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

375 ml corked bottle, champagne-style. Bought at Selfridge’s, London. ABV was 4.5%. Hazy reddish brown colour, pours with an impressive large tan head with a pinkish hue. Aroma is overwhelming ripe (over-ripe?) raspberries. Flavour is of course raspberries on a background of sourish brown ale (’cause that’s what this beer really is), but not as sour as I expected. Fairly sweet, but not cloying. Hints of cowshed. I wonder what this beer would taste like if the raspberries used had been less ripe - probably "fresher" and more sour and tart. As it is, it’s a drinkable and interesting fruit beer, but would hardly be my daily indulgence even if it had been available in Norway.

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

25 cl bottle, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Amber colour, large and fluffy lingering head. Vinous dry sherry-like aroma, elements of oak and leather too. Flavour is again sherry-like, medium dry (or medium sweet, if you like), loads and loads of oak, hints of German "Weinbrand", warming mouthfeel as expected from a 12% ABV beer, but the beer doesn’t feel inappropriately alcoholic. A substantial hoppy bitterness in the finish balances the sweetness nicely. Plays in the Premier League of beers, this one.

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

33 cl bottle, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Deep amber colour, hazy. Large head. Aroma and flavour are rather alcoholic, with caramel, brown sugar, oak and hints of barnyard. Sweetness is reasonably balanced by the hoppy bitterness, which also has some not-so-desirable metallic edges. Mouthfeel is warming and a bit peppery. An unusual beer, well worth sampling, but DIVINE?? I don’t think so - go for the Trappists in stead, they have better connections "upstairs".

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

33 cl bottle, now available in Norway. Website www.anthonymartin.be Deep golden nearly orange colour. Large head. Aroma of sweet malts, molasses and rotting fruits, hints of spices and leather. Flavour is well hopped, but unfortunately there is an everpresent molasses and dark syrup sweetness in the background, making the beer too cloying to be something I’ll buy again when I have finished my 4 bottles.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Sampled 330 ml bottle, under its Spanish import alias "666 La Bière de la Diablesse". Cloudy golden colour, large head. Aroma and flavour VERY alcoholic and slightly yeasty. Not good. Travelling from Spain to Norway in the hot trunk of a car probably didn't help.

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

750 ml bottle, corked "champagne" style. "Best before" date 23.03.2001! - brewed by De Smedt. Cloudy brown colour, large and lingering light tan head. Excellent vinous aroma, oak, red berries, leather. Pleasant oaky flavour with a nice acidity, vinous character. Notes of spices, well balanced hops. Very nice "cave beer".

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

Bottle, reads only "Boerke", RBESG 2005 Grand Tasting. Slightly hazy amber to brown colour. Barnyard aroma. Moderately dry flavour, hints of oak, decent hops.

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

Sampled bottle, at Plan B, Copenhagen. Beautiful red colour, pink head. Delightful cherry aroma. Sour cherry flavour on a funky background. A very good kriek.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Vinens Verden, Odense, Denmark. Deep red-brown colour, large light tan head. Surprisingly moderate malty aroma, notes of caramel and oak. Improves as the beer warms up, some vinous qualities. Flavour is malty with some caramel and brown bread notes, moderate hops. Easy drinking, refreshing for its strength. Okay.

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

750 ml corked "champagne" style bottle, packed in metal gift box. Now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). Very dark reddish brown colour, slightly hazy. Moderate tan head. Very nice aroma of Christmas spices, oak, raisins, old sherry, toffee and treacle. Flavour is very malty sweet, plenty of caramel and some spices, hints of smoke, tart/bitter finish. Fizzy mouthfeel - due to the aggressive carbonation and tart finish this beer was not a "silky smooth" experience for me. I actually preferred du Bocq’s Regal Christmas to this one (haven’t tried them side by side, though). R.C. is also somewhat less expensive.

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

Bottle, at Haket, Göteborg. Cloudy pale golden colour, low head. Strange fruity aroma with notes of anthill, leather and flowers. Sweetish flavour with strong notes of leather and oak.

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

330 ml bottle, at Delirium Café, Göteborg. Cloudy golden colour, huge and lasting head. Spicy aroma with notes of leather and oak. Flavour is again spicy with yeasty notes, leather and oak, fairly dry. Very good.

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

25 cl bottle, at Delirium Café, Göteborg. Clear (filtered??) pale golden colour, large head. Slightly hazy in the final pour. Typical witbier aroma and flavour of coriander and citrus.

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

Bottle, at Delirium Café, Göteborg. Amber colour, large head. Spicy aroma with leather, dried fruits and oak. Flavour is quite mellow with some leather, oak, dried fruits and hops. Not bad.

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

Bottle, at Delirium Café, Göteborg. Hazy blonde ale. Hoppy citrus aroma. Citrusy / lemony flavour, quite nice. Made with buckwheat, which probably contributes the the citrussy flavour, together with the hops.

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

Bottle, at Delirium Café. Hazy golden colour, large head. Vinous aroma with leather, barnyard and oak. Flavour is oaky and slightly sour, oily mouthfeel.

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

75 cl bottle, at Delirium Café, Göteborg. Dark brown colour. Aroma of dried fruits, leather and oak. Sweet and moderately malty flavour, hints of woodwork.

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

Bottle, at Delirium Café, Göteborg. Hazy, deep golden colour. The last beer of the evening, and it may be safely said that I was ... duh, slightly intoxicated ... at that moment, but I still had the ability to notice that this was another decent Belgian, well worth being sampled as the FIRST beer of the evening - at another occasion ...

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

Bottle, at The Rover, Göteborg. This beer includes 2.5% honey. Golden colour, slightly hazy. Pleasant but not very strong flowery aroma, some honey but not dominant. Flavour is sweetish, but not much is going on besides the honey. Alcohol is well hidden, though.

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

RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. 1.5 liter bottle labeled "Big Chouffe - Achouffe Christmas Ale 2005". ABV was 8%. I presume this is the same beer? Hazy golden colour, low head. Moderately spicy / peppery aroma. Moderately spicy flavour, too sweet.

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

Brewed for the Finnish market. Sampled RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. ABV is 4.5%. Hazy brownish colour, decent head. Sweetish aroma, notes of rye bread. Surprisingly light bodied, refreshing but nothing spectacular.

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

Sampled RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. Brewed in Belgium for Diamond Beer, Helsinki. Yeasty aroma with notes of rotting fruits and barnyard. Light bodied, hints of oak and spices in the flavour. The stronger version (6.5%)must be better.

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

Sampled RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, moderate white head. Pleasant but moderate yeasty aroma with notes of spices, leather and oak. Light bodied and refreshing, moderate flavour of mild spices.

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

Sampled RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. 750 ml bottle, ABV is 11.5%. Chestnut colour. INTENSE sweet aroma of oak and fortified wine, spicy notes. Oaky and spicy flavour, warming mouthfeel as expected from an 11.5% ABV beer. No thirstquencher, but an interesting sipping beer

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 2 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 2

330 ml bottle, now available in Norway (ULTRA stores a.o.). ABV here is 4.5%. Hazy golden colour, moderate creamy head. INTENSE aroma of "banana split" toffees, pleasant at first whiff, then VERY unpleasant sidenotes of vomit and chemical waste take over. Sickly sweet artificial (allegedly NATURAL, "fair trade" even - good grief!) over-ripe / rottening banana flavouring. A truly disgusting beer! It was expensive, so I forced myself to finish the glass. Urk! Blah! etc. Been there, done that. Never, never again!