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

12 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7%. Deep golden colour, big off-white head. The aroma has plenty of fruity American hops, notes of fresh orange marmalade and grapefruit. The flavour is a solid hoppy attack from start to finish, with a subdued malty sweetness in the background. Very bitter aftertaste.

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

355 ml can, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.5%. Pitch black colour, moderate chocolate brown head. Nice aroma of roasted malts / roasted barley, chocolate, coffee and bakery. Intense flavour of malts (malty sweetness + heavily roasted malts/barley), notes of strong coffee, molasses and dark bitter chocolate, ending in a distinct bitterness (both from the hops - 98 IBU - and the roastiness). Possibly the most awesome canned beer in the world.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 3.9%. Pale golden colour, big white head. Lovely aroma of fruity hops, notes of tropical fruits, hints of honey. The flavour is zesty with fruity hops again, notes of citrus. Not very sweet. Nice bitterness in the finish. I’m a sucker for beers like this, esp. in summer.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 4.5%. Copper coloured beer, big to moderate off-white head. Very nice aroma, first fruity hops with notes of various berries, then caramel, bakery and malts (some of them lightly roasted). The flavour is first malty, with notes of caramel and brown bread, then some moderate fruity hops. Not too sweet. The finish has a moderate bitterness, mixed with notes of slightly burnt malts.

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

Sample from bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Beautiful chestnut colour. No carbonation, and accordingly no head. INTENSE aroma of port wine, dark dried fruits and fusel alcohols. The latter unfortunately detracts from the aroma score. Intense, concentrated and sweet flavour of old madeira, raisins / rum-raisin and oak.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 4.7%. Pale yellow colour, big to moderate white head. Sweetish aroma, notes of flowers, some fruit and candy. The flavour is too sweet for a pale lager, notes of candy and malt sugar, hints of honey. Not "crisp" at all, and not very citrussy. A very moderate bitterness in the finish, where the sweetness is still present. Williams Brothers make many interesting beers, this is not one of them.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 3.9%. Golden colour, moderate white head. Nice hoppy aroma, notes of fruits, berries and pine forest. The flavour is zesty and fruity with a nice hop character, some citrus notes, a piney bitterness in the finish. I’ve said it before: I’m a sucker for golden ales like this one, with their moderate ABV and refreshingly hoppy character.

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

330 ml bottle, thanks to Beer2000. ABV is 7.5%. BB 07/12/09. The glass is first filled by a huge foamy white head, then a cloudy brownish golden beer slowly emerges. Strong sweetish aroma of Belgian ale yeast, over-ripe and rotting berries, artificial candy and fermenting fruits, verging on "sickly". The flavour is sweet (maybe too sweet), yeasty and spicy, some notes of decaying fruits again. A moderate spicy bitterness in the finish.

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

330 ml swingtop bottle, thanks to Beer2000. ABV is 8.5%. The beer starts gushing out of the bottle when opened. Murky brown colour, big to moderate off-white head. Strong aroma of marmalade, caramel, alcohol and over-ripe fruits and berries. The flavour is rich and malty, also notes of caramel and ripe dark fruits, hints of oak, spices and alcohol. A moderate hoppy and spicy bitterness in the finish. Nice.

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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). ABV is 6%. Bottle date: 14-02-2007, the "best before" date also reads 02-2007, which obviously must be a misprint. Hazy golden colour, big white head. Lovely aroma of lemons and other sour fruits, with strong notes of farmhouse and horse stable. The flavour is very sour and tart, with lemony notes and a dry and astringent finish with noticeable hops.

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

330 ml bottle Christmas 2009, bought in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 9%. Beautiful chestnut colour, clear first, gets murky when the yeast is poured in. Big beige head. Strong aroma of Christmas spices, malts and caramel, some vinous notes too. The mouthfeel is fuller and richer than the 6% version. The flavour is very malty and sweet, notes of Christmas spices, figs and candi sugar.

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

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beer pal Olav, who bought it at Nørrebro Bryghus. ABV 6.5%. Hazy golden colour, big to moderate white head. Nice fruity aroma with lemony notes. Very acidic and lemony flavour, funky notes.

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

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beer pal Olav, who bought it at Nørrebro Bryghus. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Aroma of acidic fruits and red wine, also notes of dark chocolate and mild coffee. Intense flavour of strong coffee and oak, also notes of dark bitterchocolate, hints of red wine. Bitter hops in the finish.

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

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beer pal Olav, who bought it at Nørrebro Bryghus. Dark brown colour, moderate tan head. The aroma has moderate notes of oak and bourbon, also hints of acidic fruits. The flavour is malty sweet with a noticeable fruity acidity, on a background of oak and bourbon.

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

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beer pal Olav, who bought it at Nørrebro Bryghus. Dark reddish brown colour, low head. Distinct aroma of oak and brandy, notes of raisins. The flavour is distinctly oaky, notes of brandy and rum-raisin. Good stuff!

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

Botttle, as Hoppin’ Frog Mean Manalishi Double I.P.A., ABV 8.2%, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Deep orange to amber colour, hazy. Big off-white head with an orangey hue. Intense sickly sweetish aroma of stale and caramellized orange marmalade and loads of American hops, not very pleasant. Intense flavour of American hops, partly balanced by a substantial sweetness. The flavour is better than the aroma, but this is still not my favourite beer.

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

Bottle, as Hoppin’ Frog B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout, ABV 9.4%, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Surprisingly moderate aroma of oats and roasted barley, notes of mild coffee, hints of chocolate. The flavour has loads of malty sweetness, verging on sickly, and loads of roasted barley too. Notes of coffee, hints of liquorice and dark chocolate. Slightly acidic finish. Not the best impy stout I’ve had.

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

Bottle (or was it can?), ABV 2.5%, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. The first radler or shandy that I’ve actually rated. Pale golden colour, low head. Aroma of lemon soda and dishwater liquid. Flavour of lemon soda with hints of a standard pilsener.

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

Bottle, ABV 7.5%, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Reddish brown colour, moderate head. The aroma has notes of brown malts, caramel, dark dried fruits and oak, quite nice. The flavour has brown malts and rye bread, a little caramel and oak, not very sweet. The mouthfeel is a bit thin for a beer of this strength.

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

Bottle, ABV 10%, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Hazy orange to amber colour, moderate head. The aroma and flavour are oaky with hints of whisky and funky notes. Interesting and powerful beer.

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

Bottle, as Yulesmith Holiday Ale, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Deep orange to amber colour, low head. Aroma of American caramel malts and American hops, notes of caramellized orange marmalade. Rich mouthfeel. Flavour of oak, caramel malts, dried figs, American hops.

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

Bottle, ABV 6.8%, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Cloudy deep orange to amber colour, moderate off-white head. Intense aroma of fruity American hops on a background of marmalade and American caramel malts. The flavour is sweet with notes of marmalade, with distinct American hops throughout. Bitter aftertaste. Okay.

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

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beerpal Olav, who bought it at Nørrebro Bryghus. "Limited Release No. 2", ABV 6.5%. Hazy brown colour, big to moderate beige head. The aroma has some sourish fruity notes, hints of red wine vinegar, some malts too. Fairly sour flavour, some funky and malty notes.

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

Bottle, ABV 5.5%, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Dark brown colour, big to moderate tan head. Sourish funky aroma and flavour, notes of barnyard. Did not impress me much.

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

Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Cognac-coloured beer, minimal head. Aroma of smoked sausage. Lots of smoke in the flavour too, dominates completely. Not my kind of beer.