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

355 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.8%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy. Big white head. Lovely aroma of American hops, piney and citrussy notes, also hints of blackcurrants. The flavour is very bitter (too bitter) from the first sip, with piney and resinous notes. There is some malty and fruity sweetness, but not enough to balance the bitterness. The long aftertaste is chinine-like and very bitter.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, bought at the GBBF 2008 for takeaway. ABV is not stated on the bottle, but the festival programme says it's 4.8%. Crystal clear deep golden to amber colour, moderate head, fizzy. Distinct aroma of blueberries and raspberries, also notes of candy with said artifical flavourings. Thin mouthfeel. The flavour is wheaty with notes of blueberries, otherwise fairly bland with minimal hops. Not very sweet. Drinkable, but not very exciting.

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

Cask (gravity dispense) at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 6.5%. Deep golden colour, no head. Very nice aroma of distinctly fruity hops, notes of blackcurrants. Distinctly hoppy flavour with an assertive bitterness, notes of pine / resin and some grapefruit. Good beer, but I’d like even more fruitiness in the flavour.

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

Cask, gravity dispense, at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 9.5%. Pitch black colour, minimal head. Complex roasted aroma with notes of oak, dark chocolate, liquorice and tar. Intense flavour of cocoa / chocolate, figs(?) and coffee(?) - I have some difficulties reading my own handwriting here .... Warming mouthfeel, oaky and alcoholic notes. A great sipping beer.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008, gravity dispense. Black colour, no head. Alcoholic but interesting aroma and flavour, notes of "oak" (actually palo santo wood), coffee and fortified wine. At 12% ABV this is powerful stuff. Good, but not easy drinking.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008, gravity dispense. Nearly black colour (very dark reddish brown). Intense and lovely aroma of various subtropical woods, winey notes. The mouthfeel has lots of alcoholic warmth as expected. The flavour has notes of oak and fortified wine. Very good.

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

Cask conditioned at the Great British Beer Festival 2008, gravity dispense. Copper coloured beer, minimal head. Nice hoppy aroma and flavour, notes of blackcurrants.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008, gravity dispense. ABV was 5.5%. Golden brown colour, no head. Moderate aroma of fruity hops, notes of blackcurrants. The flavour is first malty with notes of honey and caramel, then a hoppy bitterness takes over and lasts through the aftertaste - fruity hops first, then a "dusty" finish.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008, gravity dispense. ABV was 5.5%. Golden brown colour, no head. Fruity mild aroma and flavour, notes of blackcurrant and raspberry leaves. Low bitterness.

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

Bottle, at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, moderate head. Very nice hoppy aroma, notes of citrus and tropical fruits. Pleasant hoppy flavour but not overdone, well balanced.

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

Cask conditioned at the GBBF 2008. ABV was 4.8%. Deep golden to amber colour. Nice fruity hops in the aroma. Decent hops in the flavour too, notes of blackcurrant leaves.

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

Cask conditioned at the GBBF 2008. Deep golden colour. Strong aroma of fruity American hops, some oaky and winey notes too. Reasonably hoppy flavour, nice beer.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 5.0%. Brown colour. Nice aroma, malts, caramel, hops. The flavour is slightly less interesting, some fruitiness and malts, but like most brown ales it lacks hops. Drank it too warm though.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 7.2%. Amber to copper colour. Lovely aroma of fruity American hops. The flavour has dominant American hops throughout, but is not overdone. Drank it too warm though.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, bought at the GBBF 2008 for takeaway. ABV is 5.5%, IBU 35. Deep amber to orange colour, decent off-white head with an orangey hue. Very nice aroma of Cascade hops, notes of citrus and honey. The flavour is also dominated by Cascade hops, but there is a sufficient malty base to balance the hops. Moderately bitter aftertaste. American Pale Ale is an underrated style IMO, this is an example. Great balance is more interesting for me than "hop monsters". Good beer!

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

12 fl. oz. / 355 ml bottle, bought at the GBBF 2008 for takeaway. ABV is 6.0%. Amber to orange colour, pours very fizzy with a moderate head. The aroma has a dominant malty sweetness, also notes of caramel, honey and moderate fruity hops. The flavour also has a dominant sweetneess (too sweet), then grapefruity hops make their presence known, leading to a distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish and aftertaste.

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

12 fl. oz. / 355 ml bottle, bought at the GBBF 2008 for takeaway. ABV is 5.2%. Amber colour, moderate head. Interesting aroma, notes of ripe berries, flowers, caramel and some wood. The flavour has first a noticeable malty presence, then slightly subdued fruity American hops take over (a little more hops would not hurt!), leading to a moderately bitter and piney finish and aftertaste.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, bought at the GBBF 2008 for takeaway. Amber colour, big head. Aroma of Fuggles hops, but surprisingly moderate. The flavour is dominated by Fuggles hops as expected, but there is also a noticeable malty sweetness. Some fruity notes and a piney and slightly soapy finish. The bitterness is fairly subdued for an American IPA.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, in the Houston tent at the ONS 2008, Stavanger. Golden colour, low head. Moderate sweetish fruity aroma. The flavour is very bland, slightly sweetish with minimal hops. Poor.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, in the Houston tent at the ONS 2008, Stavanger. Brown colour, moderate creamy head. Moderate but pleasant aroma of malts, hints of caramel. Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is moderately malty and bready without any offensive sidenotes, but not exciting either.

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

12 fl. oz bottle, thanks to BA richgo6. Orange coloured beer, slightly hazy, with a huge off-white head. Nice hoppy aroma, very fruity. The flavour is also quite hoppy throughout, with resinous notes and some malty sweetness. Not bad at all. The style seems more American than English to me, though - but what do I know?

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

12 fl. oz bottle, thanks to BA richgo6. 12.5 degrees Plato, 36 IBU. ABV is 5.1%. Amber coloured beer, decent off-white head. Very nice aroma of fruity hops, notes of grapefruit, rambutan and blackcurrant leaves, hints of toffee and resin too. The flavour is maltier and less hoppy than the aroma made me expect, but the hops are still noticeable. Moderate resiny notes, some sweetness, quiet finish. Not bad.

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

12 fl. oz bottle, thanks to BA richgo6. Clear deep golden colour, decent head. Lovely aroma of Cascade and Styrian Goldings. The flavour is also very hoppy, a tad too sweet, a hint of orange marmelade, with some "raw" alcoholic notes. Not bad though.

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

12 fl. oz bottle, thanks to BA richgo6. Hazy golden colour, decent and lasting head. Hoppy aroma, notes of marmelade too, hints of yeast. Spritzy mouthfeel. Spicy flavour with some less pleasant hints of stale marmelade, hoppy bitter finish and aftertaste. Not great, not bad, quite interesting.

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

12 fl. oz bottle, thanks to BA richgo6. Orange coloured beer, large and lasting off-white head with an orangey hue. Initially very nice Cascade aroma, citrus and floral notes, diminishes after a while in the glass. The flavour is very well balanced between the malts and hops, Cascade and Warrior hops have a distinct presence throughout, but are not overdone. Bitter aftertaste. A very drinkable and refreshing beer!