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

500 ml bottle, bought at Systembolaget. ABV is 5.8%. Called a "strong pale ale" by the brewery. Dark copper to chestnut colour, moderate beige head. Pleasant aroma of lightly roasted malts, caramel, burnt toast and fruity hops, hints of bakery. In the flavour the fruity hops are well balanced against the malts and moderate roastiness, with a moderately bitter and slightly nutty finish. Good stuff!

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, bought at Systembolaget. ABV is not mentioned on the label. Cloudy golden colour, big white head. Strong and very yeasty aroma, notes of baking yeast and bread dough. Also notes of over-ripe bananas, rotting fruits and cloves. Fresh mouthfeel, refreshing flavour with moderately fruity and spicy notes, but the finish is rather dull and bland.

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

500 ml bottle, 2009 vintage, kindly procured from Systembolaget by OleR, thanks! ABV is 7.5%. Copper to mahogany coloured beer, huge beige head. Nice aroma of burnt caramel, earth and bakery. The flavour is distinctly malty with loads of caramel, baked goods and chocolate, but is not too sweet. Distinct hoppy bitterness and burnt toast in the finish. Bitter aftertaste. Unusual and earthy character, not necessarily "easy drinking", but certainly one to savour.

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

355 ml, from Systembolaget, Sweden, thanks to OleR. ABV is 5.45%. Very dark brown colour, big and lasting beige head. Fairly moderate but pleasant aroma of heather honey, also notes of roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, fruity hops and mild coffee. The flavour is not as sweet as I feared, but the heather honey has a distinct presence throughout, nicely balanced by the hops. There is also a moderate roastiness, again with moderate notes of caramel, chocolate and mild coffee. Unlike the brewers I would not call this a "robust" porter, but it is certainly a good one all the same.

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

330 ml bottle, contract brewed by Krönleins Bryggeri, Sweden, for Hønefoss Brygghus, Norway - another "brewhouse" that does not brew. ABV is 4.7%. Thanks to OleR for procuring the bottle. The recommendation on the label to drink it "ice cold" makes me somewhat sceptical ... Golden colour, big white head. Acceptable pilsener aroma, moderately sweetish, notes of floral hops and some fruit. The flavour is fairly fresh and crisp, moderate sweetness, too moderate hops. Definitely drinkable, but not very "special" in any way.

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

330 ml bottle, thanks to OleR. Brewed for Hønefoss Brygghus, Norway, by Krönleins Bryggeri, Sweden. ABV is 4.7%. One has to accept that Hønefoss Brygghus is another "brewhouse" that does not brew (the slogan "Drink locally" is thus ridiculous) , but why on earth do they commission a pale lager in the Norwegian style "sommerøl", contract brewed by mediocre Krönleins? Norwegian macro breweries have plenty of boring "sommerøl", there is absolutely no need for another one. HB’s Juleøl (a stout brewed by Det Lille Bryggeriet) was decent, this one is not undrinkable, but certainly no masterpiece. The recommendation on the label "To be drunk ice cold" gives you some idea about what to expect. Deep golden colour, much darker than other "sommerøl", moderate white head. Sweetish unpleasant aroma, typical Swedish macro. Notes of artificial candy and rotting vegetables. The flavour is fortunately much better than the aroma, some moderate malts and hops are around, and the beer is not too sweet.

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

(500 ml can, in Sweden). Golden colour, good thick head. Sweet candy aroma. Flavour is sweet and alcoholic, but not as cloying and disgusting as some other Swedish lagers of this strength. Slightly lighter and fresher than the most horrific specimens of this style. At least I was able to finish this one. No reason to keep a festival for it, though.

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

330 ml bottle, thanks to OleR. ABV is 4.7%. Unpretentious name and label design from Mack this time. Pale golden colour, big white head. Tolerable but sweetish pilsener aroma, notes of apples, grass and flowers. The flavour is fresh, slightly fruity and fairly crisp, but the finish is too "empty", more hoppy bitterness would be desirable. Goes down well though.

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

330 ml green bottle with pull-off cap, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.4%. Very pale yellow colour, big head. Sweetish fruity and grassy aroma, also notes of candy. Sweet flavour, far too sweet for a pale lager, notes of fruit and candy. Low bitterness. Not my kind of beer.

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

500 ml bottle from Systembolaget, thanks to Ole R. ABV is 5.9%. Black colour, big to moderate tan head. Intense aroma of smoked and roasted malts, notes of bonfires and tar. The flavour is also roasty and smoky, initially fairly dry, with just a slight sweetness and acceptable hops in the finish. Hints of liquorice. Ashy aftertaste.

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

500 ml bottle, from Systembolaget, thanks to Ole R! ABV is 4.5%. Dark brown colour, big and lasting tan head. Nice aroma of caramel malts and fruity hops, hints of roasted malts, resin and smoke. The flavour is well balanced between the malts and hops, some roasted notes, hints of burnt caramel, nuts, pine and resin, dry and bitter finish. Long bitter aftertaste.

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

750 ml screwcap green bottle, from Vinmonopolet (bestillingsutvalget). ABV is 11%. Pours moderately sparkling, no lasting head. Very pale golden colour. Aroma of sweet eating apples, also notes of cider apples and flowers. The flavour is medium sweet (or perhaps medium dry?), anyway this is the driest Norwegian cider I have tasted so far (most of them are made with sweet apples only). The flavour has again a mix of sweet eating apples and moderately bitter cider apples, unfortunately the alcohol is fairly noticeable. Bitter finish.

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

330 ml bottle, vintage 2007, kindly shared by Ole_R. ABV is 13%. Deep red colour, low tan head. Vinous aroma, notes of claret, red wine vinegar and barnyard. The flavour is (more or less) "typical Flemish Red", notes of red wine vinegar, some lemony notes, astringent finish. Moderate hops. The high ABV is extremely well hidden, I might have guessed that the beer was half as strong as it actually is.

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

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by Ole_R. ABV was 14%. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Lovely roasty and vinous aroma, notes of calvados and blackcurrants. Extremely sweet and very roasty flavour, notes of liquorice, dark cherries and dark chocolate, distinct hoppy bitterness and tar in the finish. Alcohol is noticeable. Combined with the strong flavour elements, this leaves the impression that the beer is even stronger than it actually is - I might have guessed 18-20%.

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

500 ml brown bottle, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.3%. Pours very fizzy with a moderate white head that soon disappears. Golden colour. Moderate aroma of cider apples and oak. The flavour is very dry and tart, astringent finish. Notes of cider apples of course, hints of oak. Noticeable acidity with a hint of lemons. I can imagine this cider would go well with a dish of fat fish (salmon, trout, mackerel etc.) - on its own it is nearly too astringent for me.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml clear screwcap bottle, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.7%. Hazy with some sediment in the bottle. Pours hazy deep golden, no carbonation. Very nice aroma of cider apples, farmhouse kitchen and oak, hints of sulphites. The flavour is fairly dry, tart cider apples dominate, hints of spices, oak and sulphites. I must admit I’d like just a little carbonation for a "fresher" mouthfeel, but this is still a nice and drinkable cider, if your preferences are on the dry side. Personally I wouldn’t mind a bit more sweetness.

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

Draught, sampled at Gladmat festivalen, Stavanger, served too cold. This is a light bodied golden ale with a low head, obviously brewed to satisfy the majority of Norwegian beer drinkers who believe that beer = pilsener. This will be the first ale that many of them have ever tasted, and as an introduction to the world of ales for "the ignorant multitude" this is acceptable. But the experienced ale drinker will find that "Kvek" (Valdres dialect for being quick, bright, alert, vigilant) has just too little of everything, even though there’s nothing wrong or offensive about it. Light maltiness and fruitiness in aroma and flavour. If given the choice, I’d prefer this ale to most pilseners, but if you have access to the products of the Valdres farm brewery, their "Staut" dark ale is the one you’ll want. Also sampled bottled, even more boring than from draught.

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

Draught, sampled at Gladmatfestivalen, Stavanger. Unfortunately served far too cold. This is a good dark amber/brown ale (and Norwegian ales are rare!), not a stout as the name implies. Slightly cloudy appearance. Moderately hopped, malty well balanced rounded flavour. Hints of yeast. Caramel malts must be among the 5 types used. This "farm brewery" is about 7 years old, built in an old sheepshed! Their 3 ales are mainly available in Valdres, mostly draught but some of their production is bottled too. They also have a tiny pub at the brewery that's open only Friday nights, or at other hours for groups by appointment.

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

Draught at Gladmatfestivalen 2004, Stavanger. Served cool, not ice cold. Low head, low carbonation. Hazy brown colour. Lovely aroma of juniper and wet fir trees. This is a modern rendition of traditional Norwegian farm ales, where juniper was used for flavouring and better preservation of the beer, at a time when hops were unknown or hard to get this far north. Flavour is all juniper and malts, quite lightbodied and refreshing. Not very complex, but darn good all the same. In order to fully appreciate a beer like this, you should spend a day of hard work stacking hay on a small Norwegian farm on one of our (rare) warm summer days. If you, on such a day, after tasting this beer say "I’d rather have a Budweiser", you’re a very sick person, and need to seek professional help. Or you could offer prayers to St. Judas, the patron saint of Hopeless Cases.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Contains sulphites. Pours very fizzy with a shortlived white head, the cider is pale golden, crystal clear. The initially aggressive carbonation soon subsides in the glass, and the mouthfeel is fairly soft. Aroma of cider apples and farmhouse kitchen, hints of oak. The flavour is of course dominated by cider apples and oak, sulphites are noticeable. Slightly astringent finish. Easy drinking.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Pours rather fizzy with a short-lived head, moderate carbonation in the glass. Clear golden colour. Moderate but pleasant aroma of cider apples and oak. Medium sweet apple flavour with a slightly tart finish. Distinct acidity.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Unpasteurised. ABV is 5.1%. Golden colour, big white head. Moderate carbonation in the glass. Fairly strong sweetish aroma, notes of grass and maize. The flavour is sweet but also well hopped, somewhat alcoholic, appears to be stronger than its fairly moderate ABV. Better than Swedish industrial lagers in the same class (doesn’t take much, really), but this is not a beer I’ll buy again. Jämtlands have better beers than this one.

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

330 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Unfiltered and unpasteurised pilsener (or rather: Kellerbier), brewed with organic ingredients. Cloudy golden colour, moderate white head. The aroma is yeasty, fresh and fruity, notes of citrus and apples, hints of spices. The flavour has also fruity notes with hints of yeast and spices, ending in a bitter finish. Not too bad.

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

On tap at Bishop’s Arms Järntorget, Göteborg. ABV was 9.0%. Served in "brandy" snifter. Pitch black colour, moderate tan head. Pleasant roasty aroma with notes of coffee, liquorice, chocolate and prunes. The flavour is distinctly roasty and moderately sweet with a certain warmth from the alcohol, notes of chocolate, port wine and prunes. Excellent beer!

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

330 ml can, at the "skärgårds"-boat Vesta from Asperö to Saltholmen, Göteborg. Pale golden colour, fluffy head. Minimal aroma. Thin mouthfeel, but at least the flavour has some weak hints of malts and hops (and cardboard). Not undrinkable with a sandwich.