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

Cask at The Harp, London. Very dark reddish brown colour, low beige head. Moderate aroma, notes of lightly roasted malts, hints of mild coffee, some vinous notes. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour has notes of moderately roasted malts and mild coffee, not very sweet.

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

11.2 fl. oz. bottle, as Original Flag Porter, apparently labeled for export to USA. Brewed by Darwin Brewery. ABV is 5.0%. Bought at The Cheese & Wine Shop, Darlington. Very dark ruby colour, nearly black. Large beige head. Nice aroma of moderately roasted malts and dark chocolate. Smooth and pleasant mouthfeel. The flavour has again notes of moderately roasted malts, mild coffee and dark chocolate, but the beer is not too sweet. Moderate bitterness.

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

500 ml bottle, from SuperBest Skødstrup. ABV is 5.6%. Very dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Moderate aroma of chocolate malts and cocoa, an acidic hint of vomit brings the aroma rating down. The flavour is not as sweet as expected, the chocolate / cocoa is fairly moderate, and the malt-accented beer is quite drinkable. Light bodied, with very moderate hops.

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

500 ml bottle, from Høkeren, Copenhagen. Batch #RØ156. Unfiltered and unpasteurised. ABV is 5.7%. The cap was not tight enough for my flight from Copenhagen to Stavanger, and about 1/4 of the beer leaked out in my suitcase. Still plenty of carbonation left in the bottle. Murky / opaque very dark brown colour, nearly black. Moderate tan head. Distinct roasty aroma with strong notes of coffee, also dark chocolate and liquorice, hints of wood and smoke. Medium dry flavour, again with strong notes of coffee, also liquorice, wood and dark bitter chocolate. Also a hoppy bitterness in the finish. Fairly decent beer.

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

355 ml bottle, as Southern Tier Porter Dark, at Plan B, Copenhagen. Black colour, huge beige head. Lovely vinous and fruity aroma, notes of American hops and orange maramalade. The roasty notes are very subdued. The flavour is very moderately roasty, notes of chocolate and moderate American hops, not very sweet. Decent beer.

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

At Copenhagen Beer Festival. Dark brown colour, moderate tan head. This is supposed to a classical English brown porter. Moderate roasty aroma, notes of coffee, hints of liquorice and smoke. The fairly dry flavour has also notes of mild coffee, and hints of liquorice, wood and smoke.

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

330 ml bottle, under its Norwegian alias BrewDog Høst Porter ("renaissance baltic porter"), from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.2%. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Dense and lasting beige head. Nice roasty aroma with moderate notes of coffee, smoke, wood, sea water and tar, hints of vanilla and liquorice. The flavour is moderately roasty and fairly dry, notes of coffee, wood and smoke. The mouthfeel could have been fuller. Fairly bitter finish.

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

500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.1%. Black colour, moderate brown head. Aroma of roasted malts, coffee, woodwork and dark chocolate. The flavour is medium dry with notes of black malts and coffee, hints of wood. Moderate hops. The mouthfeel is not very rich. I’d like some more sweetness, some fruitiness, and some more hops - but I suppose you can’t have everything. Not a bad beer, though.

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

Shared bottle, RBNAG 2011. ABV 5.5%. Dark brown colour, nearly black. Low head. Moderate aroma, dryish roasty notes, cold coffee, woodwork. Dry flavour, coffee, hints of wood and ashes.

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

355 ml can, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.0%. Black colour, huge greyish-brown head. Roasty dryish aroma, notes of wood, cocoa / chocolate, coffee and coconut, a hint of charcoal and smoke. Smooth mouthfeel. The flavour has distinct notes of coconut, also notes of chocolate / cocoa and coffee. Moderate hops. Not too sweet, and the toasted coconut makes this porter something out of the ordinary. Weird, maybe, but unusual.

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

On tap at HaandBryggeriet Beer Festival, Drammen. Very dark brown (nearly black) colour, moderate beige head. Dryish roasty aroma, notes of coffee. Dry roasty flavour, notes of coffee and unsweetened liquorice, hints of ashes. Roasty and hoppy bitterness in the finish. Very tasty.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Black colour, low tan head. Mildly roasted aroma with hints of coffee, and moderate notes of peat smoked malts. Medium dry flavour, well balanced notes of roast malts and peat smoke. Moderate hops.

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

500 ml bottle conditioned, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Very dark ruby colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of moderately roast malts, only hints of vanilla and orange peel. Slightly sourish flavour with moderately roast malts, slightly dry. Hints of orange peel, surprisingly little vanilla for a beer called "vanilla porter". Very moderate hops.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Jørpeland. ABV is 6.0%, 30 IBU. Black colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of roast malts, liquorice, dark chocolate and mild coffee. Moderately roasty flavour, notes of coffee, hints of liquorice and dark bitter chocolate, moderate but still distinct bittering hops. A decent robust porter.

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

Shared 355 ml bottle at local tasting, BB date 30.05. 2014, from Fakta, Denmark. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Moderate off-white head. Moderate roasty aroma, notes of dark chocolate and mild coffee. Medium dry flavour, again notes of dark chocolate and mild coffee, dry finish. Too modest hops.

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

330 ml bottle, from Ales By Mail. ABV is 5.8%. Hop is Target. Black colour, moderate tan head. Aroma of roast malts, coffee, exotic woodwork, dark chocolate. The flavour is mid between dry and sweet, with distinct roast malts, strong coffee and dark bitter chocolate, also distinct bittering hops.

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

Bottle, kindly shared by abemorsten. ABV is 5.2%. Apparently matured on toasted oak chips. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Big to moderate beige head. Nice aroma of mildly roasted malts, wood and ashes. The flavour is dry, oaky and moderately roasty. A slight acidity in the finish.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger, as HaandBryggeriet Costa Rica Porter. Black colour, low tan head. Lovely aroma of mild coffee and dark chocolate, a hint of cigarbox. Medium dry flavour with coffee, dark chocolate and a touch of tar and smoke. Another good beer from HaandBryggeriet!

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård. Batch #425. ABV is 7.5%. Pitch black colour, huge brown head. Moderately roasty aroma, notes of mild coffee, chocolate and fennel seeds, possibly other undefined spices too. Rich and creamy mouthfeel. The flavour has notes of pumpernickel bread (no surprise!), fennel seeds, coffee and dark chocolate, hints of liquorice. An impressive, well made and tasty beer, but (if anything) I would perhaps recommend going a bit easier on the fennel seeds.

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

Bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%, 45 IBUs. Pitch black colour, big and lasting brown head. Moderate roasty aroma, notes of dark chocolate and coffee. The flavour is roasty and quite dry, with a hint of acidity. Notes of coffee and ashes. Roasty and hoppy bitterness in the afteraste.

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

500 ml bottle, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Nearly black colour, huge and lasting beige head. Dry-ish aroma of coffee and dark malts, a hint of dark chocolate. Fizzy mouthfeel, overcarbonated. Dry flavour with the same elements as the aroma, moderate bitterness, lacks fruitiness.

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

355 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.5%. Black colour. moderate beige head. Dryish aroma of roasted malts, coffee, cocoa, vanilla and unsweetened chocolate. The flavour is medium dry, with the same elements as the aroma. For those who fear a cloyingly sweet chocolate beer, this must be a nice surprise.

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

355 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.5%. Black colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of roast malts and coffee, hints of dark chocolate and oak. The flavour is moderately sweet, with the same elements as the aroma. A hint of vanilla.

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

650 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.2%. Black colour, large to moderate brown head. Nice aroma of mildly roasted malts and caramel malts, notes of coffee, caramel, chocolate and vanilla. Silky smooth mouthfeel and flavour, like the name makes you anticipate, The flavour has the same elements as the aroma, with just the right sweetness, and sufficient hops in the finish. Very enjoyable and easy drinking.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Black colour, no head. Strong aroma and flavour of coffee, vanilla, marshmallows, peanut butter and chocolate.