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

Cask conditioned (hand pump) at the Brains bar at the GBBF 2008. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights. Moderate tan head. Moderate roasty aroma, notes of malts and chocolate. The flavour is moderately roasty with a slight acidity.

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

Forced draught at the GBBF 2008. Cloudy golden colour, moderate head. Typical hefeweizen aroma: cloves, banana, citrus. The flavour is very citrussy / lemony (maybe too much), also notes of cloves and banana.

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

Bottle at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour, moderate head. Moderate but pleasant and "clean" aroma of hops, a hint of flowers. The flavour is reasonably hoppy (German / Czech hops?) with a moderate sweetness. Nice enough. Added note to self: the hops are certainly not German / Czech. The hops used are Cascade, Fuggles, Nugget, Target and Styrian Goldings.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. Golden colour. Very nice aroma of butterscotch and caramel, some oaky notes too. Moderately malty flavour with hints of honey, dusty finish.

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

Cask at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 5.0%. Brown colour. Nice aroma, malts, caramel, hops. The flavour is slightly less interesting, some fruitiness and malts, but like most brown ales it lacks hops. Drank it too warm though.

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

Cask conditioned at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) 2008. Golden colour, low head. Moderate pale malts and some fruit in the aroma and flavour, tolerably well hopped.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, bought at the GBBF 2008 for takeaway. Amber colour, big head. Aroma of Fuggles hops, but surprisingly moderate. The flavour is dominated by Fuggles hops as expected, but there is also a noticeable malty sweetness. Some fruity notes and a piney and slightly soapy finish. The bitterness is fairly subdued for an American IPA.

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

500 ml brown bottle, thanks to oh6gdx and chris_o. ABV is 5.0%. Golden to amber colour, big off-white head. Pleasant aroma of honey, floral notes. The flavour is relatively sweet with distinct notes of honey and caramel, burnt toast in the finish. Moderate hops.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.8%. Amber to brown colour, decent head. Malty and nutty aroma with notes of caramel and bakery. The flavour is nutty and malty too, but also with a noticeable fruitiness, and decent hops in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Based on Nøgne Ø God Jul, matured with spruce and blended with a wild forest cranberry ("tyttebær") "lambic" (brettanomyces fermented). Very dark brown colour, nearly black, with a low beige head. Distinct notes of spruce in the aroma, also notes of fruit / berries, coffee, chocolate and liquorice. Very unusual flavour where the spruce and wild forest cranberries dominate, but I’m not entirely sure how well the various flavour elements really do blend. The mouthfeel is a bit fizzy. Still an interesting beer.

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

250 ml bottle, shared with Ole_R, thx! ABV was 11.5%. "Imperial Rauchbier / Rauchwine" brewed with honey, and stored 3 months in a new oak barrel. Deep copper coloured beer, low beige head. Intense aroma of smoke and oak. The flavour is very smoky and oaky as expected, with notes of charcoal, but is also surprisingly fruity and sweet with notes of raisins and fortified wine.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Vaaland Spesialbutikken, Bryne. ABV is 4.1%. Brewed with organically grown Optic malts and First Gold hops. Deep golden to amber colour, creamy off-white head. Moderate aroma of grass and vegetables. The flavour has distinct hops throughout, "dry" mouthfeel, the finish is very bitter.

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

330 ml bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). ABV is 8.5%. The beer starts pouring out of the bottle by its own will. Dark chestnut coloured beer, hazy when the yeast is poured in the end. Moderate beige head. Strong aroma of anise, "Christmas" spices and liquorice. The flavour has again notes of anise and various "Christmas" spices. Not too sweet. The alcohol is well hidden. Nice beer, but should not be your first choice if you hate anise.

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

500 ml bottle, brew #8/6, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Dark brown colour, big and creamy beige head. Nice malty sweetish aroma with loads of caramel and fresh bread, also some fruity notes. The flavour is also malty with some bready notes, hints of caramel but not really sweet, moderate hops. Some fruity notes in the finish. Hints of resin in the aftertaste. Has not really got anything to make it stand out as a Yule/Christmas beer, but it is a nice and drinkable dunkel nevertheless.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, with a big and lasting white head. The aroma has notes of pale malts, fruity hops and honey, hints of resin. The flavour has pleasant fruity hops on a decent background of pale malts, hints of resin and maybe a little smoke in the finish. Nice one.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, brew #2, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Cloudy straw coloured beer, with a huge white head that lasts "forever". Strong wheaty and spicy aroma, notes of cloves, pepper and bubble gum. The flavour is distinctly spicy / peppery with a firm bitterness in the finish. Long lasting aftertaste. Unusual beer, designed to go with "rakfisk" (= half-fermented stinking trout or other freshwater fish), the regional favourite dish of Valdres. I had it on its own though.

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 6%. This buckwheat (French: "sarrasin") beer is organic (Fr.: "biologique")., and has had a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Pale golden colour, hazy. Fluffy white head. Sweetish aroma, citrus, cloves, banana and tropical fruits, hints of aniseed candy. Spritzy mouthfeel, light bodied. Mild flavour, fairly dry, some citrus and peppery notes. Okay, but not worth the ridiculously high price in Norway.

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

500 ml bottle, as Duchy Originals Organic Select Ale, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Also available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.2%. Clear and deep amber colour, moderate off-white head. Fairly strong and sweetish aroma with vinous and fruity notes (dates, figs), also notes of malts, pastry and caramel. The mouthfeel is fairly rich and full. The flavour is malty but not very sweet, earthy notes, some toffee and caramel, with fruity hops in the finish, leaving a decent bitterness in the aftertaste. Not bad at all.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at ICA Middelthon, Stavanger. ABV of the bottled version is 4.4%. Clear amber to brown colour, moderate off-white head, leaves a nice lacing. Fruity hops in the aroma, notes of berries and toffee / some caramel. The flavour has a moderate malty sweetness, some fruit and notes of caramel. Fairly dry hoppy finish. Not exceptional, but definitely very drinkable.

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

330 ml bottle, as Steenbrugge Dubbel Bruin, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Dark reddish brown colour, huge beige head. High level of carbonation. Moderate but nice aroma of candi sugar, malts, caramel and spices. Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is malty with notes of brown sugar, dried dark fruits and moderate spices. Not too sweet. The finish has noticeable hops and is slightly woody. OKish.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.7%. Golden colour, slightly hazy, pours very fizzy with a huge to moderate head. Strong and pleasant aroma of spices, Belgian yeast and fruit (cider apples, oranges). Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is fairly sweet with notes of spices, white candi sugar, yeast and some fruit, noticeable hops in the finish.

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

Sample from 330 ml bottle at the Brewery International stand, Smak 09. ABV is 5.0%. Golden colour, hazy, moderate head. Moderate hefeweizen aroma, notes of cloves and bubblegum. The flavour is fairly dry with moderate notes of cloves.

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

330 ml bottle, named Corsendonk Agnus - Tripel. ABV is 7.5%. Courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Very pale clear golden colour, huge head. Sweetish and fruity aroma, both fresh and fermenting fruits, slightly yeasty, hints of spices. Flavour is moderately sweet and spicy, there’s an unusual element of saltiness / sea water. Light bodied for its strength, but the alcohol is noticeable. Low bitterness.

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

25 cl bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Very pale golden colour, first clear, slightly hazy in the end. Huge white head. Fruity sweet "perfumed" aroma with notes of green apples, some citrus and spices too. Light bodied and refreshing for a 7.3% beer, fruity flavour with green apples and some citrus again, hints of spices and yeast, very moderate hops. Not bad, but I’ve had better.

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

33 cl bottle, courtesy of gunnfryd, who supplied it to our tasting. The ABV was 5.0%. Served at room temperature, which was too warm, and caused the beer to gush out of the bottle when opening. Hazy golden colour, moderate head. Surprisingly malty aroma, plenty of coriander. Moderately spicy flavour.