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

500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. ABV is 4.2%. Clear deep golden colour, small white head. Sugary aroma of soda / pop, sweetish malts and ginger. Moderate carbonation. The flavour is way too sweet and soda-like - what is the point? The nice ginger burn in the finish can't save this beer from the "won't buy again" category.

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

500 ml brown bottle, thanks to oh6gdx and chris_o. ABV is 5.5%. Clear golden to amber colour, decent head. Fairly nice aroma, floral and fruity with notes of honey. The flavour is zesty and fruity, there is a noticeable sweetness, again with notes of honey and also marmalade, acceptable hops in the finish. Not bad.

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

660 ml clear bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.2%. Deep golden colour, large to moderate lasting head. Moderate but pleasant hoppy aroma (Styrian Goldings), hints of toffee. Decent hops, toffee, walnuts and some fruity sweetness in the flavour. Moderate hops in the finish, I’d like some more "bite" there. Mouthfeel is maybe a bit thin? A drinkable beer, but not "big" enough in any way to deserve the name "Goliath".

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

(500 ml bottle, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden). Dark brown colour, low head. Aroma of malts and ensilage. Flavour has some maltiness, some bitterness - but lacks complexity. Cool bottle and label promises more than the beer keeps. Probably better cask conditioned?

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

Shared 500 ml bottle, bought in London. ABV is 4.5%. Gplden colour, moderate white head. The aroma has moderate fruity hops. Decent hops in the medium dry flavour, fairly well balanced. Nice enough to drink. Cask, half pint at the Bag o’ Nails, London Victoria. Pale golden colour, moderate white head. Citrussy aroma, also tropical fruits. Smooth flavour but not tasteless, decent hops with notes of citrus and tropical fruits, esp. lychee.

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

500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.3%. Clear deep golden colour, moderate white head. Aroma of earthy English hops blended with citric Styrian Goldings and American hops. Relatively light bodied. The flavour is medium dry and decidedly citric, on a background of earthy bittering hops. Enjoyable.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. Brown colour, moderate off-white head. Malty aroma, also "perfumed" notes, caramel and candy. Sweetish perfumed flavour too, the alcohol is not well hidden. Caramel and toffee, low bitterness.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. Golden colour, fluffy head diminishing rapidly. Moderate but pleasant hoppy aroma with citrussy elements and some toffee. Flavour is rather lager-like, with a grapefruity bitterness with some metallic notes in the finish. I started drinking it far too cold, improves a bit as it warms up, but not much. Reasonably refreshing, but no masterpiece.

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

500 ml brown bottle, "thrice hopped", courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Golden colour, with a slight haziness (due to cold temperature?), moderate head. Nice hoppy / grapefruity aroma. Pleasant hoppy / grapefruity flavour too, spritzy mouthfeel. Distinctly bitter finish / long aftertaste. Not bad!

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

(Cask conditioned). Sampled at the Wear Valley CAMRA beer festival. (Room temperature). Low (natural) carbonation, some lacing. Black. Surprisingly fruity and flowery notes in the aroma. Roasted flavour with fruity tones, nice bitterness.

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

Wylam’s former summer seasonal "Summer Magic" is now a permanent all year beer in Wylam’s portfolio, and the name has accordingly been changed to "Wylam Magic". ABV is 4.2%. Sampled cask conditioned at the Lambton Worm (JDW), Sunderland, on a cold winter’s day. Pale golden colour, next to none head but a decent lacing. Moderate fruity aroma. Light bodied, flavour is citrussy light and refreshing, with just enough hops to make it interesting.

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

440 ml can, as Wylam Solace IPA, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.7%. Moderately hazy pale golden colour, moderate to small white head. Citric and piney hops in the aroma. Light bodied and refreshing for its strength. The flavour has again citric and piney hops, moderate bitterness. Might well sample again.

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

Bottle, as Xbeeriment Barack, at Schouskjelleren, Oslo. Contract brewed for Xbeeriement at Amager Bryghus. Black colour, large tan head. Roasty aroma, notes of coffee, hints of dark chocolate, wood and ashes. Dry roasty flavour, notes of coffee, woody notes, a hint of liquorice. Not easy drinking, but nice.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. Bottle No. 49 out of 374 made. 10.4% ABV, 98 IBU. Pitch black colour, large to moderate tan head. Lovely aroma of bourbon cask, vanilla, coffee and chocolate. Excellent flavour, same elements as the aroma, but even more harmonious and well balanced.

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

(330 ml bottle, ABV 5.9%). Weird beer! - but then, mixing cognac in beer IS a weird idea! The result: Aroma and flavour neither of beer nor cognac - but of RASPBERRIES!! and boysenberries. Rather sweet, but not as sweet as the aroma makes you fear. Not really godawful, but definitely not a beer I'll buy again. Beer is beer, and cognac is cognac - and never shall the two meet (again)! BTW, I think the beer used in this blend is a lager, not an ale - but I'm not 100% sure.

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

March 2006: 330 ml green bottle with a green label, simply called "Yanjing Beer", in France. ABV was 4.5%. I presume this is the same beer. Pale golden colour, large fluffy head. Grassy aroma, not unlike Tsingtao and Heineken. Relatively dry pale lager flavour, not offensive.

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

330 ml green bottle with a green label, simply called "Yanjing Beer", in France. ABV was 4.5%. I presume this is the same beer. Pale golden colour, large fluffy head. Grassy aroma, not unlike Tsingtao and Heineken. Relatively dry pale lager flavour, not offensive.

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

Cask (hand pump) at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival 2011. Brown colour, low head. Nice malty aroma, hints of toffee and Scotch whisky. Dry flavour, malts and decent hops, a hint of Scotch whisky again. One of the better beers of the festival.

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

Cask conditioned at the 32nd Cambridge Beer Festival, gravity dispense. Brownish golden colour. Complex aroma of blackcurrants, blackberries and hay, some sherry too. Malty flavour with tolerable hops, hints of blackcurrant leaves and marsala (Italian fortified wine). Very moderate hops in the finish, slightly dusty.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008, as York Pure Gold (ABV 5.0%). Golden colour, moderate head. Hoppy aroma with notes of grapefruit and tropical fruits. The flavour has distinct notes of grapefruit, but there is also a considerable sweetness. Bitter finish.

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

Cask conditioned at The Golden Lion, York. Served at correct temperature. ABV was 5.5%. Deep golden colour, creamy head. Pleasant malty aroma, hints of malt vinegar and fruity hops. Fairly rich and smooth flavour, well balanced between the malts and hops.

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

Cask conditioned at The Last Drop Inn, York Brewery’s first pub. Deep golden / amber colour, creamy head. Pleasant malty aroma with some fruity hops. Flavourwise this is a decent standard bitter with a smooth mouthfeel and decent hops in the finish. Okay.

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

Cask conditioned at the Alexandra Hotel ("The Alex"), Derby. Deep golden colour, low head. Decent standard bitter, slightly nutty flavour, acceptable hops.

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

(500 ml bottle, ABV 5,2%). Black (actually very dark ruby) with a good tan head and nice lacing. Aroma is all chocolate and roasted malts. When you expect something cloyingly sweet (chocolate in beer - "uff da"!): Surprise! - a perfectly rounded and well balanced flavour, loads of chocolate but never sickly, just the right roasted bitterness in the aftertaste. This beer is a real treat - I would be happy to drink it each and every afternoon, but just one bottle a day!

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Finland. ABV was 5.2%.). Black (actually very dark ruby) with a good tan head and nice lacing. Aroma is all chocolate and roasted malts. When you expect something cloyingly sweet (chocolate in beer - "uff da"!): Surprise! - a perfectly rounded and well balanced flavour, loads of chocolate but never sickly, just the right roasted bitterness in the aftertaste. This beer is a real treat - I would be happy to drink it each and every afternoon, but just one bottle a day!