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

Bottle no. 21166, 550 ml, at Plan B, Copenhagen, august 2005. Cloudy chestnut colour, moderate head. Vinous aroma, raisins, oak. Flavour is very full and rich, old port or madeira, plenty of oak, hoppy and oaky aftertaste. Clearly a top notch beer.

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

Bottle, at Plain Kitchen, Göteborg. Beautiful chestnut colour, low head. Malty aroma with notes of honey and hayloft, some oak too. Flavour is also malty sweet with notes of rye bread, molasses and Danish pastry. Dusty finish.

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

On tap at The Bishop’s Arms, Göteborg. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy. Pleasant hoppy aroma with notes of citrus. Grapefruity hoppy flavour on a sufficient malty base. Sweetish aftertaste.

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

RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. ABV is 7.5%, malt content is 18%. Sherry colour. Oak and spices in aroma and flavour. Fairly dry. Good to know that the Ukrainians brew better stuff than the usual pale lagers.

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

500 ml bottle conditioned, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.2%. Golden colour, slightly hazy, large white head. Pleasant aroma of fruity hops on a sweetish malty background. Medium sweet flavour, distinctly malty, but also with strong hoppy notes and a resinous and bitter finish. The alcohol is evident, and I’d easily believe that the beer was even stronger than it actually is. American Columbus hops are hardly part of a trustworthy "re-creation of the White Stout style", but never mind the name - this is a decent and quite enjoyable strong ale, more American than English in its character.

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

Keg at The Bishop’s Arms, Göteborg. Deep golden to amber colour. Nice hoppy aroma with notes of toffee and sherry. Rich malty flavour with notes of toffee, caramel and some oak, but a little too sweet for my taste.

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

500 ml bottle, from Ales By Mail. ABV is 7%, IBU 52. Chestnut to mahogany colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of ripe red and dark fruits, hints of rye bread and bitter orange marmalade, also lightly roast malts. The flavour has moderately roast malts, mild coffee, rye bread and earthy and orangey hops. Reasonably good beer.

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

330 ml can, as The White Hag Yule Christmas Ale, will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed with honey, fresh cinnamon and ginger. ABV is 7.2%. Slightly hazy brown colour, moderate off-white head. Malty aroma, notes of caramel, honey, cinnamon and ginger. The flavour is also malty, but not as sweet as I feared. Again notes of honey, cinnamon and ginger, but they are fairly well balanced. Notes of dark dried fruits too, and some caramel. Moderate hops. Pleasant to drink.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. Brown colour, moderate off-white head. Malty aroma, also "perfumed" notes, caramel and candy. Sweetish perfumed flavour too, the alcohol is not well hidden. Caramel and toffee, low bitterness.

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

440 ml can, from the Fierce Beer webshop. ABV is 9.6%. Amber colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts, oak and sourdough. Flavour with the same elements, also doughnuts, dried fruits (including raisins) and alcohol.

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

Sample at Copenhagen Beer Festival. Amber colour. Malty character with some caramel and toffee, but lacks a fresh hoppy "bite", which is a bit surprising, as Styrian Goldings and Pilgrim ought to contribute to a "fresh" character. Too much crystal malts, not enough hops, perhaps?

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

500 ml bottle in cardboard box, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Bottle No. 054614. ABV is 8.5%. Reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Distinct aroma of raisins and other dark dried fruits, hints of orange marmalade and cognac. Medium sweet flavour with the same elements as the aroma, also noticeable bittering hops, hints of bitter oranges. Good now, but will also handle a few years of cellaring.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. Brown colour, moderate to low off-white head. Strong aroma of star anise (which I tend to hate) and other spices, but not godawful. Spicy flavour, star anise again. The mouthfeel is not very full. Not a great beer.

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

650 ml bottle, bought in the brewery store, consumed in Sacramento. Reddish brown colour. Nutty and moderately roasty malts in aroma and flavour, followed by piney American hops, seems somewhat unbalanced. The alcohol is not very well hidden. Not my favourite from Lagunitas this one.

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

440 ml can, from the brewery webshop. ABV is 6.5%. Nearly clear reddish brown colour, moderate to small white head. Aroma of chocolate & vanilla wafer biscuits (yes, really) on a malty background. The flavour is moderately sweet, malty and biscuity, again with notes of chocolate and vanilla. Hardly any noticeable bitterness.

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

Shared 500 ml bottle, November 2019. Golden colour, white head. Aroma of malts and toffee. Rich malty flavour, toffee and caramel, hints of sultanas. Decent beer.

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

500 ml bottle in cardboard box, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 8.5%. Bottle No. 052643. Deep reddish brown colour (more red than brown, actually), large off-white head. Aroma of raisins, dates, caramel and toffee. Rich malty flavour with notes of raisins and dark dried fruits, some caramel sweetness, but not too much. Probably good for many more years, but also eminently drinkable right now.

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

500 ml, bottle No. 026773, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 8.5%. Tawny colour, large white (or slightly off-white) head. Aroma of dark dried fruits, sultanas, oak and sweet biscuits. Moderately sweet flavour with the same elements, also hints of dried apricots and caramel, moderate hops (Ernest and Olicana, Target, Goldings, Challenger and Northdown). Smooth mouthfeel Very drinkable already, no sharp edges.

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

500 ml bottle, vintage 2016, from Cafe Chic Oldschool, Hjørring. ABV 8.5%. Served at near room temperature. Colour of an XO cognac, small head, slightly off-white. Vinous aroma, notes of raisins and oak. Malty and oaky flavour, hints of caramel and dark dried fruits.

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

500 ml bottle in cardboard box, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 35525. ABV is 8.5%. Amber to copper colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Fairly strong aroma of malts, toffee, raisins and oak. Medium sweet and malty flavour, very pleasant, notes of toffee and raisins again, some oak and moderate hops in the background. Might still develop further with cellaring, but is well worth drinking now.

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

500 ml bottle, at Amundsen, Oslo. Served too warm. Deep golden colour, white head. Malty and vinous aroma, also moderate hops. Rich malty flavour with notes of raisins, noticeable Denali and Golding hops, some bitterness from the Target hops. Will probably mature nicely in the years to come.

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

Shared 500 ml bottle at local tasting, ABV 8.5%. Cognac colour, off-white head. Aroma of oak and whisky, hints of red berries. The same elements in the flavour too, more distinct now, also hints of dark dried fruits.

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

Sample from bottle at Copenhagen Beer Festival 2013. Brown colour, moderate off-white head. Distinct aroma of fruit cake and fortified/oaked wine The flavour is not too sweet (surprisingly dry, actually), and has distinct notes of armagnac oak barrel. Decent hops in the finish. Will buy again when I can get a whole bottle, I expect I will have no problem finishing it.

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

Sample from bottle at Copenhagen Beer Festival 2013. Brown colour, moderate off-white head. Surprisingly moderate aroma, malts and a hint of fruit cake. Rich malty flavour, not too sweet, with a firm hoppy bitterness in the finish. Well balanced and drinkable.

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

Feb. 2013: 500 ml brown bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.7%. Clear brown colour, moderate off-white head. Strong aroma of damson / plums, over-ripe raspberries and some weird fruity cough syrup I bought in Scotland once. The flavour is fruity and slightly roasty, notes of plums, over-ripe raspberries and cough syrup again. Moderate hops. Pretty weird beer.