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

Shared 650 ml bottle, as Rogue Farms OREgasmic Ale, from the Norwegian importer. ABV is 6.0%. 90 IBU. Hazy orange to brown colour, moderate off-white head. Moderate hoppy aroma. Distinctly hoppy and bitter flavour, moderate malts in the background. Grapefruity and resinous notes, some earthy notes too. Very bitter aftertaste.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Draught at Den Tatoverede Enke, Copenhagen, under its European alias "Bios Kriekenbier". Clear deep red colour, pinkish head. Aroma is overwhelming sour and sweet cherries. Flavour is one-dimensional of not very good sour cherries, generally sour & sweet with a tart finish. Sour aftertaste that lasts "forever", paralysed my tastebuds for a long time.

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

500 ml can, bought in Denmark. Cloudy golden colour, fizzy. Frothing initially large head that subsides quickly. Decent wheat aroma with citrus and coriander. Flavour has not much going for it, not offensive but not great either. Some citrus and coriander, but not much. Fairly bland. Mouthfeel remains fizzy throughout. Not much aftertaste either. An OKish thirstquencher, but not a beer to search out.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, as Cherry Chouffe, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 8.0%. Deep red colour, moderate off-white to pink head. Aroma of cherries, marzipan and oak. Medium sweet flavour, notes of sweet and sour cherries, malts and marzipan.

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

750 ml corked & caged bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10%. Golden colour, huge white head. Aroma of white kandij sugar syrup, Belgian Trappist yeast, dried fruits and mild spices. Medium sweet flavour with the same elements, moderate hops.

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

Sampled RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, moderate white head. Pleasant but moderate yeasty aroma with notes of spices, leather and oak. Light bodied and refreshing, moderate flavour of mild spices.

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

Spicy and peppery are the key words here. An interesting brew, something quite out of the ordinary - but given the choice, I would most definitely still prefer the Chimay Blue.

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

An outstanding beer, very close to "perfect". I agree with all the positive things said by other reviewers, and has little more to add. The spicy, oaky complexity of the aroma and flavour is "out of this world". Wonderful, lingering aftertaste. Alcohol is well hidden. Simply exceptional!

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

750 ml corked & caged bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 9%. Chestnut to mahogany colour, large beige head. Aroma of malts, brown kandij sugar, caramel, dark dried fruits and spicy Belgian ale yeast. Pleasant flavour with the same elements as the aroma, moderate to modest bittering hops.

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

375 ml corked & caged bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10.5%. Mahogany colour, large to moderate off-white head. Aroma of dust, oak, armagnac and mild spices. Fizzy mouthfeel. Rich flavour with distinct notes of oak and armagnac, also brown kandij sugar, vanilla, dark dried fruits and mild spices.

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

375 ml corked & caged bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10.5%. Clear and deep brown colour, huge off-white head. Aroma of calvados, ice cider, oak, raisins and brown sugar. The flavour is rich, fruity and pleasant, but not too sweet, and has the same elements as the aroma, also moderate bittering hops. Dry finish.

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

375 ml corked & caged bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Bottled 02/2021. ABV is 10.5%. Deep ruby to mahogany colour, moderate off-white head. Distinct aroma of rum, caramel, brown sugar and oak. Slightly warming mouthfeel. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma, some vanilla too, but the rum dominates a tad too much, very few elements remain of the original Grand Reserve / Bleu. A good beer, anyway.

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

375 ml corked & caged bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.5%. Aged in French oak, American oak and whisky barrels. Colour between mahogany and ebony, large off-white head. Aroma of oak, whisky, brown sugar, caramel, dark dried fruits and mild spices. Rich and malty flavour with the same elements as the aroma, warming mouthfeel.

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

750 ml corked & caged bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10.5%. Clear reddish brown colour, huge off-white head. Lovely aroma of malts, brown sugar, caramel, dark dried fruits, oak and whisky. Pleasant and medium sweet flavour with the same elements as the aroma, moderate hops.

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

Rerate, 33 cl bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet, + Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger): ABV is 7.0%. Hazy brown colour, big and lasting off-white head. Spicy complex aroma and flavour, some winey and woody notes too. The mouthfeel has still too much carbonation, but this is none the less a very fine beer. Original rating: 33 cl bottle, at the White Horse at Parsons Green, London. Served in "appropriate" Chimay glass (whether those wide chalices really ARE the most appropriate for savouring complex beers, is a discussion of its own). Unfortunately served far too cold - you’d think White Horse waiters knew better. For good measure, the waiter poured the beer along the side of the glass, which prevented the beer from "opening up", the head disappeared quickly and the beer kept too much carbonation. The beer has a brown colour, aroma of leather, balsamico vinegar and barnyard. Flavour is quite dry, well hopped, elements of leather and tobacco. Hints of cardamom and ginger. Aroma and flavour improves somewhat as the beer slowly warms up, but altogether this remains my least favourite of the Chimays - give me a Bleu, please! Still a decent beer, but with the Trappists I expect more. Will re-rate when I personally control the temperature and the pour.

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

330 ml bottle, "made under licence of Chinggis Beer LLC, Ulanbaatar, Mongolia by HBI Hamburger Bier Import". ABV is 5.0%. An unexpected gift from Cunningham, thanks! Very pale yellow colour, large white head. Strong sweetish aroma, notes of grass and artificial candy. The flavour is medium sweet (for a pilsener), but not quite as sweet as the aroma made me fear. No offensive sidenotes, so the beer is drinkable, but has far too little hops to make me really happy. Dry finish.

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

Shared can at local tasting. Pale golden colour, moderate white head. Aroma of grass and candy. Fizzy mouthfeel, light bodied. Medium sweet flavour, some grassy hops. Could have been worse.

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

500 ml green swingtop bottle, as Chodovar Zámecké Černé, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV is 4.2%. Dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Malty aroma, notes of brown bread. Malty flavour, medium sweet, some caramel. Okay, but not the very best Czech dunkel.

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

330 ml bottle, batch II, at Cardinal, Stavanger. Brewed for Christiania Bryggeri at Norumbryggeriet. ABV is 8.7%. Black colour, moderate to small tan head. Aroma of malts, aquavit, oak, chocolate and caramel. Smooth and medium sweet flavour with the same elements as the aroma, moderate hops.

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

330 ml bottle, from Ølbutikken, Copenhagen. ABV is 8%. Copper colour, clear first, hazy when the yeast is poured in. Large off-white head. Moderate but nice aroma, hints of spices and brown kandij sugar. Nice enough to drink, malts, caramel, a little spice. Okay.

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

(330 ml fliptop bottle, bought in Denmark). Hazy pale golden colour, moderate head, leaves some lacing. Aroma is yeasty like a blond ale and flowery (Saaz?) like a Bohemian pilsener. Flavour and aftertaste have a distinct hoppy bitterness, notes of pine needles, eucalyptus and grapefruit. Very nice. One small bottle is not enough!

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

330 ml swingtop bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. Dry hopped, unfiltered, unpasteurised, bottom fermented, classic open fermentation. ABV is 8.7%. Very pale yellow beer, huge white head. Strong aroma of floral and herbal European hops, notes of grass and alcohol too. The flavour is sweet, hoppy and quite alcoholic. Strong and sweet pale lagers rarely "go home" with me, and this one is no exception, even though it is much better than its more industrial counterparts.

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

(330 ml swingtop bottle, bought in Denmark). Copper colour, hazy, good thick head. Lovely aroma of spices, leather and caramel - from the aroma, I’d swear this was a Belgian ale. Bottom fermented it is, and it’s easier to sense this is a lager through the flavour and aftertaste, which still are very good. Malty flavour, mild spices and caramel without too much sweetness. Lightly hopped. Moreish.

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

330 ml swingtop bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.0%. Mahogany coloured beer, low beige head. Very malty and sweetish aroma, notes of caramel and oak. Malty flavour, medium sweet, with notes of caramel and brown bread. Rich mouthfeel. Tastes more like a dunkler bock than a dunkelweizen. Pretty good stuff.

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

Cask at the Ipswich Beer Festival 2004, gravity dispense. IBF list says "straw coloured, bitter flavour and soft malt finish". That pretty much sums it up. Nice hops, good bitterness, refreshing - should be served cooler than it was at the IBF.