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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. Brew #48. ABV 4.7%. Cloudy brown colour, moderate beige head. The aroma has notes reminiscent of juniper wood and tobacco. Decent hoppy flavour, resinous notes, hints of wood and tobacco, on a sufficient malty base. A nice steam beer!

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

This beer is inspired by US West Coast steam ale. EBC 21,8, IBU 15,8. Copper coloured, crystal and chocolate malts are used. Several hop varieties are used, East Kent Goldings and Liberty are mentioned. Moderate fruity aroma, flavour is dusty malty with a dusty hops finish. Undefinable lack of balance, made worse by serving the beer far too cold. Too carbonated.

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

July 2012. 500 ml bottle, batch # 449, will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 3.5%. 35 IBU. Golden colour, slightly hazy. Large white head. Pleasant aroma of citrus, tropical fruits and spruce. Light bodied, refreshing. Dry flavour, some mild roasty notes, hints of coffee (unexpected in a beer this pale), well hopped throughout, notes of citrus and spruce again. An excellent summer thirstquencher!

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.0%. Slightly hazy reddish brown colour, small off-white head. Distinct malty aroma with notes of caramel and yeast, hints of brown bread and juniper twigs. The flavour has the same elements, also hints of dark berries. Moderate bitterness.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.2%. Moderately hazy brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts, caramel and earthy and herbal hops. Fizzy and slightly citric mouthfeel. The flavour is medium sweet, with dominant caramel and yeast, also notes of pine and juniper twigs, bitter aftertaste. Too yeasty, won't buy again.

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

330 ml bottle, as Ugly Duck Old Money Chocolate Truffle Stout, from BilkaToGo, Skalborg. ABV is 5.9%. Nearly black colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of roast malts, chocolate truffles, cocoa, coffee and vanilla. Moderately sweet flavour, with the same elements as the aroma, low bitterness.

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

550 ml bottle, at the Robert Raike’s House (a Samuel Smith pub), Gloucester. Served ice cold. ABV is 5%. Nearly black colour, ruby in the highlights. Moderate beige head. Lovely aroma of chocolate, cocoa and vanilla, hints of marshmallows. Fairly light bodied. Medium sweet flavour of chocolate, cocoa and vanilla again. Low bitterness.

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

500 ml bottle, will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.8%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Strong aroma of cocoa / chocolate. The flavour has also loads of chocolate and cocoa, but is not very sweet. Some coffee and noticeable hops in the background. Despite the dominant chocolate: This is actually a well balanced beer, pleasant to drink, and does not become cloying.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Scarborough. ABV is 4.0%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. Aroma of cocoa and coffee, hints of tar, wood and leather. Creamy mouthfeel. The flavour is dominated by cocoa / chocolate, also notes of coffee, brown bread and burnt caramel, a little fruit too. Pretty good.

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

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Black colour, huge brown head. Sweetish aroma with strong notes of chocolate / cocoa, also notes of vanilla. Silky mouthfeel. The flavour is moderately sweet, again with dominant notes of chocolate / cocoa and vanilla, but also a distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. Not bad at all.

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

500 ml bottle, at Haket, Göteborg. Served with a Chimay glass. Black colour, low tan head. Nice roasty aroma with strong notes of prunes and chocolate, hints of liquorice and pipe tobacco. Flavour is creamy and mellow, but also distinctly roasty with notes of coffee and chocolate. A very fine beer.

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

(500 ml bottle, ABV 5,2%). Black (actually very dark ruby) with a good tan head and nice lacing. Aroma is all chocolate and roasted malts. When you expect something cloyingly sweet (chocolate in beer - "uff da"!): Surprise! - a perfectly rounded and well balanced flavour, loads of chocolate but never sickly, just the right roasted bitterness in the aftertaste. This beer is a real treat - I would be happy to drink it each and every afternoon, but just one bottle a day!

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

(500 ml bottle, bought in Finland. ABV was 5.2%.). Black (actually very dark ruby) with a good tan head and nice lacing. Aroma is all chocolate and roasted malts. When you expect something cloyingly sweet (chocolate in beer - "uff da"!): Surprise! - a perfectly rounded and well balanced flavour, loads of chocolate but never sickly, just the right roasted bitterness in the aftertaste. This beer is a real treat - I would be happy to drink it each and every afternoon, but just one bottle a day!

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. ABV is 5.7%. Dark ruby nearly black colour, large tan head. Aroma is overhelming chocolate (like chocolate sauce), artificial vanilla, cocoa, candy and caramel. Definitely too much of all the sweet aromas. Flavour is not quite as overwhelmingly sweet as the aroma makes you fear, but pretty close. Again: too much chocolate, cocoa and artificial vanilla, some coffee notes too. I’m not amused. Couldn’t finish the bottle.

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

600 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Vika. ABV is 7.5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Aroma of cold coffee, hints of ashes and liquorice. Moderately sweet flavour with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice. Pleasant to drink.

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

At Copenhagen Beer Festival. Black colour, tan head. Aroma of chocolate and mild coffee. Smooth and medium sweet flavour, not cloying, notes of mild coffee again. Quite drinkable and decent.

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

From the barrel (gravity) at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival. ABV is 5.2%. Pale golden colour, just a slight haze. Nice aroma of pears and apples, hints of oak and sulphites. Light bodied, medium dry flavour of pears.

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

700 ml "champagne" bottle, in Spain. ABV is 4.1%. Pale yellow colour, pours fizzy with a very short-lived white head. Aroma of cider apples, and sulphites, okay. Medium sweet flavour of cider apples and eating apples, hints of sulphites. Easy drinking.

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

700 ml "champagne" bottle, as Sidra Zarracina, in Spain. ABV 4.1%. Pale yellow colour, pours very fizzy with a short-lived white head. Moderate aroma of cider apples and eating apples, notes of sulphites. Medium sweet flavour of eating apples, hints of sulphites. Light bodied.

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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, as El Gaitero Sidra Extra, from Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget. ABV is 4.8%. Crystal clear very pale yellow colour, pours very fizzy with a big white head that actually lasts a minute. Strong and a bit sharp aroma of sulphites and cider apples. The flavour is medium sweet, with clean notes of both cider apples and sweet eating apples. Just a hint of sulphites in the background. Easy drinking.

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

750 ml "champagne" bottle, vintage 2008, from Vinmonopolet (bestillingsutvalget). ABV is 7%. Pale yellow colour, pours very fizzy with a big white head that soon disappears. Typical aroma of oxidised cider apples and sulphites. The flavour is very dry and crisp, oxidided cider apples again, slightly astringent finish, moderate sulphites. Does not feel as strong as it actually is. Must be good with food.

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

700 ml "champagne" bottle, from Super Cor, La Manga. ABV is 4.1%. Very pale straw coloured cider, pours very fizzy with a large white head that dies instantly. Nice aroma of cider apples and sweet eating apples, a hint of sulphites. Moderate carbonation in the mouth. Nice sweet flavour of sweet eating apples and oxidised cider apples, a hint of of sulphites.

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

"Champagne" bottle, from Carrefour, Cartagena. ABV is 4.1%. Golden colour, no lasting head. Aroma and flavour of sweet eating apples, just a hint of sulphites. Fizzy mouthfeel. Among the more anonymous of Spanish sidras, but drinkable.

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

750 ml corked bottle, from Vinmonopolet. R.E. No. 1297-0, R.S. No. 3075/0. Vintage 2009, G No. 1184850. Pale golden colour, Pours with moderate carbonation. Nice aroma of cider apples, hints of farmhouse, oak and sulphites. Pleasant mouthfeel, not too fizzy. Lovely and refined flavour of cider apples, medium dry, notes of oak, just a hint of sulphites. The best Spanish sidra I’ve had, actually one of the best ciders regardless of country.

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

Shared bottle, thanks to yngwie. ABV 5.5%. Golden colour, just a slight carbonation. Aroma and flavour of cider apples, hints of oak and sulphites. Quite drinkable.