Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

(500 ml bottle, bought in Norway). Pours with a good lasting head, colour is black (= very dark brown to ruby). Very nice aroma of hayloft, some barnyard, molasses, dark syrup, coffee and German bakery. Flavour and aftertaste have interesting rich malty notes with some roastiness, but are unfortunately ruined by the invertsugar syrup which has been added to the brew. Must be another beer for "convalescents and nursing mothers".

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

Sure it's black - but when I feel like anything black, I'd most likely go for any dry or imperial stout instead, any time - if given the choice. As far as German Schwarzbiers go, there are tastier ones around than this one. Disappointing lack of flavour and 'bite'. Of course it's drinkable, but I expected more.

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

My 500 ml bottle (brewed and bottled in Slovakia, purchased in Finland) just says Topvar Marina Schwarzbier - with an ABV of 5%. I'm slowly getting the idea that the high % in the Slovakian name of all Topvar beers is NOT the ABV, but the malt content or something. This is a delicious Schwarzbier: Black to mahogany colour, good head, oily garage aroma with coffee notes ("coffee break at the garage"). Well balanced malty roast flavour with just the right sweetness - not very complex, but this proves that a well balanced beer does not necessarily have to be complex to be GOOD. In other words - a very drinkable and refreshing Schwarz. A nice roast finish makes you want another one. Yes, please!

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

Draught at Pivni Galerie, Prague. The PG beer list says ABV is 4.9%, but the brewery website says 4.5%. Plato is 11%. "Havran" seems to mean "raven" in English, acccording to the website. Black colour, moderate tan head. Nice lacing. Malty aroma with notes of leather, liquorice and tobacco. Easily drinkable, moderate but nice roastiness, hints of liquorice. A slight sweetness in the aftertaste. Very good.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 4

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal, Stavanger. Ingredients include maize (corn) and rice. 10.8 degrees Plato. ABV is 4.3%. Very dark colour, nearly black, ruby in the highlights. Low head. Very moderate malty aroma, hints of coffee. Flavour is surprisingly watery and bland, drinking it after the excellent Nøgne Ø and Nørrebro beers obviously didn’t help. "Boiled" notes, wet cardboard and dust abound. Disappointing.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at KaDeWe, Berlin. dark brown colour, nearly black. Large and lasting greyish brown head. Moderate malty aroma with notes of caramel and bakery, hints of prunes. Moderate carbonation, mellow and pleasant mouthfeel. Nice moderately malty flavour with a pleasant roastiness, hints of schwarzbrot. Easy drinking. I like it.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Germany, named "Fürst von Louny", must be the same beer, but ABV is 5.4% - one rater has had one in Germany at 4.8% and brewery website says 5.1%, seems to vary quite a bit. Very dark brown to ruby colour, large to moderate light tan head that doesn’t last very long. Aroma is malty sweet with notes of caramel, chocolate, schwarzbrot and leather. Flavour is strangely sweet for a "Reinheitsgebot" schwarzbier: malts, syrup, molasses and caramel, just a faint hint of roastiness. Too sweet for me, very little hops to balance the sweetness. I could swear some kind of syrup had been added to the brew, but they say no. Despite the sweetness and the ABV, mouthfeel is a bit thin. Not my favourite schwarzbier this one.

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

Draught at the brewpub / restaurant. Black (= very dark brown) colour, good creamy head. Moderate roasty aroma with notes of chocolate and liquorice. Very moderate flavour with roastiness and some caramel, minimal hops. Moderate rye bread aftertaste. I’m not that impressed.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Bier Spezi Hamburg. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Large and lingering greyish tan head, nice lacing. Pleasant moderately roasty aroma, also notes of dark fruits, chocolate, Schwarzbrot and coffee. Very nice flavour of roasted malts perfectly balanced with the hops, not too sweet, notes of coffee. Moderate roasty aftertaste which lasts "forever". A very good Schwarzbier!

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

Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. Reddish brown colour - certainly not "schwarz"! Moderate bakery aroma. Moderate roasty flavour, relatively thin mouthfeel, some fruitiness.

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

Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. ABV was 5.2%. Nearly black colour. Decent roasty aroma. Fairly roasty flavour, not bad, some fruitiness, relatively light bodied.

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

500 ml "Bügelflasche" (swingtop bottle), at Die Kleine Bierstube, Aarhus. ABV was 4.9%. Very dark ruby colour, nearly black. Big to moderate beige head. Moderate but nice aroma of brown bread and dark malts. The flavour is smooth and malty but not too sweet, with a very subtle roastiness. Low bitterness. Easy drinking.

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

500 ml bottle, from Systembolaget. ABV is 6.0%. Mahogany coloured beer, big cream-coloured long-lasting head with an orangey hue. Nice malty aroma, notes of caramel, brown bread and other baked goods, some moderate fruity notes too. The flavour is fairly rich and malty with notes of caramel. Dry hops, some spice and burnt caramel in the finish. Some resinous hops and distinct "burnt" notes in the long aftertaste. Quite good.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. ABV is 4.9%. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights. Moderate beige head. Very nice roasty aroma with notes of chocolate and coffee, hints of liquorice. Fresh mouthfeel with hints of fruity acidity. The flavour is roasty with notes of coffee, fairly dry. A pronounced roasty and hoppy bitterness in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & bar, Stavanger. Also available at Vinmonopolet. Organic, ABV is 5.0%. Dark reddish brown colour, big and lasting beige head. Distinct rustic aroma of roasted malts, bakery and coffee, hints of liquorice. Very "lagerish" mouthfeel (well, this IS a lager beer), a bit watery. The flavour is fairly bland for a schwarzbier, some roasted notes, very little residual sweetness, too modest hops. Improves a little as the beer warms up, the malts come through. Drinkable? Yes. Will I buy again? Perhaps, but not very likely - there are better beers available both at Cardinal and Vinmonopolet now.

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

Bottle, 6% ABV, as Dingslebener Lava Schwarzbier, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg, thanks to gunnar. Dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Malty aroma with distinct notes of caramel and bakery, a hint of cola. Relatively sweet and malty flavour with loads of caramel, just a mild roastiness. Some fruit too.

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

330 ml can, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 5.1%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Moderate aroma of roast malts, hints of coffee and dark chocolate. "Clean" flavour of roast malts, quite dry, hints of coffee, moderate hops, easy drinking, refreshing.

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

500 ml on tap at The Pub, Funchal. Black colour, moderate beige head. Moderately roasty aroma and flavour, not very sweet, hints of coffee and dark chocolate, fairly smooth and nice to drink.

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

On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Black colour, tan head. Moderately roasty aroma and flavour, notes of dark bread, hints of liquorice and smoke. Fairly nice beer, stylewise somewhere between a Schwarzbier and a Baltic porter.

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

On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Moderate beige head. Roasty aroma and flavour, coffee notes, dry and "clean" dark lager flavour.

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

330 ml can, as Rygr Hòkunått Norsk Julebock, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. At this ABV, it is not a bock (despite the name) nor a Dunkel, but a Schwarzbier. It is not sweet (despite what the brewery says). Black colour, large to moderate beige head. Roasty aroma and flavour, coffee notes, burnt toast, quite dry. One-dimensional, but nice enough to drink. Not my preferred choice with the traditional Norwegian Yule fare, but nice to drink after dinner, or with a shot of aquavit at the side.

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

March 2015: 330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. BB date was 09.2013, appears to have cellared well. ABV is 5.5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Decent aroma of chocolate / cocoa and coffee. The flavour is neither too sweet nor too dry. Notes of chocolate, vanilla, mild coffee and moderate but noticeable hops. Well balanced and enjoyable.

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

330 ml bottle, batch #68, from Vinmonopolet Oslo S. ABV is 5.3%. Hops are Herkules and Northern Brewer. Black colour, large beige head. Aroma of roast malts and dark chocolate. Flavour of roast malts, dark chocolate and coffee, medium bittering hops. Decent beer.

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

500 ml bottle, from a potential importer. ABV is 6.7%. Chestnut to mahogany colour, large beige head. Fairly ordinary aroma of lightly toasted malts, brown bread and caramel. The flavour is medium sweet and malty, notes of caramel and brown bread, hints of burnt sugar. Not bad.

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

330 ml shared bottle, kindly provided by our beerpal Jan Magnus. ABV 5%. Very dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Mildly roasty aroma, notes of chocolate and mild coffee. Fairly dry flavour, medium roasty, notes of mild coffee, hints of dark bitter chocolate. Tolerable hops in the finish.