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

Cask (hand pump / beer engine) at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, low head. Moderate but nice aroma of honey, tropical fruits and flowers. The flavour also has some fruits (grapefruit) and honey, moderate hops in the finish. Okay.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Brown to copper colour. The aroma has grain and butterscotch. Fairly watery and thin mouthfeel. The flavour has some malts with caramel, and "dusty" hops in the finish.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Dark brown colour, nearly black. Very nice roasty aroma with notes of oak, raisins and fortified wine. The flavour is sweet, oaky and moderately roasty, nice.

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

Cask at the the GBBF 2008. Amber colour. Very nice aroma of dark fruits, butterscotch and oak. The flavour is fairly well balanced between the malts (with some caramel) and decent hops.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour. Very nice aroma of butterscotch and caramel, some oaky notes too. Moderately malty flavour with hints of honey, dusty finish.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Black colour, reddish brown in the highlights. Distinctly roasty aroma with notes of tar, liquorice and wood. Roasty flavour with notes of coffee, but fairly light bodied.

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

Cask (hand pump / beer engine) at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 4.4%. Copper coloured beer, minimal head. Malty aroma with decent notes of fruity hops (dark fruits). Malty flavour, notes of caramel but not really sweet, moderate "dusty" hops in the finish.

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

Cask (hand pump / beer engine) at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, low head. The aroma has notes of blackcurrant leaves, moderately fruity, nice. The flavour is also moderately fruity, notes of blackcurrants, with a distinct hoppy finish.

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

Cask (hand pump / beer engine) at the GBBF 2008. Deep amber colour, minimal head. Interesting fruity and spicy aroma. Fruity and herbal flavour, slightly spicy, quite nice.

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

Forced draught at the GBBF 2008. Murky brown opaque colour, big head. Very nice aroma of malts, lemons, banana and cloves. Same elements in the flavour, this is the most lemony dunkelweizen I’ve had. Good stuff.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights, decent tan head. Lovely aroma of cherries on a background of milk chocolate. The cherries are also clearly noticeable in the flavour, but roasted malts, dark chocolate and mild coffee also come up front. Moderate bitterness in the finish. This beer is something out of the ordinary, but I’d still like some more malty sweetness.

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

Bottle at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, moderate head. Moderate but pleasant and "clean" aroma of hops, a hint of flowers. The flavour is reasonably hoppy (German / Czech hops?) with a moderate sweetness. Nice enough. Added note to self: the hops are certainly not German / Czech. The hops used are Cascade, Fuggles, Nugget, Target and Styrian Goldings.

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

On tap at the GBBF 2008. Beautiful red colour, minimal pinkish head. Very nice cherry aroma. The flavour is also dominant cherries on a moderately sour background. Not too sweet, fairly light bodied.

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

Cask conditioned at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) 2008. Deep golden colour, minimal head, minimal carbonation. Aroma and flavour of tamarind and hops, quite nice.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008, as York Pure Gold (ABV 5.0%). Golden colour, moderate head. Hoppy aroma with notes of grapefruit and tropical fruits. The flavour has distinct notes of grapefruit, but there is also a considerable sweetness. Bitter finish.

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

Bottle, at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, moderate head. Very nice hoppy aroma, notes of citrus and tropical fruits. Pleasant hoppy flavour but not overdone, well balanced.

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

Forced draught at the GBBF 2008. Cloudy golden colour, moderate head. Typical hefeweizen aroma: cloves, banana, citrus. The flavour is very citrussy / lemony (maybe too much), also notes of cloves and banana.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, minimal head. Lovely strong aroma of butterscotch and caramel. The flavour has notes of butterscotch and malts, but is still fairly dry, with a reasonably hoppy finish.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. ABV of this English Strong Ale is 9.0%. Deep golden colour, low head. Lovely aroma of oak, rhum-drenched raisins and fortified wine. Warming mouthfeel. The flavour is again full of oak and raisins, also notes of bitter oranges and toffee, with a hoppy bitterness in the finish. Excellent beer.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008, gravity dispense. ABV was 5.5%. Golden brown colour, no head. Fruity mild aroma and flavour, notes of blackcurrant and raspberry leaves. Low bitterness.

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

Cask conditioned (hand pump) at the Brains bar at the GBBF 2008. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights. Moderate tan head. Moderate roasty aroma, notes of malts and chocolate. The flavour is moderately roasty with a slight acidity.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, low head. Lovely aroma of tropical fruits, notes of flowers and honey too. Nice hoppy flavour, moderate malts and fruit, then an assertive bitterness takes over.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger, as Menabrea Birra 1846. ABV in Norway is 4.7%. Crystal clear golden colour, big and lasting white head. Strong and sweetish fruity aroma. The flavour is fairly clean and zesty, no unpleasant off-flavours, moderate hops in the finish. Definitely not the worst pale lager I’ve had.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.8%. Golden colour with a slight chill haze, big white head. Moderate fruity hops in the somewhat sweetish aroma. The flavour is reasonably hoppy with some fruity notes, a moderate sweetness and a bitter and dry finish and aftertaste.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008, gravity dispense. ABV was 5.5%. Golden brown colour, no head. Moderate aroma of fruity hops, notes of blackcurrants. The flavour is first malty with notes of honey and caramel, then a hoppy bitterness takes over and lasts through the aftertaste - fruity hops first, then a "dusty" finish.