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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Brewed and bottled by Blossom Industries, India (trade mark owner: United Breweries, Bangalore). Imported to Norway by ITG. Golden colour, moderate head. Flowery aromatic hops, maybe some citrus too. Standard pale lager flavour without any offensive sidenotes, rather fizzy but with tolerable hops for the style. I’ll admit that my expectations were very low, but for an Indian pale lager this one is not too bad. At least it will be a tolerable accompaniment with your curry.

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

330 ml bottle, as Bira 91 Lager, from Helgø Meny Stokka. ABV is 4.5%. Clear pale golden colour, moderate to small white head. Strong sweetish aroma of pilsener malts, cooked rice and newmown grass. The flavour is not as sweet as the aroma made me fear, fairly crisp and refreshing like the label says, but the hop bitterness is too moderate.

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

330 ml bottle, from Helgø Meny Stadionparken. ABV is 4.5%. Slightly hazy orange colour, moderate white head. Distinct aroma of citrus fruits / zest. Citric mouthfeel, light bodied. Citric and zesty flavour, a distinct bitterness throughout.

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

330 ml bottle, as Bira 91 Blonde Summer Lager, from Helgø Meny Stadionparken. ABV is 4.5%. Very pale golden colour, small white head. Sweetish aroma of pilsener malts and boiled rice, hints of newmown grass. Citric mouthfeel. Dull and "neutral" flavour, way too little hops. Won't buy again.

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

(330 ml bottle, brewed by Shepherd Neame, England). I have probably used this beer to wash down some Indian food in England, had to buy it again in Norway to rate it without food (by special order, it's normally sold only in our Indian restarants). Besides being wet and thus fit to help you survive a hot curry, this beer has nothing "Indian" or any other quality that should put it on a beer geek's wish list. Light golden colour, low head, Heineken-like aroma, uninteresting flavour but at least a hint of bitterness. Typical mediocre lager, not good, but not as bad as I expected.

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

RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. ABV is 5.0%. Batch #26. Pale lager aroma and flavour, slightly flowery. Nothing to write home about, the aloe vera did not make much of an impression on me.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 2 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

330 ml can, as Anker Bir Pilsener ("Limited Edition" concerning the brewery’s 75th anniversary - I suppose the "limited edition" only affects the design of the can, not the beer inside.) A gift from my Indonesian-born sister-in-law. ABV is 4.9%. Very pale and crystal clear yellow colour, big head. Sweetish and slightly sickly "industrial" aroma, notes of grass and maize. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour is bland with some sweetness and minimal bitterness, utterly boring.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 3

330 ml can, as Bali Hai Bir Lager / International Premium Lager Beer, a gift from my Indonesian-born sister-in-law. ABV is 5.0%. Pale yellow colour, big to moderate head. Strong "industrial" sweetish pale lager aroma, maize or other adjuncts galore. The flavour is also sweet with plenty of adjunct cereals, minimal hops, just a weak metallic bitterness in the finish. Not good.

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

330 ml can, a gift from my Indonesian-born sister-in-law. ABV is 5%. Pale yellow colour, decent head. Typical "Industrial" and sweetish pale lager aroma, notes of maize and/or other adjuncts.The flavour is far too sweet for a "pilsener", but there is at least a certain maltiness and not too many off-flavours. Very moderate hops in the finish, slightly metallic.

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

620 ml green bottle, in Bali. ABV is 4.5%. Pale yellow colour, low white head. Typical green bottle "skunky" pale lager aroma, but not too bad. Some sweetish malty and grassy notes. The flavour is bland as expected, but not horrid. At least there is a hint of malts and hops, and it is not sugary sweet. Ice cold it may serve as a thirstquencher in the Indonesian heat.

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

330 ml bottle, in Bali, as Storm (Beer) Bronze Ale. ABV is 5%. I bought two bottles with slightly different labels and barcodes, but it was said to be the same beer, the brewery is just in the process of changing labels. Bronze colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma, some malts and caramel, a hint of spruce. Medium dry flavour, light bodied, a hint of caramel, some bitterness in the finish. Not impressive.

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

330 ml bottle, as Storm Beer Iron Stout, in Bali. ABV is 5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Moderate but nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee, hints of dark chocolate. Relatively light bodied. Medium dry flavour, distinct roasty notes of coffee, again with hints of dark chocolate. Fairly decent beer.

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

330 ml bottle, as Storm Golden Ale, in Bali. ABV is 5%. Golden colour, slightly hazy, moderate white head. Aroma initially of cooked vegetables, then some nicer notes of tropical fruits come through. The flavour has moderate notes of Styrian Goldings hops, but not nearly as distinct as in the Pale Ale. Slightly yeasty finish. Like the other beers from this brewery it has a fizzy mouthfeel. Clearly drinkable, but not exciting.

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

Can and bottle in Bali, as Guinness Foreign Extra, brewed in Indonesia. ABV is 4.9%. Black colour, tan head. Nice roasty aroma, coffee, caramel and palm sugar. Smooth flavour, moderate roasty notes, coffee, a slight acidity in the finish.

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

330 ml bottle and can, in Bali. ABV is 4.9%. Black colour, moderate beige head. Moderate sweetish aroma of dark malts, mild coffee, chocolate, vanilla and palm sugar. Light bodied for a stout, medium dry flavour, coffee notes, "dusty" finish.

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

330 ml bottle from Hardy’s supermarket, Sanur, Bali. ABV is 5%. Hazy greyish pale yellow colour, large to moderate white head. Typical hefeweizen-aroma of cloves and over-ripe bananas, also other decaying fruits. Tolerably refreshing flavour, cloves, citrus and banana, some acidity, hardly any noticeable hops.

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

330 ml bottle, from Hardy’s supermarket, Sanur, Bali, Indonesia. Brown colour, huge off-white to beige head. Aroma of brown malts and brown bread, also notes of caramel, cloves and banana. The flavour is fairly refreshing, with the same notes as in the aroma, also some citrus. Slightly acidic and yeasty finish. Minimal hops.

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

Bottle, as Panther Fine Extra Stout, in Bali. ABV is 5%. Very dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Moderate aroma of brown malts more than dark malts, notes of mild coffee and caramel, a hint of dark fruits. Thin mouthfeel. The flavour is moderately malty with only a very moderate roastiness, notes of mild coffee again, a hint of caramel, low bitterness. Has very little to brag about. This is a weak porter more than an "extra stout".

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

330 ml bottle, in Bali. ABV is 5%. Golden colour, moderate white head. Pleasant aroma of fruity hops (Styrian Goldings), notes of tropical fruits. The flavour has also notes of tropical fruits, but the bitterness is too low. Yeasty finish.

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

330 ml bottle, in Bali. ABV is 5%. Golden colour, slightly hazy, moderate white head. Very nice hoppy aroma, notes of citrus, pine and tropical fruits. Relatively light bodied, but the flavour has a pleasant hoppy fruitiness throughout, tropical fruits again, moderate but sufficient bitterness. Storm’s best beer.

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

500 ml can, from a Bali supermarket. ABV is 5%. Golden colour, large white head. Typical industrial lager aroma, some sweetish candy notes, also strong grassy notes, hints of alcohol. The flavour is medium sweetish with tolerable malts, smooth and easy to drink. The hops are very moderate, but there are no offensive side flavours in this beer, and it is actually better than I feared.

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

330 ml bottle, from a Bali supermarket. ABV is 5%. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Large to moderate beige head. Aroma of dark malts, mild coffee, caramel and palm sugar. The flavour is medium dry and only mildly roasty, again notes of mild coffee and dark malts, hints of caramel and palm sugar. Slightly acidic and thin finish. I cannot say that I am able to identify the ginseng.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 2 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 2

330 ml green bottle, from a Bali supermarket. ABV is 0%. Very pale golden colour, large to moderate white head. "Chemical" sweetish aroma (various preservatives are actualy added to this "beer"), notes of unfermented wort, cooked vegetables, pear drops and rotting fruits and vegetables, pretty disgusting. Sweet flavour, sugary and "chemical", no bitterness. Undrinkable - a real drainpour.

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

330 ml can, from a Bali supermarket. ABV is 5%. Pale golden colour, large to moderate white head. Strong grassy aroma, also notes of flowers and artificial candy. Fairly sweet flavour, bordering on "sugary", some malts, some fruit, minimal bitterness. Not undrinkable when cold - certainly not something to search out, but as it seems to be available in every supermarket in Bali, you take what you can get ...

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

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7%. Pale golden colour, huge white head. Spicy, yeasty and somewhat soapy aroma. Dry and yeasty flavour, with mild spicy notes. Moderate hops. Not bad, but a bit too yeasty for my taste.