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

February 2003, in England and Norway: (Can). Smooth, creamy, drinkable but pretty flavourless bitter. There are better ones around! 2023: Haven't seen it for years now.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Selfridge’s, London. This bottle conditioned "original" IPA has a slightly hazy deep golden colour and a fluffy head. The hops are what it’s all about in the aroma and flavour - lovely citrussy aroma with hints of oak and leather, flavour has a distinct resin-like bitterness with notes of grapefruit on a subdued background of dusty malty sweetness. Interesting beer.

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

330 ml can, bought in Tenerife. Named Wuld Pilsen, Quality Premium Beer. Crystal clear and very pale golden colour, lasting foamy head and nice lacing. Fruity and grassy aroma. Soft mouthfeel with a very subdued flavour, very moderate hops. No offensive side-flavours detected. A tolerable industrial pale lager for the Spanish sun.

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

(500 ml bottle.) Beautiful copper colour, nice thick head. Aroma and flavour of cinnamon, vanilla, caramel and toffee. Christmas cake notes in the flavour, some hoppy bitterness. Relatively light bodied despite the "Christmasy" elements, doesn’t taste like 6% ABV. I’m not too fond of the strong sweetish vanilla notes in the aroma, but this is a pleasant enough Christmas seasonal to drink. Wouldn’t care much for this as an all year beer, though - but it isn’t. Cool label! Cheerio, Sophie me’ lass!

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

500 ml brown bottle, thanks to oh6gdx and chris_o. ABV is 5.0%. Golden to amber colour, big off-white head. Pleasant aroma of honey, floral notes. The flavour is relatively sweet with distinct notes of honey and caramel, burnt toast in the finish. Moderate hops.

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Very dark reddish brown colour, moderate thick tan head. Moderate but pleasant roasted aroma, hints of tar and old woodwork. Flavour is all roasted malts, a bit thin mouthfeel compared to some other stouts, but refreshing. No masterpiece, but nice enough.

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

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 5.2%. Deep golden colour, moderate head, leaves a nice lacing. Pleasant nutty and moderately hoppy aroma with notes of toffee and caramel. Flavour has decent hops throughout, hints of burnt caramel but the beer is not sweet (fairly dry, actually). Not a bad beer this one.

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

On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Murky yellow colour, white head. Aroma and flavour of citrus and pine, hints of tropical fruits. Sufficient malty sweetness, good bitterness. Well balanced and truly enjoyable.

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.