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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 8.5%. Pale clear golden colour, large and lasting head. Lovely spicy and fruity aroma. Soft mouthfeel. Some sweetness and fruit in the flavour, the high ABV is treacherously well hidden. Well, you get some idea that the beer is stronger than average, but not 8.5% ... Hints of spices. Surprisingly moderate hops. Aftertaste is not impressive. Best served cold.

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

33 cl bottle, as "Gordon Finest Scotch Highland Ale", courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 8.6%.Copper colour, large beige head. Pleasant aroma of malts, caramel and hops. The flavour is very sweet as expected, malts, sugar and caramel galore, but the sweetness is to some degree balanced by decent hops, which linger in the aftertaste. Still, the beer is sweeter than I’d like it to be. But at 8.6% ABV, this is not an easy-drinking refreshment beer anyway. Worth a try, when you know what to expect.

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

33 cl bottle, courtesy of gunnfryd, who supplied it to our tasting. The ABV was 6.0%. Served at room temperature, which was too warm, and caused the beer to gush out of the bottle when opening. Hazy deep golden colour. Pleasant spicy aroma. Moderately spicy but nice flavour.

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

500 ml bottle, bottle conditioned. Brewed with juniper and smoked malts. Dark brown colour, creamy head. The aroma is dominated by smoke (beechwood?) and oak. The flavour is very smokey and woody, with notes of hickory and tar. Dry finish.

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

250 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Also available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 5%. This spelt beer is organic (French: "biologique")., and has had a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Very pale blonde colour, hazy. Large and fluffy white head. Yeasty, spicy (cloves a.o.) and citrussy aroma, nice. Spritzy mouthfeel. The flavour is wheaty, fairly dry, notes of citrus and pepper. Not very different from their buckwheat beer "Sara". Joseph is a decent beer, but not worth the ridiculously high price in Norway.

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

Cask conditioned at The Lord Rosebery, Scarborough. Served a little too warm. ABV is 3.8%. Brown colour, minimal head. Moderate aroma, some malt. Reasonably hoppy flavour, "dusty" dry bitter finish. Decent, but not very complex.

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

Cask conditioned at The Golden Lion, York. Served at correct temperature. Golden colour. Creamy head, nice lacing. Moderate wheaty and citrussy aroma. Pleasant wheaty and lemony / grapefruity flavour, soft mouthfeel, refreshing. Rerate, 500 ml bottle, bought at ICA Middelthon, Stavanger (also available at Vaaland, Bryne). ABV is 4.4%. Crystal clear pale golden colour (like a pilsener), big to moderate white head. The aroma is hoppy with grassy and citric notes. Refreshing hoppy flavour, ending in a grapefruity and slightly resinous bitterness, there is some malty sweetness but it is quite subdued. I thought the cask version had more of a wheaty character than the bottle. Well, the bottles are pasteurised, so that probably explains it. More of a "well hopped pilsener" character here. Not bad though.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Scarborough. ABV is 4.4%. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Moderate creamy tan head. Aroma of dark malts and something undefinable strange which I guess is the seaweed. Moderate carbonation, smooth mouthfeel. The flavour has moderate roasted malts and very moderate hops - and again (but this time very moderate) "strange" sidenotes which must be the seaweed. The beer is definitely drinkable, but I’m still not convinced that adding seaweed as an ingredient in beer is a particularly brilliant idea.

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

500 ml bottle, from Integrated Bottling Solutions, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4%. Golden brown colour, decent head. Some malt, biscuits and caramel in the moderate aroma. The flavour has moderate malts with some fruity / citrussy hops. Refreshing. No masterpiece, but definitely drinkable.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 5.0%. Deep golden to amber colour, huge head. Moderate aroma with a little malts and a touch of cooked vegetables. Soft and pleasant mouthfeel, moderate malts & hops make this an easy-drinking bitter, slightly fruity but nothing really remarkable. OKish.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger, as "Branded Drinks Old Gee Spot". ABV is 4.0%. BB date Dec 08. Clear amber colour, large head. Fairly strong and sweetish / sugary fruity aroma, also notes of malts, treacle and bakery. Moderate malty flavour, mellow and easy drinking, low bitterness.

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

250 ml bottle, as "Leireken Bio Boekweit Bruin / Sarasin Brune", now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget), at an outrageous price. ABV is 6%. BB date end of 2007. Dark brown coloured beer, huge tan head. Moderate aroma of malts with hints of red wine vinegar, caramel, oak and spices. Moderately malty flavour but fairly dry, with hints of oak and spices. Decent enough, but not worth the high price in Norway.

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

Cask conditioned at The Three Judges, Glasgow. Mahogany coloured beer, minimal head. Unusual aroma: oak / woodwork, malt vinegar, dark fruits, sweat. The flavour is fruity with notes of vinegar, fairly dry. Not too exciting, but OK.

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

Cask conditioned at The State, Glasgow. Amber coloured beer, moderate head. Moderately malty and fruity aroma and flavour, with just a hint of malt vinegar. Moderate hops.

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

500 ml bottle, at Blackfriars, Glasgow, as "Grozet Lagered Celtic Ale". ABV is 5.0%. Brewed with crushed gooseberries. Golden colour, slightly hazy. Moderate head. Nice aroma of hops and gooseberries. Lagerish flavour (drank it too cold though), with moderate but decent hops and notes of gooseberries.

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

Cask conditioned at the Halfway House, Edinburgh. Deep golden colour, moderate creamy head. Moderate aroma, nothing really stands out. The flavour is quite well balanced between the malts and hops. Moderate fruity notes, hoppy / dusty finish. Okay.

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

500 ml blue "liqueur design" bottle, bought in Edinburgh. "Lote 00148". ABV is 4.7%. Black coloured beer, reddish brown in the highlights. Large to moderate tan head. Unusual aroma with notes of balsamic vinegar, dark fermenting fruits, ensilage, burned rubber and glue, hints of chocolate and liquorice - good and not-so-good at the same time. The flavour is moderately roasty, fruity and acidic with distinct notes of smoke, hints of liquorice. The mouthfeel is a bit thin. Very far from being the best porter in the world, but worth a try.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Deep amber colour, moderate head. Woody / oaky aroma, but not very strong. The flavour is fairly sweet and woody.

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

Cask conditioned at The Standing Order, Edinburgh (a JDW pub), as "Strathaven The Standing Order Red Ale" (allegedly brewed specially for this pub). ABV was 5.1%. Amber colour, low head. Very moderate aroma, nothing really stands out, maybe a hint of blackcurrant leaves. Fruity flavour, notes of red berries, decent hops. Quite nice.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Cloudy golden colour, moderate head. Fruity and wheaty aroma. Zesty and alcoholic flavour, "raw in the edges", well hopped.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Hazy golden colour. Wheaty aroma, hints of malt vinegar and oak. Wheaty flavour, decent hops. Overall a fairly decent wheat beer.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Amber coloured beer, large head. Aroma of malts and toffee. The flavour has loads of toffee and caramel, fairly sweet. Minimal hops.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Amber / reddish colour. I drank this one too warm, but the beer still had a nice malty and caramel aroma and flavour.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Another beer I drank too warm. Golden colour. Very nice and complex hoppy aroma. Hoppy and alcoholic flavour.

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

355 ml (12 fl oz) bottle, bought at Peckham’s, Glasgow. ABV is 5.0%. Amber colour, large to moderate head with an orange hue. Nice sweetish aroma of malts and plenty of fruity hops, hints of molasses. The flavour is surprisingly short, some fruity hops but a moderate bitterness, biscuity notes.