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

375 ml slimline bottle, vintage 2022, bought at the cidery. ABV is 10%. Apple variety is Aroma. Clear and deep golden colour, no carbonation. Aroma of concentrated apple juice, oak and sulphites. Very sweet and intense flavour, with the same elements. Excellent stuff.

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

March 2006: 330 ml green bottle with a green label, simply called "Yanjing Beer", in France. ABV was 4.5%. I presume this is the same beer. Pale golden colour, large fluffy head. Grassy aroma, not unlike Tsingtao and Heineken. Relatively dry pale lager flavour, not offensive.

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

Aug. 2014: Keg, halfpint, as Randall’s Monty’s, at The Last Post, Guernsey. Copper colour, low white head. Moderate aroma, some caramel and nuts. Distinctly nutty flavour, also caramel, but not very sweet. Moderate hops in the finish, some bitterness in the aftertaste. For a keg ale, this is not too bad.

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

Aug. 2014: Shared 500 ml bottle from Guernsey, probably filtered and pasteurised. ABV is 5.0%. Cognac / caramel colour, moderate off-white head. Malty aroma with caramel and brown bread. The flavour is first malty with some caramel (but not very sweet), then moderate hops take over. Not as good as the cask version, but drinkable enough.

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

Cask pints (numerous) at The Last Post, Guernsey. Cask ABV is 4.5%. (ABV of the bottled version is 5.0%.) Copper to brown colour, low creamy head, slightly off-white. Malty aroma with some caramel and toffee notes. Malty flavour too, toffee and nutty notes, a little fruit, very moderate hops - a very British character overall.

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

Aug. 2018: Cask half pint at The Lamplighter, St. Helier. Served at correct cellar temperature. Golden colour, nice lacing. Moderate aroma. The flavour is slightly dry, with tingling hops in the finish.

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

Oct. 2016: Cask pint at The Shepherd’s Tavern, Mayfair. Copper colour, off-white head. Moderate malty aroma, some fruit. Slightly sweet, fruity (currants) and malty flavour. Decent enough, but the hops are too moderate.

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

Nov. 2013: Cask halfpint at JDW, Victoria Station, London. Reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Moderate but nice fruity and malty aroma. Rich flavour of ripe berries, malts and fruity hops, soft and smooth to drink, but not too sweet. Pleasant beer.

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

April 2009: Rerate, 500 ml bottle, as Okells Aile Smoked Celtic Porter, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is now 4.7%. My comments are basically the same as for "Branded Drinks Coal Fire Porter", so the two beers must indeed be identical. A lovely drop! Original rating: 500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger, under its alias "Branded Drinks Coal Fire Porter". (Are you sure they are exactly the same beer?) ABV is 4.6%. BB date Oct 08. Pitch black colour, large tan head. Lovely aroma of chocolate, roasted malts and plums, with a hint of liquorice. Distinctly roasty flavour with notes of coffee, hints of peat, smoke and tar, bitter finish. The mouthfeel could have been fuller, but this is still a good beer!

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

July 2018: 500 ml can, thanks to Holmen1. Reddish brown colour, large off-white head. Malty aroma, notes of brown bread, some caramel. Malty flavour too, brown bread again, also slightly burnt breadcrumbs, a little caramel but not very sweet, noticeable bittering hops in the finish. Okay beer.

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

500 ml can, from Coop Extra, Tau. ABV is 4.7%. Slightly hazy golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma of fruity hops, some piney notes too. The mouthfeel is not too bad for a 4.7% session IPA. The flavour has typical "West Coast" notes of grapefruit and piney hops, decent bitterness. Maybe not so very special, but still one of Mack's better beers, this one.

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

500 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.0%. Moderately hazy pale golden colour, large white head. Aroma of over-ripe yellow plums, also citrus and over-ripe pineapple. Fizzy mouthfeel. Flavour of citrus, hints of pineapple, with a fairly distinct piney / resinous bitterness.

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

Nov. 2014: Shared bottle at local tasting, thanks to our beerpal Olav. Black colour, moderate tan head. The aroma has dusty notes, nearly overshadowing the expected roasty notes. Moderate roasty notes in the flavour, also less pleasant dusty and grainy notes. Not the most successful porter in the world.

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

Nov. 2014: Shared 310 ml bottle at local tasting, thanks to our beerpal Olav. ABV is 7%. Amber colour, moderate to low white (or slightly off-white) head. Aroma of fruity and piney American hops, also some less pleasant notes of dust and stale cocoa. Flavour of piney and grapefruity hops, also unsweetened cocoa / pale chocolate malts.

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

Oct. 2015: 600 ml bottle, from the Norwegian importer. Hazy golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma with notes of citrus, hints of banana and cloves. Plenty of carbonation in the mouth. Fairly refreshing flavour, moderately sweet. Some citrus, a hint of cloves. Very moderate hops.

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

Oct. 2015: 600 ml botlle, capped with red waxed top, as Colorado Ithaca, from the Norwegian importer. ABV is 10.5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Nice roasty aroma with notes of chocolate, vanilla, mild coffee and exotic wood. Excellent roasty flavour, coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, moderately sweet. Moderate hops. Very good beer.

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

Nov. 2014: Shared bottle at local tasting, thanks to our beerpal Olav. ABV is 9.5%. Deep golden to amber colour, moderate white head. Surprisingly moderate aroma, some fruity and piney hops, stale marmalade and a little caramel and dust. Distinctly hoppy flavour throughout on a decent malty base, nice bitterness, well balanced.

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

330 ml slimline can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.8%, IBU 35. Deep reddish brown colour, small off-white to beige head. Aroma of malts, hay, brown bread, roasted nuts, hints of caramel and burnt breadcrumbs. Malty flavour with the same elements, distinct bittering hops in the aftertaste.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. Hazy golden colour, moderate white head. Modest aroma of malts and a hint of citrus. Citric flavour, a hint of yellow plums. Low bitterness. A decent refreshment, no more, no less.

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

Oct. 2017: 355 ml can, as SKA The True Blonde, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5%. Very pale yellow colour, moderate white head. Fairly strong and sweetish fruity and grassy aroma, notes of artificial candy. The flavour has also some sweetness, but not as much as the aroma made med fear. Crisp with decent hops, but unfortunately again with hints of artificial candy. Overall disappointing, this brewery can do better.

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

330 ml bottle No 04066, vintage 2022, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 13%. Amber to cognac colour, small off-white head. Aroma of malts, dust, damp basement, hints of molasses and fusel, not good. Smooth mouthfeel and flavour (better than the aroma), notes of malts, caramel, oak, raisins, old sherry.

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

375 ml corked bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.5%. Deep golden to amber colour, huge white head. Aroma of brettanomyces / farmhouse kitchen, thyme, fruity hops and fruity yeast - and honey, of course. Moderately sweet & sour flavour, notes of brettanomyces and sour berries, moderate notes of thyme and honey. Low bitterness.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Suldal, Sand, at an outrageous price. Barrel aged 36 months, ABV is 14.2%. Pitch black colour, moderate to small brown head. Intense aroma of booze (dark rum?) and oak, also notes of molasses and fusel. Cloyingly sweet flavour, notes of molasses, raisin, figs and dates, also oak, chocolate and booze. Would not buy again even at half the price.

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Suldal, Sand. ABV is 6.5%. Hazy orange colour, moderate white head. Aroma of orange marmalade, grapefruit and pine. Flavour with the same elements, distinctly piney and quite bitter.

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

500 ml can, from Bunnpris Sand. Golden colour, moderate white head. The sweetish aroma has hints of blood orange, but more distinct notes of artificial "orange" candy. Citric and thin mouthfeel. Citric flavour, hints of blood orange, not too sweet, moderate bitterness.