Beer Reviews by SIGMUND

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# Beer Origin Style Score Date
7001 Theakston Old Peculier United Kingdom Old Ale 4.4

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

(Cask conditioned, Northern England.) This is a very good and strong Old ale, well suited for a winter's day. One of my favourite pints! Rerate: 500 ml bottle, thanks to my beerpal Egil. ABV is 5.6%. Very dark reddish brown colour, big beige head. Nice aroma of malts (some of them apparently lightly roasted), vinous notes, dark fruits and berries. The flavour is rich and malty with just a mild roastiness, perfectly balanced by fruity hops with berry notes. Not an extreme beer in any way, other than being "extremely good".

Aug 28, 2004
02:10:28 PM
7002 Smithwick's Irish Ale Ireland Irish Ale 3.8

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

I had this one on tap in Scotland - it's definitely a good ale. Not brilliant, but good. Very good!

Aug 28, 2004
02:03:28 PM
7003 Franziskaner Weissbier Dunkel Germany Dunkel Weizen 4.0

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Cloudy brown colour, large lasting head. Aroma of brown bread and some spicy sweetness. Flavour is malty but not overly sweet, some spicy and subtly roasted edges. Smooth and mellow, nothing to blow your socks off, but still a beer it is a pleasure to drink. I had it on its own, must be good with a meal too.

Aug 28, 2004
01:58:28 PM
7004 Paulaner Hefeweizen Germany Hefeweizen 4.2

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

Original rating: Sweeter than I expected, this is still an attractive and refreshing Hefe-Weissbier. Started drinking it with a warm meal, not a good idea - much better on its own or with a light snack. Enormous long-lasting head, pleasant but not very strong aroma. Flavour has all the good elements a beer of this style should have, a bit too sweet though. Rerate: Sweetness does not come through quite as much this time. Lovely aroma. A good hefe!

Aug 28, 2004
01:55:28 PM
7005 Kilkenny Irish Ale Ireland Irish Ale 2.9

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

A modern style red ale that really isn't too bad - but the fact that it's brewed by Guinness frequently makes my inner voice ask: Sigmund, don't you REALLY want a Guinness instead? And, behold, the answer normally is YES! Re-rate 2600302: I'm lowering the aroma rating (bottled version, no nitro) - the aroma is strangely dominated by unpleasant, artificial candy notes. The flavour is still good, aftertaste acceptable.

Aug 28, 2004
01:49:28 PM
7006 Pauwel Kwak Belgium Belgian Strong Ale 4.2

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

(330 ml bottle). Beautiful deep amber colour, just slightly hazy. Great head. INTENSE aroma of spiced alcohol (nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon), hints of ammonium chloride too. Flavour is malty and spicy, but not as intense as you'd expect from the aroma. Sweetness seems just right. Aftertaste is good, but a bit short. An interesting beer, like so many Belgians.

Aug 28, 2004
01:41:28 PM
7007 Duchy Originals Organic Ale United Kingdom Extra Special Bitter 4.0

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Amber colour, moderate head. Lovely hoppy aroma, hints of heather, tobacco and spices. Flavour is nutty and biscuity, a hint of toffee but not really sweet, good bitterness which lingers in the aftertaste. Very nice.

Aug 28, 2004
01:33:28 PM
7008 Young's Double Chocolate Stout United Kingdom Chocolate Stout 4.9

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Finland. ABV was 5.2%.). Black (actually very dark ruby) with a good tan head and nice lacing. Aroma is all chocolate and roasted malts. When you expect something cloyingly sweet (chocolate in beer - "uff da"!): Surprise! - a perfectly rounded and well balanced flavour, loads of chocolate but never sickly, just the right roasted bitterness in the aftertaste. This beer is a real treat - I would be happy to drink it each and every afternoon, but just one bottle a day!

Aug 27, 2004
05:31:27 PM
7009 Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit Belgium Belgian Strong Ale 4.0

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

(33 cl bottle, bought in Denmark. ABV was 8.5%.). Cloudy brown with floaties, enormous thick creamy head. Lovely complex aroma of cherries, figs, prunes, spices, oak and sandalwood. Flavour is not quite as complex - malty, some fruit and spices, rather alcoholic, bitter finish. I wish the aftertaste had been as good as the aroma. A beer well above average, but not as good as I expected.

Aug 27, 2004
05:27:27 PM
7010 Christoffel Blond Netherlands Bohemian / Czech Pilsener 3.9

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

(330 ml fliptop bottle, bought in Denmark). Hazy pale golden colour, moderate head, leaves some lacing. Aroma is yeasty like a blond ale and flowery (Saaz?) like a Bohemian pilsener. Flavour and aftertaste have a distinct hoppy bitterness, notes of pine needles, eucalyptus and grapefruit. Very nice. One small bottle is not enough!

Aug 24, 2004
06:42:24 PM
7011 Carlow O'Hara's Celtic Irish Stout Ireland Dry Stout 4.3

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Colour is black (= very dark brown), very good and creamy tan head, leaves a nice lacing. Lovely roasted coffee-like aroma with notes of unrefined cane sugar. Flavour is all roast barley with coffee notes, not particularly complex but still very good. Dry aftertaste. An excellent alternative to GBM (Guinness/Beamish/Murphy’s).

Aug 24, 2004
07:42:24 AM
7012 Christoffel Robertus Netherlands Vienna / Amber Lager 4.2

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

(330 ml swingtop bottle, bought in Denmark). Copper colour, hazy, good thick head. Lovely aroma of spices, leather and caramel - from the aroma, I’d swear this was a Belgian ale. Bottom fermented it is, and it’s easier to sense this is a lager through the flavour and aftertaste, which still are very good. Malty flavour, mild spices and caramel without too much sweetness. Lightly hopped. Moreish.

Aug 23, 2004
06:18:23 PM
7013 Carlsberg Carls Dark Denmark Dunkel / Dark Lager 2.9

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

(330 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). I knew Carlsberg added pure refined sugar syrup to this beer (it’s on the label), and that made me sceptical and maybe a little prejudiced even before opening the bottle. Beautiful copper colour, moderate head. Aroma has a nice maltiness which unfortunately is overwhelmed by sugary and syrupy notes. Flavour is not quite as sweet as I feared, still something is wrong: the syrup, no doubt. To think that Carlsberg actually retired Tuborg Rød and introduced THIS in stead ..... Idiots!

Aug 20, 2004
09:19:20 AM
7014 Black Sheep Riggwelter United Kingdom English Strong Ale 4.2

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Beautiful dark reddish brown colour, large head. Fine aroma of oak, toffee, dark chocolate and Colombian coffee beans. Full malty flavour with a little alcoholic bite, but not too much. Roasted notes, hints of English liquorice, bitter dark chocolate and smoke. The long aftertaste has strong black coffee notes with a hoppy bite. This is a first class beer! You'll need more than one to make you a "ryggvelter", though. Baaah!

Aug 19, 2004
05:16:19 PM
7015 Wychwood Black Wych United Kingdom Dry Stout 3.7

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Very dark reddish brown colour, moderate thick tan head. Moderate but pleasant roasted aroma, hints of tar and old woodwork. Flavour is all roasted malts, a bit thin mouthfeel compared to some other stouts, but refreshing. No masterpiece, but nice enough.

Aug 19, 2004
02:17:19 PM
7016 Black Sheep Monty Pythons Holy Grail United Kingdom Extra Special Bitter 4.0

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). I’m a big fan of Monthy Python movies, which, however, is irrelevant when sampling this beer. Inside the gimmicky bottle is a decent English bitter, and decent English bitters are always welcome in my home (no cask ales available around here, I’m afraid). Colour is deep golden, pours with a good head which leaves a nice lacing. Decent hoppy aroma (oranges and some toffee), flavour has sufficient malts and a pleasant hoppiness that lasts through the long aftertaste. Maybe not a true masterpiece, but a nice beer indeed!

Aug 18, 2004
03:21:18 PM
7017 Worthington Bitter United Kingdom Bitter 3.5

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

(Bottle, bought in Denmark). Deep amber (okay, chestnut) colour, moderate head. Too much CO2 for a bitter. Moderate aroma of toffee/caramel and malts, hints of dried fruits / fruitcake. Flavour is malty with a reasonable bitterness, finish is a bit watery. Easy drinking, nice enough - but nothing special either.

Aug 15, 2004
06:00:15 PM
7018 Franziskaner Weissbier Dunkel Germany Dunkel Weizen 3.9

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Cloudy brown colour, large lasting head. Aroma of brown bread and some spicy sweetness. Flavour is malty but not overly sweet, some spicy and subtly roasted edges. Smooth and mellow, nothing to blow your socks off, but still a beer it is a pleasure to drink. I had it on on its own, must be good with a meal too

May 12, 2024
02:24:23 PM
7019 Beamish Irish Stout Ireland Dry Stout 4.1

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

Smoother than Guinness, very drinkable. A stout recommended for beginners. Rerate: ...which doesn't in any way imply that Beamish hasn't a lot to offer the experienced stout drinker as well. Aroma is better than Guinness, and the flavour is outstanding too. I simply suggested that the prejudiced anti-stout drinker might find out that he/she actually likes it.

Aug 10, 2004
05:20:10 PM
7020 Victoria Bitter Australia Pale Lager 2.1

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

(375 ml bottle.) Sweetish orange-like aroma. Flavour is mostly bitterness - more than in Foster's and Castlemaine, but not really pleasant. Will not be a regular beer of mine this one.

Aug 10, 2004
05:18:10 PM
7021 Leffe Vieille Cuvee Belgium Belgian Strong Ale 4.1

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

(33 cl bottle, bought in Denmark). Deep golden brown colour, no haziness, large head. Aroma is not very strong, but pleasant - yeasty and fruity (canned plums), some spices and herbs too. Full bodied sweet flavour, still quite smooth. Brown candy sugar, Christmas fruit cake spices and herbs prevail. Some alcoholic warmth, but not dominant. A great sipping beer!

Aug 10, 2004
05:15:10 PM
7022 Asahi Super Dry Japan Lager 3.4

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

I'll admit that I bought this 'Japanese' beer (brewed 'under supervision' in the Czech Rep.) only to get a higher score on the 'most countries' rating. However I was compelled to drink it tonight (had planned to wait a bit) in order to lose the foul aftertaste of the EKU 28 I had sampled earlier. This beer is definitely contrary to the foul eisbock: It's probably the driest beer I've ever tasted. Refreshing, but not something I'd buy again (ref. Norwegian prices on imported beer), unless I should happen to visit Japan. Rerate: Actually, I DID have it again without visiting Japan: It was a nice accompaniment with a meal in a Japanese garden / restaurant in Denmark.

Aug 9, 2004
02:55:09 PM
7023 Tsingtao China Pale Lager 2.7

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 5

I bought this beer just for the fun of it - shipping beer all the way from China to Norway seems like the ultimate absurdity, if the beer isn't something extraordinary. This beer isn't. But Tsingtao is not outright bad either - it just isn't very interesting. Heineken-like aroma, neutral flavour, overly carbonated, no lasting head. Sure it would be refreshing on a summer's day in China - exporting it to Europe should be considered a waste of resources.

Aug 9, 2004
02:52:09 PM
7024 Maredsous 10 Belgium Abbey Tripel 4.2

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

(33 cl bottle, now available in Norway). Deep golden to amber colour, large head. Very nice aroma of dried and ripe fresh fruits and herbs, yeast, malts, oak and pipe tobacco. Flavour is spicy with an alcoholic warmth (no surprise at 10% ABV), elements of dried fruits, medicinal herbs and brown candy sugar. Herbal aftertaste. A very good beer that packs a real punch.

Aug 2, 2004
05:25:02 PM
7025 Neuzeller Kloster-Brau Schwarzer Abt (Black Abbot) Germany Schwarzbier 3.3

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

(500 ml bottle, bought in Norway). Pours with a good lasting head, colour is black (= very dark brown to ruby). Very nice aroma of hayloft, some barnyard, molasses, dark syrup, coffee and German bakery. Flavour and aftertaste have interesting rich malty notes with some roastiness, but are unfortunately ruined by the invertsugar syrup which has been added to the brew. Must be another beer for "convalescents and nursing mothers".

Jul 15, 2004
08:47:15 AM