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

(330 ml bottle). Amber colour, good head. Aroma is quite good, some caramel and oak. Flavour is a major disappointment, surprisingly tasteless, bland and boring, with some fusel notes (I did not have the beer as a chaser with aquavit, which is the brewery's recommended use of this beer). Aftertaste is short and not very good. Low bitterness. Not recommended!

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

Slightly lighter golden colour than Mack Pilsner, marginally darker than Mack Isbjørn. Moderate head, standard pils aroma. Light bodied, slightly metallic bitterness.

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

A modern style pilsener, quite acceptable. Rerate (can): Very light golden colour, moderate head, very light bodied, fairly dry, distinct but slightly metallic bitterness.

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

Brewed by Mack (Tromsø) to get market shares in Nordland county, when Ringnes closed Nordlandsbryggeriet. This is just another one in the long list of 'neutral' pilseners, nothing special whatsoever. Could definitely use more hops.

Aroma: 2 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 2

500 ml bottle, at Vinmonopolet. The only commercially available Norwegian mead. Clear, nearly colourless like water, just a streak of greenish yellow. No head or carbonation. Weird strong aroma, with some good will I might say "interesting" - honey of course, lots of undefined herbs and spices, but also strong fruity (green apples) and grassy notes. Some unpleasant hints of vomit and cleaning agent. Very sweet with some honey notes, but tastes more like a sweet and really bad white wine with herbal off-flavours. Ugh. I guess meads are not my thing, and definitely not this one.

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

(500 ml can). Norwegian "summer beers" are the work of the devil! While their ordinary pilseners are summer beers good enough, every brewery, of some reason, now makes a lighter and blander version for the summer months. The one from Mack is not the worst of its kind, but that doesn't mean it's a good beer. Typical pilsener colour (not as extremely pale coloured as the ones from some other breweries), very good head, weak flowery aroma, weak grassy flavour (as far as there is any flavour at all), low bitterness. This is for the target group who wants an ice cold thirstquencher without much taste.

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

(500 ml can). A shameless effort by Mack to reach the target group underage drinkers. I didn’t translate the commercial description from Norwegian - it’s all in English ’cause that’s supposed to sound "cooler and trendier" for Norwegian teenagers. I think I’m going to be sick. The beer? Extremely pale colour, NO aroma, NO taste, NO aftertaste. Sparkling water with 4.7% alcohol. There’s not one good thing to say about this beer. Not one. If this was the best beer in the world, I’d become a tee-totaller. I swear I would.

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

330 ml clear bottle. Some initial flowery aroma that vanishes quickly. Hardly any flavour. Just another ice beer - the style for people who really don't like beer at all.

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

A Christmas beer for the "cool" ice beer generation - oh my God! Well, it's probably not exactly an ice beer, just the average bland lager with just a little more flavour to pretend it's a "Xmas" beer. Pathetic! The ice beer generation will probably stick to ice beer or pils for Christmas anyhow, so why bother? 0,5 liter can in white and silver, commercial description in English only, even though the beer is sold primarily (or solely?) in Norway. Wow - cooool! - (can't believe there are assholes who actually think so!) Low head, golden colour, just a faint trace of spice (cardamom?) in the flavour. Aftertaste is weak but not foul, at least they have had the decency to add some hops to the stuff.

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

Incorrectly named "fatøl" (= "draught beer") - comes out of a 500 ml can. Among the better Norwegian lagers, slightly darker than a traditional pilsener, rather malty with German aromatic hops.

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

Brewed by Borg Bryggeri in Sarpsborg, part of the Hansa Borg brewery group. (500 ml can). Pale golden colour, decent head that doesn't last very long or leave much lacing. Light flowery / grassy aroma, very light bodied, typical run of the mill pilsener - nothing offensive, but not great. Low bitterness. Reminds me of Tropical Pils (Las Palmas).

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

(330 ml clear bottle). Being the most active Norwegian rater at this website, I have taken upon my shoulders the heavy burden of tasting every new Norwegian beer that comes my way. Unfortunately most macro (by Norwegian standards of size and quality) breweries seem intent on producing at least one "summer beer" and one "ice beer" (or even an "summer ice beer") - in each and every case we’re speaking of very pale lagers with as little flavour as possible, to satisfy the large(?) group of consumers who really don’t like the taste of beer, but want a refreshment and a nice buzz. Could as well drink sparkling water? Yeah, I know, I know - you don’t get a buzz from water. Borg Sommer"pilsner" is a tasteless joke - as if the ordinary Borg Pilsner wasn’t bland enough! Avoid.

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

(500 ml can). Another ice beer, the lager style for people who really don't like beer. Pale golden colour, moderate head. Aroma is yeasty with citrus candy notes. Hardly any flavour (at least it's not offensive) and even less aftertaste. A beer to forget the moment after you drank it.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at LIDL Norway (contract brew). Very pale straw coloured, tolerable head. Weak aroma, hints of flowers and honey. Flavour is typical "neutral" pilsener / pale lager, but the "boiled" notes in the finish suggest that this beer might be brewed by Trio Bryggeri, Mack’s partner brewery (50% Mack ownership) in Southern Norway. Typical Trio house character.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at LIDL Norway. Pale golden colour, low head. Sweetish aroma, grainy with some strange and very unpleasant sidenotes of undefinable industrial waste. Flavour is grainy with unpleasant "industrial" sidenotes, and the "boiled" house character (you know, vegetables etc. that have been boiled too long) that seems to be the trademark of Trio Bryggeri. In a blind taste I’d probably have guessed that this was a completely n/a beer. This is one to avoid!

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

330 ml bottle, bought at LIDL Norway. Looks like a pale lager, gets a point for a tolerable head. Otherwise this is another offensive n/a beer, sweetish aroma and flavour with notes of grit, the usual n/a "boiled" notes are there. As with all(?) n/a beers: Avoid!

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

500 ml bottle, unflitered and unpasteurised, bottle conditioned traditional Norse ale. Available at Ole Simon, Sandnes. Very dark brown colour, floaties from the sediment, creamy tan head with greyish tones. Distinct and unusual aroma of juniper, resin, fresh tar, woodwork and caramel, some less pleasant notes of ammonium too. Moderate natural carbonation. Very pleasant to drink, malty with lovely juniper notes, a subdued roastiness, hints of smoke, not too sweet. Pleasant aftertaste with roasty and resiny notes. Very interesting beer!

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

330 ml bottle. This is a new strong "klasse F" Yule/Christmas brew, for the Vinmonopolet segment of the Norwegian beer market. The style may be described as a cross-breed between a strong Vienna or Dunkel and a dark Bock. Deep chestnut colour, moderate light tan head. Malty aroma with a mild roastiness, notes of dark bread, caramel and oak. Flavour is malty sweet with some caramel and bready notes, very moderate hops. Light bodied for its strength and colour. Easy drinking. I really miss some more hops here. Nothing offensive about it, but this will not be my favourite "klasse F" Christmas beer.

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

(Bottle). Ringnes Bryggerimester Spesial Julen (Yule/Christmas) 2004 has replaced the old Ringnes Julespesial. Bryggerimester Spesial is darker - a beautiful copper colour, and retains a good head. Caramel, hops and spices in the aroma. Flavour is well balanced between the malts and hops, and there are distinct hints of Christmas spices (cardamom, ginger?). This is one of the better Yule brews in the grocery store "klasse D " segment.

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

330 ml clear bottle. Ringnes intend to present a new recipe for their Bryggerimester Spesial each year, and the 2005 edition is definitely VERY different from the 2004 edition (each vintage is listed separately at BeerPal). Beautiful deep amber colour, decent head. Aroma is dominated by strong anise / cough medicine notes, not a perfect marriage with the weaker notes of caramel malts. Hints of thyme. Flavour is also dominated by anise, vanilla notes are much weaker. Fairly light bodied, malts do not come up front. Some faint hops and anise again in the aftertaste. The 2004 edition was quite good for its moderate strength, the 2005 is not. Definitely not my cup of tea, sorry: beer. Experiments are okay in the world of beer, but there’s no guarantee that they will be successful. This one isn’t. To be avoided. Better luck next year.

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

330 ml clear bottle. Berentsens surprise us again - they have made a slightly mellower version of a Baltic porter as their "klasse F" (Vinmonopolet) Yule/Christmas beer. Dark brown colour, nice and creamy tan head. Very nice roasty aroma with notes of oak, leather, dark bread and coffee. Flavour is moderately roasty and well rounded, elements of coffee, dark chocolate and oak. Tolerable hops. Could use a little more "bite", but this is definitely not a bad beer!

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

330 ml bottle. This is the grocery store version of Hansa’s Julebrygg (Yule/Christmas Brew - not to be confused with their Juleøl - Yule/Christmas Beer). Very nice appearance - dark reddish brown colour, large and lasting creamy light tan head. Moderate malty aroma, notes of caramel and toast. Flavour has wort sweetness with next to nothing to balance it, notes of sweet bread, caramel, dark syrup and molasses. Tastes too much like "vørterøl" (unfermented wort "beer"). Definitely not my first choice for Christmas.

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

Bottle conditioned, 500 ml. Very dark colour, nearly black. Large brown head. Delightful aroma of roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee, prunes, caramel and oak. Flavour is not quite as complex but still good, bitter roasty and coffee notes combined with bittering hops dominate, on a background of dark bitter sweet chocolate, hints of English liquorice. Roasty bitter aftertaste. I’d say Imperial Stout is the closest style here - but maybe it’s not extreme enough. Anyway, this is a very fine effort from Haandbryggeriet. Not a beer for the traditional Scandinavian Christmas dinner, but try it if you have chocolate pudding for dessert - or simply enjoy it on its own!

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ’Palestinian’ beer brewed and bottled in Belgium, licence held in Germany (Haus der 131 Biere). ABV is 5.2%. Crystal clear very pale yellow colour, big white head. Sweetish industrial pale lager aroma, grassy and fruity notes. The flavour is moderately fruity and slightly sweet with minimal hops, boring but not undrinkable.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.0%. Cola dark to black colour, moderate beige head. Sourish aroma of black rye bread and sourdough bread, hints of burnt caramel. Smooth mouthfeel and flavour, notes of lightly roasted malts and dark bread, not too sweet, low bitterness.