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

June 2019: 375 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 9.2%. Against the Grain is not mentioned on the label. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Small beige head. Sourish aroma of brettanomyces / farmhouse, lactic acid, red wine vinegar and oak, hints of bourbon and vanilla. Very sour flavour (too sour?) with distinct notes of red wine vinegar and lactic acid.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. Clear and deep reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Moderate aroma of malts, hints of caramel, brown bread and mild spices. Smooth mouthfeel and flavour. Notes of malts (but not too sweet), brown bread, caramel, dark fruits and berries. Moderate hops.

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

500 ml bottle, will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 11%. Beautiful mahogany colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of brown bread, pumpernickel and slightly burnt breadcrumbs, also caramel. Very sweet and malty flavour, loads of caramel, hints of Danish pastry and pumpernickel bread. Very moderate hops. Not a typical Altbier, but okay if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. Slightly hazy amber to reddish brown colour, large white head. Malty aroma, notes of toffee and brown bread with syrup, distinct notes of coffee. Flavour of mild coffee, malts, toffee and caramel, not too sweet, a hint of dried dates. Very moderate hops. I was skeptical to adding coffee to an altbier, but it has been done with moderation, so the beer stands forth as pretty well balanced.

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

330 ml longneck swingtop bottle, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 6.0%. Brown colour, large off-white head. Aroma of malts, earth, blackcurrants, dark bread, herbs and spices. The flavour has the same elements, some caramel too, but is not too sweet. Decent bitterness. Overall an excellent beer.

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

On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Hazy brown colour, moderate off-white head. Nice aroma of citrus, berries, pine and spruce. Piney flavour, citrus in the background.

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

330 ml bottle, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 5.2%. Clear and deep reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts, caramel, brown bread, dark fruits and berries. The flavour is malty but not too sweet, with the same elements as the aroma, also yeasty notes, moderate hops.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

December 2020: 330 ml bottle, from Vinoble Frederikshavn. ABV is 4.6%. Reddish brown colour, small off-white head. Very malty aroma, notes of wort, caramel and brown bread. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma, but is not as sweet as I feared. Very moderate and earthy bittering hops

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

July 2021: 330 ml bottle, as Frejdahl Alfheim Galar, from Føtex Ebeltoft. ABV is 4.8%. Deep golden to amber colour, large white head. Aroma of ripe dark berries, malts and a hint of caramel. Smooth and pleasant to drink, malty with the same elements as the aroma. Low bitterness.

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

November 2022: 330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6%. Hazy brown colour, large off-white head. Aroma of malts, raisins, oak and old sherry. Fizzy and sourish mouthfeel. The flavour is drier than expected, but has the same elements as the aroma.

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

July 2017: 330 ml can, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.6%. Hazy brown colour, small off-white head. Aroma of piney hops, some spruce too. Medium dry flavour, distinct malts but even more distinct fruity and piney hops. The fruitiness helps the drinkability a lot.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.5%. Brown colour, moderate and lasting off-white head. Aroma of brown bread, caramel and brittle, hints of dark fruits. Malty flavour with the same elements, medium dry, also distinct earthy and herbal hops. Noticeable alcohol.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Dark ruby colour, moderate off-white head. Malty aroma, hints of dark bread and caramel. Malty flavour too, not too sweet, hints of dark bread and caramel again, also hints of dark fruits and mild spices, moderate hops.

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

March 2017: 330 ml bottle, from the Norwegian importer. ABV is 4.6%. Copper to amber colour, moderate white head. The aroma has moderate notes of grapefruity hops, some malts in the background. The flavour is citrussy with dry malts in the background. Bittering hops in the dry aftertaste. Fair enough.

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

330 ml can, as Põhjala Cosy Days Red Ale, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6%. Chestnut to mahogany colour, small off-white to beige head. Aroma of malts, brown bread, donuts and caramel, a hint of berries. Medium sweet flavour with the same elements. Moderate bittering hops in the finish. Burnt breadcrumbs in the aftertaste.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 5

April 2019: Shared bottle at local tasting. Copper to reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Dull aroma, grainy, a hint of caramel. Malty and slightly spicy flavour, not very sweet. Drinkable.

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

355 ml can, as SKA The Pinstripe Red Ale, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.2%. Nearly clear reddish amber colour, moderate to small off-white head. Aroma of caramel, malts, brown bread, dark berries and dark dried fruits. The flavour is not as sweet as the aroma made me fear, but has a decent malty character, with moderate notes of the same elements as the aroma. Moderate herbal and earthy hops in the finish. Easy drinking, well balanced and enjoyable.

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

500 ml bottle, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.7%. Slightly hazy reddish brown colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Aroma of dark fruits, burnt caramel, brown bread and earthy and piney hops. The flavour has the same elements. Good mouthfeel for its ABV, quite drinkable.

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

November 2018: On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Amber colour, large head, slightly off-white. Aroma of amber malts, fruity hops and juniper berries. The flavour is slightly more dry than sweet, with fairly distinct hops, sufficient malts with roasty hints, and discrete juniper berries. Well balanced and very drinkable.

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

440 ml can, from Seven Cellars. ABV is 4.5%. Reddish brown colour, slightly hazy, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts and caramel. The flavour is malty and fruity, caramel again but not too sweet. Grapefruity / citric notes, also brown bread. A moderate piney bitterness in the finish.

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

Rerate, keg half pint at The Lamplighter, St. Helier. Copper to reddish brown colour, slightly off-white head. Malty aroma and flavour, some roast, hints of caramel but quite dry. Spicy rye notes, hints of rye bread. Decent hops. I'm upping the score a bit. Original rating: Keg pint at The Globe, Brentford. Served ice cold. Reddish brown colour, off-white head. Moderate aroma of fruity hops. Fairly well hopped amber ale, some pine / resin, grapefruit and a hint of lightly roasted malts.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Deep golden to amber colour, moderate creamy head. Distinct aroma of bourbon, oak and vanilla. The mouthfeel is fairly light for its strength. Medium dry flavour, again with distinct notes of bourbon, oak and vanilla. Good beer, but demands that you like bourbon (I do). A little more hoppy bitterness would not hurt, though.

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

Keg half pint at The Office, St. Helier. Very dark reddish brown colour. Distinct aroma and flavour of malt vinegar, hints of sour red and black berries.

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

355 ml can as New Belgium Fat Tire Belgian Style Ale, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.2%. Orange to amber colour, large head, slightly off-white. Moderate malty aroma, a hint of caramel. Malty and relatively bland flavour, some caramel again, a slight fruitiness, minimal hops. Not bad, but far from exciting - and there is nothing "Belgian" about it.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Reddish brown colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Strong aroma of fruity hops, also notes of spruce, a hint of caramel malts in the background. The flavour is distinctly hoppy throughout, but not extreme, notes of spruce and some fruit again. There might be some caramel malt (and / or Munich malt) and chocolate malt in here, but they do not dominate, the beer is fairly dry, no more residual sweetness than necessary. Very drinkable, must pair well with many foods too. Another good one from Lervig and Mike Murphy!