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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger, as HaandBryggeriet Costa Rica Porter. Black colour, low tan head. Lovely aroma of mild coffee and dark chocolate, a hint of cigarbox. Medium dry flavour with coffee, dark chocolate and a touch of tar and smoke. Another good beer from HaandBryggeriet!

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

Cask (hand pump) at the Bree Louise, London. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Low creamy tan head. Nice aroma of fruity New World hops. Lovely hoppy flavour with fruity and piney notes, on a background of moderately roasted malts, with notes of chocolate and mild coffee.

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

Cask at the Number Twenty-2, Darlington. Black colour, ruby in the highlights, creamy beige head. Nice aroma of mildly roasted malts, mild coffee and chocolate. Smooth mouthfeel. Roasty flavour, medium sweet (or medium dry, if you like), notes of coffee.

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

375 ml green bottle (corked and wired), red foil top / partly red label, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 13.1%. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Lovely roasty, oaky and vinous aroma, also hints of leather and cigarbox. Very roasty flavour (a distinct roasty and hoppy bitterness throughout), medium sweet with distinct oaky notes.

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

Cask (hand pump) at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival 2011. ABV is 6.3%. Very dark ruby colour, nearly black. Moderate beige head. Very nice vinous aroma, hints of oak and ripe red fruits. The flavour has a certain fruitiness with vinous notes, but is not very sweet. Moderately bitter finish with woody notes. One of the better beers of the festival.

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

Cask conditioned at The Market Tavern, Durham. ABV is 4.1%. Mahogany coloured beer, nice and creamy beige head. Strong aroma of caramel and chocolate, also fruit liqueur chocolates. Smooth mouthfeel. Nice flavour of chocolate and caramel, some hops in the finish.

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

750 ml liqueur-style bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV is 5.2%. Black colour, ruby in the highlights, large beige head. Nice aroma of lightly roasted malts, chocolate and tobacco. Lovely rounded and mellow flavour of moderately roasted malts, chocolate, mild coffee and liquorice, just a hint of tobacco.

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

330 ml bottle conditioned, bought at The Cheese & Wine Shop, Darlington. ABV is 7.7%. Pitch black colour, big to moderate brown head. Roasty aroma with strong notes of coffee, hints of liquorice and ashes. The flavour is roasty and quite dry, again strong notes of coffee, hints of liquorice and dark bitter chocolate. Good stuff.

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

500 ml bottle, from Selfridge’s food store, London. ABV is 5.5%. Very dark brown colour, large to moderate beige head. Nice malty aroma and flavour, notes of caramel, dark dried fruits and nuts, hints of chocolate. Rich mouthfeel. Moderate but noticeable hops in the finish. Well balanced and very enjoyable.

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

Bottle conditioned, 500 ml. ABV is 5.3%. Bought in Sweden at Systembolaget. BB date 23/Mar/11. Deep golden colour, big to moderate white head. Pleasant aroma of hops, wood and rum-raisin. Lovely flavour, very well balanced between a distinct malty and fruity sweetness and equally distinct hops. Just the right bitterness in the finish. Brilliant stuff.

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

500 ml bottle, Vintage 2010, bottle No. 036761, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.5%. Beautiful clear amber colour, large to moderate off-white head. Surprisingly moderate aroma, notes of "dusty" hops, some oaky and vinous notes in the background. The flavour is oaky and medium sweet, with hints of dark dried fruits, but also with distinct notes of Target and Goldings hops. Highly drinkable as it is now, but will no doubt mellow and mature with time.

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

500 ml bottle in cardboard box, as Fuller’s Brewer’s Reserve No. 2 Limited Edition Oak Aged Ale. Matured in Cognac casks. ABV is 8.2%. Will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 01886. Copper colour, large off-white head. Fine vinous and oaky aroma, notes of cognac and old sherry, also notes of raisins and other dark dried fruits, some caramel. The flavour is distinctly oaky, with an initial slight acidity on the tip of the tongue. Notes of cognac, hints of dark dried fruits, chocolate and vanilla, but the beer is not too sweet. Moderately bitter finish. Good stuff!

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

500 ml clear bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 7%. Black colour, large tan head. Roasty aroma with notes of coffee, hints of dark chocolate and woodwork, also an initial hint of fruity acidity. Fairly smooth mouthfeel. The flavour is medium sweet with notes of dark malts, coffee, chocolate and molasses. Some fruitiness too, but the bitterness is quite moderate. Pretty good stuff.

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

On tap at Copenhagen Beer Festival. Golden colour, moderate white head. Lovely piney and resinous aroma, also notes of tropical fruits. The flavour has also notes of pine and tropical fruits, very pleasant and thirstquenching.

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

At Copenhagen Beer Festival. Hazy deep golden colour. Strong and pleasant aroma of American hops (Warrior, Simcoe and Centennial), fruity and piney notes. The flavour is also dominated by said fruity hops, but is not too extreme. Noticeable malts with a little caramel balance the flavour nicely. Very good!

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

330 ml bottle, from Dagli’brugsen Skødstrup. ABV is 8.2%. Black colour, moderate head of good retention. Pleasant aroma of fruity hops and dark malts with some roasty notes of mild coffee, hints of caramel. Rich flavour, dark malts with some initial sweetness, then roasty coffee notes with a hint of liquorice, moderate bitterness in the finish.

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

Sample from bottle at Copenhagen Beer Festival. Black colour. Strong aroma of cognac oak barrel, roasted malts and smoke. Excellent flavour, oak and cognac up front, roasted malts and smoke in the background, ending in a decent bitterness.

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

At Copenhagen Beer Festival. Pitch black colour. Much the same as Hr. Frederiksen, only a little sweeter, less alcoholic and slightly less bitter. Roasty coffee notes dominant in both aroma and flavour, also notes of chocolate and vanilla. Smooth and very enjoyable.

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

750 ml corked (plastic) and wired "champagne" bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.0%. Black colour, huge brown head. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice, hints of smoke, tar and spices. Smooth mouthfeel, but lots of flavour: roasted barley (but not too much), coffee, liquorice and dark bitter chocolate, some smokiness, hints of spices, distinct hops in the finish and the dry aftertaste.

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

330 ml bottle, from Ølbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. Golden colour, slightly hazy, with a huge white head. Nice aroma of citrussy hops, also some piney and "dusty" notes, hints of orange marmalade. Soft mouthfeel. Excellent flavour of citrussy and piney hops, some sweetness but not too much, well balanced and very pleasant to drink.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. Pitch black colour, impenetrable for light. Moderate brown head. Strong roasty aroma, coffee, liquorice and leather, very good. Very roasty flavour, notes of strong coffee and plenty of liquorice, slightly salty finish. Dark chocolate in the aftertaste. The bitterness is not extreme - but that will change if Yin is mixed with double IPA Yang, as recommended.

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

550 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. 2009 brew, BB June 2012. ABV is 9%. Copper to chestnut coloured beer, large off-white head. Strong sweetish malty and vinous aroma, notes of raisins, caramel and oak. The flavour is also malty, oaky and vinous, with notes of old sherry, treacle and raisins, tolerable hops in the finish. Harmonious, elegant and very enjoyable.

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

355 ml bottle, from Ølbutikken (or possibly Høkeren), Copenhagen. ABV is 11.2%. Pitch black colour, moderate tan head. Compared to CC Either, the aroma is very moderate: Dusty notes up front, followed by notes of mild coffee, hints of dark chocolate and wood. Warming mouthfeel. In the flavour, wood is up front, followed by malts, molasses, chocolate and honey. Distinct resinous hops in the finish. Good stuff, but Either is a tad better.

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

500 ml bottle, from Ølkonsortiet, Aalborg. ABV is 5.9%. Very dark brown to black colour, huge and lasting tan head. Nice aroma elements - roasty notes from the malts, and moderate notes of tropical fruits. But do these two elements blend in perfectly? Well, not really - but the result is still quite nice. Smooth flavour and mouthfeel, moderate roasty notes, notes of chocolate, hints of liquorice, some fruity notes, moderate hops in the finish. Not very sweet. Can the IBU really be as high as 65 here? Incredible! Anyway, the beer is very pleasant to drink, if you simply choose to ignore the "IPA" part of the name.

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.