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

330 ml green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Intended to be 12% ABV - the brewery had printed labels and all, but the beer stopped at 7.5%! The brewery had to make additional stickers with the new ABV. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Nice and creamy tan head. Sweetish malty aroma with notes of coffee, leather, liquorice and oak. Very sweet flavour, bordering on "cloying". Roast malts, coffee, oak, liquorice. Some more hops in the finish would have been nice. It will be interesting to see if the brewery can brew a better fermented beer next year, and achieve their 12%.

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

330 ml green bottle, ABV 9%, from Vinmonopolet. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Huge to big tan head. Nice aroma, notes of dark malts, hints of dark syrup and burnt caramel. Rich mouthfeel. The flavour is very malty and moderately roasty, notes of burnt caramel again. Sweet, but not over the top. The alcohol is not disturbing. Moderate hops in the finish, I wouldn’t mind if there had been more of them.

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

330 ml clear bottle. Berentsens surprise us again - they have made a slightly mellower version of a Baltic porter as their "klasse F" (Vinmonopolet) Yule/Christmas beer. Dark brown colour, nice and creamy tan head. Very nice roasty aroma with notes of oak, leather, dark bread and coffee. Flavour is moderately roasty and well rounded, elements of coffee, dark chocolate and oak. Tolerable hops. Could use a little more "bite", but this is definitely not a bad beer!

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Kvadrat. ABV is 6.1%. Moderately hazy golden to orange colour, moderate white head. Typical aroma and flavour of malts and kveik, notes of ripe yellow plums and fresh bread. Low bitterness. Pleasant to drink.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. Bottle No. 0689 (out of a total of 7733). Brew No. 1 in Berentsens new Innova-Brygg range. ABV is 4.7%. Brewed with hand-picked heather and local honey. Unfiltered, matured 6 months in tanks at the brewery. Golden colour, large to moderate head. Nice honey aroma. The flavour is dominated by heather and honey as expected, hardly any bitterness, but the beer is not too sweet. The mouthfeel is maybe a bit thin, but this is a fairly easy drinking beer for spring and summer. The finish is rather bland though.

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

330 ml can, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Slightly hazy deep golden to orange colour, moderate white head. Aroma of tangerine, also some floral notes. Flavour of malts and tangerine, moderate earthy hops in the finish. Drinkable, but not great.

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

330 ml can, from Coop Mega Madla Handelslag. ABV is 4.7%. Black colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of roast malts, mild coffee and chocolate, also lactose and hints of vanilla, water from a flower bouquet and prunes. Soft mouthfeel. Smooth and somewhat fruity (plums / prunes) flavour, with the same elements as the aroma (minus the flower water), very moderate hops. Nice to drink.

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

On tap (1-liter "mass") at Nærbø Oktoberfestival. Golden colour, moderate head. Moderate aroma of pilsener malts. Fairly high level of carbonation, fizzy mouthfeel. Moderate pale lager flavour, no offensive sidenotes, but very little to excite you either. Minimal hops. Boring.

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

330 ml green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Pale golden colour, moderate head. Moderate aroma of fruity and floral hops. Clean pilsener taste, not very different from Berentsens Rogalands Pils (but this one is organic). Light bodied, tolerable hops.

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

330 ml can, as Berentsens Pale Ale Tørrhumlet, from Det Gode Brygg, Sandnes. ABV is 4.7%. Hazy orange colour, moderate white head. Aroma of malts, oranges and slightly piney hops. The flavour is fairly dry and fruity, with sufficient malts, and a moderate grapefruity and resinous bitterness in the finish. Refreshing and decent enough, easy drinking.

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

330 ml green bottle, ABV is 4.7%. Golden colour, big white head. Sweetish aroma of malts and unhopped wort, hints of caramel and hay. Sweetish flavour, some malts and "dust", but where are the hops? This is not good enough!

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Egersund. ABV is 8.7%. Black colour, moderate beige head. Moderate aroma of peated malts, a hint of prunes. Roasty flavour, notes of peated malts and prunes, a hint of chocolate, but not very fruity, nor very sweet. Okay.

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

500 ml bottle, now available at Vinmonopolet, Norway. What a surprise! - Berentsens Brygghus have decided to prove they can brew something better than the standard Norwegian pilsener. Copper coloured, moderate off-white creamy head. Very nice aroma of caramel and Cascade hops. Flavour is from start to finish dominated by a distinct hoppy bitterness from loads of Cascade on a background of caramel malts, but the beer is not really sweet. Finish is very bitter. The beer is not bottle conditioned and probably pasteurised, there is not much complexity, but any hophead will probably be satisfied by the Cascade dominance. My guess is that the Norwegian beer-drinking "general public" will find it too bitter, but they sure need a challenge! Not nearly the same quality as the best b/c Nøgne Ø beers, of course - but props to Berentsens for their initiative. May they continue (and improve) their efforts in the same direction!

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland, Bryne. "Grocery store version" at 4.7% ABV. Mahogany coloured beer (I’ve never seen "amber" this dark!), moderate but lasting creamy head. Moderate but pleasant aroma of Cascade hops, hints of malts and caramel too. The flavour has dominant Cascade on a (barely) sufficient malty background, hints of burnt caramel but the beer is not sweet. Bitter aftertaste. The mouthfeel is slightly thinner than the stronger version. This is one of the better non-bottle-conditioned beers on the Norwegian grocery store market, well worth sampling.

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

From 2005 brewed at Berentsens Brygghus' own facilities in Egersund. My comments while it was still contract brewed by Aass Bryggeri in Drammen: (330 ml bottle). Deep copper brown colour, darker than most Norwegian "klasse D" grocery store juleøl (Christmas/Yule beers), moderate head. Malty aroma. Clean malty flavour, not too sweet, thin mouthfeel as expected, not very complex. OKish.

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

This beer is now finally brewed in Berentsens Brygghus' own facilities in Egersund. My comment while it was still contract brewed by Aass Bryggeri in Drammen: (330 ml bottle). Rogalands Pils is a new beer, temporarily brewed by Aass while Berentsens in Egersund are setting up their own brewing facilities. (Aass also brewed another Rogalands Pils a few years ago, for the Stavanger firm Middelthon). The beer has a typical pils golden colour, moderate head, quite strong fruity, flowery and slightly yeasty aroma. Flavour is clean, fresh and rather "neutral", just a hint of fruity sweetness. Moderate bitterness (too moderate). Average.

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

330 ml bottle, from Berentsens Brygghus, Ølutsalget. ABV is 4.7%. Bright red colour, moderate pink head. Strong and fresh aroma of raspberries. Fizzy and a bit watery mouthfeel. The flavour is not as sweet as the aroma made me expect. Raspberries with a very slight acidity, dull finish.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. A very dark brown ale with an off-white head. Aroma of lightly roasted malts and burnt caramel. Same elements in the flavour, but the beer is not sweet (I think I’d like a little more sweetness).. The hops are moderate, as in most brown ales. Clearly related to Rav Amber Ale from the same brewery, but darker, roastier and far less hoppy.

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

Now brewed in Egersund. My comments while it was still contract brewed by Aass Bryggeri in Drammen: (330 ml bottle). Typical fizzy pale Norwegian "sommerøl / summer beer". Maybe slightly sweeter and a tad maltier than most of our "sommerøl" - a pale lager style which is the work of the devil, aimed at people who think (or are fooled into thinking) that an ordinary pilsener would be too heavy (sic!) for them on a warm summer’s day. Oh well ... I will rerate when they actually have started brewing this beer in Egersund, but I don’t expect too much - style considered.

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

Specially brewed for the World Championship of Sheep Shearing 2008 (no kidding!). Sampled on tap at Gladmatfestivalen, Stavanger. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights. Lasting creamy tan head. Pleasant roasty aroma and flavour, fairly dry, with a slight acidity in the finish. A quite nice stout this one.

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

500 ml bottle, No. 1753 out of a batch of 1895, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 15.0%. Pitch black colour, moderate tan head. Malty and vinous aroma, notes of dark dried fruits, hints of leather, chocolate, oak and alcohol. Intense warming mouthfeel with an obvious presence of alcohol. The flavour is rich and very malty, some roasty notes but not really stoutish, vinous and oaky notes too, hints of dark chocolate and liquorice, even a touch of tar and smoke. Possibly some herbs and spices are added here too? An impressive beer as it is, might still benefit from a couple years in a cool cellar.

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

Rerate, 500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV 19%. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Just a little tan foam on top, not what you would call a "head". Malty and roasty aroma, hints of salty liquorice, old rope and oak. The flavour is intensely malty and roasty, with loads of sweetness and salty liquorice. The alcohol is clearly present. Interesting beer, but a bit too far out on the weird side. 15% ABV (2010 version) was strong enough ... Original rating: Sample at Ølfestivalen Nærbø. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Strong and intensely malty aroma and flavour, moderate roasty notes. Also notes of fortified wine. Decent hoppy bitterness too. Warming mouthfeel, of course - but the beer feels surprisingly balanced, and not extremely alcoholic for its 19% ABV. Will rerate as soon as I get a whole bottle.

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

November 2019: Shared bottle, DDH IPA 6.7%. Very cloudy / milky straw colour, white head. Aroma of pine and spruce. Very bitter and sharp flavour, grapefruity and resinous.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Herbarium. ABV is 6.6%. Opaque pale yellow colour, moderate white head. Aroma of citrus, honeydew melon and tropical fruits. Pleasant citric flavour and mouthfeel, also notes of melon and tropical fruits. Moderate bitterness.

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

500 ml bottle with twist-off cap, bought at LIDL, Norway. ABV here is 4.7%, to comply with our 4.75% upper limit for beers sold in grocery stores. Pale golden colour, moderate head. Moderate aromatic hops, herbal and flowery notes. Fizzy mouthfeel. The rather dry flavour is dominated by a not very pleasant bitterness of not very good hops, becomes "industrial" and metallic in the finish. Not my favourite pils this one.