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

Cask (gravity dispense) at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 6.5%. Deep golden colour, no head. Very nice aroma of distinctly fruity hops, notes of blackcurrants. Distinctly hoppy flavour with an assertive bitterness, notes of pine / resin and some grapefruit. Good beer, but I’d like even more fruitiness in the flavour.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

330 ml unlabeled dark blue bottle, thanks to Rune. Very dark brown colour, with a big and lasting brown head. Unusual herbal aroma, with notes of apricots. I have trouble deciding how well I really like this aroma. At least it is interesting ... The flavour is very sweet (too sweet) and malty with notes of apricots, birch sap and chocolate. Alcohol is noticeable and leaves a warming mouthfeel. Moderate hops in the finish. Not my favourite Baltic porter this one, but Mack HAVE been trying ...

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Maxi Stormarked, Sandnes. Batch 151. ABV is 4.5%. Cloudy yellow colour, big to moderate white head. Nice and strong yeasty aroma with spicy and herbal notes, hints of citrus. Spritzy mouthfeel, high level of carbonation. The flavour is also spicy, even peppery, but the yeast is a bit too dominant. Still a beer I’ll most likely buy again.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

330 ml green bottle, from REMA 1000. ABV is 4.7%. Clear brown colour, decent off-white head. Unpleasant "industrial" rubbery aroma, some malts and caramel but also some of the sickly "boiled" notes (over-cooked vegetables, baby porridge) that you normally find in n/a beers. The flavour has some caramel, but is otherwise very bland and boring with minimal hops and a "dead" and slightly metallic finish. In a blind test I would probably have guessed that this was a "malty" variety in Ringnes’ n/a Munkholm range. Grans are obviously persistent in their aim to brew only beers that belong in the "soggy bottom" end of the Norwegian beer market.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

330 ml can, a gift from my Indonesian-born sister-in-law. ABV is 5%. Pale yellow colour, decent head. Typical "Industrial" and sweetish pale lager aroma, notes of maize and/or other adjuncts.The flavour is far too sweet for a "pilsener", but there is at least a certain maltiness and not too many off-flavours. Very moderate hops in the finish, slightly metallic.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 3

330 ml can, as Bali Hai Bir Lager / International Premium Lager Beer, a gift from my Indonesian-born sister-in-law. ABV is 5.0%. Pale yellow colour, big to moderate head. Strong "industrial" sweetish pale lager aroma, maize or other adjuncts galore. The flavour is also sweet with plenty of adjunct cereals, minimal hops, just a weak metallic bitterness in the finish. Not good.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 2 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

330 ml can, as Anker Bir Pilsener ("Limited Edition" concerning the brewery’s 75th anniversary - I suppose the "limited edition" only affects the design of the can, not the beer inside.) A gift from my Indonesian-born sister-in-law. ABV is 4.9%. Very pale and crystal clear yellow colour, big head. Sweetish and slightly sickly "industrial" aroma, notes of grass and maize. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour is bland with some sweetness and minimal bitterness, utterly boring.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 4

500 ml can, from REMA 1000. ABV is 4.5%. Another light / lite / low carb pale lager - oh God, what have we Norwegians done wrong to deserve being punished with this low carb wave? Pale golden colour, moderate head. Sweetish and rather sickly (rubbery) aroma. The flavour is not too bad for a lite beer, though - there is actually some hoppy bitterness. Could have been worse.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 4

330 ml bottle, bought at Coop Obs, Stavanger, as Pokal Lys Pilsner, contract brewed in Norway for Coop Trading A/S, Denmark. Brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot. ABV is 4.5%. Pale golden colour, big head. Sweetish typical industrial pale lager aroma, some fruitiness. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour is fairly boring as expected, but not offensive, and there are at least some notes of pilsener malts. Very moderate hops. Easy drinking, and as the price in Norway so far is very moderate too (as moderate as our alcohol taxes allow), I expect Pokal to sell well to beer drinkers more concerned with quantity and low prices rather than quality.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, bought at the GBBF 2008 for takeaway. ABV is not stated on the bottle, but the festival programme says it's 4.8%. Crystal clear deep golden to amber colour, moderate head, fizzy. Distinct aroma of blueberries and raspberries, also notes of candy with said artifical flavourings. Thin mouthfeel. The flavour is wheaty with notes of blueberries, otherwise fairly bland with minimal hops. Not very sweet. Drinkable, but not very exciting.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 4

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Deep golden colour, low coarse head. No carbonation in the glass. Strong aroma of marzipan / artificial almond essence and cherries. The flavour is also dominated by marzipan / almond essence with moderate cherries, but leaves overall an "unfresh", too sweet and rather nasty impression. Might have been slightly better if colder and with some carbonation. Worst beer of the festival for me.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). ABV is 9.0%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Very nice aroma of roasted malts, coffee and chocolate. The flavour has heavily roasted malts galore (bordering on cremation), also liquorice, tar and extremely strong coffee. There is also a huge hoppy bitterness from start to finish, and the alcohol is noticeable. The flavour is overall a bit of an "overkill", could have been better balanced. Still quite impressive, a small glass of this beer could stand in for a cup of espresso after dinner. Improves a bit as the beer warms up, a certain sweetness comes through, to balance (some of) the bitterness.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). ABV is 9.2%. Copper coloured beer, decent off-white head. Strong and very nice aroma of fruity American hops, some hints of spices of too. The flavour is first malty and slightly sugary sweet with notes of caramel, then an intense harsh and overwhelming bitterness takes over. Overkill, too bitter and harsh for me.

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

500 ml bottle, at Gladmatfestivalen 2008, Stavanger (Pushkin restaurant). ABV was 5.0%. Golden colour, decent head. Moderate aroma, some malts. The flavour is slightly alcoholic (a bit of a surprise, the ABV is fairly moderate), but the beer is also quite well hopped, which makes it slightly-above-average for European golden lagers.

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

330 ml can, at Gladmatfestivalen, Stavanger. ABV was 4.8%. Golden colour, moderate head. Nice Saazer(?) aroma, notes of honey. Tolerably well hopped pilsener flavour.

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

330 ml can, at Gladmatfestivalen 2008, Stavanger. ABV was 5.0%. Orange / brown colour, moderate head. Nice hoppy aroma and flavour, with hints of toffee.

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

Specially brewed for the World Championship of Sheep Shearing 2008 (no kidding!). Sampled on tap at Gladmatfestivalen, Stavanger. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights. Lasting creamy tan head. Pleasant roasty aroma and flavour, fairly dry, with a slight acidity in the finish. A quite nice stout this one.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 2

500 ml bottle, at Gladmatfestivalen 2008, Stavanger. ABV was 2.5%. Brewed with quinoa (Chenopodium). Very cloudy pale brown colour, low head. Looks like unfiltered apple juice. Minimal aroma, some yeast and hints of quinoa. Bland and sweetish flavour of quinoa, rather unpleasant. Quinoa is OK in soft drinks, but not in beer - at least not in this one. Couldn't finish the bottle. Drainpour.

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

500 ml bottle, at Gladmatfestivalen 2008, Stavanger (where it also was available on tap). Served too cold. Unlike other Norwegian "sommerøl", which are crappy pale lagers, this one is an ale of respectable quality. Ingredients include some wheat malts. Orange colour, hazy, with a thick and lasting head. Nice hoppy aroma and flavour, fruity / citrussy notes, maybe some spruce too. Refreshing and very good.

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

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.0%. Ingredients include 2% orange flower honey, E223 and E300. Golden brown colour, big light tan head with an orangey hue. Unusual and initially interesting aroma of orange peel, spices, oak, fermenting fruits and apple cider vinegar, then some less pleasant "industrial" and sulphurous notes take over. The flavour has caramel and some honey sweetness, with notes of orange peel and undefined fruits. Very little bitterness. Props to Grauballe for brewing unusual beers, but this one doesn't blow my socks off.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed specially for the Skral music festival at Groos in Grimstad. Like all NØ beers it is bottle conditioned. ABV is 4,5%. Ingredients include wheat malt, lager malt, Crystal hops, coriander and Belgian yeast. 20 IBU, 11 degrees P. Cloudy pale golden colour, big white head. Lovely aroma of coriander and Belgian ale yeast. The flavour is distinctly spicy throughout, a modest fruitiness carries hints of citrus and banana, the coriander is dominant, but there is also a substantial hoppy bitterness. I find it VERY hard to believe that the IBU is as low as 20, but what do I know - I guess they wouldn’t say that if it wasn’t true. Dry and bitter finish. Tastes like a cross between NØ’s Wit and their Saison. Definitely something else than the pale lagers you will get at most music festivals.

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

500 ml can, ABV is 4.5%. Pale golden colour, decent head. Tolerable aroma with some fruity notes, also notes of malts (quite a surprise from a lite beer!), flowers and honey. The flavour has a certain sweetness and some grainy notes, quite boring but not as bad as I feared. Very modest hops. Not undrinkable.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 2 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 3

500 ml can. To call this n/a beer a "pilsner" is a bit of an atrocity. Clear pale golden colour, fluffy white head. The aroma has the usual sickly and sweetish "boiled" notes (over-boiled vegetables, baby maize porridge) that you find in most n/a beers. The flavour is also slightly sweetish and bland with minimal hops. Won’t buy again.

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

500 ml can, a gift from my brother and sister-in-law, bought in St. Petersburg. ABV is 4,6%. Pale golden colour, big white head. Sweetish and fruity pale lager aroma, not offensive. The flavour is slightly citrussy with a moderate sweetness and very moderate hops. Could have been worse.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.3%. Golden colour, big white head. Moderate fruity aroma. The flavour has a tolerable presence of malts, a moderate sweetness and moderate hops. Average Swedish dortmunder.