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

500 ml bottle, bought at Fenaknoken, Oslo. ABV is 4.5%. The label advertises "Vikingfestivalen 2009". Dark brown colour, big to moderate beige head. Interesting aroma of juniper, resin and hops, hints of lightly roasted malts, some smoke, mild coffee and chocolate. The mouthfeel is fairly thin and dry. The flavour is dominated by juniper, the finish has some coffee and resin and is otherwise dry and "dusty", with just a slight acidity.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Fenaknoken, Oslo. Brew #909, ABV is 4.5%. Organic, unfiltered and unpasteurised "kellerbier". Hazy pale golden colour, big and lasting white head. The aroma has a pleasant mix of fruit, malts, toffee and butterscotch, hints of honey and resin too. The flavour has first a tolerable balance between the malts and hops, but also some coarse "traditional homebrew" notes, which I am not entirely happy about in such a delicate beer style. Some resin in the finish, unpleasant hints of metal and cardboard.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV was 10%. Cloudy brown colour, minimal head. Very moderate carbonation, like a Southern English cask ale. Vinous aroma, notes of oak and balsamic vinegar, coriander and orange peel. The flavour has notes of alcohol (not very well hidden), fortified wine, coriander (and undefined spices) and orange peel, with distinct hops throughout. Somehow the flavour elements seem not perfectly balanced. Maybe too much bitterness and alcohol crashing with the more delicate wheaty elements? Goes down well enough though.

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

500 ml unlabelled bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Big to moderate tan head. Intense peaty / smoky aroma of Islay malt whisky, also notes of tar and salty sea air, hints of vanilla and liquorice. The flavour is dominated by an overwhelming peatiness and smokiness, too much actually, as the original qualities of God Jul are kind of blocked out. Hints of tar, vanilla and liquorice again. Definitely interesting, but requires that you really like Islay whisky.

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

500 ml unlabelled bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Pitch black colour, big chocolate brown head. Lovely aroma of whisky barrel (possibly used for sherry before whisky?), but the whisky elements are not overdone - also notes of chocolate, dark dried fruits, vanilla and coffee. Full and rich mouthfeel. The flavour has a pronounced malty sweetness and well balanced roastiness, again notes of oak, sherry, dark dried fruits, vanilla and coffee - also moderate notes of tar. An excellent example of how good oak aged impy stouts can be, when the balance is just right.

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

500 ml can, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 4.5%. Deep golden to amber colour, big head, slightly off-white. Very moderate aroma, slightly malty, nutty and dusty, hints of caramel. Flavour of a standard lager with some extra caramel malts added, the "dusty" malts dominate the flavour but the beer is not very sweet, fairly dry finish. Moderate hops in the aftertaste. Definitely drinkable, but CB could have come up with something more exciting for their 150th anniversary.

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

On tap at Ølmessen Nærbø, and Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.0%. Amber coloured beer, low head. Aroma of moderate fruity American hops - on the second tasting I also found aroma elements of Belgian saison yeast, maybe just my imagination, because I was misinformed about the yeast used here (no saison yeast has actually been used, only Ægir’s normal California ale yeast). The flavour is distinctly hoppy throughout (American hops again, Columbus if I remember correctly), but there are also some faint hints of farmhouse. A quite nice autumn beer.

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

On tap (1-liter "mass") at Nærbø Oktoberfestival. Golden colour, moderate head. Moderate aroma of pilsener malts. Fairly high level of carbonation, fizzy mouthfeel. Moderate pale lager flavour, no offensive sidenotes, but very little to excite you either. Minimal hops. Boring.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

330 ml green bottle. Non-alcoholic Yule/Christmas beer, sold only in REMA 1000 stores. Mahogany coloured beer, big beige head. Typical n/a beer aroma of malts, baby porridge and over-boiled vegetables. The flavour is malty with hints of caramel, not too sweet, lacks hops and any kind of "bite", but is not undrinkable.

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

On tap at the farm brewery, RBNAG 2009. Chestnut coloured beer, big off-white head. Nice aroma of butterscotch. Flavour of caramel and butterscotch.

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

330 ml bottle. Dark reddish brown colour, moderate orange to beige head. Moderate aroma of brown malts, hints of caramel and "dusty" hops. The flavour has a moderate malty sweetness with notes of caramel, a noticeable fruitiness, low bitterness. Drinkable, but lacks the character of a "proper" (strong) Yule/Christmas beer.

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

Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. ABV was 6%. Orange to amber colour, low head. The aroma has notes of cinnamon and other undefined spices, some American hops. The flavour has notes of cinnamon, but they are not overdone, and blend in quite nicely with the malts and hops.

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

Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Amber colour, low head. Aroma of berries and tobacco. The flavour has notes of malts and berries, also notes of tobacco, moderate bitterness. Not bad for a newcomer brewery.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Very dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Nice malty aroma , notes of dark münchener malts, caramel and brown bread. The flavour is very malty throughout, but not too sweet. Some notes of caramel. Minimal hops. Tastes like an ale (which it probably is), but has also much in common flavourwise with a Münchener dunkel.

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

Screwcap bottle, 8% ABV, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Golden colour, pours fizzy, no lasting head. The aroma and flavour have notes of fermenting sweet eating apples (Gravenstein, Summerred, Aroma), hints of sulphur and anise.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Batch #435, ABV 10%. Deep brown colour, slightly hazy, big beige head. Pleasant aroma of brown malts, notes of rum-raisin and fortified wine, hints of spices and oak. The flavour has loads of malty sweetness and alcohol, notes of dark dried fruits and oak, hints of spices (esp. anise) and liquorice. There is a firm hoppy bitterness in the finish. Powerful beer, a bit "raw in the edges", will probably benefit from a year or two (perhaps more) in the cellar.

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

330 ml green bottle, ABV 9%, from Vinmonopolet. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Huge to big tan head. Nice aroma, notes of dark malts, hints of dark syrup and burnt caramel. Rich mouthfeel. The flavour is very malty and moderately roasty, notes of burnt caramel again. Sweet, but not over the top. The alcohol is not disturbing. Moderate hops in the finish, I wouldn’t mind if there had been more of them.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Copper coloured beer, big off-white head. Malty and bready aroma, notes of caramel, hints of spices. The flavour is moderately malty and bready, "dusty" character, not too sweet, hints of caramel. Very moderate hops in the otherwise boring finish. Drinkable, but no masterpiece.

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

330 ml green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Pale golden colour, moderate but lasting white head. Moderate sweetish aroma, notes of grass and grain. The flavour is fairly "fresh" and fruity, sweeter than the crispest of pilseners but not sickly, some grainy notes, soft mouthfeel, with a noticeable hoppy bitterness in the finish. For a new Norwegian pilsener, this is not too bad.

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

500 ml bottle, batch #225, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 10%. Pitch black colour, big to moderate tan head. Lovely roasty aroma, notes of coffee, leather, dark chocolate, dark dried fruits, some oaky and vinous notes. The flavour has plenty of malty sweetness and roastiness, notes of coffee and dark bitter chocolate, some oaky notes, with a firm hoppy and roasty bitterness in the finish. I might not be able to say that the oak cask previously had contained aquavit, if I did not know, but this is indeed one of the very best Norwegian beers I’ve had. Ever.

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

500 ml bottle, batch #240, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.5%. Light brown hazy colour, big off-white head. Lovely aroma of fruity hops and orange peel, also notes of Belgian ale yeast and mild spices. The flavour is a bit too sweet for a beer for sweaty farm workers, but still good - also fruity, yeasty and spicy notes, hints of caramel, with a distinct hoppy bitterness and a hint of smoke in the finish.

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

Bottle, at HaandBryggeriet. Reddish brown colour, moderate head. The aroma has notes of wild forest cranberries (= lingonberries), redcurrants and red wine vinegar. The flavour is very crisp and dry, with some acidity. Nice enough, but I’d like a little more sweetness for a fuller mouthfeel.

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

On tap at Olympen ("Lompa"), as "Lompas Vinter", renamed after Christmas. Black colour, moderate tan head. Nice aroma of mild coffee and dark malts, hints of chocolate and liquorice. The flavour is moderately roasty with a moderate malty sweetness, hints of dark chocolate. Quite good.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Lørenskog Brus-shop. ABV is 4.7%. Dark brown colour, big off-white to beige head. The aroma has very moderate fruity notes, followed by notes of brown bread, hints of caramel. The flavour also has a certain fruitiness, slightly acidic, followed by notes of münchener malts, bread and caramel. Moderate but noticeable hops in the finish. Dry aftertaste. No masterpiece this one, but drinkable.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Lørenskog Brus-shop. ABV is 4.7%. Golden brown colour, slightly hazy when the yeast is poured in, moderate off-white head. Nice fruity aroma of yeasty esters and American hops (Admiral and Amarillo). Soft mouthfeel. The flavour is fresh and fruity, notes of citrus, hints of caramel malts. I did not have the beer with "rakfisk" (= half-fermented trout) like the brewers intended, but can imagine that this beer is well suited to accompany that traditional Norwegian dish. Also highly drinkable on its own.