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

April 2022: On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Very dark brown to black colour, tan head. A classic porter this one. Moderate roasty notes in aroma and flavour, some "burnt" notes, fairly dry. Enough prune fruitiness to make it very drinkable. Jolly good.

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

November 2022: On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Opaque yellow colour, huge white head. Aroma of pithy yellow fruits. Bitter, citric and spicy flavour, medicinal in the aftertaste. Interesting.

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

Bottle at The Three Judges, Glasgow. ABV is 3.4%. Amber colour, decent head. Moderate aroma of cellar, dust and caramel. Thin mouthfeel. The flavour has toffee and biscuits, with barely acceptable hops in the finish.

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

Keg halfpint at Graingers, Dublin. Pale golden colour, white head. Zesty and citrussy aroma and flavour, light bodied but good. Decent beer, quite enjoyable.

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

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington. ABV is 4.2%. Copper colour, creamy off-white head. Moderate malty aroma, notes of toffee. Moderate malty and nutty flavour, "dusty" hops in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle, from KWM Wines & Spirits. ABV is 4.8%. Honey golden colour, large white head. Aroma of malts, grain and dust, only a hint of of honey and ginger. Fairly refreshing flavour, not too sweet, malty with a hint of honey and a slight ginger burn, moderate hops.

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

Cask halfpint at the Crown, Belfast. ABV 4.5%. Copper colour, off-white head. Malty aroma, some mild roasty notes. The flavour is also malty with fairly distinct roasty notes, also a noticeable hop bitterness in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle, from KWM Wines & Spirits. ABV is 4.2%. Black colour, large to moderate beige head. Moderate aroma, roast malts and a little chocolate. Smooth mouthfeel. Smooth and pleasant flavour, fairly dry, roast malts and chocolate again, hints of mild coffee.

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

500 ml bottle, from KWM Wines & Spirits. ABV is 4.5%. Pale golden colour, moderate but lasting white head. Aroma of pilsener malts, a hint of herbal hops.The flavour is fairly crisp, but still with some residual malty sweetness, some herbal hops. I was very thirsty when I drank it, and it went down nicely & smoothly.

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

500 ml bottle, from KWM Wines & Spirits. ABV is 7%. Golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma of grain, dust and Cascade hops. The flavour is better, here the Cascade hops come up front, with the expected citric notes, on a sufficient malt base. Medium bitter finish. Pleasant to drink.

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

330 ml can, from KWM Wines & Spirits. ABV is 4.2%. Deep reddish brown colour, moderate to small off-white head. Aroma of malts, caramel, nuts and slightly burnt toast. The flavour has the same elements, but is not too sweet, and is quite drinkable - just not very interesting.

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

330 ml can, as Whitewater Helles Lager, from KWM Wines & Spirits. ABV is 4.2%. Pale golden colour, moderate to small white head. "Dusty" and grainy aroma, a hint of old jam. Citric mouthfeel, but not too fizzy. The flavour is malty and slightly citric, low bitterness, fairly refreshing.

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

500 ml bottle, from KWM Wines & Spirits. ABV is 4.8%. Clear and beautiful deep reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Moderate malty aroma, hints of red berries. Malty flavour too, hints of caramel, brittle, nuts and red berries, moderate earthy hops.

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

Keg halfpint at Fealty’s Bar, Bangor. ABV 4.7%. Deep golden colour, white head. The aroma has moderate malts and decent citrussy hops. The flavour is fairly dry, with distinct citrussy and piney hops, also some dark berries and sufficient malts in the background. Refreshing and good.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, low head. Very moderate aroma, just a hint of fruity hops. The flavour has also some moderate fruity hops, leading to a moderate "dusty" bitterness in the finish, but is otherwise relatively bland. The mouthfeel is fairly thin.

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

Bottle conditioned, 500 ml. A gift from chris_o (a fellow beer rater), a very fine gift indeed! Thanks! Pours with an enormous and lingering foamy head, deep golden colour. Fairly clear till I disturbed the sediment in the end. Lovely hoppy aroma, "typically British" - at its best. Flavour is hoppy throughout on a nice malty background with some toffee notes, again "typically British". This is what John Smith’s SHOULD have tasted like! Rerate: now available in Norway at Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Still a great beer! This time I also get some hints of smoke in the flavour, which does not make the beer any worse.

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

Cask at the Ipswich Beer Festival 2004, gravity dispense. Aroma of ensilage and barnyard, some sulphur (over-cooked eggs). Flavour is OK, but light bodied and not very exciting. Weak background of acidity.

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

500 ml capped & corked bottle, as Wicked Weed Funkatorium Artistry Series III, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. Slightly hazy golden colour, large to moderate white head. Aroma of lactic acid, farmhouse, oak, fennel, angelica root, dragonfruit and orange blossom. Sour flavour, notes of lactic acid and lemons, said ingredients are very subdued. A good sour ale, but hardly worth the high price in Norway.

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

July 2017: Keg halfpint at Graingers, Dublin. ABV 4.5%. Pale golden colour, white head. Moderate aroma, a hint of herbal hops. Some herbal hops in the flavour too, which otherwise is not very interesting.

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

July 2017: Keg halfpint at The Long Stone, Dublin. Golden colour, white head. Moderate aroma of fruity hops. Distinctly hoppy flavour, medium sweet, piney and grapefruity notes, quite bitter.

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

July 2017: Keg halfpint at Graingers, Dublin. Golden colour, white head. Nice aroma of fruity / citrussy hops. Distinctly hoppy flavour, grapefruity first, with a resinous bitterness.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.2%. Hazy orange colour, moderate white head. Distinct aroma of grapefruity and piney hops, hints of malts, dust and orange marmalade in the background. Citric and piney / resinous flavour, good bitterness, some sweetness but not too much, well balanced.

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

500 ml brown bottle, BOB Original, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.0%. Brown colour, slightly hazy (bottle conditioned - the non-b/c version is called "BOB Sparkling"). Moderate off-white head. Pleasant fruity aroma with notes of English malt vinegar and leather. The flavour is slightly acidic with light malty and fruity notes. Low bitterness, soft mouthfeel, easy drinking. Light bodied. No masterpiece, but nice enough.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.2%. Copper coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Malty and fruity aroma with some flowery hops, hints of caramel and bakery. The flavour is smooth and malty with some caramel, slightly nutty, very moderate hops (I'd like some more!). Easy drinking.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Bottle conditioned, 4.0% ABV. Amber coloured, large off-white head. Nice hoppy and initially very fruity aroma, some toffee too. Flavour is reasonably hoppy with a moderate grapefruity bitterness, on a tolerable malty base with hints of nuts and some caramel. Not a "big beer" in any way, but I think I can subscribe to the brewery’s statement that it is "palatable any time of the day". This is a beer I could drink for breakfast.