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

Shared bottle at local tasting. ABV is 7.5%. Deep golden colour, large white head. Lovely aroma of Simcoe hops, notes of citrus fruit, pine and resin, and not more catpiss than you need to say purrrr. Distinctly hoppy flavour, notes of grapefruit and pine needles. A very fine single hop IPA.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting, thanks to gunnar. " A stout beer aged in a 28 year old Speyside cask." ABV is 7.7%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. Roasty and vinous aroma, hints of brettanomyces, moderate notes of Scotch whisky and leather. The flavour is roasty and oaky, hints of brettanomyces with a slight acidity in the finish.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

330 ml sample bottle, a gift, as Little Valley Organic Python IPA. Brew #207, BB date 19.06. 2011. ABV is 6.0%. Cloudy brownish golden colour, large white head. Strong lemony and acidic / vinegary aroma, also hints of wild yeast / farmhouse. The flavour is very acidic, lemony and vinegary, with a sharp hoppy biiterness in the finish. This is the second beer past its BB date I’ve had from Little Valley, they have both gone sour. Apparently you should not even CONSIDER drinking their beers if they are past their BB date. Will rerate if I can find a fresh bottle.

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

500 ml bottle, from Ica Kilden, Hillevåg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.6%. Clear deep golden colour, large white head. Moderate but okay aroma of (primarily British?) hops, some fruit, malts and toffee in the background, hints of dust. The flavour is distinctly hoppy throughout, and "typically British" (= far from an American IPA), balanced by a moderate malty and toffee sweetness, with a citrussy and medium bitter finish. Quite enjoyable.

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

500 ml bottle, a gift. ABV is 4.9%. Black colour, large to moderate brown head, nice lacing. The aroma has moderate roasty notes (mild coffee, chocolate and liquorice), also strong fruity and acidic notes (hops, lemons and orange peel), hints of coriander. The aroma seems a bit misplaced, but that might just be due to old habit. Smooth flavour, very pleasant to drink, mild roasty notes. Not much acidity in the flavour, just a hint of orange peel in the background. Moderate hops. Not sure if I could identify the coriander, if I did not know that it should be there. Don’t know if March of the Penguins will be imported to Norway (most other WB beers are, so it is likely that it will) - I would buy again.

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

500 ml shared bottle at local tasting. ABV is 5.6%. Very dark brown to black colour, large and creamy beige head. Very nice vinous aroma, also notes of fruity hops, mild roasty notes. Distinctly hoppy flavour, more piney and resinous than fruity, roasty notes (coffee). Good stuff.

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

Bottle, vintage 2010, at local tasting, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV 10.1%. Bottle No. 543 out of 804. I drank it a bit too warm. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Strong malty and vinous aroma, oaky notes. Sweet flavour, malty and oaky. Decent hops in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.3%. Hops are Nelson Sauvin and Amarillo. Very pale yellow colour, moderate head. Vegetal aroma, notes of grass, elderflowers and citrus. The flavour is citrussy and refreshing, moderate notes of elderflowers, hints of white grapes and green gooseberries. Moderate bitterness. Light bodied. A decent summer ale.

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

Bottle at local tasting, kindly shared by gunnar. Dark brown colour, moderate off-white head. Pleasant aroma of fruity hops. Hoppy flavour, fruity and resinous notes. Some alcohol in the finish. Has not much in common with a German dunkel, nor dunkelweizen / weizenbock, but this is a good beer all the same.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet (bestillingsutvalget). Batch #245. ABV is 8.2%. Brewed with cocoa nibs and ginger stems. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Very nice sweetish aroma of ginger, fresh Christmas cookies and cocoa. The flavour has strong notes of ginger, pepper and chocolate chip cookies. Some roasty coffee notes too, with a hoppy and roasty bitterness in the finish. Maybe a bit too far out on the "cookies" side, but an interesting and tasty beer all the same. Had no problems finishing the bottle.

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

330 ml bottle, batch #297, bought at Coop OBS, Bryne. ABV is 4.7%. Dark brown to black colour, big beige head. Strong sweetish aroma of ginger, cocoa and oranges. Light bodied, can’t be expected to be a match for its big brother Santa Paws. Fairly refreshing flavour, not very sweet, strong notes of ginger and cocoa, bitter and peppery finish. Seems somewhat unbalanced with all its spiciness, lacks a malty backbone.

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

500 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beerpal Olav. ABV 4.3%. Deep golden colour, moderate white head. Strong fruity and caramel aroma, also butterscotch. Flavour of malts, toffee and butterscotch. Moderate hops, hints of spices. Nicely balanced, very drinkable.

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

500 ml bottle, a Christmas present from my nephew Einar, thanks! ABV is 3.7%. Amber to brown colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Nice aroma of toffee and floral hops, just a hint of citrus. The flavour is well hopped for its strength, with herbal and citrussy notes, on a background of toffee and malts. Highly drinkable, a pleasant English session ale - among so many others, yes, but well worth a session of its own.

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

500 ml bottle, a Christmas present from my nephew Einar, thanks! ABV is 4.1%. Golden colour, moderate white head, nice lacing. Moderate aroma, hints of citrus and elderflower. The flavour is fresh and zesty with notes of citrussy hops, also hints of tropical fruits, but the beer is not sweet. A firm bitterness in the finish, very nice. A decent refreshment ale.

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

500 ml bottle, a Christmas present from my nephew Einar, thanks! ABV is 4.9%. Copper coloured beer, moderate off-white head, nice lacing. Moderate malty aroma, notes of bakery and caramel, hints of red fruits. The flavour is fairly malty with distinct notes of caramel and brown bread, in a blind test I might first mistake this ale for a German dunkel. The earthy hops in the finish are more pronounced than in most dunkels, though. A very drinkable beer!

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

500 ml bottle, a Christmas present from my nephew Einar, thanks! ABV is 4.6%. Black colour, big to moderate tan head, nice lacing. Moderate aroma of roasted malts, some fruity hints. The flavour is crisp, fairly dry and moderately roasty throughout, hints of lemons (is Cascade in a stout really a good idea?). Very drinkable, but not the most impressive stout I’ve had.

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

440 ml can, as Wellpark Tennent’s, brewed at Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow. Bought in Spain. ABV is 4.0%. "Lager" is not part of the beer’s name, but I assume this is just a slightly weaker version of the ordinary Tennent’s Lager. Golden colour, moderate white head, some lacing. Weak sweetish and "industrial" aroma. Fairly refreshing flavour, tolerable hops, and not quite as thin as feared from a 4.0% lager.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.0%. Deep golden to copper colour, moderate white head. Fruity aroma with distinct notes of raisins and grape juice. The flavour is a fairly nice blend of malts and raisins, not too sweet, with moderate hops in the finish and aftertaste. Quite enjoyable.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.3%. Copper to amber colour, big to moderate off-white head. Malty and nutty aroma, also notes of toffee and caramel. The flavour has a moderate malty sweetness and nutty and biscuity notes, hints of raisins and caramel. "Dusty" hops in the finish, bitter aftertaste. Quite good.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5%. Fairly dark brown colour, big beige head. Nice aroma of lightly toasted malts, caramel and dark fruits. The flavour is malty with notes of brown bread and caramel. Some fruity hints too, low bitterness but not completely void of hops. Decent enough.

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

500 ml bottle conditioned, as Fuller’s Past Masters XX Strong Ale. This is the first beer in their Pasters Masters Heritage series. ABV is 7.5%. Clear amber colour, big to moderate head, slightly off-white. Moderate but nice aroma, notes of dark fruits and berries, also toffee. Fairly rich and slightly warming mouthfeel. The alcohol is not well hidden, but that doesn’t bother me much. Feels even stronger than it actually is, though. Rather sweet flavour, malts + dark fruits and berries again, distinct English hops in the finish and aftertaste. Well worth sampling.

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

500 ml bottle, as Cains FA Formidable Ale, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.0%. Golden brown colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma of biscuity malts, a little fruit, toffee and "dusty" hops. The flavour has very much the same elements as the aroma. Pleasant to drink, but does not blow your socks off.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 4.9%. Copper coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Malty aroma with notes of caramel, hints of grassy hops too. Malty flavour, medium sweet, caramel and a hint of fruit (preserved cherries?). A dry hoppy bitterness in the finish. Okay.

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

355 ml bottle, from Voldby Kødmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is not mentioned on the label. Deep golden colour, big to moderate white head. Moderate aroma - malts, a little caramel, hints of orange marmalade. The flavour is moderately malty with hints of toffee and oranges, and is smooth and pleasant to drink - but the hoppiness is nowhere near an American IPA. Still, there are some hops in the finish, and the overall impression is a fairly well balanced premium bitter / ESB.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

500 ml clear bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 7.0%. Beautiful clear amber colour, big head, slightly off-white. Aroma of light-struck hops and toffee, with hints of Christmas spices. The flavour is initially fruity and spicy with noticeable alcohol, but is not as sweet as expected, and ends in a rather sharp and peppery hoppy bitterness. Dry and "dusty" bitter aftertaste, nearly metallic. Not as "rich and smooth" as promised on the label, and not very well balanced. Must be better cask conditioned?