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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. Pacific pale. Hops are Pacifica, Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic. Gusher can. Slightly hazy golden colour, moderate white head. Pleasant aroma of citric and spicy hops, hints of tropical fruits. Slightly sweet flavour, with the same elements as the aroma, moderate bitterness.

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

Cask halfpint at The Archibald Simpson (JDW), Aberdeen. Deep golden to brown colour, slightly off-white head, nice lacing. Malty aroma, hints of blackcurrant leaves. Nice malty and fruity flavour, notes of blackcurrants / blackcurrant leaves, some earthy hops.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

500 ml bottle, bought in Scarborough. ABV is 5.0%. Bottle conditioned. Pitch black colour, large tan head. Lovely aroma of bramble (blackberries) with vinous notes, also notes of chocolate and a mild roastiness. The flavour has a roasty and hoppy (Challenger) bitterness throughout, notes of coffee and berries (the latter are fairly subdued). Bitter aftertaste. Good beer!

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

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington, as Burton Bridge Burton Ale, but I assume this is the same beer. Copper colour, creamy off-white head. Malty aroma and flavour, nutty and biscuity notes. The aroma also has some fruity notes. Tolerably well hopped finish.

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

Cask at The Harp, London. Very dark reddish brown colour, low beige head. Moderate aroma, notes of lightly roasted malts, hints of mild coffee, some vinous notes. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour has notes of moderately roasted malts and mild coffee, not very sweet.

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

Cask halfpint at Wetherspoon's, Victoria Station, as Burton Bridge G.D. Golden Delicious. 3.8%. Deep golden colour, small white head. Moderate aroma. The flavour is moderately fruity with earthy hops in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Scarborough. Bottle conditioned. ABV is 8.0%. Copper coloured beer, large off-white head. Lovely aroma, vinous and fruity, also oaky and spicy notes. The flavour is VERY oaky and spicy, fairly sweet, with a fruity finish. Salty and bitter aftertaste. Powerful stuff!

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

25 cl bottle, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Amber colour, large and fluffy lingering head. Vinous dry sherry-like aroma, elements of oak and leather too. Flavour is again sherry-like, medium dry (or medium sweet, if you like), loads and loads of oak, hints of German "Weinbrand", warming mouthfeel as expected from a 12% ABV beer, but the beer doesn’t feel inappropriately alcoholic. A substantial hoppy bitterness in the finish balances the sweetness nicely. Plays in the Premier League of beers, this one.

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

25 cl bottle, under its alias "Scaldis" Caractère, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Amber colour, large and fluffy lingering head. Vinous dry sherry-like aroma, elements of oak and leather too. Flavour is again sherry-like, medium dry (or medium sweet, if you like), loads and loads of oak, hints of German "Weinbrand", warming mouthfeel as expected from a 12% ABV beer, but the beer doesn’t feel inappropriately alcoholic. A substantial hoppy bitterness in the finish balances the sweetness nicely. Plays in the Premier League of beers, this one.

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

250 ml Scaldis Noël bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Pours with an an enormous lingering head, beer is clear, colour is deep reddish amber. Aroma of dark rum, sherry, oak, raisins, spices. Flavour is very sweet with dried fruits and whisky elements, but a distinct spiciness and decent hops prevent it from falling in the "cloying sweet & undrinkable" ditch. Alcoholic warmth in the mouthfeel, as expected from a 12% ABV beer, but not overwhelming or unpleasant. A very fine Christmas special in my book.

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

750 ml stylish "champagne" bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Amber to brown colour, large cream-coloured head. Nice vinous aroma, notes of oak and "fruits of the forest", hints of farmhouse. Vinous, oaky and well balanced flavour with moderate but sufficient hops. Extremely drinkable for its strength.

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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Deep golden to amber colour, moderate head. Lovely vinous aroma with notes of oak, fruit and berries. The flavour is also pleasantly oaky and fruity, with a "refreshing" touch which is quite astonishing for a 13% ABV beer. Well, you get an idea that this is a strong beer, but not as strong as it actually is. It is not too sweet, and the aftertaste is moderately spicy. A great beer!

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights. Pleasant fruity and roasty aroma with a breath of sea air. The flavour has a moderate and smooth roastiness with a distinct fruity acidity at the side. The oysters don’t come through much though.

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

500 ml bottle, from The British Corner Shop. ABV is 4.2%. Beautiful clear deep golden colour, moderate white head. Aroma of malts and grain, hints of toffee, also a whiff of dark fruits. Malty and biscuity flavour, a little fruit, again a hint of toffee, moderate hops. Fair enough.

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

500 ml bottle, as Butcombe Original Beer, bought in Jersey..ABV is 4.5%.Beautiful clear amber colour, moderate to small head, slightly off-white. Malty and grainy aroma, hints of toffee. The flavour is also malty and grainy with a hint of caramel, but not sweet. Moderate earthy and "dusty" hops. Okay, but not remarkable. Cask pint at The Post Horn, St. Helier. ABV 4.0%. Deep copper colour, off-white head. Malty aroma, a hint of malt vinegar. Malty flavour, slightly sweet, again with a hint of malt vinegar. Undistinctive.

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

500 ml bottle, from British Corner Shop. ABV is 4.7%. Golden colour, moderate white head. Fairly nice aroma of earthy and herbal hops. The medium dry flavour has some fruity and tingling hops, followed by more earthy notes. Decent beer.

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

500 ml bottle, from The British Corner Shop. ABV is 5%. Copper to amber colour, moderate white head. Pleasant aroma of citrussy, herbal and earthy hops. The flavour is first malty and medium dry, with hints of biscuits and toffee, followed by fruity notes, with earthy hops in the finish. A very enjoyable beer.

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

From the barrel (gravity) at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival. ABV is 5.2%. Pale golden colour, just a slight haze. Nice aroma of pears and apples, hints of oak and sulphites. Light bodied, medium dry flavour of pears.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour. So-and-so grainy aroma, hints of basement and butterscotch. Caramel and some fruitiness in the flavour, fairly bland. Drank it too warm though.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Kvadrat. ABV is 6.8%. Hopped with a blend of European, North American and New Zealand varieties. Deep golden colour, large white head. Aroma of citrussy hops, especially mandarin, also some catty hints, and some crystal malts. Smooth mouthfeel, moderate carbonation in the glass. The lightly sweet flavour is distinctly hoppy throughout, with a grapefruity bitterness, also hints of pine needles.

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Bryne. ABV is 10.0%. Hazy golden colour, large to moderate white head. Aroma of citrus, tropical fruits, pine and spruce. Sweet flavour of malts and alcohol, with distinct fruity and piney / resinous hops.

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

440 ml can, as Buxton Double Gatekeeper Export Porter, from Vinmonopolet Kvadrat. ABV is 8.2%. Black colour, moderate brown head. Aroma of roast malts, chocolate and coffee. Flavour with the same elements, mid between dry and sweet.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.3%. Nearly clear pale golden colour, moderate white head. Aroma of citrus tropical fruits. Light bodied. Flavour of citrus zest, and a moderate grapefruity and piney bitterness in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle conditioned, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Lovely aroma of citrussy hops, on a background of moderately roasted malts, hints of dark chocolate. The medium dry flavour has again citrussy hops, blended with distinct roasted malts, notes of strong coffee, dark bitter chocolate and resin. The contradictory "Black IPA" style is beginning to grow on me, and this one is a fine specimen.

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

330 ml can, from Être Gourmet, Belgium. ABV is 3.6%. Pale golden colour, large to moderate white head. Uninteresting dusty and grainy aroma, hints of earthy hops. The flavour is better, decent citric and earthy hops throughout. Acceptable mouthfeel for its low ABV.