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.6%. Reddish brown colour, small off-white head. Aroma of malts, oak, dark dried fruits, caramel, vinous notes. The medium sweet flavour has the same elements as the aroma. Slightly warming mouthfeel. Good stuff.

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

Dec. 2018: 16.9 fl.oz. bottle, from Vinmonopolet. Bottled November 2015. ABV is 5.9%. Golden colour, moderate white head. Aroma of acid, stale lemons and brettanomyces. Fizzy mouthfeel, The medium sour flavour has notes of lemons, funk, vinegar and brettanomyces. Better flavour when more of the yeast is poured in. Not something I'd buy again, though.

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Sola. ABV is 7.5%. Crystal clear golden colour, moderate white head. Sweetish aroma of malts, newmown grass and some alcohol. Slightly sweet flavour of malts and alcohol, moderate bittering hops in the finish. Not great, but I expected it not to be - at least it is cheap. As much bang for the bucks as you can get at Vinmonopolet - if you are desperate enough.

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

500 ml can, from REMA 1000. ABV 3.5%. The first Swedish "folköl" in Norway, hurra! - NOT. Very pale yellow colour, big white head. Sweetish aroma, grassy and sugary notes. Bland flavour and thin mouthfeel as expected, but no really offensive sidenotes detected. A little hops makes this a tolerable refreshment when cold - but only if you have nothing better around.

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

500 ml can, bought in Norway. The Swedish 5.2% version is too strong for us! Very pale golden colour, large fluffy head. Sweetish aroma, notes of apples, sidenotes of soap. Bland and uninteresting pale lager flavour, but not quite as offensive as I feared. Some metallic bitterness in the finish. God knows why they have introduced this beer on the Norwegian market. Maybe some Swedish expats feeling homesick?

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

There are so much better beers "under the sun" - there's really no reason to buy Sol. Same category as Corona, same silly lime slice gimmick. Unbelievably, this swill is imported to Norway. Only for idiots who think they look "cool" when drinking it out of the bottle. Pass.

Aroma: 2 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

Sampled RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. Very pale colour. Minimal aroma, tasteless light lager piss, 33 calories, slightly sweet. Avoid. Oh, well - Venezuela was a new "beer country" for me ...

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

February 2021: 330 ml bottle, vintage 2019, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Made of the residue after the must (apples and plums) for Solhøi's better ciders has been pressed. Water and sugar have been added. Spontaneously fermented. ABV is 5%. Very pale straw colour, only the slightest haziness, no head, hardly any carbonation. Aroma of apples and yeast, a hint of plums. Dry flavour, notes of sour apples, hints of yeast and mould. Won't buy again.

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

August 2021: Shared 750 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Vintage 2018. Made with Santana apples, a little beer, cherries and beets. Red colour, Nice aroma of said ingredients. Very tasty flavour, apples, cherries and beets.

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

June 2020: Shared 750 ml bottle, vintage 2017, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.2%. Clear and very pale straw colour. Nice aroma of apples, hints of sulphites. The mouthfeel is somewhat watery. Dry flavour, little apple flavour compared to the fine ciders from Hardangergutane we had before.

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

January 2021: 750 ml clear bottle, vintage 2018, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.5%. Clear and very pale straw colour, pours sparkling with a large but shortlived white head. Strong aroma of eating apples and quince. Very crisp and dry flavour of apples and quince, some fruity acidity.

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

January 2021: 750 ml clear bottle, vintage 2019, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken (listed there as Solhøi Ildkvede rød). ABV is 7%. Cloudy peach to pink to red colour, pours sparkling with an off-white head that actually lasts a while. Aroma of sour apples, quince and cherries. The flavour is slightly dry with a nice fruity acidity, notes of apples, quince and cherries, hints of almonds and marzipan.

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

December 2020: 750 ml clear bottle, vintage 2018. Made of 60% Gravenstein and 40% mixed pears, so this is technically more of an apple cider than a perry. From Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.5%. Pale golden colour, pours sparkling with a large but fairly shortlived head. Aroma of apples and pears. Fairly dry and crisp flavour, notes of apples and pears. A slight fruity acidity.