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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle # 12436. 39.5 degrees P, 65 IBU, ABV 17.5%. Pitch black colour, short-lived brown head. Intense and lovely aroma of dried dark fruits, liquorice, coffee, oak and tar. The flavour is intensely roasty with strong notes of coffee, liquorice and alcohol. A bit "raw", needs at least 1 year’s cellaring (probably more) to reach its potential. However, I think it is not a good idea for Nøgne Ø to make stronger versions of DH each year. 16% ABV, like DH First Ed. had, is definitely strong enough!

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

350 ml bottle, 2008 vintage, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.9%. Orange to amber colour, big off-white head with an orangey hue. Lovely aroma of Cascade hops, piney and grapefruity notes. The flavour is distinctly hoppy throughout, lots of pine needles, grapefruity bitterness in the finish, very bitter aftertaste. Hints of caramel malts, but the beer is not too sweet. A nice and very drinkable IPA.

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

330 ml bottle, as Mikkeller Cascade Single Hop IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.9%. Deep golden to orange colour, big and lasting off-white head. Lovely aroma of Cascade hops, with the typical grapefruity and pney notes. The flavour is again typical Cascade (in plentiful quantities) from start to finish, lots of grapefruit, pine needles and resin. A nearly Campari-like (wormwood) bitterness in the finish. Some malty sweetness does its best to balance some of the hoppiness. Has enough hops to satisfy hardcore hopheads - I would have been satisfied with less, even though I love Cascade.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.9%. Deep golden to orange colour, moderate white head. Lovely hoppy aroma, notes of citrus and tropical fruits. The zesty and fruity flavour is distinctly hoppy from start to finish, on a sufficient malty background. Ends in a grapefruity bitterness, but it is not overdone. Long bitter aftertaste. More to my liking than the Arrogant Bastard. Good stuff!

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, as "Rogue Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale", at Olympen, Oslo. Deep copper colour, nice and creamy head. Lovely aroma of American hops. Hoppy flavour, notes of Scotch orange marmalade and malts too. Very nice beer!

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

500 ml bottle, 2009 vintage, kindly procured from Systembolaget by OleR, thanks! ABV is 7.5%. Copper to mahogany coloured beer, huge beige head. Nice aroma of burnt caramel, earth and bakery. The flavour is distinctly malty with loads of caramel, baked goods and chocolate, but is not too sweet. Distinct hoppy bitterness and burnt toast in the finish. Bitter aftertaste. Unusual and earthy character, not necessarily "easy drinking", but certainly one to savour.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.6%. Black colour, big to moderate tan head. Nice roasted aroma, notes of dark chocolate and coffee. The flavour is distinctly roasty throughout, notes of coffee, hints of dark bitter chocolate. The finish is fairly bitter, both from the hops and the roasted barley. The finish also has a slight spicy "burn", but I am not sure I would identify it as ginger, if I hadn't read it on the label. Hints of resin in the aftertaste. All in all a very enjoyable beer.

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

500 ml bottle, at the Dalane Brygghus restaurant in Egersund. ABV is 6.3%. Includes some peat smoked malts. Some sediment in the bottle. Black colour, big tan head - good looking. Aroma of liquorice, chocolate and coffee. Roasty flavour with notes of peat smoke, English liquorice, tar and coffee. Good stuff!

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

Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Black colour, low brown head. Intense peaty, salty and smoky aroma of Islay whisky cask. The flavour has intense notes of peat, salt, smoke and tar, also notes of strong coffee and alcohol.

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

Bottle, ABV 10%, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Dark brown colour, hazy, moderate off-white head. Moderate but pleasant aroma of malts, brown sugar, Belgian yeast and spices. The flavour has a rich malty sweetness, also notes of candi sugar, dark dried fruits and spices. The finish is distinctly spicy and moderately hoppy. A very nice Christmas beer!

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Batch #435, ABV 10%. Deep brown colour, slightly hazy, big beige head. Pleasant aroma of brown malts, notes of rum-raisin and fortified wine, hints of spices and oak. The flavour has loads of malty sweetness and alcohol, notes of dark dried fruits and oak, hints of spices (esp. anise) and liquorice. There is a firm hoppy bitterness in the finish. Powerful beer, a bit "raw in the edges", will probably benefit from a year or two (perhaps more) in the cellar.

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

330 ml bottle, as Slaapmutske Christmas, at the Christmas beer tasting of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Beautiful dark reddish brown colour, huge, creamy and long lasting off-white to beige head. Both aroma and flavour have a distinctly malty presence (not too sweet though) with some mild spicy, fruity and caramel notes, the hops are moderate - but the beer is overall so well balanced and highly drinkable that it deserves a high rating, even without being so very "special", nor extreme in any way.

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

Sample from bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Beautiful chestnut colour. No carbonation, and accordingly no head. INTENSE aroma of port wine, dark dried fruits and fusel alcohols. The latter unfortunately detracts from the aroma score. Intense, concentrated and sweet flavour of old madeira, raisins / rum-raisin and oak.

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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). ABV is 6%. Bottle date: 14-02-2007, the "best before" date also reads 02-2007, which obviously must be a misprint. Hazy golden colour, big white head. Lovely aroma of lemons and other sour fruits, with strong notes of farmhouse and horse stable. The flavour is very sour and tart, with lemony notes and a dry and astringent finish with noticeable hops.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Systembolaget. ABV is 7.5%. Some sediment in the bottle. Pours with an enormous white head, which slowly gives way to a cloudy pale yellow beer. Nice fruity and spicy aroma, notes of citrus and coriander, hints of farmhouse kitchen, fermenting apples and white wine vinegar. The flavour is sweet, zesty and very fruity, spicy notes too (coriander). Noticeable hops in the aftertaste. An interesting beer, pleasant to drink.

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

500 ml bottle, from Systembolaget. ABV is 5.9%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee and dark chocolate, hints of cigarbox and leather as the beer warms up.. The flavour is distinctly roasty, notes of coffee and dark chocolate again. Not much sweetness. Burnt notes in the bitter finish. Pretty good beer.

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

1 pt. 9.4 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.0%. Ale brewed with raisins. Reddish brown colour, big to moderate off-white head. Fairly strong aroma of Belgian ale yeast, brown candi sugar and raisins, hints of oak and old sherry. The flavour has notes of spices, malts, candi sugar and raisins, but is not very sweet. Moderate hops in the finish. Dangerously drinkable for its strength!

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

750 ml corked and wired bottle, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. ABV is 8%. Deep brown colour, big and lasting cream-coloured head. Nice aroma of malts, caramel, brown sugar, mild spices and Belgian ale yeast. The flavour is malty with notes of toast and brown candi sugar, the finish is mildly spicy.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. ABV is 7.9%. Unfiltered. Dark brown colour, big beige head. Pleasant sweetish aroma with notes of malts, loads of caramel and old sherry or port. Hints of oak and leather. Sweet malty flavour, notes of oak, old sherry or port again, plenty of caramel but the sweetness is not cloying. Very moderate hops, a little more would not hurt. Still, a reasonably good beer as it is.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. Top fermented, ABV is 7.5%. Black colour, big and lasting brown head. Nice aroma of roasted malts, chocolate and mild coffee. Roasty flavour, notes of burnt toast and strong coffee, hints of dark bitter chocolate and liquorice, but the beer is not very sweet. Fairly bitter finish and aftertaste.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle conditioned, ABV is 7.2%. Mahogany coloured beer, big beige head. Vinous aroma, notes of raisins and other dark dried fruits, also hints of caramel. The flavour is fairly malty and moderately sweet (but not as sweet as I expected), with hints of dark dried fruits and caramel again, while the finish is biscuity dry with noticeable hops. Fairly bitter aftertaste.

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

1 pt. 9.4 fl. Oz. bottle, as "Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza Artisan Golden Ale - Ale Aged in Oak Barrels", courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Batch 463. ABV is 8%. Golden colour, slightly hazy, with a huge white head. Lovely fruity and spicy aroma, which also carries strong notes of "farmhouse" / wild yeast and white wine vinegar. The flavour is equally excellent, spicy and fruity notes, some acidity, with a hoppy and peppery bite in the finish. Extremely drinkable and refreshing for its strength.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9%. The glass fills completely by a huge beige head, and the brown beer appears only slowly. Intense fruity aroma with berry notes, also some oaky, spicy and vinous notes. The flavour has a powerful malty sweetness and intense vinous notes, warming mouthfeel. Notes of oak and berries again. Awesome beer.

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

Cask conditioned at Blackfriars, Glasgow, as Paradox Edition #2 Grain Whisky. Black colour, ruby in the highlights. Very nice aroma of woodwork. Roasty, fiery and alcoholic flavour with strong woody notes. Notes of vanilla too.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 18.2%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Strong aroma of oak, molasses, roasted malts, sweetened strong coffee, dark dried fruits and alcohol. The flavour is sweet, malty and roasty, notes of burnt caramel and molasses, the alcohol is very noticeable. A moderate hoppy bitterness in the finish. A bit too far out on the sweet side, I’m afraid - but definitely worth sampling.