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

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.9%. Black colour, moderate beige head. Interesting aroma of roasted and smoked malts, blending seamlessly together with notes of chocolate, hints of dark fruits. The flavour is first fruity, then chocolatey and smoky, but the smoke is not overdone. Some hoppy and roasty bitterness in the finish. This is an excellent and well balanced beer!

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

750 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.0%. Black colour, big brown head. Strong smoky aroma, notes of smoked meat and bonfires, also some moderate roasty notes in the background. The flavour is surprisingly mild, smoky notes of course, but not extreme. Very moderate roastiness, quite dry, too modest hops. Hints of acidity throughout. Easy drinking.

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

330 ml bottle, L082, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 5.5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Sweetish malty aroma with distinct notes of beech smoke. The flavour is slightly dry, again moderately malty and roasty with distinct notes of beech smoke. Low bitterness.

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

650 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.5%. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights. Large beige head. Smokey and roasty aroma, notes of smoked meat, mild coffee and dark chocolate. The flavour is medium sweet and moderately roasty, some coffee and dark chocolate again, the smokiness is not excessive. Moderate hops. Good beer, but I’d still prefer a Limfjordsporter to this one.

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

Shared 500 ml gusher bottle at local tasting. Nearly black colour, large off-white head. Dryish and "thin" smokey aroma, notes of smoked meat, woody hints too. Too much carbonation. Smokey and dry flavour too, mild roasty notes in the background.

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

650 ml bottle, shared by Ole Anders. Black colour, moderate to low beige head. Strong aroma of smoked meat and Østbye’s ski wax (pre-WW II). Plenty of smoke in the flavour too, accompanied by moderate roasty notes. Too much smoke for my taste.

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

330 ml bottle, from the Norwegian importer. ABV is 5.4%. Black colour, low beige head. Aroma of chocolate, bonfires and smoked meat - a weird combination. Easy drinking, smooth mouthfeel. The smoke is there, but does not dominate. Chocolate malt and some fruity tones, moderate hops. Nice enough.

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

650 ml bottle, 2012 vintage, kindly shared by abemorsten. Black colour, moderate tan head. Lovely and balanced aroma between the smoked and roast malts. Roasty and smokey flavour too, but here the notes of "smoked sausage" come through a bit too strong for my taste.

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

On tap at The Rover, Göteborg. Dark chestnut colour, nearly ruby when held to the light. Amazing aroma of smoke, bonfires, seaside, tar and woodwork - but not the smoked sausage aroma of German rauchbiers. Smoke and tar in the flavour too, slightly drier than I would prefer, dusty / ashy finish. Not much else going on besides the smoke and tar.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 4

330 ml bottle, batch #146, from Vinmonopolet Kvadrat. ABV is 7.5%. Slightly hazy brownish-golden colour, small white head of poor retention. Aroma of smoked stjørdalsmalt, but not as extreme as I feared. Sourish flavour, lemon and lactic acid, vinegar, smoked stjørdalsmalt in the background. Won't buy this one again.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 10.5%. Hazy dark reddish brown colour, large off-white to beige head. Pleasant aroma of smoke, wood, malts and dark dried fruits. The flavour has distinct notes of smoked malts and smoked sausage, hints of dark dried fruits again, but not too sweet.

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

On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Brownish orange colour, moderate off-white head. The aroma and flavour have notes of smoke, juniper, red wine, oak and alcohol.

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

July 2016: RBESG 2016 in Barcelona. On tap at the Garage. Black colour. Very malty aroma and flavour, a bit unfresh, too moderate hops. Not much smoke though. Did not blow my socks off this one.

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

Damn Americans and their peat smoked "Scottish / Scotch ales"! Very dark reddish brown colour. Peat smoke in both aroma and flavour, and malts of course. Some hops in the finish. The beer is actually quite well made, but as you might have guessed, peat smoke is not really my thing. (Beer No. 6 of my 7 beers flight at the brewery tap.)

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

330 ml clear bottle, from BilkaToGo, Skalborg. ABV is 5.8%. Clear deep golden / amber to orange colour, moderate white head. Aroma of sweetish malts, sea buckthorn berries and sweet gale / bog myrtle. The flavour is not as sweet as the aroma made me fear, fruity notes of sea buckthorn berries, fairly distinct notes of bog myrtle, minimal bitterness (hops are not on the ingredients list).

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

330 ml bottle, from Coop Extra Jørpeland. ABV is 4.6%. Nearly clear pale golden colour, large to moderate white head. Distinct sweetish aroma of ginger, grain and malts, a hint of lime. Light bodied. The flavour is not too sweet, there is a distinct ginger and chili burn, again only a hint of lime. Not really great, but at least it feels nice to have a "ginger beer" that actually is a beer, and not a n/a mixer.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 7%. Deep golden colour, minimal white head, low level of carbonation. Aroma and flavour of honey, pomegranate, hazelnuts, resin and herbs. Medium sour, low bitterness.

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

June 2015: 750 ml bottle, as Birra del Borgo Genziana con radici, from Vinmonopolet. BB date March 2015. ABV is 6.1%. Clear deep golden colour, moderate white head. Strong sweetish malty and herbal / vegetable aroma. The flavour is also quite sugary sweet, notes of malts, caramel, herbs and vegetables (the radishes, I assume). Low bitterness. Not really my cup of tea. Drank it moderately chilled - might be more refreshing ice cold.

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

March 2016: 750 ml bottle, as Birra del Borgo CastagnAle, probably from Matkroken Stokka. BBE 12/2014. ABV is 4.2%. Beautiful reddish colour, unfortunately spoiled by loads of floaties that don’t dissolve in the beer. Moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts, chestnuts and over-ripe fruits, hints of solvent. Slightly sweet flavour, with the same elements as in the aroma. Might be somewhat better fresh, but probably not my cup of tea under any circumstance.

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

330 ml bottle, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Orange colour, moderate to small white head. Weird and revolting aroma of lactic acid and star anise. Fizzy mouthfeel. Sour flavour, lactic acid and loads of star anise, nothing else. Drainpour. I can't believe I paid good money for this crap.

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

330 ml bottle, from SPAR Jørpeland. ABV is 4.5%, IBU 20. Overcarbonated, my slim pilsener glass fills completely by white (or slightly off-white) foam, a hazy and brownish-golden beer appears only very slowly. Unusual aroma of tea and lemon juice. Fizzy and citric mouthfeel. Dry and weird herbal flavour of tea, hints of lemon rind. One of the least successful beers I've had from Nøgne Ø.

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

330 ml bottle, from BilkaToGo, Skalborg. ABV is 5.8%. Slightly hazy pale golden colour, huge to moderate white head. Aroma of birch sap / birch leaves, pine needles and sprucetips, a hint of bog myrtle / sweet gale. The flavour is moderately citric and medium sweet, with the same elements as the aroma. Interesting beer, without hops.

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

Jan. 2018: 500 ml bottle, from Ales By Mail. ABV is 4.7%. Malts are Golden Promise, Malted Wheat, Roast Barley. Hops are Admiral, Northdown, Phoenix (all UK). Ingredients include orange peel, molasses and spices. Dark amber to copper colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Aroma of spices, cloves, allspice and nutmeg come through. There might also be some cinnamon and ginger in there. Also hints of orange peel and caramel. The flavour is malty with a hint of caramel, but is not very sweet. It is also distinctly spicy (said spices, also hints of white pepper), with fruity notes of orange peel and dark dried fruits. Earthy English hops. Good beer.

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

May 2014: 650 ml bottle, from the Norwegian importer. ABV is 7.5%. Ingredients include lemongrass, coriander, kaffir lime, lemon and grapefruit peel. Hazy golden colour, moderate white head. Aroma of lemongrass, coriander and citrus fruits / citrus peel. Spicy and citrussy flavour, with distinct notes of said ingredients. Hoppy and spicy finish. Refreshing and enjoyable. Would buy again.

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

April 2020: 330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet (Kvadrat or Nettbutikken). ABV is 7.5%. Orange to copper colour, slightly hazy. Moderate white head. Aroma of mint, citrus and chili. Peppery flavour, again with chili, mint and citrus, not too sweet. Moderate but fairly distinct bittering hops.