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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, RBESG 2005, Grand Tasting. Dark brown colour. Aroma of roast malts, oak and spices. Surprisingly moderate roasty flavour. Not bad, but I expected more.

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

On tap at The Rover, Göteborg. Pitch black colour, creamy tan head. Lovely roasty aroma with strong notes of dark chocolate, coffee and liquorice. Flavour is very roasty with strong notes of coffee and dark bitter chocolate. A very good beer!

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

RBESG 2006 Grand Tasting. ABV is 6.3%, OG is 1.070. Lovely chocolate aroma, roasty with notes of toffee too, hints of tar and liquorice. Flavour is malty and moderately roasty, pastry notes. Another fine beer from one of my favourite breweries.

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

From the tank at the brewery, RBESG 2006. This is the brewery’s "brown porter" or "summer porter". Deep reddish brown colour, nearly black. Creamy tan head. Roasty aroma and flavour with notes of coffee and chocolate. Maybe a tad too sugary in the flavour, still it is fairly light bodied and easy drinking.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

The saltiness in the finish / aftertaste ruins the pleasure of drinking this beer. I may like salty food with a beer, not salt IN the beer itself!

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

(355 ml bottle, bought in London). Pours with a large tan head, colour is very dark, nearly black (= very, very dark ruby when held to the light). Lovely complex aroma where coffee, dark chocolate, prunes, oak and sandalwood shine through. Flavour is initially sweet and mellow, then a distinct bitterness comes through. Coffee notes are dominant. There's something undefined strange in the aftertaste that keeps me from giving it a straight "10". Still, this is a top class porter!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

(500 ml bottle). Well, any idiot can recognize that this beer has MORE aroma than (nearly) any other beer, and MORE flavour than a lot of beers. But to make a 100% honest rating, I have to ask myself: Do I actually LIKE the overpowering smell of smoked meat? Sadly, the answer is NO. I'm a beer drinker, not a goddamn sausage maker! The flavour is not quite as overpowering smoky as the aroma - at least you get a notion that you're drinking a beer and not just liquid smoked meat. Still, it tastes like something that has just been saved out of the burnt-out ruins of a brewery. Like any Marzen, it is quite light bodied (when you try to ignore the smokiness, of course). I probably have to admit that Rauchbiers are not my cup of tea - sorry, beer - but would still like to sample the Urbock as I imagine that a heavier beer would carry the smokiness better than a Marzen. Did I mention that this beer at least LOOKS good? - good head, beautiful dark copper colour.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

500 ml bottle, bought at KaDeWe, Berlin. With the Ae S Märzen’s overpowering aroma of smoked sausages in mind, I opened the Weizen with trembling anticipation and fear. The beer is murky brown, and pours with an enormous greyish off-white head. Intense aroma of smoked pork / uncooked bacon, which nearly overpowers the normal hefe elements (cloves and banana) that are faintly present in the background. Flavour has some uncooked bacon notes too, but they are not as overpowering as in the aroma. Fairly smooth to drink, but let’s face it: smoked pork is not what I want to smell nor taste in a beer. Sorry!

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

Draught at the brewpub. Copper coloured. Aroma and flavour of pinewood smoke and black Finnish tar. Interesting "Finnish style" smoked lager. Fairly light bodied.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Mahogany coloured beer, large beige head. INTENSE and pretty extreme aroma of smoked meat and burnt-out ruins of wooden houses, hints of tar. The flavour is also intensely smoky, but there is also a malty sweetness to back it up. Moderate hops in the finish. You have to be impressed (one way or another) by this beer - but I have trouble deciding if I really LIKE the overwhelming smokiness. I know a lot of people LOVE it - I’ll just say: Give it a try!

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

Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Cognac-coloured beer, minimal head. Aroma of smoked sausage. Lots of smoke in the flavour too, dominates completely. Not my kind of beer.

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

500 ml bottle, batch #2581, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.5%, IBU 30. Moderately hazy brown to red colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of beech-smoked malts, over-ripe dark berries, raisins, smoked salmon and smoked meat. Light bodied for its strength. Smoky flavour with the same elements as the aroma, but not extreme.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Reddish golden colour, white head. Aroma and flavour of beechwood smoked malts. Low bitterness. Pleasant and easy drinking, as soon as you have accepted that this is how a Rauchbier is supposed to taste.

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

500 ml can, as Donzoko Super King Smoked Helles, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 4.8%. Slightly hazy and very pale straw colour, huge white head. Aroma of smoked malts and floral hops. A little citrus, smoked malts and weak herbal hops in the flavour.

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

Shared 500 ml bottle at Mandag i Annen, Cardinal. Dark reddish brown colour, off-white head. Pleasant aroma of lightly roasted malts, black bread and alder smoke. Smooth flavour, moderate alder smoke and black bread again, a slight fruitiness, moderate hops. Lots of flavour for a 4.2% beer. A full bottle for me next time, please!

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

500 ml bottle, vintage 2024, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Also available at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 5.9%. Clear and deep reddish brown colour, large off-white head. Aroma of smoked malts and smoked meat. Malty flavour, slightly sweet, smoked malts galore. Moderate to low bitterness.

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

500 ml bottle, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 4.6%. Clear and beautiful reddish brown (or brownish red) colour, moderate off-white head, nice lacing. Aroma of cherrywood smoked malts, hints of smoked salmon and smoked meat. The mouthfeel is surprisingly citric. Flavour of citrus, berries and smoked malts with an ashy dry finish, moderate bitterness. A good and unusual smoked Rotbier.

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

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 8.0%. Clear chestnut to mahogany colour, large off-white head. Aroma of smoked malts and bonfires, but not quite as intense as I expected (or feared). The flavour has a moderate malty sweetness with some caramel, and distinct notes of smoked malts and smoked meat. Moderate hops.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 8.0%. Brown to dark amber colour, moderate off-white to beige head. Aroma of smoked malts, smoked meat and juniper twigs. Slightly warming mouthfeel. The flavour has quite a bit of malty sweetness, notes of caramel, oak, aquavit, dark dried fruits, smoked malts and juniper. Enjoyable.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Kvadrat, Sandnes. ABV is 7.5%. Dark copper colour, moderate off-white head. Strong aroma of smoke / smoked meat. The flavour is smoked sausage on a medium sweet and lagerish flavour, some acidity. Nope, this is not a beer for me. Fail.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.5%. Moderately hazy reddish brown colour, minimal and shortlived head. Fairly nice aroma of smoked malts, caramel, brown bread and juniper branches. Flavour of smoked malts and juniper, not very sweet.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar; Stavanger. Orange to brown colour, small white head. Aroma of peat and beechwood smoked malts, also smoked salt (when you know it’s there). Medium dry flavour, distinct notes of said smoked ingredients. Hints of bourbon barrel in the finish. Not really my cup of tea, but drinkable.

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

500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Batch #677. ABV is 6%. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Moderate beige head. Aroma of smoked malts, a hint of roasted malts / coffee in the background. The flavour is fairly smooth, with some mild roasty notes and hints of coffee and chocolate - and plenty of smoke, of course. I am no fan of extremely smoked lagers, but this one is not too extreme. Fairly drinkable, but probably not a beer I’ll buy very often.

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

330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. 8,2% ABV, 28 EBU. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Enormous tan head. Strong aroma of smoked malts, peat, old rope and tar. The flavour has notes of smoked and roasted malts, a touch of peat, with a moderate sweetness to balance. Hints of tar and ashes. There’s just a slight chili burn in the aftertaste. A quite interesting beer!

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

330 ml bottle, will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7%, EBC 31.7, EBU 29.2. Stamwortgehalte 16 degrees. Cloudy brown colour, moderate to low off.white head. Strong aroma of smoked meat, with some faint sweetish malty notes in the background. The flavour has strong notes of smoke, with just the right maltiness and decent hops. Bitter finish. I am not a big fan of smoked beers, but this one was quite drinkable.