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

Cask conditioned at the 32nd Cambridge Beer Festival, gravity dispense. Deep amber colour. Strong treacle / burnt caramel aroma, lovely. Butterscotch flavour, moderately sweet but with a hoppy finish. Unusual and nice.

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

Bottle conditioned, 500 ml. Dark reddish brown colour, slightly hazy, large to moderate head. Fine aroma of oak, leather and camphorwood, some roastiness, brown sugar and prunes too. Flavour is very malty and slightly spicy with a moderate roastiness, but first and foremost dominated by a pronounced hoppy bitterness from start to finish - it’s debatable whether they have overdone the Target hops here. Aftertaste is definitely astringent. Still, it’s nice to have a beer where the use of both malts and hops obviously has been generous. This is not a beer for the "Carlings Black Label" crowd!

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

750 ml corked (champagne style) brown silk print bottle, bought in Denmark. Brown colour with a slight haziness, pours with a large fluffy off-white head. Very nice aroma of oak, leather, yeast, brown sugar, dried fruits and spices, hints of barnyard. Flavour has plenty of brown sugar, malts, oak and figs, hints of sour berries. Some spices and a certain alcoholic bite in the finish. I had to struggle to finish the big bottle by myself, which means that the brown sugar sweetness combined with 8% ABV becomes a little too much in the end. The big bottles are for sharing! Still - this is another solid abbey beer.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. Deep copper coloured, very good off-white head. Nice aroma of dark fruits, leather, oak and caramel malts. Flavour is malty sweet with a certain alcoholic burn, but not unpleasant. Some raisin notes too. Decent hops and a peppery finish. Not bad at all.

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

Bottle, RBESG 2005, Grand Tasting. Cloudy reddish colour with brownish tones. Intense barnyard and "fruits of the forest" aroma. Intensely sour flavour, lemons with notes of raspberries and blackcurrants. Overpowering and delightful at the same time.

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

550 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. Nearly black (= very dark brown with a reddish hue) colour, thick tan head. Moderate roasty aroma, notes of coffee and chocolate. Strong roasty flavour with coffee and bitter chocolate elements, dry roasty finish. Clearly a good beer.

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

Bottle, RBESG 2005 Grand Tasting. Dark reddish brown colour. Fine malty aroma with strong notes of oak and woodwork. Hints of tar. Oaky flavour with notes of tar and smoke. Low bitterness, fairly dry. A good strong mild!

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

Bottle, RBESG 2005 Grand Tasting. Golden brown colour. Vinous aroma, oaky and sherry notes. Oaky flavour, brandy notes. Could have been even more complex, though. Still, this is another fine and strong Belgian ale.

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

Rerate, 375 ml "champagne" bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6%. Unfiltered, bottled 10/03/2008. Pours very fizzy. Cloudy yellow colour, big white head. Lovely farmhouse aroma, notes of fermenting fruits and spices. The flavour is very sour and tart with notes of lemons and Bramley apples, hints of spices, some hops in the atertaste. Original rating: Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad, as 3 Fonteinen Beersel Oude Geuze 1999. Golden colour, large head. Funky aroma / mold, horseblanket. Nice sour flavour with oaky and farmhouse notes.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Germany. ABV is 7.1%, not 7.0% like the brewery website says. Deep chestnut colour, large and creamy light tan head. Very nice roasty aroma with notes of rye bread, caramel, hints of liquorice and chocolate. Fairly dry roasty flavour (roast malts), notes of coffee, toast and rye bread. Dry and hoppy bitter finish. An excellent doppelbock, not as smooth and sweet as some others of this style.

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

Bottle, RBESG 2005 Grand Tasting. Black colour, dark brown in the "edges". Lovely roasty aroma with notes of liquorice. Dry roasty flavour with strong espresso coffee notes, very bitter - probably more from the heavy roastiness than the hops.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, bought at Vinens Verden, Odense, Denmark. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Greyish brown foamy head. Very nice roasty aroma, notes of chocolate, liquorice, leather and oak. Roasty flavour with notes of strong coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Long bitter aftertaste from the roastiness and hops. Not bad at all.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Bier Spezi Hamburg. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Large and lingering greyish tan head, nice lacing. Pleasant moderately roasty aroma, also notes of dark fruits, chocolate, Schwarzbrot and coffee. Very nice flavour of roasted malts perfectly balanced with the hops, not too sweet, notes of coffee. Moderate roasty aftertaste which lasts "forever". A very good Schwarzbier!

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

750 ml painted (mock stoneware) corked bottle, now available in Norway (despite some objections by the humour & morality police). Amber to brown colour, large off-white head with an orangey hue. Malty sweetish aroma with strong notes of caramel, treacle and Christmas spices, also notes of yeast and oak. Flavour is very spicy and sweet (candy sugar) with a pleasant warming mouthfeel. There’s a hoppy and spicy (and slightly alcoholic) bite in the finish. A demanding beer, but not bad.

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

Draught at Pivni Galerie, Prague. The PG beer list says ABV is 4.9%, but the brewery website says 4.5%. Plato is 11%. "Havran" seems to mean "raven" in English, acccording to the website. Black colour, moderate tan head. Nice lacing. Malty aroma with notes of leather, liquorice and tobacco. Easily drinkable, moderate but nice roastiness, hints of liquorice. A slight sweetness in the aftertaste. Very good.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at KaDeWe, Berlin, as Herrnbräu Hefe Weißbier Hell. Hazy pale golden colour, enormous lasting white head. LOVELY cloves aroma, notes of citrus and banana too. Flavour has distinct cloves notes, moderate lemony notes too. Moderate body but decent for a hefe, refreshing. An excellent beer for a hot day.

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

Draught at the brewpub. Served far too cold. EBC 169.7, IBU 27. Black colour, moderate creamy tan head. Roast malts, coffee, smooth and velvety, well hopped, well balanced. Easy drinking despite its strength.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Germany. Deep copper colour, large beige head. Intense aroma of red fruits, dried fruits and jam / marmalade, also notes of cloves, oak and sherry. Flavour is moderately malty, slightly acidic with some vinous qualities, red fruits, caramel and rye bread in the background. Moderate carbonation, soft mouthfeel, smooth and pleasant to drink. A very nice rye beer.

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

12 fl. oz. (355 ml) bottle, at The Jolly Butcher, Frederikshavn, Denmark. "Limited bottling - Winter ’05 - ’06." ABV is 8.25%. Nearly black colour, very low tan head. Vinous aroma with strong notes of dark chocolate, plums, prunes and oak. Powerful flavour of strong coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Relatively sweet. Alcohol is evident, but not dominant. A great sipping beer!

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

355 ml bottle, bought in Frederikshavn, Denmark. A British spontaneously fermented cherry "lambic", hmm? Pours with a beautiful cherry red colour and a large and lasting pink head. Intense and beguiling aroma of sweet and sour cherries. Tastes like, duh ..., beer with cherry juice added, maybe because that’s what it actually is? Fairly sweet, reminds me of Lindemans Kriek, but also with a distinct cherry sourness. Low bitterness. Once you get used to the thought of beers tasting more or less like (first class) cherry sodas, this one (like most kriek lambics) actually taste GOOD! No, I wouldn’t want every beer to taste like this one. But it is a nice change of pace, and certainly worth a try!

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

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget). Cloudy / muddy brownish colour, large and lasting off-white head. Lovely hefeweizen aroma, full of ripe bananas and cloves, also notes of other spices, leather and tropical fruits. Flavour is zesty and mildly spicy, some citrus, and even decent hops for a h.w. Very nice!

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

RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. ABV is 6.3%, OG is 1.070. Lovely chocolate aroma, roasty with notes of toffee too, hints of tar and liquorice. Flavour is malty and moderately roasty, pastry notes. Another fine beer from one of my favourite breweries.

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

500 ml bottle, at Haket, Göteborg. Served with a Chimay glass. Black colour, low tan head. Nice roasty aroma with strong notes of prunes and chocolate, hints of liquorice and pipe tobacco. Flavour is creamy and mellow, but also distinctly roasty with notes of coffee and chocolate. A very fine beer.

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

RBESG 2006, Grand Tasting. ABV is 9%. Malt content 18.1% Plato. Dark reddish brown colour, moderate tan head. Lovely vinous sweet aroma, plenty of oak, chocolate and a moderate roastiness. Flavour is malty and moderately roasty with rye bread and chocolate notes. Another good Polish (Baltic) porter.

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

330 ml bottle (BB 13/09/09). Now also available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). Copper coloured, huge light tan creamy and lingering head. Moderate but pleasant aroma of dark fruits, spices and oak, hints of claret. Flavour has plenty of malts, caramel, Christmas spices, Christmas fruitcake and oak, hints of sherry. Not too sweet. Nice mouthfeel, pleasant to drink. Definitely a treat for "Julemanden" (Father Christmas / Santa Claus).