Beer Reviews by SIGMUND

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# Beer Origin Style Score Date
5951 BrewDog Dogma (Speedball) United Kingdom Strong Ale 3.9

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

330 ml bottle, as BrewDog Speedball, at Olympen, Oslo. I think the ABV was 7.8%. Deep amber to reddish colour, moderate head. Distinct aroma of American hops, and some honey. The flavour is first distinctly hoppy and rather bitter, then the flavour is mellowed when the malts and the special ingredients come through (guarana, kola nuts and heather honey - I can’t identify the Californian poppy), as the beer warms up a little. All in all a pleasant mouthfeel and an enjoyable beer.

Sep 12, 2009
04:53:12 PM
5952 BrewDog Riptide United Kingdom Imperial Stout 3.9

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

330 ml bottle, at Olympen, Oslo. ABV was 8.0%. Dark ruby colour, nearly black. Minimal tan head, low carbonation. Nice aroma of roasted malts, sweetened coffee, chocolate and dark dried fruits. The flavour is fairly sweet with a distinct roastiness, notes of coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice.

Sep 12, 2009
04:57:12 PM
5953 Badger Blandford Fly United Kingdom Spiced Beer 3.2

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.2%. Contains sulphites. Deep golden colour, big head rapidly diminishing. Aroma of ginger, syrup and and some fruit, hints of toffee. The flavour is very sweet, syrupy and sugary, with a moderate but nice ginger burn in the finish. Hardly any hops. Not really my kind of beer, but drinkable.

Sep 19, 2009
06:48:19 PM
5954 Adnams Innovation United Kingdom English Strong Ale 3.8

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.7%. Hops are Boadicea, Styrian Goldings and Columbus. Deep golden colour, moderate white head. Pleasant hoppy aroma, also notes of fruits, hints of honey, toffee and blackcurrant leaves. The well rounded flavour has a nice balance between distinct malts and pleasant hops, some fruity sweetness, honeyish notes, the alcohol is noticeable but not disturbing. Moderately bitter aftertaste. Good beer.

Sep 19, 2009
07:51:19 PM
5955 Harviestoun Ola Dubh 30 Year Special Reserve United Kingdom Old Ale 4.3

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 01232, March 2009. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. Strong aroma of whisky cask, notes of peat, tar and vanilla. Intense but well rounded flavour of malt whisky, oak, malty sweetness, coffee and tar. Moderately bitter aftertaste.

Sep 19, 2009
08:12:19 PM
5956 Harviestoun Ola Dubh 40 Year Special Reserve United Kingdom Old Ale 4.6

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 40857, January 2009. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. Intense and lovely aroma of fine malt whisky, notes of oak and peat, hints of vanilla and dark chocolate. Strong flavour of dark malts and fine whisky, peaty and oaky notes, also notes of coffee, hints of liquorice and tar. Moderate bitterness in the finish. Pretty brilliant stuff.

Sep 20, 2009
11:35:20 AM
5957 Fraoch 20th Anniversary Ale United Kingdom Spiced Beer 3.9

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

750 ml "champagne" green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Limited edition of 7500 bottles, my botttle No. 3470. ABV is 11.0%. Deep golden to brown colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Excellent aroma of sherry, whisky, figs, vanilla and oak, also notes of heather honey. The flavour is fairly sweet with a warming mouthfeel, again notes of sherry, whisky, vanilla, heather honey and raisins. Still relatively light bodied for an 11% beer. Some "dusty" bog myrtle and very moderate hops in the finish.

Oct 10, 2009
05:32:10 PM
5958 Williams Brothers Joker 5 United Kingdom IPA 3.9

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger, as Joker IPA, green label. ABV is 5%. Golden colour, big white head. Nice aroma of fruity hops, citrussy and grassy notes, hints of mild spices and herbs. The flavour is fruity with an initial sweetness and noticeable hops throughout, moderate bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. Not quite what Americans would think of as an IPA, but a fairly well hopped premium bitter / golden ale all the same. Nice one. Would buy again.

Oct 11, 2009
03:42:11 PM
5959 Williams Brothers 80/- (80 Shilling) United Kingdom Scottish Ale 3.8

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger ABV is 4.2%. Chestnut coloured beer, big to moderate creamy beige head. Moderate aroma of malts, nuts and biscuits, hints of caramel and chocolate. Distinctly malty flavour, probably some caramel malts and chocolate malts have been used here, but the beer is not very sweet. Some fruit and moderate hops in the finish. Definitely a "Scottish Ale" rather than a "Bitter" - you won’t find many English bitters with this character these days, methinks.

Oct 11, 2009
08:04:11 PM
5960 Williams Brothers Midnight Sun United Kingdom Porter 4.1

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.6%. Black colour, big to moderate tan head. Nice roasted aroma, notes of dark chocolate and coffee. The flavour is distinctly roasty throughout, notes of coffee, hints of dark bitter chocolate. The finish is fairly bitter, both from the hops and the roasted barley. The finish also has a slight spicy "burn", but I am not sure I would identify it as ginger, if I hadn't read it on the label. Hints of resin in the aftertaste. All in all a very enjoyable beer.

Oct 12, 2009
04:23:12 PM
5961 Aspall Draught Suffolk Cyder United Kingdom Cider 3.4

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

500 ml bottle, ABV 5.5%. Crystal clear very pale yellow colour, pours sparkling with a very short-lived head. Fresh and pleasant aroma of cider apples, hints of oak and and sulphur. Crisp and dry flavour, cider apples of course, again notes of oak and sulphur, but not too much. Nice one.

Dec 12, 2009
12:00:00 PM
5962 Aspall Classic Organic Suffolk Cyder United Kingdom Cider 3.2

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

500 ml bottle, as Aspall Classic Organic Suffolk Cyder. ABV is 7.0%. Pours very fizzy with a big but very short-lived head. Moderate carbonation in the glass. Nice aroma of cider apples, hints of oak and sulphur. The flavour is crisp and dry, cider apples of course, again with notes of oak and sulphur. Probably best with food.

Dec 13, 2009
12:00:00 PM
5963 Aspall Peronelles Blush United Kingdom Cider 3.6

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

500 ml bottle, as "Aspall Peronnelle’s Blush Suffolk Cyder with a dash of blackberry liqueur". ABV is 5.4%. Rosé wine colour, pours very fizzy with a big but short-lived white head with a pinkish hue. Moderate carbonation in the glass. Pleasant aroma of apples and blackberries. Beguiling flavour of cider apples and blackberries, hints of oak and sulphur. Just the right sweetness and acidity (both moderate). Nice one.

Dec 13, 2009
12:00:00 PM
5964 Aspall Premier Cru Suffolk Cider United Kingdom Cider 3.2

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

500 ml bottle, as Aspall Dry Premier Cru Suffolk Cyder. ABV is 7%. Crystal clear and extremely pale yellow colour, pours very fizzy with a big but short-lived head. Moderate carbonation in the glass. Moderate aroma of apples and vegetables, hints of sulphur. The flavour is crisp and dry, hints of oak and sulphur. Okay.

Dec 13, 2009
12:00:00 PM
5965 Valhalla Auld Rock United Kingdom Scottish Ale 3.8

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Like all bottled beers from this brewery, it is filtered to remove all remaining yeast (but possibly not pasteurised?). ABV is 4.5%. Dark brown colour, low head. Nice aroma of chocolate, mild coffee and lightly roasted malts. The flavour is moderately fruity (dark fruits) and roasty, fairly dry, notes of mild coffee, hints of dark chocolate and resin. Pleasant to drink. Pretty close to an English porter, I'd say.

Dec 13, 2009
12:00:00 PM
5966 Valhalla Sjolmet Stout United Kingdom Stout 3.4

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.0%. All bottled beers from this brewery are filtered to remove all remaining yeast (but possibly not pasteurised?). Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Low beige head of poor retention. Nice aroma and flavour of roasted malts, notes of dark chocolate and mild coffee. Fairly dry, a slight acidity in the finish. A decent enough stout, but not so very special.

Dec 13, 2009
12:00:00 PM
5967 Black Sheep Yorkshire Square Ale United Kingdom Extra Special Bitter 3.5

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

500 ml bottle, thanks to my beerpal Egil. ABV is 5.0%. Deep golden colour, big and lasting white head. Pleasant fruity aroma of hops, notes of orange marmalade and toffee. The flavour is well hopped throughout, with a sufficient malty backbone, the finish is very bitter with some metallic notes.

Jan 2, 2010
12:00:00 PM
5968 BrewDog 5 a.m. Saint United Kingdom Amber Ale 3.6

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

Bottle, 5% ABV, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Orange to amber colour, moderate head. Intense and lovely aroma of American hops (Amarillo?), notes of peaches, apricots and tropical fruits. The flavour is somewhat less impressive than the aroma, but still good. Notes of peaches, but quite dry. Decent hops in the finish. The mouthfeel is a bit thin though.

Jan 2, 2010
12:00:00 PM
5969 Innis & Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer United Kingdom English Strong Ale 3.9

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

330 ml clear bottle in cardboard box, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget) - also at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.4%. Clear mahogany coloured beer with an off-white to beige head. Intense aroma of oak rum cask, notes of vanilla, spices, alcohol, brown sugar, treacle, rum-raisin and dark dried fruits. The flavour is distinctly oaky, but more mellow and rounded (without the strong notes of fresh wood) compared to the ordinary Innis & Gunn. Moderate sweetness, moderate notes of rum and spices, dry finish, very moderate hops. Should not be drunk too cold.

Jan 10, 2010
12:00:00 PM
5970 Valhalla Island Bere United Kingdom Bitter 3.0

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Like all bottled beers from this brewery, it is filtered to remove all remaining yeast (but possibly not pasteurised?). ABV is 4.2%. Brewed with "bere", traditional wild barley. Deep golden colour, low white head. Malty and distinctly "dusty" aroma, weak hints of fruit. The flavour has much of the (lack of) character of a standard English bitter, "dusty" notes again, quite dry, with a very moderate fruitiness in the finish. The aftertaste has a distinct hoppy bitterness, with a hint of resin. I’ve had better, I’ve had worse.

Jan 10, 2010
12:00:00 PM
5971 Valhalla White Wife Shetland Ale United Kingdom Blonde Ale 3.1

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Like all bottled beers from this brewery, it is filtered to remove all remaining yeast (but possibly not pasteurised?). ABV is 4.5%. Deep orange to amber colour, some chill haze. Moderate white head. Moderate aroma, some grainy and hoppy notes. The flavour is quite dry, first some sharpish grainy notes, then even more sharpish hops in the finish. A bit too far out on the dry side for me.

Jan 10, 2010
12:00:00 PM
5972 Valhalla Old Scatness United Kingdom Bitter 3.3

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Like all bottled beers from this brewery, it is filtered to remove all remaining yeast (but possibly not pasteurised?). ABV is 4.0%. Pale golden colour, moderate white head. Fairly boring "dusty" aroma. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour is better than the aroma, some fruity hops, quite refreshing. A sharpish bitterness in the aftertaste.

Jan 10, 2010
12:00:00 PM
5973 Valhalla Simmer Dim United Kingdom Bitter 3.0

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Like all bottled beers from this brewery, it is filtered to remove all remaining yeast (but possibly not pasteurised?). ABV is 4.0%. Golden colour, low white head of poor retention. Moderate aroma, some fruity hops on a grainy background. Moderate carbonation in the glass, initially a soft mouthfeel. The flavour has first some fruity hops, ending in a sharpish bitter finish, also some sharpish grainy notes, which seem to be part of this brewery’s "house character".

Jan 10, 2010
12:00:00 PM
5974 Williams Brothers Harvest Sun United Kingdom Blonde Ale 4.0

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 3.9%. Pale golden colour, big white head. Lovely aroma of fruity hops, notes of tropical fruits, hints of honey. The flavour is zesty with fruity hops again, notes of citrus. Not very sweet. Nice bitterness in the finish. I’m a sucker for beers like this, esp. in summer.

Jan 10, 2010
12:00:00 PM
5975 Williams Brothers Red United Kingdom Extra Special Bitter 3.7

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 4.5%. Copper coloured beer, big to moderate off-white head. Very nice aroma, first fruity hops with notes of various berries, then caramel, bakery and malts (some of them lightly roasted). The flavour is first malty, with notes of caramel and brown bread, then some moderate fruity hops. Not too sweet. The finish has a moderate bitterness, mixed with notes of slightly burnt malts.

Jan 10, 2010
12:00:00 PM