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

(275 ml bottle.) Very dark/black, good tan head. Aroma is malts and coffee, flavour is sweet and malty with coffee and chocolate notes, hardly any bitterness. This beer proves that a low ABV beer can be flavourful, but it's just too sweet to be a favourite of mine.

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

(Cask conditioned). Sampled at the Wear Valley CAMRA beer festival. (Room temperature, low natural carbonation). Copper coloured. A Scottish "heavy" like it should be. Good, but not so very special. Aviemore brewery changed its name in 2001 to Cairngorm brewery. Cairngorm also brew Tomintoul beers.

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

500 ml bottle. Golden colour, low head. Interesting malty aroma with hints of hayloft and sheepshed - very nice. An unusual pils! Flavour is distinctly malty with just enough hoppiness to call it a pils. Good beer!

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

Smooth, soft, creamy, easy drinking nitro-beer - even when moderate consumption is the order of the day. Not much character in this one, though - but smooth and comforting indeed.

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

Why on earth should the British even try brewing pilsener/lager - they're so much better at ales and stouts. If you after all, of some obscure reason, should choose to drink pils in England: Stick to the imports.

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

Seriously struck by beer rating addiction, I bought this beer only to rate it - and I hate myself for it! Hate hate hate!! I paid good money for this crap, in the US at least it’s cheap - here it’s expensive. Importing this shit to Europe is totally ridiculous! And the alternative in Norway, if you want an American beer, is mostly Bud!! (If you’re ’lucky’, you might find Michelob! *and a couple others at "Vinmonopolet".) My expectations were very low, but I soon found out that this ’beer’ was even worse than I expected. Aroma reminiscent of the wine yeast of my disastrous, short lived wine-making career 15 years ago. Excessive head that disappears rather quickly. Hardly any flavour at all - just a bland, metallic mouthfeel. Luckily, there is no aftertaste either (if there was, it would surely have been bad). ’Genuine draught’ my ass! This is just bad, real BAD!!

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

500 ml oldfashioned milk bottle - nice design. Copper coloured, moderate head. Lovely hoppy aroma, hints of ripe fruits and caramel. Bramling Cross hops account for a distinct bitter flavour and aftertaste, quite dry - I'd like some more malts to balance the hops, but that's the style, I guess. Still, this is a nice beer - will definitely buy again.

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

(750 ml corked bottle). Pale golden pilsener-like colour, . Large lasting head. Spicy aroma. Flavour is spicy white wine-like, a bit alcoholic. Well balanced, nice aftertaste. A good beer, but I don't find it quite as complex as some other raters do.

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

(Draught / keg). It is debatable if this is a bitter or a Scottish ale. Copper coloured. Flavourful, rich malty taste. Low bitterness. Not bad for a moderate ABV "macro" keg ale.

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

Barely discernible from McEwans Export. Some caramel in the flavour, well rounded, perhaps a bit thin. Drinkable stuff that shouldn't offend anyone. Rerate (can): I understand why this beer is classified as a Scottish Ale at some websites, instead of an IPA - hardly any hops are discernible at all. But the brewers insist on calling it an IPA, so I guess it should be rated as such.

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

I liked the bottled version - even imported to Norway (my retailer stored it cool). Lots of taste, good to drink straight from the bottle with an afternoon snack! Rerate, can: Of some reason not as good as the bottle. Still a decent beer, not outstanding.

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

Cask conditioned in Scotland: A Scottish ale or "heavy" which is copper coloured, low head, quite malty, low on hops - not bad for a "macro" cask ale.

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

This nitro-can beer is the same as the John Smith's Extra Smooth. The ABV may vary a little depending on where it's being marketed. A very smooth and drinkable 'bitter', perhaps without too much character. Still, I openly admit enjoying it! Rerate nitro-can: Delete the 'perhaps' - it's DEFINITELY without too much character. I over-rated this brew the first time. It's still drinkable, but far from great!

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

A very smooth and drinkable 'bitter', perhaps without too much character. Still, I openly admit enjoying it! Rerate nitro-can: Delete the 'perhaps' - it's DEFINITELY without too much character. I over-rated this brew the first time. It's still drinkable, but far from great!

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

A very smooth and drinkable 'bitter', perhaps without too much character. Still, I openly admit enjoying it! Rerate nitro-can: Delete the 'perhaps' - it's DEFINITELY without too much character. I over-rated this brew the first time. It's still drinkable, but far from great!

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

Rerate, cask at the Station Hotel, Ipswich: Aroma of English malt vinegar, hints of dishwasher liquid. Smooth flavour without too much character. Low on hops. Original rating, 3.1: (Draught). I remember this one as a decent standard bitter, nothing remarkable.

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

(500 ml bottle). Reddish brown colour, decent head. Aroma of caramel and leather. Not as sweet as I expected. Malty caramel flavour with just a slight roastiness, in a blind test I would surely classify this beer as a strong dunkel, not a Baltic porter. Relatively thin bodied, not nearly as good as their Jõuluporter (Christmas Porter). Disappointing for its style, if disregarding style you may find this as a decent and drinkable beer.

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

(0,5 liter bottle.) Whooa... an Estonian Christmas porter, available in Norway, even! This one is 1% stronger and more spicy than their ordinary porter , to obtain a "real" Christmas character. Dark brown colour, low head, lightly roasted spicy coffee aroma and flavour, decent bitterness in the aftertaste. Lots of delicious flavour and sufficient alcohol here, still a slightly thinner mouthfeel than some other porters (probably because it's bottom fermented) - which, however, will not stop me from buying this goody again. I had it on its own, must also be a great accompaniment with Nordic Christmas fare in the rougher end of the scale. Sweet, but not too much. All in all a Christmas beer to be recommended.

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

250 ml bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Beautiful dark ruby colour, very good thick head. Moderate barnyard aroma on a background of red wine vinegar, honey and raisins. Flavour is not nearly as sour as the other two Flemish Sour Ales I’ve had - more sweet than sour, actually. Too sweet for me - elements of syrup, caramel, honey, balsamico vinegar, blackcurrants and blackberries. A craft beer, no doubt - but definitely not a favourite of mine this one.

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

330ml bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Pours with a large light tan head, colour is brown, slightly hazy. Excellent aroma: Oak, sandalwood, camphor, caramel, toffee, spices. Flavour has caramel, spices, oak - but is not quite as complex as I hoped. Still very good - it’s a Trappist! Moderate but decent hops + spices in the finish.

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

250 ml Scaldis Noël bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Pours with an an enormous lingering head, beer is clear, colour is deep reddish amber. Aroma of dark rum, sherry, oak, raisins, spices. Flavour is very sweet with dried fruits and whisky elements, but a distinct spiciness and decent hops prevent it from falling in the "cloying sweet & undrinkable" ditch. Alcoholic warmth in the mouthfeel, as expected from a 12% ABV beer, but not overwhelming or unpleasant. A very fine Christmas special in my book.

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

To the best of my knowledge, this is the same beer as Guinness Draught (can), with a nitrogen-widget in the bottle. I had it served at an Angus Steak House outlet in London, poured in a glass (drinking a nitro-beer straight from the bottle? - what an idea!!). Smooth and pleasant to drink, with the usual Guinness coffee-like roastiness.

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

Cask conditioned at The Tottenham, London. Deep amber/copper colour, minimal head. Aroma of nuts and red fruits. Flavour is a bit alcoholic with a substantial hoppy bitterness, which leaves a nice aftertaste.

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

(750 ml corked bottle, champagne style. Bought in Denmark.). A Christmas beer in August, why not? Amber colour, large fizzy head that doesn’t last very long. Pleasant and complex aroma of oak, caramel, dried fruits and spices. I find the flavour less complex, maybe because of the beer’s fizzyness. Still it is reasonably malty and easily drinkable, fairly sweet. Aftertaste is OK but not impressive.

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

750 ml champagne style corked bottle, bought in Denmark. Pleasant fruity and yeasty aroma. Clear golden colour, good head. A light bodied (despite 6.5% ABV) blonde ale, aimed to please - and it does. Flavour is fruity sweet but not cloying, just a faint hint of spices. Easy drinking, some other raters seem to have expected a strong and dark Belgian to hit them in the head - forget that, this is a delicate French blonde to be savoured for what it is. I like it!