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

500 ml bottle, at Jenny Watts, Bangor. ABV 4.7%. Unfiltered and unpasteurised. Pale golden colour, large white head. Moderate aroma of pilsener malts, some citrus and dust. Citrussy and mildly spicy flavour, fairly dry. Okay, but not impressive.

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

600 ml bottle, from a corner shop in London. ABV is 7.5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Moderate roasty aroma, hints of tar, coffee and cigar box, also a touch of burnt rubber. Roasty flavour, notes of coffee, a certain acidity. Hoppy and roasty bitterness in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.2%. Dry hopped. Golden colour, big white head. Strong fruity / citrussy aroma of Cascade and Amarillo hops, some hints of stale / rotting citrus peel too. The flavour is also citrussy and zesty, with a proper bitterness in the finish. Quite good.

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

330 ml bottle with tear-off cap, from Ølkonsortiet, Aalborg. Bottle conditioned. ABV is 7.0%. Pitch black colour, large tan head. Very nice roasty aroma, notes of dark chocolate, mild coffee and tar, a hint of liquorice. The flavour is moderately roasty and fairly dry, with strong notes of dark chocolate and coffee. Just a slight fruity acidity. The finish has a solid hoppy and roasty bitterness. Slightly salty aftertaste. Very good.

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

330 ml bottle with tear-off cap, from Ølkonsortiet, Aalborg. ABV is 5%. Very dark brown to black colour, large beige head. Roasty aroma with notes of mild coffee and dark chocolate, a hint of wood and bonfires, also hints of hops. Very nice roasty flavour, fairly dry, notes of coffee, hints of dark bitter chocolate and wood, decent hops throughout. Not extreme in any way, just well balanced and highly drinkable.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

On tap it's a safe bet, easily available - for most people Irish stout = Guinness, but if given the choice I actually prefer Beamish.

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

My can (bought in Norway, ABV 4,8%) says 'Premium Irish Beer', but surely this must be more or less the same thing?? An easily drinkable ale, perhaps not all that much character, but good, GOOD (not great). I don't hate nitro cans, but would like to sample this one on tap. (Maybe I have, without noticing....) Rerate: ABV 4.2% version, 440 ml can says "Premium beer" but this is clearly the same stuff, just a little more watery version. Very smooth.

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

I too prefer the draught version (nitro can incl.)- but still the original is very, very good! Try it with bacon and eggs - makes you want to eat breakfast all day.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Always a winner! - at least when the alternatives are average lagers. The bitter and coffee-like aftertaste may not be a favourite with everyone. Rerate: Well, I'll never turn down a Guinness - but still has to take off a few points. It's good, but not THAT good!

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

Smoother than Guinness, very drinkable. A stout recommended for beginners. Rerate: ...which doesn't in any way imply that Beamish hasn't a lot to offer the experienced stout drinker as well. Aroma is better than Guinness, and the flavour is outstanding too. I simply suggested that the prejudiced anti-stout drinker might find out that he/she actually likes it.

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Colour is black (= very dark brown), very good and creamy tan head, leaves a nice lacing. Lovely roasted coffee-like aroma with notes of unrefined cane sugar. Flavour is all roast barley with coffee notes, not particularly complex but still very good. Dry aftertaste. An excellent alternative to GBM (Guinness/Beamish/Murphy’s).

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

A modern style red ale that really isn't too bad - but the fact that it's brewed by Guinness frequently makes my inner voice ask: Sigmund, don't you REALLY want a Guinness instead? And, behold, the answer normally is YES! Re-rate 2600302: I'm lowering the aroma rating (bottled version, no nitro) - the aroma is strangely dominated by unpleasant, artificial candy notes. The flavour is still good, aftertaste acceptable.

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

I had this one on tap in Scotland - it's definitely a good ale. Not brilliant, but good. Very good!

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

This is a nice Irish dry stout, giving Guinness real competition. Best on tap, but nice from the widget can too.

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

This is a nice Irish dry stout, giving Guinness real competition. Best on tap, but nice from the widget can too.

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

To the best of my knowledge, this is the same beer as Guinness Draught (can), with a nitrogen-widget in the bottle. I had it served at an Angus Steak House outlet in London, poured in a glass (drinking a nitro-beer straight from the bottle? - what an idea!!). Smooth and pleasant to drink, with the usual Guinness coffee-like roastiness.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. Chestnut colour, large cream-coloured head, nice lacing. Very moderate aroma of malts and caramel. Malty flavour with some toffee and a noticeable bitterness, but not very complex or remarkable. Drinkable of course, but this is a beer that probably would be a lot better if cask or bottle conditioned. It’s not, which makes it not that much better than "average".

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Black (= very dark brown) colour. Truly impressive large and thick brown head. Aroma of malts, oak, leather, coffee and dark chocolate. Flavour is overwhelmingly bitter from the roasted barley and hops, but also sweeter than regular Guinness. Elements of very strong coffee, hints of bitter chocolate. Bitterness lasts through the long aftertaste. Not for beginners. The crowd who think nitro draught Guinness is "sooo strong" should try this one!

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

500 ml can, bought in Norway. ABV here is 4.7%, to permit the beer being sold in our grocery stores. Canned (and watered down?) in Norway by Hansa-Borg Bryggerier. Reddish brown colour, good head. Aroma is malty with caramel, hints of oak and spices. Full malty flavour, nicely rounded, hints of caramel and herbs. Aftertaste is not unpleasant, but short and a bit watery. This beer is better than I expected, and much better than Kilkenny.

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

Keg pint, as Lough Gill Anderson's Irish Ale, in The Railway Bar, Sligo. Deep reddish brown colour, large and creamy head, slightly off-white. Aroma and flavour of malts and butterscotch. Too much butterscotch (diacetyl), but drinkable.

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

Keg pint at The Railway Bar, Sligo. Golden colour, creamy white head. Grapefruity aroma and flavour, some pine, decent bitterness. Quite nice beer this one.

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

Keg pint at The Railway Bar, Sligo. Slightly hazy golden colour, creamy white head. Aroma and flavour of citrus, hints of tropical fruits and pine - but just too little of everything. Thin mouthfeel, otherwise there is nothing wrong with it - but there are just too many of these insipid "session IPAs" these days.

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

Pint from nitro keg at Hargadon Bros. in Sligo. Black colour, creamy tan head. Nice roasty aroma. Astonishingly full and creamy mouthfeel for a beer clocking in at only 4%. Pleasant roasty flavour, notes of coffee and dark chocolate. Better than Guinness Draught.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

440 ml nitro can, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. Deep reddish brown beer appears after the nitro surge, creamy off-white head. Moderate aroma of grain, malts, caramel and dust. Very smooth mouthfeel. Slightly roasty malts in the flavour, medium bitter finish.

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

Feb. 2016: 500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Madla. ABV is 6.0%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Moderate aroma of roast malts and coffee, hints of chocolate, a whiff of vomit. Medium dry flavour, roast malts and coffee again, also dark bitter chocolate, tar and unsweetened liquorice.