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

Like all Norwegian pilseners aggressively carbonated. Not the best Norwegian brand. It's brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot and is drinkable, but really not much more. There's a bread-dough character that I don't like much. Lacks the crisp hoppiness that a good pilsener should have. Slightly better on tap than bottled IMO.

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

The Norwegian Hansa beers have no connection with Namibian or German (DAB) Hansa beers. This one is a fairly malty pilsener of acceptable quality, IMO one of the better Norwegian macro pilseners. There's actually a bit of flavour here. The Hansa Borg brewery group has 3 breweries: Hansa Bryggeri in Bergen, Christianssands Bryggeri (CB) in Kristiansand and Borg Bryggeri in Sarpsborg.

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

A middle-of-the-road pilsener / lager from the world's northernmost commercial brewery (there's a brewpub further north, in Honningsvåg). Rerate: Typical pils golden colour, slightly darker than Mack Arctic Beer. Good head, fairly malty aroma for a pils, malty sweetness in the flavour, moderate bitterness. Just another pils, really.

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

This is definitely going to be one of my favourite pilseners in the future (whenever I can afford it - it's quite expensive in Norway - or get it abroad). I guess the Czechs won't call it a pilsener as it's not being brewed in Plzen, but to me it's a pils good enough. Good lasting head, delicious Saaz aroma, pleasant flavour, very well balanced, better aftertaste than most pilseners.

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

This is an unsophisticated Euro strong lager with ABV 7.5%. Weak head, golden colour, alcoholic flavour with barely enough maltiness and very moderate hops. Average at the best.

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

Tuborg Påskebryg 'Kylle Kylle' is an "Easter brew", a bit darker than a standard pale lager, may probably be classified as a Vienna. But seriously: What the hell IS an 'EASTER brew' supposed to taste like?? Or is that a theological question? Anyway, this isn't a bad try. And the Easter chicken (and possibly the chicks) might like it.

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

One of the better German Pilseners, IMO. The Bitburger used to be a small local German brand, known only by connoisseurs and "the locals". It has steadily grown to be a nationwide brand in Germany, and now also an international brand. Some say it also has become more bland and mainstream in the process, but I think it's still a fairly crisp and drinkable pils.

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

500 ml can, bought in Prague. Golden colour, large thick head. Hoppy and fruity aroma, some flowers there too. Flavour is pleasantly balanced between the malts and hops - both elements are present and plentiful to a much greater degree than many other so called "pilseners". Nice.

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

(500 ml bottle). Okay, I've figured out that the % in the name of Czech and Slovakian beers is NOT the ABV, but has something to do with the malt content. Well, 5.6% alcohol seems just right for this beer. A golden beer with a faint haziness and moderate head, and a grassy, yeasty and malty aroma and flavour that makes me wonder for a second if the beer is bottom or top fermented. Bottom fermented it is, but the Czechs would hardly call this "Special" a pilsener (it's brewed in Praha, too). But who cares? Great hops bitterness in flavour and aftertaste. I always like beers where the elements yeast (not too much), malts and hops are all clearly detectable. In other words, I like this beer a lot!

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

This beer is now finally brewed in Berentsens Brygghus' own facilities in Egersund. My comment while it was still contract brewed by Aass Bryggeri in Drammen: (330 ml bottle). Rogalands Pils is a new beer, temporarily brewed by Aass while Berentsens in Egersund are setting up their own brewing facilities. (Aass also brewed another Rogalands Pils a few years ago, for the Stavanger firm Middelthon). The beer has a typical pils golden colour, moderate head, quite strong fruity, flowery and slightly yeasty aroma. Flavour is clean, fresh and rather "neutral", just a hint of fruity sweetness. Moderate bitterness (too moderate). Average.

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

Draught at the brewpub. Pale golden colour, slightly hazy. There’s a considerable bitterness around, but not much else. A drinkable pilsener, but rather boring.

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

500 ml brown bottle, bought in Denmark. ABV there is 4.7%. Golden colour, moderate head. Moderate aroma - some grass, flowers and honey. Flavour is fairly clean with a moderately hoppy finish, aftertaste does not last forever. An average drinkable pilsener, but not much more than that.

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

Draught at the Brauhaus / brewpub’s tent at Husumer Hafentage. Was called a "Helles" there, also in the printed Brauhaus "newspaper" which served as a menu. No "Pilsner" mentioned there. While the brewpub’s website, on the other hand, makes no mention of a Helles other than the Pilsner, and the ABV is exactly the same (varies between 5.0 and 5.2%), I presume they are identical. After all, "hell/helles" simply means "pale", and the term is frequently used all over Germany for all kinds of pale lagers, not only the Southern German "style" Helles (if it really is a clearly defined style at all, which is debatable). Served ice cold in a plastic glass. Honey coloured, slightly hazy, low head. A helles / average pilsner with a fairly decent balance between hops and malts, but nothing exceptional going on here.

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

Draught at the brewpub / restaurant. Golden colour, low head, slightly hazy. Minimal aroma. Average pilsener flavour with a certain hoppy bitterness. "Improved" when I finished it with my matjes herrings, like a pilsener normally would.

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

It's been a while since I had this - a Northern German pilsener with a substantial hoppy bitterness that lasts through the aftertaste. Together with Jever pilsener it has defined the "Northern German Pilsener style". Also available in the classic fliptop/swingtop bottle.

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

I used to think that this was one of the best classic German pilseners I've had. I will need to re-rate soon to find out if my taste has changed. I suspect it will have - a brewery that spends that much money on advertising and sports sponsoring should always be regarded with some sound scepticism.

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

500 ml can, bought in Denmark. ABV is 4.2%. Golden colour, good head. Very moderate aroma, some flowery Saazer hops. Moderate hops on a tolerably malty background in the flavour, nothing remarkable but I can’t detect any off-flavours either. A drinkable pils, not the best from the Czech Rep. but not horrible either.

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

(500 ml can). Pale golden colour, moderate head. Run of the mill pils, "neutral" flavour, thin mouthfeel. Nothing to write home about. Trio Bryggeri is a former soft drink factory that started brewing a few years after the old brewery in Skien, Lundetangen Bryggeri, was closed.

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

500 ml can. Contract brewed by Trio Bryggeri for Libo Trading (trade mark owner). I wouldn’t bet that this isn’t a re-label of Trio’s ordinary pilsner, but I can’t do a side-by-side comparison, so I can’t really tell. Like Trio Pilsner: Pale golden colour, moderate head. Run of the mill pils, "neutral" flavour, thin mouthfeel. Nothing to write home about.

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

330 ml brown bottle. Locally brewed by Lervig in Stavanger. Gone are the clear bottles and pilseners contract brewed by Mack and Trio. This one is very pale straw coloured, decent lingering head. Pleasant fruity aroma, notes of honey and grass too. Very light bodied, tolerable hoppy character, some bitterness in the aftertaste. No offensive sidenotes. Better than the contract brewed (now retired) Lervig Pilsner.

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

(500 ml can). Typical pils pale golden colour, large head diminishing rapidly. Moderate herbal pils aroma, flavour is slightly drier than the ordinary Mack pilsener. Not offensive, but not much to remember either. With all the beer varieties Mack brew, you'd think they could come up with something more exciting than umpteen varieties of uninteresting lagers.

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

Brewed by Borg Bryggeri in Sarpsborg, part of the Hansa Borg brewery group. (500 ml can). Pale golden colour, decent head that doesn't last very long or leave much lacing. Light flowery / grassy aroma, very light bodied, typical run of the mill pilsener - nothing offensive, but not great. Low bitterness. Reminds me of Tropical Pils (Las Palmas).

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

500 ml bottle with twist-off cap, bought at LIDL, Norway. ABV here is 4.7%, to comply with our 4.75% upper limit for beers sold in grocery stores. Pale golden colour, moderate head. Moderate aromatic hops, herbal and flowery notes. Fizzy mouthfeel. The rather dry flavour is dominated by a not very pleasant bitterness of not very good hops, becomes "industrial" and metallic in the finish. Not my favourite pils this one.

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

500 ml can, bought at LIDL Norway. ABV here is 4.7%, to comply with our 4.75% upper limit for beers sold in grocery stores. Pale golden colour, fluffy large to moderate head, collapsing. Moderate aromatic hops with some slight sweet and flowery notes, hints of hay. Low carbonation, thin and watery mouthfeel. Onedimensional flavour where a not very pleasant bitterness of inferior hops dominate. Not good.

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

Rerate, on tap in Hamburg. This is a fairly average standard pilsener, but the hoppy bitterness in the finish was actually greater than I remembered it from the bottles I’ve sampled earlier. Drinkable.