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

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.5%. Reddish brown colour, huge off-white head. Aroma of malts, caramel and brown bread. Medium sweet flavour of malts and caramel, hints of roasted nuts, moderate piney and spicy hops. Warming mouthfeel, feels stronger than it is.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Herbarium. ABV is 6%. Hazy yellow colour, large white head. Distinct aroma of guava, papaya and honeydew melon. Smooth flavour of citrus and said fruits, low bitterness. Easy drinking.

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

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.7%. Deep golden colour, large to moderate white head. Sweetish aroma of Münchener malts, grassy and herbal hops (Hallertauer Mittelfrüh) and honey. Semi-sweet malty flavour, herbal hops in the medium bitter finish.

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

December 2020: 500 ml bottle, from Løvbjerg Brønderslev. ABV is 12.3%. Pitch black colour, small brown head. Aroma of roast malts, chocolate, mild coffee, a hint of vanilla. Moderate carbonation. Distinct roasty flavour, notes of dark bitter chocolate, strong and bitter coffee, liquorice and a hint of vanilla, also substantial bittering hops. Sweet, but the bitterness is dominant. Not perfectly balanced, but impressive.

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

December 2020: 330 ml bottle, from Vinoble Frederikshavn. ABV is 9.1%. Pitch black colour, large to moderate brown head. Aroma of roast malts, liquorice, coffee and chocolate, hints of tar. The flavour is not too sweet, with distinct notes of the same elements as the aroma, also moderate bittering hops. Excellent beer.

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

August 2019: 500 ml bottle, from SPAR Ålbæk. ABV is 8.8%. Hazy brown colour, large off-white head. Aroma of malts and caramel hints of over-ripe berries. Malty flavour too, again some caramel but not too sweet, fairly distinct bittering hops.

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

August 2019: 500 ml bottle, from SPAR Ålbæk. ABV is 6.6%. Hazy reddish brown colour, large off-white head. Aroma of malts, caramel, vanilla and cardamom. Malty flavour, but still light bodied for its strength. Spicy, but not very sweet. Notes of burnt caramel and cardamom, minimal vanilla, fairly distinct bittering hops.

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

August 2019: 500 ml bottle, from SPAR Ålbæk. ABV is 7.2%. Hazy brown colour, small off-white head. Aroma of malts, some caramel. hints of over-ripe and decaying fruits. Flavour of malts, some caramel, a little fruit, fairly distinct bittering hops, noticeable alcohol. Not really great.

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

September 2020: 500 ml bottle, from Superbrugsen Hirtshals. ABV is 6.0%. Hazy orange colour, large white head. Moderate aroma of citrussy hops, hints of spruce. Fairly well balanced flavour, first a slightly sweet fruitiness, followed by a distinct bitterness, quite sharp in the finish.

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

December 2013: Shared 1 liter can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Pale golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate sweetish aroma, slightly fruity, a hint of hops - better than feared. Very sweet flavour, warming mouthfeel, some hops in the finish. Could have been worse.

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

April 2013. 330 ml bottle from Superbrugsen, Hirtshals. ABV is 4.6%. Ingredients include glucose syrup and maize. Pale golden colour, moderate to low white head. Sweetish aroma, notes of maize, artificial candy and grass. The flavour is bland and boring, with a slight metallic bitterness in the finish, but the beer is not undrinkable. And it is ridiculously cheap, so if price is your only concern, feel free to dive in ...

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

January 2014: 500 ml bottle, Cardinal’s Christmas Beer Tasting 2013. ABV is 10.1%. Hazy brown colour, large beige head. Very strong sweetish aroma of caramel, brown sugar and coriander. Very sweet and malty flavour, loads of caramel, brown sugar, liquorice and spices. Overwhelming. Might be a good idea to cellar this one for a few years. Would buy again. Sampled again January 2024: Even better now!

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

April 2014: 500 ml bottle vintage 2014, Cardinal Pub & Bar; Stavanger. Ingredients include fig purée. 8 different malts are used. Hops are Chinook, Simcoe, Amarillo and Coloumbus. ABV is 10.2%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. The aroma has notes of dark malts, tar, woodwork, coffee, liquorice and dark chocolate, hints of dark dried fruits. The flavour is medium sweet, very tarry and roasty, notes of salty liquorice, strong coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Hints of citrussy hops and dark dried fruits. Bitter and salty finish. Powerful stuff!

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

April 2014: 330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.2%. OG 1072, FG 1010. IBU 107. Hops are Warrior, Summit and Amarillo. Unfiltered and unpasteurised. Amber colour, only slightly hazy, moderate head, slightly off-white. Strong aroma of fruity hops (oranges, tropical fruits). The flavour is medium sweet (= not too much) with distinct hops throughout, fruity first, piney and grapefruity bitterness in the finish. Love for hops indeed, but not murderous.

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

Dec. 2013: 500 ml bottle, Cardinal’s Store Juleøltest. Batch #RØ390. ABV is 7.4%. Dark brown colour, moderate to low beige head. Pleasant malty aroma and flavour with notes of chocolate, brown kandij sugar and mild Christmas spices. A beer I would buy again.

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

May 2017: Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting. Black colour, small tan head. Aroma of coconut, marshmallows and chocolate, some roast malts too. Sweet flavour, loads of coconut, also marshmallows and chocolate, can’t detect the seasalt. Extreme, but good in a perverted way.

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

May 2013: Sample from bottle at Copenhagen Beer Festival 2013, from the Fish & Beer stand. Black colour, moderate tan head. Lovely aroma, moderate roasty notes, coffee, vanilla, caramel, chocolate and liquorice. The medium sweet flavour has a very slight acidity, roasty notes of coffee and chocolate, and a little caramel and liquorice.

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

February 2014: 500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgaard. BB date 7. June 2013. Hazy orange to deep brown colour (depending on the source of light), moderate off-white head. Aroma of American hops, only 2 of the 4 varieties used are American, though (Columbus and Nugget), hints of orange marmalade, moderate notes of pine. The flavour has a base of medium sweet crystal malts, but has first and foremost a pleasant hoppiness throughout, with citrus notes. Perfectly drinkable despite its age. This is a beer I’d buy again (and then probably not wait so long before drinking it).

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

October 2017: Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting. Black colour, tan head. Aroma of roast malts, molasses and fusel, a hint of whisky. Roasty flavour, slightly sweet, again notes of molasses and fusel, also whisky. Could have been better, but still fairly impressive.

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

June 2013: 330 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård. ABV is 6.5%. Beautiful deep reddish brown colour, large beige head. Nice and medium sweetish aroma of hazelnuts, caramel, malt sugar and chocolate. Sweet and distinctly nutty flavour, also distinct notes of caramel and chocolate, hints of spices. Moderate hops in the finish. Would buy again.

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

November 2015: Shared 500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark but can’t remember where. Very dark brown colour, beige head. Moderate aroma of brown kandij sugar, figs and dust, some spicy hints. Flavour of dried figs, also kandij sugar and mild spices. Warming throatfeel.

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

November 2015: Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting. Hops are Warrior, Columbus and Summit. IBU 100+. Golden colour, slightly hazy. White head. Hoppy aroma, notes of grass, lemons and green apples. Flavour of citrussy and peppery hops, a rather harsh bitterness in the finish.

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

Small sample from can at Vectura-messe. Hazy golden colour. Fruity aroma and flavour, notes of citrus and apricot. Fresh and pleasant to drink. Will buy again.

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

Small sample from tap at Mandag i Annen, Cardinal, Stavanger. Black colour, tan head. Aroma and flavour of roast malts, black rye bread, coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Enjoyable.

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

May 2014: 500 ml bottle, batch #571, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.0%. Hazy dark reddish brown colour, moderate to low off-white head. Strong aroma of port wine, oak, raisins and dried figs, hints of fruity hops. Sweet flavour, distinct notes of port wine, oak, raisins and other dark dried fruits, moderate hops. One to savour slowly.