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

Bottle, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg, thanks to my beer pal Olav. Deep sherry-like colour, moderate head. The flavour has notes of caramel but is otherwise fairly dry, moderate hops and hints of burnt caramel in the finish. The mouthfeel is a bit watery.

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

Bottle, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg, as Barley Zàgara Buchemèli. Brewed with honey from orange flowers. Orange coloured beer, low head. Lovely aroma of oranges / orange flowers. Fairly dry flavour for a beer brewed with honey, just a hint of oranges, moderate hops in the finish.

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

Bottle, 5% ABV, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Orange to amber colour, moderate head. Intense and lovely aroma of American hops (Amarillo?), notes of peaches, apricots and tropical fruits. The flavour is somewhat less impressive than the aroma, but still good. Notes of peaches, but quite dry. Decent hops in the finish. The mouthfeel is a bit thin though.

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

Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Deep golden to amber colour, low head. Dusty malts in the aroma. Fairly dry flavour, some hops in the finish. Not very interesting. Rerate: Had the rest of the bottle with dinner, and found a pleasant balance between the malts and hops. I’m upping it a few points. (Went very well with my "vossakorv, komler & kålrabi".)

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

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 4.3%. This beer is apparently named after the original idea of "painting the town red" (see label). Listen, taggers and other vandals: it might have seemed funny the first time, but it’s not funny any more! The beer is more brown than red, slightly hazy, and pours with a moderate to low head. Are you sure this beer is not bottle conditioned? Moderate carbonation, soft mouthfeel. Pleasant aroma of malts, earth, caramel, blackcurrant leaves and dark fruits. Flavour is perfectly balanced between the malts and hops, not too sweet, despite some caramel in the background - no off-flavours here: Melton Red tastes like BEER, and a damn good one too!

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

330 ml green bottle, ABV is 4.7%. A trade with Ole_R, thanks! Batch #47 from Atna. This is an ale brewed with 5 different types of malts, hopped with Amarillo a.o. Copper coloured, hazy, decent head. Moderate but pleasant fruity aroma, notes of raspberries, hints of oak, brown sugar and spices. The flavour is malty and fruity, soft and pleasant mouthfeel, decent hops in the finish. I like it! (The best I’ve had from Atna so far - haven’t had their Christmas beer, though.)

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

Cask conditioned at Blackfriars, Glasgow. Amber coloured beer, low head, nice lacing. Nice aroma, malty with noticeable tropical fruits (aromatic hops). Nice hoppy flavour, lots of citrus / tropical fruits on a decent malty base.

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

Cask conditioned at The Standing Order, Edinburgh (a JDW pub), as "Strathaven The Standing Order Red Ale" (allegedly brewed specially for this pub). ABV was 5.1%. Amber colour, low head. Very moderate aroma, nothing really stands out, maybe a hint of blackcurrant leaves. Fruity flavour, notes of red berries, decent hops. Quite nice.

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

375 ml green "champagne" bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 12.0%. Cloudy dark reddish brown colour, big to moderate off-white to beige head. Strong and intense sweetish aroma of dark malts, brown sugar and caramel, hints of oak and fortified wine. The flavour is very sweet and malty, with the same elements as the aroma - but it barely escapes the "cloying" category by a partial balance of American hops (Nugget, Cascade and Centennial). Not an "easy drinking" beer, but who expects a barley wine to be? A great "sipping beer", on a day when your "sweet tooth" needs to be satisfied.

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

1 pint 6 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.2%. Dark orange to brown colour, hazy. Big and lasting pale orange to beige head. The sweetish aroma has notes of pine, ripe fruits, raisins and molasses. Full and warming mouthfeel. Rich flavour with loads of malty sweetness, notes of raisins, caramel, molasses and udefined fruit, while the high IBU makes itself known towards the end, through a substantial and resinous hoppy bitterness.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is formidable 13.25%. Very cloudy brown colour, moderate creamy head. Pleasant aroma of malts, caramel and raisins. Incredibly warming mouthfeel. The flavour has loads of malty sweetness, notes of rum-raisin and caramel, balanced by a distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, thanks to my son Steinar. Orange to amber coloured beer, clear first, hazy when the sediment is poured in the end. Big off-white head with an orangey hue. Strong aroma of malts with vinous notes, oak, alcohol and molasses. The flavour is intensely sweet and alcoholic, notes of oak and figs, with a certain peppery and hoppy bite which nearly disappears behind the alcoholic sweetness. You don’t expect a 15% beer to be "easy drinking", and this one certainly isn’t. Too sweet for me, still quite impressive. Would probably improve by aging.

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

355 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. Imported to Europe by www.bierenco.nl . Hazy deep orange-brown colour, decent pale orangey head. Intense vinous sweet, oaky and very hoppy aroma. Some liquorice too. Intense flavour too, very oaky, nearly brandy-like, plenty of hops, but unfortunately too sweet for me, there’s something unbalanced about the entire flavour profile. Cough medicine in the finish, fairly bitter aftertaste.

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

Bottle, under some obscure Japanese name, sampled at HaandBryggeriet, Drammen, Norway. This is the only Rogue ale with an ABV that fits, hope it's the right one. Deep copper colour, decent beige head. Intense aroma and flavour dominated by caramel malts, plenty of sweetness. Full and rich mouthfeel. Pretty impressive, I guess, if you’re on the caramel wagon.

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

12 fl. oz. bottle, bought at Vinens Verden, Odense, Denmark. Copper coloured, good light tan head. Very nice strong aroma of flowery hops, notes of honey and fruits too, hints of oak and caramel. Full and rich mouthfeel. Initially sweet and oaky flavour of dried fruits, then a massive hoppy bitterness takes over and lasts through the aftertaste. Not very well balanced IMO, the very bitter finish kind of kills all other qualities this beer has.

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

May 2014: 500 ml bottle, batch #571, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.0%. Hazy dark reddish brown colour, moderate to low off-white head. Strong aroma of port wine, oak, raisins and dried figs, hints of fruity hops. Sweet flavour, distinct notes of port wine, oak, raisins and other dark dried fruits, moderate hops. One to savour slowly.

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

330 ml can in cardboard cylinder, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 12.5%. Winner as the best beer from Norwegian local breweries, in the competition arranged by "Hanen" (chain of Norwegian farm food shops). Pitch black colour, moderate to small tan head. Distinct aroma of dark rum and oak, a hint of vanilla. Very sweet flavour, roast malts and distinct dark rum and oak, not sure I could point out the birch sap (which by itself is a very smooth and mild flavour) and the chaga, if I did not know that they were there. Notes of caramel, dark syrup and vanilla. Warming mouthfeel.

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

330 ml can in cardboard cylinder, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 14%. Black colour, small tan head. Aroma more of bourbon than sherry, distinct oak and vanilla, a hint of fusel alcohols. Warming mouthfeel. Very sweet flavour, notes of sweet sherry come through, distinct oak again, notes of raisins, moderate hops. A nice treat to satisfy your sweet tooth, but I'd recommend sharing the can between two persons.

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 9.5%. Reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Nice aroma of grapefruity and piney American hops, on a background of malts and toffee. The flavour is bitter and fairly sweet, notes of grapefruit and pine / resin again, also caramel and toffee. Hints of over-ripe stonefruits.

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

January 2020: 440 ml can, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.5%. Cloudy brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts, over-ripe red and dark berries, resinous hops and alcohol. Rich flavour, sweet but not as much as many other barleywines, notes of dark fruits, caramel and grapefruity and resinous American hops, fairly bitter.

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

375 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 11%, hops are Magnum and EKG. Moderately hazy deep reddish brown colour, small and thin off-white head. Aroma of malts, molasses, fusel, red berries, oak and bourbon. Soft and warming mouthfeel. Sweet and boozy flavour, with the same elements as the aroma, the notes of molasses, oak and bourbon are quite distinct.

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

375 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10%. Hops are Magnum and EKG. Hazy deep reddish brown colour, small off-white head. Aroma of lactic acid, molasses, oak and red wine. Sweet and slightly sour flavour, very oaky and boozy. Bitter finish.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 11%. Hazy deep brown colour, small off-white head. Moderate aroma of malts and caramel, hints of dried fruits. Moderate carbonation. Medium sweet flavour of malts, caramel, dark dried fruits and surprisingly decent bittering hops, hints of Christmas spices.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. 2018 vintage. Orange colour, white head. The aroma has notes of old jam and alcohol. Alcoholic sweet flavour. Over the top for me.

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

750 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 13%. Reddish brown colour, large off-white head. Aroma of toasted coconut, bourbon, oak, vanilla, molasses and fusel alcohols Warming mouth- and throatfeel. The flavour is sweet and malty, but still not quite as sweet as I feared. Toasted coconut, bourbon, oak and vanilla again, moderate hops.