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

Corked bottle, at "Onsdag i Annen", Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 11%. Pitch black colour, moderate to low tan head. Intense sweetish malty aroma, vinous and roasty notes, oak, caramel, coffee and chocolate. Rich mouthfeel. The flavour has much the same elements as the aroma. Sweeter and less intense bitterness than in some other imperial stouts. A real treat!

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

500 ml bottle, as Herslev Økologisk India Pale Ale, brew #396, from Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget. ABV is 6%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy. Big and lasting white head. Very nice aroma of fruity hops (tropical fruits), also some piney notes. Plenty of carbonation in the mouth. Distinct hoppy flavour throughout, notes of pine, grapefruity bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. Good beer!

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

330 ml bottle, from MENY Hillevåg. ABV is 4.7%. Crystal clear very pale yellow colour, big white head. Strong sweetish aroma of pilsener malts and new-mown grass. Refreshing flavour, strong notes of grassy hops, but the bitterness is moderate.

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

330 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.8%. Copper coloured beer, big to moderate off-white head with an orangey hue. Strong sweetish aroma with loads of Christmas spices (nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom etc.), nearly "gløgg" (=mulled and spiced wine). Too much carbonation in the mouth. The flavour is not as sweet as I feared, but has loads of the above Christmas spices. Definitely drinkable, but not what you would call "well balanced". The finish is a bit "empty", could use more hops.

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

330 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.8%. Clear deep golden to brown colour, big white head. Weird aroma of "dusty" malts, loads of silage and grassy hops, a hint of caramel. Plenty of carbonation in the mouth. The flavour is medium sweet, with a moderate acidity, hints of caramel and grass. Not very good.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 4.9%. Copper coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Malty aroma with notes of caramel, hints of grassy hops too. Malty flavour, medium sweet, caramel and a hint of fruit (preserved cherries?). A dry hoppy bitterness in the finish. Okay.

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

355 ml bottle, from Voldby Kødmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is not mentioned on the label. Deep golden colour, big to moderate white head. Moderate aroma - malts, a little caramel, hints of orange marmalade. The flavour is moderately malty with hints of toffee and oranges, and is smooth and pleasant to drink - but the hoppiness is nowhere near an American IPA. Still, there are some hops in the finish, and the overall impression is a fairly well balanced premium bitter / ESB.

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

330 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 9%. Fairly clear yellow colour, huge white head. Strong sweetish aroma of ripe bananas, coriander and Belgian ale yeast. The flavour is spicy and rather sweet, okay but not really remarkable. A hint of anise in the aftertaste.

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

500 ml bottle conditioned, as Fuller’s Past Masters XX Strong Ale. This is the first beer in their Pasters Masters Heritage series. ABV is 7.5%. Clear amber colour, big to moderate head, slightly off-white. Moderate but nice aroma, notes of dark fruits and berries, also toffee. Fairly rich and slightly warming mouthfeel. The alcohol is not well hidden, but that doesn’t bother me much. Feels even stronger than it actually is, though. Rather sweet flavour, malts + dark fruits and berries again, distinct English hops in the finish and aftertaste. Well worth sampling.

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

500 ml bottle, as Cains FA Formidable Ale, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.0%. Golden brown colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma of biscuity malts, a little fruit, toffee and "dusty" hops. The flavour has very much the same elements as the aroma. Pleasant to drink, but does not blow your socks off.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5%. Fairly dark brown colour, big beige head. Nice aroma of lightly toasted malts, caramel and dark fruits. The flavour is malty with notes of brown bread and caramel. Some fruity hints too, low bitterness but not completely void of hops. Decent enough.

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

500 ml bottle, batch 22, from Voldby Købmandsgård. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big to moderate tan head. Moderate but nice aroma of roasted malts, notes of coffee, hints of liquorice and smoke. Full and rich mouthfeel. The flavour is fairly sweet and malty, roasty notes of course, some caramel, tar, coffee, dark chocolate, liquorice and smoke again - but not quite as much peat smoke as expected, and that’s quite alright with me. A lovely drop!

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.0%. Deep golden to copper colour, moderate white head. Fruity aroma with distinct notes of raisins and grape juice. The flavour is a fairly nice blend of malts and raisins, not too sweet, with moderate hops in the finish and aftertaste. Quite enjoyable.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.3%. Copper to amber colour, big to moderate off-white head. Malty and nutty aroma, also notes of toffee and caramel. The flavour has a moderate malty sweetness and nutty and biscuity notes, hints of raisins and caramel. "Dusty" hops in the finish, bitter aftertaste. Quite good.

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

500 ml can, ABV 4.5%. Deep golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate "dusty" aroma, some malts, a hint of caramel and grassy hops. The flavour is tolerably hoppy throughout (at least more than the ordinary Ringnes Pilsner), with hints of caramel and a fairly bitter finish.

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

750 ml corked bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 3.9%. OG 1035, FG 1009. Brewed 18. March 2010, bottled 15. April 2010. Bittering hop is Premiant, late hop Saaz. 38.4 EBU. Very carbonated, the glass fills completely by a tan foamy head, and the very dark brown (nearly black) beer appears slowly. Nice aroma of roasted malts and chocolate, some woody notes too. Light bodied, quite dry flavour with moderate roasty notes, hints of coffee, charcoal, tobacco and wood. Drinkable, but not impressive.

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

650 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.0%. 19 degrees Plato. Malts are 2-row pale malt, European pilsner malt and white wheat. Kettle hops are Magnum and Mount Hood, dry hops are Santium, Sterling and Mount Hood. Golden colour, big white head. Strong and delightful aroma of American hops, also notes of orange marmalade. The flavour is very hoppy but not extreme, with hints of pine needles, on a background of sweet malts with hints of orange marmalade and some caramel. Alcohol is noticeable, but not dominant. A good lager, but I can’t help thinking that it would taste even better if it were an ale ...

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

650 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 11.0%, 23 degrees Plato. Made with 2-row pale malt, cara-pils malt and red wheat. Kettle hops are Chinook and Cascade, dry hopped with Cascade, Centennial and Chinook. Orange to amber colour, big off-white head. Aroma of resinous American hops, also hints of stale orange marmalade. The medium sweet flavour is intensely hoppy throughout, bordering on "too much", piney and resinous notes. Some notes of old orange marmalade and caramel too. Not for the faint of heart.

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

750 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Batch 573. ABV is not mentioned on the label. Cloudy pale yellow colour, huge to big white head. Attractive aroma of citrus, banana, cloves, nutmeg and wild yeast with "farmhouse" notes. The flavour is lemony and acidic with notes of cloves and a hint of oak. Very refreshing and drinkable, but I’d like some more hops.

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

180 ml black-waxed capped green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bruichladdich barrel from 1972. ABV is 9.5%. Bottle No. 364 out of a batch of 1776 bottles. Brewed 3. Dec. 2009, bottled 7. June 2010. Bittering hop Nugget, final hop Amarillo, 96.9 EBU. OG 1100, FG 1030. The beer starts gushing out of the bottle shortly after opening. Pitch black colour, huge to big tan head. Strong aroma of peated whisky, tar, old rope and salty seas, also strong roasty notes. The flavour is roasty with a certain malty sweetness, dominated by peat smoke, oak and tar, the high bitterness feels kind of subdued. A pretty impressive beer in my book, but not the right choice if you hate Islay whisky.

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

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, as Port Brewing Shark Attack Double Red Ale, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.0%. Hazy reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head with an orangey hue. Lovely and complex aroma of fruity and piney American hops, on a sweetish background of crystal malts. The flavour is medium sweet with plenty of crystal malts, and loads of resinous and grapefruity hops. The bitterness in the finish is substantial, but not too extreme. Good stuff.

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

180 ml red-waxed capped green bottle, as De Molen Mooi & Machtig Cognac B.A., courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 027 out of a batch of 624 bottles. ABV is 17.4%. OG 1150, FG 1030. Brewed 9. Oct. 2009, bottled 20. Sept. 2010. Bittering hop Premiant, final hop Czech Saaz, 51.3 EBU. Cloudy brown colour, low off-white head. Strong aroma of malt sugar, molasses, alcohol and cognac oak barrel. Very moderate carbonation in the glass. Very sweet flavour, with malts, molasses, alcohol, fortified wine and oak galore. The bitterness seems very moderate. A bit too far out on the sweet side for my taste, but definitely worth sampling.

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

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, as Port Brewing High Tide Fresh Hop IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Hazy golden colour, fairly pale for an American IPA. Big to moderate white head. Lovely aroma of floral and fruity hops (Centennial and Simcoe or Chinook) , notes of peaches and tropical fruits. The flavour is resinous and grapefruity, initially relatively smooth and inviting, but with an aggressive and nearly medicinal bitterness in the aftertaste. Relatively light bodied and dry.

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

180 ml red-waxed capped green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bordeaux barrel aged. Bottle No. 484 out of a batch of 600 bottles. Brewed 31. March 2010, bottled 21. Sept. 2010. O.G. 1105, F.G. 1027. ABV 13%. 99.9 EBU. Bittering hops Premiant, final hops Saaz. Pitch black colour, very low and coarse tan head. Strong and intense aroma with roasty notes, also notes of sweetened strong coffee, chocolate, oak and claret. Minimal carbonation in the glass. Rich flavour, loads of malty sweetness and strong roasty notes, also strong oaky notes with just a hint of claret. Will probably benefit from a few years’ cellaring. Declared good for 25 years if stored cool and dark. Recommended serving temperature 15 degrees C.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is not mentioned on the label. Murky brownish colour, moderate to low white head. Strong sweetish aroma with notes of white candi sugar; Belgian ale yeast and various spices. Moderate carbonation in the glass, but enough to make the beer fresh and pleasant to drink. The flavour is not as sweet as the aroma made me fear, the sweetness is actually well balanced with a fine spiciness and distinct hops in the finish. Nice one!