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

May 2017: Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting. Black colour, small tan head. Aroma of coconut, marshmallows and chocolate, some roast malts too. Sweet flavour, loads of coconut, also marshmallows and chocolate, can’t detect the seasalt. Extreme, but good in a perverted way.

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

Dec. 2013: 500 ml bottle, Cardinal’s Store Juleøltest. Batch #RØ390. ABV is 7.4%. Dark brown colour, moderate to low beige head. Pleasant malty aroma and flavour with notes of chocolate, brown kandij sugar and mild Christmas spices. A beer I would buy again.

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

April 2014: 330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.2%. OG 1072, FG 1010. IBU 107. Hops are Warrior, Summit and Amarillo. Unfiltered and unpasteurised. Amber colour, only slightly hazy, moderate head, slightly off-white. Strong aroma of fruity hops (oranges, tropical fruits). The flavour is medium sweet (= not too much) with distinct hops throughout, fruity first, piney and grapefruity bitterness in the finish. Love for hops indeed, but not murderous.

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

April 2014: 500 ml bottle vintage 2014, Cardinal Pub & Bar; Stavanger. Ingredients include fig purée. 8 different malts are used. Hops are Chinook, Simcoe, Amarillo and Coloumbus. ABV is 10.2%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. The aroma has notes of dark malts, tar, woodwork, coffee, liquorice and dark chocolate, hints of dark dried fruits. The flavour is medium sweet, very tarry and roasty, notes of salty liquorice, strong coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Hints of citrussy hops and dark dried fruits. Bitter and salty finish. Powerful stuff!

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

January 2014: 500 ml bottle, Cardinal’s Christmas Beer Tasting 2013. ABV is 10.1%. Hazy brown colour, large beige head. Very strong sweetish aroma of caramel, brown sugar and coriander. Very sweet and malty flavour, loads of caramel, brown sugar, liquorice and spices. Overwhelming. Might be a good idea to cellar this one for a few years. Would buy again. Sampled again January 2024: Even better now!

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

375 ml purple waxed bottle, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 13.2%. Pitch black colour, small and shortlived brown head. Strong boozy aroma of fusel alcohols and American whiskey, also chocolate / cocoa, vanilla, oak and coffee. Moderate to low carbonation in the glass. Very sweet and cloying flavour with the same elements as the aroma, dominant alcohol, cocoa and vanilla. Good only in small portions, the bottle is for sharing.

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

330 ml bottle, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 5.2%. Clear and deep reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts, caramel, brown bread, dark fruits and berries. The flavour is malty but not too sweet, with the same elements as the aroma, also yeasty notes, moderate hops.

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

30. October 2020: 330 ml bottle, batch #125, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Very dark brown colour, off-white to beige head. Moderate malty aroma, hints of caramel and roasted nuts. The flavour has the same elements, also notes of coffee, brittle and bittering hops. Not too sweet. Hardly a bock with its 4.7%, but decent enough to drink.

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

440 ml can, from Joker Vatlandsvåg. Gluten free. ABV is 4.7% Crystal clear and very pale straw colour, moderate to small white head. Aroma of stale jam, some grain and malts in the background. Thin and smooth mouthfeel. Citric flavour, refreshing. Very moderate herbal hops.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 5

330 ml bottle, from Joker Vatlandsvåg. ABV is 4.5%. Hazy brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts, yeast and brown bread, a hint of caramel. The flavour is nutty, malty, bready and yeasty, hints of fruity hops / dark fruits. A bit too yeasty for me.

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

500 ml can, from Joker Vatlandsvåg. ABV is 4.7%. Slightly hazy pale golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma of citrus and herbs. Light bodied. Decent and dry flavour with citric and herbal hops.

Aroma: 2 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 3

440 ml can, from Joker Vatlandsvåg. ABV is 4.7%. Hazy straw colour, large to moderate white head. Sickly bad smell of stale jam and vomit. The flavour is better, citric and wheaty notes with a hint of cloves, but the smell ruins it all.

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

500 ml can, from Joker Vatlandsvåg. ABV is 4.7%. Clear golden colour, large to moderate white head. Aroma of sweetish pilsener malts, grassy and floral notes. The flavour is grainy with sharp-ish bittering hops. Not great, but not bad either.

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

750 ml corked & caged bottle, vintage 2018, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken, shared with my son. ABV is 8.8%. Nearly clear golden colour, pours vigorously sparkling with a large but shortlived white head. Aroma of apples, apple skin, oak, funk, farmhouse kitchen. Bone dry flavour (it really is "brut"), apples, oak, funk.

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

330 ml can, from Meny Hundvåg. ABV is 4.7%. Very dark brown colour, large to moderate beige head. Aroma of malts, Christmas spices and orange peel. Smooth flavour with malts and caramel, but not too sweet. The Christmas spices are distinct, but not overdone. Only a hint of orange peel. Very moderate hops. Pleasant to drink.

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

750 ml corked & caged dark green bottle, vintage 2021, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken, shared with my son. ABV is 8.7%. Semi dry. Apple varieties are Aroma, Discovery and Dolgo. Golden colour, pours sparkling with a moderate white head that lasts a while. Nice aroma and flavour of apples and apple skin.

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

330 ml can, as El Águila Dorada, from Aldi Estepona. ABV is 5.5%. Clear golden colour, large white head. Strong sweetish aroma of malts and grass. Malty flavour, a little caramel in the background, acceptable herbal hops in the finish.

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

On tap at Mandag i Annen, Cardinal, Stavanger. Nearly clear golden colour, white head. Smooth citrus and pine in aroma and flavour. Nice enough. Might sample again.

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

On tap at Mandag i Annen, Cardinal, Stavanger. Mahogany colour, moderate beige head. Moderate malty aroma, some vanilla and brown kandij sugar. Malty flavour, caramel, brown kandij sugar, dark dried fruits, moderate American hops. Good beer.

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

On tap at Mandag i Annen, Cardinal, Stavanger. Very pale and clear straw colour, white head. "Clean" lager aroma and flavour, moderate hops. Slightly thin mouthfeel.

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

December 2015: 330 ml bottle, batch #47, from the brewery. ABV is 5.6%, 50 IBU. Golden colour, clear first, hazy when the yeast is poured. Large white head. Spicy and fruity aroma, also notes of salt water and herbs. Spicy and herbal flavour, probably both from the yeast and the hops (Galaxy and Pacific Gem), neither too sweet nor too dry, citrussy and slightly salty finish. Good beer. January 2024: Sampled on tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Still a very nice saison.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 4

330 ml can, from ALDI, Estepona, Spain, as Karlsquell Ley de Pureza 1516. ABV is 4.9%. Brewed in the EU for Brasserie Champigneulles, France. Clear golden colour, large white head. Strong sweetish aroma of malts and grass. Fairly bland flavour, with more malts than hops.

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

On tap at Mandag i Annen, Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV was said to be 12.5%. Pitch black colour, minimal head. Aroma of roast malts, vanilla, raisins and nuts. Nutty and roasty flavour, again vanilla and raisins, oaky notes.

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

330 ml can, as Karlsquell Suave, from Aldi Estepona, Spain. ABV is 4.8%. Clear golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma, some grainy and grassy notes. Bland flavour, some malts, a slight hop bitterness in the finish.

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

June 2020: 440 ml can, from Être Gourmet, Belgium. ABV is 5.8%. Very pale yellow colour, only slightly hazy. Moderate coarse white head. Aroma of citrus and spruce, hints of pineapple and other tropical fruits. Refreshing and fruity flavour, citrus and tropical fruits again, some sweetness. Low bitterness, a hint of resin.