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

750 ml bottle, corked "champagne" style, labeled Grain d’Orge Tradition, bought in Denmark. I presume this is the same beer - ABV is the same. Clear golden to amber colour, large to moderate head. Aroma is yeasty and fruity (raisins, cider apples), hints of leather and oak. Mouthfeel is a bit fizzy, flavour is spicy and reasonably hoppy with a noticeable alcoholic bite.

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

750 ml bottle, corked "champagne" style. A beer brewed with algae, what’s next? This one pours deep amber / orange with a large pale orange head. Pleasant fruity aroma (oranges, apples), also notes of honey, flowers and hay. Flavour is also fruity / slightly acidic with some strange notes I can’t identify, probably the algae. Acidic and salty finish / aftertaste. Not the best beer I’ve had, but interesting. At least it’s something out of the ordinary ...

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

500 ml can, from Netto Brønderslev, shared with Holmen1 and Holmen2. ABV is 8.0%. Golden colour, large white head. Malty aroma. Malty flavour too, fairly smooth, some alcohol warmth.

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

330 ml bottle, batch #248, as La Parisienne Rousse, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Moderately hazy reddish brown colour, moderate to small off-white head. Aroma of red wine vinegar, malts and oak. Slightly sour flavour, with the same elements as the aroma, a hint of lemon.

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

330 ml blue bottle, from a local grocery store. ABV is 4.5%. Peach-coloured beer, moderate white head. Strong and sweetish aroma of crushed black elderberries and raspberries. Medium sweet flavour of said berries, also orange, hints of coriander and hops.

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

330 ml bottle, batch #130, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. Slightly hazy orange colour, huge white head takes a long time to settle. Aroma of piney hops and orange marmalade, some yeasty notes. Refreshing flavour, with piney, orangey, grapefruity and malty notes.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.3%. Slightly hazy golden colour, moderate to small white head. Aroma of spicy "Belgian" ale yeast, also white kandij sugar syrup, coriander and stewed yellow plums. Fairly refreshing flavour with the same elements as the aroma.

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

750 ml green bottle, Lot 985, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.5%. Nearly clear blonde colour, large white head. Pleasant aroma of malts, spicy yeast and stewed yellow fruits. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour has distinct notes of spicy yeast, stewed fruits and herbal hops. Well balanced.

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

650 ml green glass bottle, entirely covered in very "christmasy" plastic foil. Courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Also available in Norway at Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget. ABV is 5.8%. Clear and deep golden colour, large and lasting head. Fruity and spicy aroma with notes of farm kitchen, quite nice. The flavour has some of the "spritziness" of other bières-de-garde, but is sweeter, with caramel. Artificial "aroma" (whatever that may be) has been added, hmmm ... That is probably what I get some candy / pear drops notes from. Moderate hops in the finish. Not your typical Christmas beer, but drinkable.

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

750 ml corked bottle, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. ABV is 7.5%. Clear very pale golden colour (like a continental pilsener), big and lasting white head. Very moderate aroma, some spicy, fruity (banana) and yeasty notes. Fizzy and peppery mouthfeel. The flavour is distinctly spicy / peppery, on a background of fruity sweetness. The ABV is not particularly well hidden. Okay beer, but I hoped for something even better.

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

330 ml green bottle, now available in Norway. The label only says "Meteor Bière d’Alsace". ABV is 4.6%. Crystal clear pale golden colour, big white head. Initially a citrussy and sweetish Heineken-like aroma (an American would probably say "skunky", but I don’t mind), the aroma sort of "dies" in the glass. Fairly "clean" pale lager flavour, moderately sweet and slightly citrussy, very moderate hops, not offensive but far from exciting.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

conditioned, ABV is 7%. Dark brown opaque colour, huge tan head. Moderate aroma of malts, bakery, caramel and coffee, hints of chocolate. The flavour is malty with some caramel and weak coffee, with hints of chocolate, but the finish has unfortunately distinct and unpleasant notes of wet cardboard and cigarette ashes, some metallic notes too. Could have been a good beer - as it is, it is not good enough.

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

330 ml bottle, as Larché Thomas Becket Blonde de Bourgogne, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.5%. Pale golden / blonde ale, slightly hazy, with a huge white head. Lovely strong aroma of fruits and spices (cloves and coriander?). The flavour is distinctly citrussy, followed by spicy notes and a moderate hoppy bitterness. Fairly crisp and dry. Refreshing and very pleasant to drink.

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

750 ml swingtop bottle, as St Germain Page 24 Réserve Hildegarde Bière de Garde Blonde, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.9%. Pale golden colour, just a slight haziness, big white head. Nice aroma of "Belgian" (French, actually) yeast, with spicy / peppery notes. Some fruit and grass too. The flavour is first crisp and moderately spicy / peppery, leading to a fruity moderate sweetness, ending in a moderately hoppy and spicy finish and aftertaste. A truly enjoyable bière de garde - will buy again.

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

Bottle, 8% ABV, as Bière de Belle Dalle Triple, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Deep golden to amber colour, big white head. The aroma is rather intense (?, can’t read my own handwriting) and unusual, some spicy and farmhouse notes. The flavour is yeasty and moderately spicy, but quite refreshing for its strength.

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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, as Eric Bordelet Sidre Brut Tendre, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 5%. Golden colour, pours very fizzy with a big but short-lived head. The aroma has notes of oxidised cider apples and sulphur, hints of smoke. The flavour is medium sweet (or medium dry, if you like), notes of cider apples again (of course), hints of sulphur. Easy drinking.

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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, as Valderance Cidre de Bretagne Bouché Brut, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 5%. Like all ciders from this cidery it is made of 100% pure juice from cider apples. Contains sulphites. Golden colour. Pours very fizzy with a very short-lived white head. Moderate to low carbonation in the glass. Nice aroma of oxidised cider apples, farmhouse kitchen, sulphur and oak. The flavour has again notes of oxidised cider apples, with a relatively low acidity, fairly dry, slightly tart and woody in the finish. Easy drinking.

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

Poiré / perry (pear cider) at 4.8% ABV from Comte Louis de Lauriston, 61700 Domfront, France - a cidery more famous for their calvados. Christian Drouin is not mentioned on the label, but I assume they are the distributors. 750 ml dark green "champagne" bottle, bought at Vinmonopolet, Norway. Very pale greenish yellow colour with just a slight haziness. Pours moderately fizzy, head disappears instantly. Some carbonation remains in the glass, maybe too much. Pleasant aroma of ripe pears, hints of wood and herbs, maybe also a hint of sulphur. Flavour of pears and herbs, fairly dry. Hints of wood and sulphites in the finish.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting, as "Christophe Noyon Blanche de Wissant, Bière blanche". Very pale milky colour. Large and fluffy head. Strong wheaty aroma with coriander and orange peel. Wheaty flavour, some citrus and coriander, refreshing, nice.

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

500 ml can, from Carrefour, Cartagena, Spain. ABV is 6.2%. Deep golden colour, large white head. Strong sweetish and sugary aroma, some caramel, grassy hints. The flavour is fairly sweet, with some caramel, and the beer is not undrinkable - but it has very little to do with an "abbey beer", by any stretch of the mind.

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

750 ml swingtop bottle, new at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 7.9%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, large white head. Pleasant spicy aroma, also notes of oxidised fruit, hints of farmhouse. Rich mouthfeel. The medium sweet flavour is spicy and somewhat alcoholic, some fruit too. Tolerable hops in the aftertaste. Not a bad beer, will buy again.

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

750 ml green "champagne" bottle (a gift), as Fournier Frères Poiré. ABV is 2.5%. Very pale straw coloured, pours very fizzy with a large white head that soon disappears completely. Moderate aroma of sweet pears and drier perry pear varieties. The flavour is sweet and very fruity, pears of course, but also notes of sweet apples. A hint of oak and sulphites in the finish. Quite refreshing when cold.

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

750 ml corked dark brownish-green "champagne" bottle, Cidre Dupont Reserve, Récolte 2010, Passage en fût 2011. Passé six mois en fût de calvados. ABV is 7.5%. From Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget. Pale yellow colour, pours very fizzy with a large white head that soon disappears. Lovely aroma of cider apples, calvados and oak, hints of sulphites. Effervescent mouthfeel. Medium sweet flavour of cider apples, oak and sulphites, the calvados is there in the background. Pretty good stuff.

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

330 ml bottle, a birthday gift from my son Steinar, who brought it back from Normandie. ABV is 5%. Top fermented, unpasteurised. Very cloudy brownish yellow colour, moderate white head. Distinct and pleasant gueuze-like aroma of farmhouse and lemons, also spicy notes. The flavour has a moderate lemony acidity, and distinct hops throughout, rather sharp in the finish. Spicy notes again. "Dusty" finish. Nice enough to drink.

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

Shared 750 ml corked and wired bottle, as Christophe Noyon Bière Noire de Slack, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV 5.4%. Black colour, decent beige head. Dry roasty and ashy aroma. Dry, moderately roasty and slightly ashy flavour. The hops are too moderate, otherwise a decent dry stout.