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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Golden colour, low head, The aroma has notes of ripe yellow fruits, some flowers, toffee and butterscotch. The flavour has a noticeable fruitiness, hints of toffee and butterscotch again, "dry" continental hops in the finish.

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

750 ml corked and wired bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.2%. Deep golden to amber colour, slightly hazy, with a decent white (or slightly off-white) head. Very nice spicy aroma, notes of Belgian ale yeast, also some fruity hops. The flavour is pretty far out on the sweet side, with distinct spicy and hoppy notes. The alcohol is noticeable though. Warming mouthfeel. Fairly impressive beer.

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

330 ml bottle, unfiltered and unpasteurised, at Universitetsbaren, Aarhus. ABV was 7.6%. Served in a Hoegaarden Grand Cru glass. Black colour, big to moderate brown head. The aroma is first fairly fruity for an impy stout, notes of prunes. Also roasty with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice, hints of tar and smoke. The flavour is roasty with notes of coffee and liquorice. Tar and smoke in the finish. Distinct bitterness, but not extreme for an impy stout. Smoke, coffee and bitter hops in the long aftertaste.

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

500 ml bottle, at Die Kleine Bierstube, Aarhus. ABV was 4.9%. Beautiful reddish brown colour, big off-white to beige head. Nice aroma and flavour with notes of münchener malts, caramel and rye bread. Moderate bitterness.

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

500 ml "Bügelflasche" (swingtop bottle), at Die Kleine Bierstube, Aarhus. ABV was 4.9%. Very dark ruby colour, nearly black. Big to moderate beige head. Moderate but nice aroma of brown bread and dark malts. The flavour is smooth and malty but not too sweet, with a very subtle roastiness. Low bitterness. Easy drinking.

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

On tap (keg) at Sherlock Holmes Pub, Aarhus. Copper coloured beer (the pub was not very well lighted, though), low creamy head. Predominantly malty aroma and flavour with notes of toffee, hints of hazelnuts. Moderate bitterness in the finish. Smooth and easy drinking.

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

350 ml bottle, at Café Luna, Aalborg. ABV was 5.8%. Served in a "Trappistes Rochefort" (!) glass. Black colour, low beige head. Nice moderately roasty aroma and flavour, notes of mild coffee and dark chocolate, well balanced hops in the finish. Smooth and pleasant to drink - would buy again.

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

330 ml bottle, at Café Luna, Aalborg. Brewed at Refsvindinge for Medici Beers. ABV was 4.8%. Served in a "Royal Beer" glass. Copper coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Some fruit and toffee in the aroma. The flavour is moderately fruity with notes of berries, but is otherwise fairly bland. Low bitterness.

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

275 ml nip bottle, at London Pub, Aalborg. ABV was 8.1%. Dark ruby colour, minimal beige head. Low carbonation. Intense aroma of malts, molasses, caramel and oak. The flavour has loads of malty sweetness, molasses, fruity, vinous and oaky notes (port wine, sherry), low bitterness.

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

550 ml bottle, at Café Luna, Aalborg. ABV was 5%. Golden colour, big to moderate white head. Moderate aroma of flowery and grassy hops. Allegedly "a touch hoppier than many lagers", I still find the flavour rather bland and boring. More malts than hops though. At least there are no offensive side flavours.

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

750 ml corked and wired bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.2%. Batch brewed 28.11.09, bottle No. 483 of a total of 570. Bottle conditioned. Hazy deep golden to orange colour, big to moderate white head with an orangey hue. Very pleasant aroma of fruity American hops, hints of resin too. The flavour has loads of resinous and fruity hop notes, on a background of malty and fruity sweetness, ending in a moderate but distinct hoppy bitterness. Good stuff.

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

330 ml capped and waxed bottle, brewed 7th Nov. 2009, bottled 6th Dec. 2009. Bottle No. 190 (of 1284 from this batch). OG 1115, FG 1031. EBC colour 308.9. EBU 99.9. ABV is 10.2%. Declared good for 25 years if kept cool and dark - feels like a sort of sacrilege to drink it now ... Pitch black colour, big and lasting brown head. Lovely roasty aroma, distinct notes of coffee and dark bitter chocolate. The flavour has an intense roasted character, notes of coffee and dark bitter chocolate again, also hints of liquorice, molasses and dark dried fruits. Bitter hops in the finish. Brilliant stuff.

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

633 ml bottle, as Baird Beer Japan Tale Ale 2009, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6%. Cloudy pale brownish yellow colour, big to moderate white head. Pleasant fruity aroma, notes of plums and citrus, also sweetish malts, hints of caramel and wood. The flavour is very fruity and fairly sweet, notes of plums and citrus again, with a mild spiciness in the finish.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar and importer HaandBryggeriet. ABV is 13%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. The aroma is first woody and dusty, followed by roasty notes of coffee and dark chocolate. Very rich mouthfeel. The flavour has loads of malty sweetness and roastiness, woody notes, also notes of brown sugar, dark bitter chocolate and coffee, bitter hops in the finish. Woody aftertaste.

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

633 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5%. Deep copper coloured beer, big off-white head. Interesting aroma of malts, dark bread, caramel and ripe fruits, hints of wood. The flavour is fruity with a noticeable acidity, also notes of wood and brown bread, hints of caramel. Moderate hops in the finish. I’ve had better, I’ve had worse.

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

633 ml bottle, vintage 2009, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6%. Deep golden to amber colour, big and lasting off-white head. Interesting and unusual fruity aroma, which probably is due to the biwa fruit, but also fruity hops. The flavour is zesty and fruity, but not very sweet nor sour, with distinct hops in the dry finish. Some woody notes in the aftertaste. A very drinkable beer!

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

330 ml bottle, vintage 2007, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Hazy brownish orange colour, big and lasting off-white head with a pale orange hue. Fairly strong sweetish aroma with notes of candied fruits (figs, actually), caramel and malts, hints of cinnamon. The flavour has notes of cinnamon and other mild spices, figs, caramel and malts, great sweetness nicely balanced by decent hops in the finish. Some alcoholic warmth, but not dominant. Some wood in the aftertaste. An interesting beer, pleasant to drink.

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

330 ml bottle, as Tamamura Honten Wheat Wine of Shiga Kogen. ABV is 9.5%. Hazy brownish golden colour, moderate white head. Sweetish aroma with notes of marzipan, candy, caramel, alcohol and decaying fruits. The flavour is sweet and alcoholic with notes of caramel, but also strong notes of fruity American(?) hops, with a fairly bitter finish and long aftertaste.

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

330 ml bottle, as Tamamura Honten Miyama Blonde (Harvest Brew - Fresh Hop), courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.0%. Pale straw coloured beer, hazy. Decent white head. Moderate but nice aroma of Belgian ale yeast and citrus, hints of mild spices. Fresh and zesty flavour with distinct spicy notes, hints of citrus. Peppery and hoppy bitter finish and aftertaste.

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

330ml bottle, as Tamamura Honten House IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.0%. Deep golden to brownish orange colour, moderate white head. Aroma of earth, wood and slightly stale orange marmalade, fruity and resinous hops. The flavour has first a rich malty and fruity sweetness, then powerful American(?) hops take over with loads of resinous and grapefruity bitterness. Enough sweetness remains to balance some of the bitterness. Clearly a real treat for the hopheads.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7%. Pale brown colour with a reddish hue, big off-white head. Aroma of malts and rice, hints of caramel, also some sweetish and somewhat strange notes of undefined fruit. The flavour has a sweet mix of malts and some strange undefined fruit again, low bitterness, alcohol is noticeable. Some hops in the aftertaste. Well worth sampling.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.5%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee and chocolate, hints of dark fruits and vanilla. The flavour has a distinct roasty character with strong notes of espresso coffee and dark bitter chocolate, some malty sweetness, bitter finish. Excellent rich mouthfeel.

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

500 ml bottle, a gift from my son Steinar (bought in Poland). Brewed by Herrnbräu in Ingolstadt, Germany. ABV is 5.2%. Extract 12,5%. Pasteurized. Beautiful deep copper to chestnut colour, big to moderate cream-coloured head. Very malty aroma, notes of caramel, rye bread and bakery. Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is also malty and sweet with notes of caramel and rye bread, also a slight roastiness. The hops in the finish are very moderate, but sufficient (together with the roastiness) to balance the sweetness and make the beer very drinkable.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.5%. Deep golden to amber colour, slightly hazy, big off-white head. Pleasant aroma of flowery and fruity hops, hints of cedar wood. The flavour has first a substantial malty sweetness with some notes of caramel and wood, followed by a distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish and a wormwoodlike bite in the aftertaste. An unusual balance of the flavour elements, but quite good.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7%. Amber colour, slightly hazy, big off-white head. Nice aroma of fresh ginger and fruity and flowery hops, hints of lemongrass. The flavour is malty sweet with ginger as the dominant element throughout, hints of sweet fruits and candy. The finish is drier, with moderate hops. A fairly good beer if you like ginger (I do) - but if you hate ginger or are allergic to it, you are looking for trouble here.