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.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 4.7%. Pale yellow colour, big to moderate white head. Sweetish aroma, notes of flowers, some fruit and candy. The flavour is too sweet for a pale lager, notes of candy and malt sugar, hints of honey. Not "crisp" at all, and not very citrussy. A very moderate bitterness in the finish, where the sweetness is still present. Williams Brothers make many interesting beers, this is not one of them.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 3.9%. Golden colour, moderate white head. Nice hoppy aroma, notes of fruits, berries and pine forest. The flavour is zesty and fruity with a nice hop character, some citrus notes, a piney bitterness in the finish. I’ve said it before: I’m a sucker for golden ales like this one, with their moderate ABV and refreshingly hoppy character.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Also available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. Bottle conditioned, ABV is 5.5%. Called an "IPA" by the brewery. Clear golden colour, big white head. Pleasant aroma of fruity American hops, notes of pineapple and other tropical fruits, also some citrus. The flavour has a substantial sweetness, malty and sugary notes, partly balanced by a noticeable hoppy bitterness, which becomes piney and resinous in the finish, slightly metallic in the aftertaste.

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

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). The European version is 5.3% ABV, while the US version is 6.1% (the two versions need a split). Clear deep golden colour, moderate head. Very nice hoppy aroma (Cascade and Challenger), hints of toffee too. The flavour has a distinct hoppy bitterness throughout, but the moderate malty base has a tad too much sweetness for my taste, and I also get some "alcoholic" notes, despite only 5.3% ABV. Not very complex, but not bad either. Bitterness lingers in the long aftertaste.

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

660 ml clear bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.2%. Deep golden colour, large to moderate lasting head. Moderate but pleasant hoppy aroma (Styrian Goldings), hints of toffee. Decent hops, toffee, walnuts and some fruity sweetness in the flavour. Moderate hops in the finish, I’d like some more "bite" there. Mouthfeel is maybe a bit thin? A drinkable beer, but not "big" enough in any way to deserve the name "Goliath".

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 5.2%. Deep golden colour, moderate head, leaves a nice lacing. Pleasant nutty and moderately hoppy aroma with notes of toffee and caramel. Flavour has decent hops throughout, hints of burnt caramel but the beer is not sweet (fairly dry, actually). Not a bad beer this one.

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

Bottle conditioned. 500 ml clear bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Beautiful amber colour, huge and fluffy head lasts "forever". Lovely hoppy aroma, also notes of red wine vinegar, oak and barnyard. Interesting flavour with a substantial hoppy bitterness, oaky and vinous notes. Relatively dry. Notes of balsamic vinegar too, but the beer is neither sour nor sweet (does that make sense?). A very good beer in my book.

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

660 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Served with original Brakspear pint glass, nice! "Double dropped", ABV is 3.4%. Brewed with Maris Otter malts, Goldings and Fuggles hops. Copper coloured, low head. Aroma of "dusty" Goldings hops + rusty iron in stale water + hospital flesh wound dressings(!) Flavour is very tasty for a 3.4% pasteurised beer, nicely balanced between the malts and hops, nutty and toffee elements, not sweet. Moderate carbonation. A nice Fuggles finish.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 5.5%. Brewed with American Chinook and Columbus hops. Golden colour, large foamy head. Pleasant hoppy aroma and flavour, both with notes of citrus and dry white wine. Bitter finish. Okay beer, but I’d like the malts to come through too.

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

500 ml brown bottle, "thrice hopped", courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Golden colour, with a slight haziness (due to cold temperature?), moderate head. Nice hoppy / grapefruity aroma. Pleasant hoppy / grapefruity flavour too, spritzy mouthfeel. Distinctly bitter finish / long aftertaste. Not bad!

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Bottle conditioned (?), ABV is 5.5%. Clear amber to brown colour, moderate head. Strong sweetish and hoppy aroma, notes of strawberries, blackcurrants, figs, caramel and Christmas pudding. Pleasant flavour with moderately sweet fruity notes, some biscuity notes and caramel too. Distinct hops throughout. Soft and pleasant mouthfeel. A nice Christmas ale this one!

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. "Conditioned in the bottle". ABV is 6%. Copper coloured, slightly hazy. Moderate beige head. Very nice aroma, vinous notes, also notes of rum-drenched raisins, oak and Christmas pudding. Rich flavour with substantial malts, hints of Christmas pudding, caramel, spices, oak and port wine. Decent hops dominate the finish and the bitter aftertaste. A very nice Christmas ale!

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

500 ml brown bottle, Christmas 2006, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 5.0%. Reddish amber colour, moderate head. OK but moderate aroma of bakery and earthy hops. Flavour is nicely balanced between the malts and hops, and makes this a very drinkable premium bitter, but there is nothing that really "stands out" and makes the beer "something special" for Christmas. Might as well be an all-year beer. Okay, but is probably better from a well kept cask.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. "Hand brewed" by RCH Brewery, but bottle conditioned by Branded Drinks. ABV is 6.0%. Contains coriander seed oil. Deep amber colour, just a slight haziness, low head. Enticing and very special aroma - coriander, cloves and ginger, rum-drenched raisins, fortified sweet wines and herbal shampoo. Flavour is very spicy - one of the spiciest beers I've had so far, initially sweet and vinous, but with a ferocious attack of coriander, dry ginger and bittering hops in the finish. Dry aftertaste. I'd say they could with advantage have gone a little easier on the spices here, and we'd have a softer and more drinkable beer. The ale "base" seems decent enough. As it is, this is an INTERESTING beer, to say the least. Not for people who hate coriander and ginger.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Moderate to low tan head, no lacing. Very moderate roasty aroma with hints of bakery and seaweed. Flavour has a very moderate roastiness with some sourish and salty notes. Thin mouthfeel for a stout. Short aftertaste. Drinkable of course, but I expected so much more. By the way, oysters WITH stout I understand, but how the hell did someone think of putting oysters IN stout??? Yes, I know it’s a pre-war recipe, but that does not necessarily make a bad idea better.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Bottle conditioned. Brewed with pale malt only. Golden colour, just a slight haziness, large off-white head. Nice hoppy aroma, hints of citrus, leather and maybe some oak. Distinct hoppy flavour throughout, some citrus and toffee, fruity finish. Bitter and long lasting aftertaste. A refreshing beer - not bad at all.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Bottle conditioned, 4.0% ABV. Amber coloured, large off-white head. Nice hoppy and initially very fruity aroma, some toffee too. Flavour is reasonably hoppy with a moderate grapefruity bitterness, on a tolerable malty base with hints of nuts and some caramel. Not a "big beer" in any way, but I think I can subscribe to the brewery’s statement that it is "palatable any time of the day". This is a beer I could drink for breakfast.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. bottle conditioned, ABV is 4.5%. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Decent and lingering creamy tan head. The slug-like "trail" of the head down the side of the glass as you drink has allegedly given the beer its name - together with the fact that the brewers had to "fight" slugs coming into the brewery at the old premises. (As we know, slugs LOVE beer.) Pleasant aroma of prunes, mild coffee and chocolate. Roasty flavour, fairly dry, notes of coffee, dark bread and chocolate. Some fruity notes in the finish, "coffee" aftertaste. A decent porter with a moderate ABV.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.2%. Some of the profits of the sale of this beer benefits the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Clear deep golden to amber colour, big white head. Very moderate aroma, stale water and dusty attic, a hint of honey and caramel comes through as the beer warms up. Flavour is moderately hoppy, hints of toffee and biscuits, fairly dry, some fruit in the finish. Nothing offensive in the flavour, this is an easy drinking session bitter, but definitely not a beer that stands out from the crowd. Unremarkable and relatively short aftertaste.

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

500 ml brown bottle, as Arundel Sussex Gold, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Brewed with East Kent Goldings, Fuggles and Cascade hops. Golden to amber colour, moderate white head. Aroma is surprisingly moderate, faint notes of aromatic hops. The hops come through in the flavour though, first some notes of "dusty" EKG, then more pronounced Cascade and Fuggles. A moderate grapefruity bitterness in the aftertaste. Refreshing and reasonably hoppy, not a bad beer, but I would guess the cask version has more going.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 5.0%. Copper coloured, slightly hazy, moderate to low off-white head. Aroma of earth, honey and flowers. Flavour is rich and malty but not too sweet, some burnt caramel, balanced by decent hops, a distinct bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. Moderate carbonation. I like it!

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.3%. This beer is apparently named after the original idea of "painting the town red" (see label). Listen, taggers and other vandals: it might have seemed funny the first time, but it’s not funny any more! The beer is more brown than red, slightly hazy, and pours with a moderate to low head. Are you sure this beer is not bottle conditioned? Moderate carbonation, soft mouthfeel. Pleasant aroma of malts, earth, caramel, blackcurrant leaves and dark fruits. Flavour is perfectly balanced between the malts and hops, not too sweet, despite some caramel in the background - no off-flavours here: Melton Red tastes like BEER, and a damn good one too!

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Clear golden to amber colour, moderate but lingering head. Lovely hoppy aroma with distinct notes of flowers and tropical fruits. Moderately malty flavour with "dusty" / biscuity and citrussy hops. Moderate bitterness, fairly dry. Moderate carbonation, easy drinking.

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. This is an "organic" beer. Clear golden colour, large and lingering head. Moderate but okay aromatic hops with notes of honey. Flavor is instantly "dusty" hops (First Gold and Hallertau), then some hints of honey and caramel, while a distinct but not overdone hoppy bitterness carries you through, and stays with you in the aftertaste. Not bad, but I am not convinced that Hallertau is the best hop for a golden ale.