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

500 ml bottle, at Internasjonalen, Oslo. ABV was 8.0%. Organic, unfiltered, unpasteurised. Dark amber colour, cloudy when the sediment is poured, moderate head. Unusual sweetish fruity aroma and flavour, notes of ripe raspberries and blackcurrants. Nice beer.

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

330 ml can, thanks to yngwie. "Brewed and canned by Albani, Ceres and Faxe". ABV is 5.6%. Deep golden to amber colour, large and lingering head. Moderate nutty and grainy aroma. The flavour is sugary sweet with notes of alcohol, molasses and some caramel. Bittersweetish finish. Dry aftertaste. Not really what I want for Christmas.

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

Brownish golden colour, moderate head, modest aroma. Light bodied, some spices and corn sweetness in the flavour. Easily drinkable, but I expect more from a Christmas beer.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed 15.2.2007, BB date 15.2.2009. ABV is 7.5%. Black beer, huge chocolate brown coloured head. Lovely aroma of coffee, chocolate and roasted malts / roasted barley. Also notes of woodwork, tobacco and tar. The flavour abounds with coffee (maybe too much?), the finish is very bitter (both from the coffee that has been added to the beer, the roasted barley and the hops). The mouthfeel is still relatively smooth. With all the dominant coffee and bitterness, this is not a stout of the "easy drinking" kind, but a beer to savour and sip slowly, be it for breakfast or any time of the day or night.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Hazy golden colour. Nice aroma of hops - spicy, oaky and fruity. Unfortunately I drank it too warm, but the flavour was still spicy and quite OK. Rerate, 750 ml "champagne" bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.0%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, with a big and slightly off-white head. Lovely aroma of Amarillo and Cascade hops, with spicy and fruity (citrussy) notes, also hints of caramel. The flavour is spicy and zesty, with grapefruity hops but it is not too bitter. Hints of candi sugar and oak, but the beer is not sweet. Dry and slightly astringent finish. Alcohol is noticeable, but the beer is still dangerously drinkable for its strength. I’m upping it a point. In danger of repeating myself: Well done (again), Mikkel!

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting, as Bøgedal #71. Dark ruby colour, nearly black. Large tan head. Vinous aroma, some roasty notes. Malty sweet flavour, plenty of caramel, some complexity. Not bad.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Hazy deep amber colour. Nice aroma with vinous notes: malts, fruit and liquorice. The flavour has malts, caramel and LOADS of liquorice, not unpleasant.

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

Wiibroe Årgangsøl (= "Vintage Beer") has (like all other Wiibroe beers) been brewed by Carlsberg in Copenhagen since 1998. They have had a tradition of brewing each vintage 0.1% stronger than the previous year, but the basic recipe seems to be the same. Sampled 330 ml bottle, vintage 2002, in Denmark. When brewers (in general) try to make a pilsener-style lager with more than 10% ABV, the result is normally disastrous. Not so in this case. Golden coloured beer. Pleasant aroma, alcohol presence in the flavour but fairly well balanced. Not a great beer, but not bad either.

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

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.0%. Ingredients include 2% orange flower honey, E223 and E300. Golden brown colour, big light tan head with an orangey hue. Unusual and initially interesting aroma of orange peel, spices, oak, fermenting fruits and apple cider vinegar, then some less pleasant "industrial" and sulphurous notes take over. The flavour has caramel and some honey sweetness, with notes of orange peel and undefined fruits. Very little bitterness. Props to Grauballe for brewing unusual beers, but this one doesn't blow my socks off.

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

330 ml can, at Gladmatfestivalen 2008, Stavanger. ABV was 5.0%. Orange / brown colour, moderate head. Nice hoppy aroma and flavour, with hints of toffee.

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

330 ml can, at Gladmatfestivalen, Stavanger. ABV was 4.8%. Golden colour, moderate head. Nice Saazer(?) aroma, notes of honey. Tolerably well hopped pilsener flavour.

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

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). ABV is 9.2%. Copper coloured beer, decent off-white head. Strong and very nice aroma of fruity American hops, some hints of spices of too. The flavour is first malty and slightly sugary sweet with notes of caramel, then an intense harsh and overwhelming bitterness takes over. Overkill, too bitter and harsh for me.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). ABV is 9.0%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Very nice aroma of roasted malts, coffee and chocolate. The flavour has heavily roasted malts galore (bordering on cremation), also liquorice, tar and extremely strong coffee. There is also a huge hoppy bitterness from start to finish, and the alcohol is noticeable. The flavour is overall a bit of an "overkill", could have been better balanced. Still quite impressive, a small glass of this beer could stand in for a cup of espresso after dinner. Improves a bit as the beer warms up, a certain sweetness comes through, to balance (some of) the bitterness.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 4

330 ml bottle, bought at Coop Obs, Stavanger, as Pokal Lys Pilsner, contract brewed in Norway for Coop Trading A/S, Denmark. Brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot. ABV is 4.5%. Pale golden colour, big head. Sweetish typical industrial pale lager aroma, some fruitiness. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour is fairly boring as expected, but not offensive, and there are at least some notes of pilsener malts. Very moderate hops. Easy drinking, and as the price in Norway so far is very moderate too (as moderate as our alcohol taxes allow), I expect Pokal to sell well to beer drinkers more concerned with quantity and low prices rather than quality.

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

250 ml bottle, shared with Ole_R, thx! ABV was 11.5%. "Imperial Rauchbier / Rauchwine" brewed with honey, and stored 3 months in a new oak barrel. Deep copper coloured beer, low beige head. Intense aroma of smoke and oak. The flavour is very smoky and oaky as expected, with notes of charcoal, but is also surprisingly fruity and sweet with notes of raisins and fortified wine.

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

250 ml bottle, shared with Ole_R, thx! ABV was 13.0%. Imperial stout stored 5 months in a whisky barrel, simply called "Mikkeller Black As Night". Pitch black colour, brown head that does not last very long. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee, tar, oak and liquorice. Intense oaky, roasty and very sweet flavour, alcohol is noticeable but not as much as expected. Long and bitter aftertaste.

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

500 ml bottle, as ’Rise Ærø Hertug Hans No. 5 Valnød’, ABV was 7.0%. Shared with my beerpal Olav who got it from a Dane, thx! Brewed with lager yeast, pilsener malts, caramel malts, black malts and wheat malts, Golding hops, ascorbic acid (E300) and walnut extract. Has the character of a ’normal’ bock with walnut flavour added. Brown to copper coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Moderate aroma with caramel and nuts, also some vinous notes. The flavour has a noticeable sweetness from caramel and malts, also notes of nuts. Moderate hops in the finish.

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

330 ml bottle, unfiltered and unpasteurised, at Universitetsbaren, Aarhus. ABV was 7.6%. Served in a Hoegaarden Grand Cru glass. Black colour, big to moderate brown head. The aroma is first fairly fruity for an impy stout, notes of prunes. Also roasty with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice, hints of tar and smoke. The flavour is roasty with notes of coffee and liquorice. Tar and smoke in the finish. Distinct bitterness, but not extreme for an impy stout. Smoke, coffee and bitter hops in the long aftertaste.

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

330 ml bottle, at Café Luna, Aalborg. Brewed at Refsvindinge for Medici Beers. ABV was 4.8%. Served in a "Royal Beer" glass. Copper coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Some fruit and toffee in the aroma. The flavour is moderately fruity with notes of berries, but is otherwise fairly bland. Low bitterness.

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

600 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7,0%. Dark brown to chestnut colour, big beige head. Fruity aroma, notes of red wine vinegar and hops, hints of berries. Fairly clean and malty flavour with hints of caramel, but the beer has not much residual sweetness. Hints of berries again. Moderate hops. Nice enough.

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

330 ml bottle, Norwegian version (4.5%), courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Also bought at REMA 1000 grocery store. Drank it a bit too warm. Golden colour, low head. The aroma has moderate notes of malts and dust. The flavour has an acceptable presence of malts, but there is nothing "extra" about the amount of hops. Still, a tolerable bitterness in the finish and aftertaste.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

330 ml bottle, "Norwegian" version, 4.5% ABV. Brown colour, moderate off-white head. Moderate aroma, notes of malts, caramel and heather honey. The flavour has notes of brown bread and caramel, but is otherwise fairly bland and boring. Minimal hops

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

330 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. ABV is 1.9%. Very dark brown colour, nearly black (the name "hvidtøl" = "white beer" for this Danish style is slightly amusing). Moderate beige head. Moderate aroma of malts, caramel and dust. The flavour is very malty and sugary sweet, notes of caramel and Danish pastry. No bitterness.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Føtex Aalborg. Organic, ingredients include wheat malt and spelt malt - and blueberries, of course. ABV is 5%. Pale golden brown colour, huge head, slightly off-white. Sweetish aroma of malts, blueberry jam, caramel and butterscotch. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour is fruity (blueberries) and fairly refreshing, but is suffering from a lack of hops. Bland finish.

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

330 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. ABV is 1.7%. Ingredients include liquorice, sugar and colour E150c (also barley malts and hops). Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Moderate beige head. Malty and sugary aroma, notes of brown bread, caramel and dust. The flavour is malty and very sugary / syrupy, extremely sweet, notes of caramel. Too far out on the sweet side for me.