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

355 ml bottle, from the foreign beer bar at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival 2011. ABV is 5.5%. Mahogany to dark ruby colour, big beige head. Malty aroma with notes of Schwarzbrot and caramel. The flavour is also very malty with notes of caramel and brown bread, very moderate hops. Nice enough to drink.

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

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, as Left Coast’s Hop Juice Double IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.4%. Deep golden to orange colour, moderate white head. Strong aroma of fruity and resinous hops, notes of orange marmalade. The medium sweet flavour has intense hops from start to finish, as expected. Notes of resin, pine needles and bitter oranges. Bitter and sharp aftertaste, of course - and the alcohol is not well hidden.

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

355 ml bottle, as Southern Tier Porter Dark, at Plan B, Copenhagen. Black colour, huge beige head. Lovely vinous and fruity aroma, notes of American hops and orange maramalade. The roasty notes are very subdued. The flavour is very moderately roasty, notes of chocolate and moderate American hops, not very sweet. Decent beer.

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

On tap at Copenhagen Beer Festival. Gruit brewed with meadowsweet, yarrow and bee balm. Cloudy golden colour. Nice herbal aroma. The flavour has an unusual sweetish herbal character, but lacks the balance of bittering hops (or other bittering agents).

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

On tap at Copenhagen Beer Festival. Golden colour, moderate white head. Lovely piney and resinous aroma, also notes of tropical fruits. The flavour has also notes of pine and tropical fruits, very pleasant and thirstquenching.

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

Bottle shared by gunnar, thanks! - as Cigar City Humidor Series H India Pale Ale, aged on Spanish cedar. Jai Alai is not mentioned on this label, but it is apparently the same beer. Deep orange colour, large white head. Strong aroma of cedar wood and fruity hops, hints of spices. Distinctly hoppy flavour throughout, very bitter and minty finish and aftertaste.

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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV 10.8%. Black colour, big tan head. Strong roasty aroma, notes of coffee, bourbon, vanilla and oak. Strong roasty flavour, medium sweet, notes of strong coffee, caramel and bourbon, hints of liquorice. Bitter finish.

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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV 11.5%. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee and cocoa, hints of leather. Fairly sweet and malty flavour, strong roasty coffee and cocoa notes. Lovely! Has "much of everything", but is not too extreme. Well balanced.

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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV 10.5%. Very dark brown colour, large beige head. Intense malty aroma, notes of oak and vanilla, hints of spices. The flavour is oaky and spicy, notes of old sherry, decent bitterness in the finish.

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

Bottle, as The Lost Abbey Cuvée de Tomme, kindly shared by gunnar. Dark ruby colour, large beige head. Unusual and very complex aroma, oaky and vinous notes, sour cherries and farmhouse. Sour flavour but not extreme, the cherries are there but not totally dominant, also oaky notes.

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

355 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Vika. ABV is 4.8%. Hazy orange-brown colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Aroma of wood, resin, smoke and ashes, hints of caramel. The flavour has first some malty sweetness with caramel, but ends dry and ashy. Quite moderate resinous hops. Hints of smoke. Drinkable, but not something I’ll buy again.

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

355 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.9%. Deep golden colour, moderate white head. Very nice aroma of Nelson Sauvin hops, fruity notes (gooseberries, tropical fruits), hints of pine. Refreshing flavour, medium dry, with a distinct hoppy bitterness throughout, sharpish in the aftertaste. Not very complex.

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

355 ml bottle, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV in Norway is 4.7%. Copper coloured beer, large to moderate off-white head. Strong aroma of caramel and treacle, some fruity hints too. The mouthfeel is fairly light. The flavour is moderately malty with notes of caramel, but is not very sweet. Some roasted malts and fruity hops in the finish. I don’t know why this particular beer was chosen for import to Norway, but it is nice enough to drink. Just not America’s best, though.

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

355 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Vika, Oslo. ABV is 5.8%. Dark brown colour, nearly black. Huge and lasting beige head. Moderate aroma of dark / roasted malts and ice coffee, a hint of dark chocolate. Soft, dry and quite drinkable flavour, notes of black malts and mild coffee, hints of dark chocolate and ashes. Nothing exceptional here, but okay. Won’t buy again though.

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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. 6.7% ABV. Very dark brown to black colour, moderate beige head. Perfumed aroma, also some vinous notes, chocolate and coffee. Easy drinking flavour, nicely balanced, moderate notes of chocolate and coffee. Good beer, but not exceptional.

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

Bottle, at local tasting, as Shorts Brew Ginger in the Rye, Imperial Rye Munich Ale. Orange to amber colour, large white head. Strong sweetish aroma of stale jam and ginger. Medium sweet and spicy flavour, with a moderate ginger burn in the finish.

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

750 ml "champagne"-corked bottle, shared at local tasting, thanks to Sigrid S. ABV is 9%. Pale golden colour, large white head. Sweetish and spicy aroma, some stale notes. The flavour is better, spicy notes, not too sweet, very drinkable.

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

750 ml "champagne"-corked bottle, shared at local tasting, thanks to Sigrid S. ABV is 9%. Brown colour, large off-white head. Sweetish aroma, some stale notes, not impressive. Medium sweet flavour, fruity, some stale notes again, a bit disappointing.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting, thanks to gunnar. Deep golden colour, large white head. Intense sweetish aroma with loads of crystal malts, slightly stale orange marmalade, and loads of American hops. Sweet flavour with insane amounts of American hops. Maybe not "overkill", but pretty close.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. 5.8% ABV. Black colour, moderate beige head. Malty aroma, notes of caramel and chocolate, mild roasty notes. The flavour has much the same elements as the aroma, but is a bit too sweet.

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

Small sample, on tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Deep golden colour, large head. Lovely hoppy and spicy aroma and flavour - an excellent beer, as far as I could tell. Will rerate as soon as I get a bigger sample (had to drive tonight).

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

Shared 500 ml bottle at local tasting. ABV is 6.2%. Dark brown to ruby colour, moderate beige head. Sourish aroma of vinegar, oak and brettanomyces. Thin body. Sour, lemony and vinegary flavour. Not my cup of tea.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Vintage 2010, shared bottle at local tasting. ABV is 13%. Black colour, hardly any head. Intense aroma of concentrated malts and fusel alcohols, vanilla and bourbon. The fusel brings the aroma score down. Intense and complex flavour, much better than the aroma, loads of vanilla, chocolate, roasted malts and bourbon, sweet but not too much.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Lovely aroma, Belgian yeast and strong roasty notes, dark chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Roasty flavour, medium sweet, the same elements as in the aroma. Excellent beer.

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

Shared 750(?) ml corked bottle at local tasting, vintage 2007, bought at Ølbutikken or Høkeren, Copenhagen, May 2011. Ale aged in oak barrels, ABV is 9.5%. Clear orange colour, moderate white head. Aroma of brettanomyces, sour fruits and apple cider vinegar. Medium sour flavour, brettanomyces galore, woody finish, decent hops. Interesting and unusual.