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: 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: 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: 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: 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!

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: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

330 ml bottle, batch #248, as La Parisienne Rousse, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Moderately hazy reddish brown colour, moderate to small off-white head. Aroma of red wine vinegar, malts and oak. Slightly sour flavour, with the same elements as the aroma, a hint of lemon.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Keg halfpint at Dublin Airport. Amber colour, creamy off-white head. Moderate aroma, some malts. Creamy mouthfeel. Smooth malty flavour. Nice enough to drink.

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

Draught in Herning. Hazy reddish brown colour, moderate head. Aroma and flavour are both distinctly malty with some caramel, aftertaste is not remarkable but this is a pleasant enough beer to drink.

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

330 ml bottle, at Højer Sluse. Amber colour, good head. Moderate malty aroma. Sourish malty flavour with a dusty / metallic hops finish. Not a great beer this one.

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

Sampled RBESG 2006, bottle - available at Systembolaget, Sweden. ABV is 5.6%. Reddish amber colour. Very nice hoppy aroma, vinous notes. Moderately hoppy flavour. Rerate: 355 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.6%. Amber to copper colour, pours very fizzy, big to moderate off-white head. Lovely hoppy aroma with strong notes of red berries and tropical fruits. Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour has a great balance between the malts and the distinct and fruity hops, notes of red berries and blackcurrants. Moderately bitter finish and aftertaste. Good beer!

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

Sampled RBESG 2006, bottle. ABV is 5.1%. Reddish amber colour, creamy head. Reasonably hoppy aroma with some stale notes. Moderately malty and bready flavour with dusty hops. Okay, but not impressive.

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

(500 ml bottle conditioned). Finally available bottled, this amber ale comes from the micro brewery that make all other Norwegian commercial brewers look ridiculous. ABV bottled is 6.0%. Colour is deep amber to reddish and cloudy. Very good thick head. Lovely complex fruity and flowery aroma - roses and flowers I can't even remember the name of. Flavour is first treacherously pleasant malty, fruity and slightly spicy, then the hops brutally take over with a very bitter (too bitter?) and salty finish. Definitely not a beer for the Corona generation.

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

On tap at the brewpub. A hazy brown ale, not very different from the Herning Ale (same restaurant / brewpub chain). Malty aroma and flavour, fairly well balanced. Nice enough.

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

500 ml bottle, now available at Vinmonopolet, Norway. What a surprise! - Berentsens Brygghus have decided to prove they can brew something better than the standard Norwegian pilsener. Copper coloured, moderate off-white creamy head. Very nice aroma of caramel and Cascade hops. Flavour is from start to finish dominated by a distinct hoppy bitterness from loads of Cascade on a background of caramel malts, but the beer is not really sweet. Finish is very bitter. The beer is not bottle conditioned and probably pasteurised, there is not much complexity, but any hophead will probably be satisfied by the Cascade dominance. My guess is that the Norwegian beer-drinking "general public" will find it too bitter, but they sure need a challenge! Not nearly the same quality as the best b/c Nøgne Ø beers, of course - but props to Berentsens for their initiative. May they continue (and improve) their efforts in the same direction!

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

500 ml bottle. Sediment in bottle. Hazy reddish brown colour, large head. Moderate fruity aroma with hints of oak, leather and spices. Flavour is mildly spicy and oaky, fizzy mouthfeel. Not really a great beer.

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

Bottle, RBESG 2005 Grand Tasting. Amber colour. Aroma is smoke and oak with some brown sugar and white pepper notes. Flavour is moderately smokey with faint notes of tar, fairly dry. Okay.

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

500 ml heavy dark green swingtop bottle, cool. Bought in Bier Spezi, Hamburg. Amber colour, large to moderate off-white head. Lovely hoppy aroma when pouring, not equally impressive in the glass. For something from Germany called "Bitterbier" I kind of expected a hoppy explosion, but the bitterness is actually very moderate. Still, some hops are around, and they are quite well balanced with the malts. Hints of caramel and a certain herbal spiciness too. Unusual style for Germany, but not really remarkable.

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

Maybe I'm just excited by the fact that an ALE actually is brewed by a Norwegian macro brewery (WOW!) - but I do find this one quite drinkable. Moderate head, malty aroma, nutty flavour, sweetish aftertaste. Not outstanding, but a good try!

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

500 ml bottle, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.6%. Amber colour, large head, slightly off-white. Fairly strong aroma of grassy and herbal Hallertauer hops, a hint of honey. The flavour has a decent balance between the malts and hops, with herbal and honeyish notes, also some caramel, but the beer is not too sweet. Moderate Columbus hops in the finish. Not bad.