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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. Dark brown colour, nearly black. Low beige head. Nice aroma of moderately roasted malts, tobacco and some citrus. Flavour also of moderately roasted malts, and fruity and slightly resinous hops. The alcohol is well hidden. Good, but does not blow my socks off.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.6%. Brownish orange colour, big off-white head. Aroma of fruity, piney and floral hops, also sweetish marmelade notes. The flavour is sweet (too sweet?) with loads of bitter hops. Could use some more complexity.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Cloudy brown colour, moderate beige head. Moderate aroma of brown candi sugar, leather and spices. The flavour has notes of (Belgian?) ale yeast, brown malts, brown candi sugar (without being very sweet), spices and alcohol. Moderate hops in the finish, fairly bitter aftertaste.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.5%. Brown colour, decent head. The aroma is caramel, caramel and some butterscotch - and caramel again. The flavour is caramel first, and caramel in the finish - and, if you you are in doubt: also caramel (and butterscotch) in the middle. For good measure, you get caramel in the aftertaste too. If this leads you to think that the beer is cloyingly sweet, it is not - it just has this caramel flavour throughout. Lucky me - I happen to like caramel ...

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

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. Brew #384. ABV is 6%. Dark brown colour, slightly hazy, big cream-coloured head. Nice aroma of Christmas spices and caramel malts, hints of oranges. Rather light bodied for a 6% beer. The flavour is somewhat acidic and citrussy, notes of Christmas spices, not much sweetness, very moderate hops. Drinkable, but far from the best Christmas beer I’ve had.

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

330 ml bottle, batch #297, bought at Coop OBS, Bryne. ABV is 4.7%. Dark brown to black colour, big beige head. Strong sweetish aroma of ginger, cocoa and oranges. Light bodied, can’t be expected to be a match for its big brother Santa Paws. Fairly refreshing flavour, not very sweet, strong notes of ginger and cocoa, bitter and peppery finish. Seems somewhat unbalanced with all its spiciness, lacks a malty backbone.

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

750 ml bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. Dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Fairly nice aroma, moderately spicy notes, also notes of brown malts and leather. Flavour of brown malts and brown sugar (without being very sweet), moderate hops. An okay brown ale!

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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV 4.5%. Hazy pale golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate spicy aroma of wheat beer yeast, coriander and orange peel. Spicy flavour, coriander, cloves and orange. A very drinkable beer!

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

Bottles, shared at Holmen Nanobryggeri’s annual Christmas/Yule beer tasting. ABV 7.2%. Clear golden colour, moderate white head. Spicy aroma. Moderately spicy flavour. Decent and drinkable, but a bit too far out on the "light" end of what is acceptable for a Christmas brew.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Dark brown colour, big to moderate tan head. Nice aroma of slightly burnt caramel and brown bread. The flavour has also notes of caramel, fresh black bread, and burnt brown bread toast. Not very sweet. Maybe not so exceptional, but a drinkable and decent dunkel. Should not be drunk too cold.

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

500 ml swingtop bottle, as Bernard Specialni Černé pivo, unpasteurised. ABV is 5.1%. A gift from gunnar, thanks. BB date 01.07.10. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Big tan head. Aroma of brown bread, caramel and dust. The flavour is moderately malty but not very sweet, bready and dusty notes. Okay, but not impressive.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.8%. Deep golden to amber colour, slightly hazy. Big off-white head. Light and sweetish pleasant aroma, fruity, spicy and floral, with notes of orange peel, coriander and cardamom, hints of honey. Moderately sweetish flavour with distinct spicy notes, hints of orange peel and honey, and a distinct and dry hoppy bitterness in the finish.

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

355 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Also available in some Norwegian grocery stores. Hazy pale golden colour, big white head. Typical hefeweizen aroma of ripe bananas and cloves. The flavour also has notes of ripe bananas and cloves, medium sweet, soft mouthfeel, very drinkable, low bitterness. A good hefeweizen - no more, no less.

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

650 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 11.0%, 23 degrees Plato. Made with 2-row pale malt, cara-pils malt and red wheat. Kettle hops are Chinook and Cascade, dry hopped with Cascade, Centennial and Chinook. Orange to amber colour, big off-white head. Aroma of resinous American hops, also hints of stale orange marmalade. The medium sweet flavour is intensely hoppy throughout, bordering on "too much", piney and resinous notes. Some notes of old orange marmalade and caramel too. Not for the faint of heart.

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

On tap, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Black colour, big beige head. Strong aroma of smoked meat / bacon, also roasty notes. The flavour has also strong smokey notes, and moderate roasty notes. A bit too much "smoked meat" for my taste. Not very sweet. A "German Rauchbier meets Baltic Porter"-experience.

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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, as El Gaitero Sidra Extra, from Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget. ABV is 4.8%. Crystal clear very pale yellow colour, pours very fizzy with a big white head that actually lasts a minute. Strong and a bit sharp aroma of sulphites and cider apples. The flavour is medium sweet, with clean notes of both cider apples and sweet eating apples. Just a hint of sulphites in the background. Easy drinking.

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

Bottle, kindly shared by abemorsten. ABV is 5.2%. Apparently matured on toasted oak chips. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Big to moderate beige head. Nice aroma of mildly roasted malts, wood and ashes. The flavour is dry, oaky and moderately roasty. A slight acidity in the finish.

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

330 ml bottle, as Bohemia Regent Petra Voka Polomatvé Pivo. ABV is 5.3%. Might be imported to Norway. Copper coloured beer, moderate head, slightly off-white. Moderate but nice aroma, hints of brown bread and caramel. Soft mouthfeel. Well balanced flavour, malty with some caramel, but not too sweet. Moderate hops in the finish. Pleasant to drink.

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

750 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.8%. Hazy brown colour, big to moderate off-white head. Moderate "dusty" aroma, hints of wood and yeast, just a touch of smoke. Soft and pleasant mouthfeel. The flavour has notes of oak / wood and mild spices, hints of smoke, a decent hoppy bitterness in the finish. Smoke in the aftertaste.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Beer, Stavanger. ABV is 4.6%. Golden colour, hazy in the end, big white head. Fairly nice aroma of floral and herbal Czech and German hops. The flavour is definitely on the hoppy side side, but there is also enough malty sweetness to back it up. Herbal character, some honeyish notes too. Good bitterness in the finish, but not too much. Clearly a pils well above average.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, as Triple Moine, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger: ABV is 7.3%. Pale golden colour, slightly hazy. Huge white head. Fresh aroma of green apples and grassy hops. Fruity and mildly spicy flavour, refreshing.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, as Waterloo Triple 7, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.5%. Very pale straw coloured beer, huge white head. Nice aroma of grassy and herbal hops (Saaz and Spalt), also some mildly spicy notes. Refreshing flavour, light bodied for its strength, some sweetness but not too much. Some herbal notes, the hops are noticeable. Easy drinking.

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

Cask, as George Gale Seafarers Ale, at the Euston Flyer, London. Deep golden colour, low head. Moderate fruity aroma, some nutty hints too. Soft mouthfeel. Moderate nutty flavour, moderate hops.

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

Cask at The Harp, London. Served a bit too warm. Pale golden colour, low white head. Moderate hoppy and slightly citrussy aroma. Distinctly hoppy flavour with a nice bitterness throughout.

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

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington. Called a premium bitter. Golden colour, moderate white head. Nice aroma of butterscotch and fudge. Refreshing flavour with a decent hoppy bitterness throughout.