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

355 ml bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV 10.5%. Pitch black colour, low head. Strong and intense aroma of heavily roasted malts, cigar box, burnt caramel and oak. Equally strong and intense flavour, again heavily roasted malts, burnt caramel and oak. Pretty impressive stuff.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland, Bryne, also Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Sediment, the bottle should be turned upside-down a couple times to get more wheat yeast flavour. Cloudy brownish-yellow colour, moderate white head. Moderate wheaty aroma, notes of citrus, hints of cloves and banana, but not as much as in most German hefeweizens. Light bodied. Refreshing wheaty flavour, moderate notes of citrus, cloves and banana, dry and slightly peppery finish.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.7%. Deep golden to amber colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Dull aroma of grain, just a hint of grassy hops. Fairly clean and refreshing flavour with grainy notes, a hint of caramel and very moderate hops.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.5%. Slightly hazy brown colour, big off-white head. Moderate but pleasant aroma of brown malts and citrus, hints of spices. Refreshing flavour, citrus and wheat, hints of mild spices, not very sweet, minimal hops.

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

330 ml bottle, batch #297, bought at Coop OBS, Bryne. ABV is 4.7%. Dark brown to black colour, big beige head. Strong sweetish aroma of ginger, cocoa and oranges. Light bodied, can’t be expected to be a match for its big brother Santa Paws. Fairly refreshing flavour, not very sweet, strong notes of ginger and cocoa, bitter and peppery finish. Seems somewhat unbalanced with all its spiciness, lacks a malty backbone.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 8.5%. Cloudy brown colour, big off-white head. Moderate aroma of brown malts and brown candi sugar, hints of Christmas spices. Flavour of brown sugar and malts, medium sweet, moderately spicy finish. Minimal hops. Nice enough, pleasant to drink, but maybe not exceptional.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet (bestillingsutvalget). Batch #245. ABV is 8.2%. Brewed with cocoa nibs and ginger stems. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Very nice sweetish aroma of ginger, fresh Christmas cookies and cocoa. The flavour has strong notes of ginger, pepper and chocolate chip cookies. Some roasty coffee notes too, with a hoppy and roasty bitterness in the finish. Maybe a bit too far out on the "cookies" side, but an interesting and tasty beer all the same. Had no problems finishing the bottle.

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

250 ml bottle, wrapped in silk paper in a metal cylinder, from Vinmonopolet. Batch #373, ABV is 15.5%. Ingredients include sugars and coffee. 100 IBU. Pitch black colour, moderate greyish brown head. Strong aroma of stale cold coffee, roasted barley and dark bitter chocolate. Warming mouthfeel. Very sweet (too sweet) and sugary flavour, notes of sweetened coffee, syrup, chocolate and liquorice. The bitterness seems quite moderate, because of the overwhelming sweetness. Hints of resin in the aftertaste. Well worth sampling, but this is the least successful edition of Dark Horizon so far. Won’t buy again, as it is also quite expensive..

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

500 ml bottle from REMA 1000. ABV is 4.7%. Copper colour, moderate off-white head. Moderate aroma of caramel malts, hints of chocolate. Thin and fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is slightly acidic, with moderate notes of caramel malt and a hint of chocolate malt, without being very sweet. "Dusty" and empty finish. Not undrinkable, but definitely one of the most boring Yule beers you can get in Norway.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, as Silenrieux Joseph Wit Bière d’epautre Bio. ABV is 5%. Milky pale straw coloured beer, moderate white head. Yeasty and estery aroma, notes of citrus and spices (coriander). Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is very citrussy, nearly acidic, moderate spicy notes. Refreshing, but not really a remarkable beer.

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

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. Brew #384. ABV is 6%. Dark brown colour, slightly hazy, big cream-coloured head. Nice aroma of Christmas spices and caramel malts, hints of oranges. Rather light bodied for a 6% beer. The flavour is somewhat acidic and citrussy, notes of Christmas spices, not much sweetness, very moderate hops. Drinkable, but far from the best Christmas beer I’ve had.

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

500 ml bottle, Christmas 2010, brew #379, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 8.0%. Ingredients include barley malts, wheat malts (6 different malts, the base malt grown in the brewery’s own field), cane sugar, Belgian ale yeast, aniseed, coriander and 2 American hops. Dark brown colour, slightly hazy, big and lasting beige head. Moderate aroma, notes of malts, caramel, anise and coriander. Full and rich mouthfeel. Malty flavour, medium+ sweetness, caramel, distinct notes of anise, subdued hops. I am not a fan of anise, but this beer is not too bad.

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

330 ml bottle, as Leireken Bio Boekweit Blond / Sarrasin Blonde, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6%. Extremely pale straw colour, nothing amber about it at all (are you sure the Amber is the same as the Blond?). Moderate white head. Strong yeasty esters in the aroma, spicy notes. Citrussy, spicy and wheaty flavour, quite nice. Very refreshing, low bitterness.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.6%. Black colour, huge tan head. Moderate but nice aroma of mild coffee with just a hint of aniseed. Nice and full mouthfeel, medium sweet, roasty notes of coffee and dark chocolate, also moderate notes of aniseed and fennel seeds. Okay.

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

330 ml bottle, from Joker Madlatuå. ABV is 4.5%. Amber to copper color, moderate head, slightly off-white. The aroma has sugary (candy, caramel) and grassy notes, not particularly good. The flavour is moderately sweet with notes of caramel, drinkable when cold, but won’t be my choice for the Yuletide.

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

650 ml bottle, as Southern Tier Imperial Crème Brûlée Stout, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.0%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. Intense aroma of crème brûlée and vanilla from the moment you open the bottle, amazing! The smell includes caramel, of course - but also chocolate and mild coffee. The sweet flavour is first and foremost crème brûlée again, but also roasty notes of strong coffee, dark bitter chocolate and liquorice. Also some hoppy bitterness in the finish. Warming mouthfeel. An incredible dessert beer!

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

Rerate, 330 ml bottle, ABV 8.3%, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger: Copper colour, big to moderate cream-coloured head. Malty aroma with strong notes of raisins and other dark fruits, brown candi sugar and treacle. Warming mouthfeel. Flavour of dark dried fruits, brown sugar, malts and alcohol. Moderate but noticeable hops in the finish. Original rating: On tap at Cardinal’s Juleølsymposium. Matured with raisins. Dark brown colour, moderate head. Aroma of brown malts, brown sugar and raisins. The flavour has the same elements, but is not too sweet. Moderate hops, very drinkable.

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

1 pt. 9.4 fl. oz. corked bottle, vintage 2009, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.0%. Reddish colour, big off-white head. Aroma of slightly stale berry jam, also some "horseblanket" notes of brettanomyces. The flavour is very sweet with berry fruit and some vinous notes, moderately spicy, noticeable alcohol, distinct hoppy and spicy bitterness in the finish. Warming mouthfeel.

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

Cask at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Very dark reddish brown colour, moderate beige head. Lovely vinous aroma, notes of port wine, caramel and nuts, hints of marzipan. The flavour is definitely on the sweet side, but not cloying. Vinous and very fruity notes (fresh and rum-drenched fruits), the sweetness is to some extent balanced by decent hops in the finish. An unusual and very nice Christmas beer, better suited to accompany fruits and nuts, rather than the robust traditional Nordic Christmas dinners. Might go well with turkey and cranberry sauce, though.

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

12.7 fl.oz. corked bottle, as Port Brewing Older Viscosity, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 12.0%. Pitch black colour, moderate tan head. Intense aroma of sweet malts, bourbon whiskey, vanilla and oak, also moderate roasty notes, hints of chocolate and liquorice. Very sweet (too sweet?) and intense flavour, sweet malts galore, notes of bourbon, oak and vanilla again, also notes of mild coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice. Moderate hops.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.5%. Brown colour, decent head. The aroma is caramel, caramel and some butterscotch - and caramel again. The flavour is caramel first, and caramel in the finish - and, if you you are in doubt: also caramel (and butterscotch) in the middle. For good measure, you get caramel in the aftertaste too. If this leads you to think that the beer is cloyingly sweet, it is not - it just has this caramel flavour throughout. Lucky me - I happen to like caramel ...

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

330 ml bottle, brewed by Eschweger, ABV in Norway is 4.7%. Bought at MENY Stadionparken. Crystal clear extremely pale yellow colour, big white head. Grainy aroma of unhopped pilsener wort and boiled vegetables, not good. Sweet and sugary flavour, hardly any bitterness. What a stupid idea - brewing a purposely shitty American Standard pale lager in Europe, just because Homer Simpson would have liked it ... Taste is nothing, marketing is everything.

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

Cask at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Moderate beige head. The aroma has notes of moderately roasted malts and mild coffee, hints of wood and smoke. The flavour is very dry and the beer is light bodied, notes of mild coffee, wood and hints of smoke again.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Cloudy brown colour, moderate beige head. Moderate aroma of brown candi sugar, leather and spices. The flavour has notes of (Belgian?) ale yeast, brown malts, brown candi sugar (without being very sweet), spices and alcohol. Moderate hops in the finish, fairly bitter aftertaste.

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

1 pt. 6 fl.oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.2%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, with a big white (or slightly off-white) head. Lovely aroma of Belgian ale yeast, white candi sugar and various spices (incl cloves), hints of leather. The flavour is spicy and zesty with a solid hoppy punch throughout, but I’d never have guessed that the IBU was as high as 101. Mixing Belgian and American ale styles is not always successful, but I think Le Freak is a very good try.