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

330 ml can, from Helgø Meny, Kvadrat. ABV is 4.7%. Chestnut to mahogany colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of caramel, brown bread with syrup, hints of brittle. The flavour is not too sweet, but has the same elements as the aroma, with a hint of prunes. Hardly any bitterness.

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

April 2015: On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Beautiful dark ruby colour, moderate off-white head. Fairly strong and pleasant aroma, notes of malts, caramel and bakery / Danish pastry, also hints of fruit and English malt vinegar. Malty flavour with caramel and baked goods, but not overly sweet. The bitterness is low, as typical for the style. Pleasant to drink.

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

330 ml can, from Helgø MENY, Hundvåg. ABV is 4.7%. Mahogany colour, moderate to small beige head. Aroma of brown bread, faint hints of caramel and chocolate. The flavour is not too sweet, but has the same elements as the aroma, also hints of burnt breadcrumbs. Moderate hops.

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

Small sample from tap at Mandag i Annen, Cardinal, Stavanger. Clear and deep reddish brown colour, off-white head. Malty and roasty aroma and flavour, not very sweet, notes of burnt breadcrumbs and mild coffee.

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

330 ml can, as Bådin Beiarn Julebayer, from Joker Vatlandsvåg. ABV is 4.7%. Deep reddish brown colour, moderate beige head. Moderate malty aroma, faint hints of caramel and red berries. Malty flavour, not too sweet, notes of brown bread, hints of brittle and dark fruits. Fairly refreshing.

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

330 ml can, from Holdbart Klepp. ABV is 4.5%. Moderately hazy deep golden colour, moderate to small white head. Aroma of grain and sprucetips / spruce needles, a hint of caramel. Flavour with the same elements, not too sweet, very moderate hops.

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

440 ml can, as Monkey Brew Kepler Bayer, from Birk Bryggeriutsalg, Klepp. ABV is 4.7%. Slightly hazy chestnut colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts and brown bread, hints of caramel, dark syrup and burnt breadcrumbs. The flavour is distinctly malty but not too sweet, with the same elements as the aroma, moderate to low bitterness.

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

500 ml bottle, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.7%. Reddish brown colour, very small head, slightly off-white, moderate carbonation. Aroma of malts, caramel and brown bread, a hint of dark fruits. Thin mouthfeel. The flavour has some acidic notes, but not to an unpleasant degree. Otherwise the same elements as the aroma. Drinkable, but you'll get better dunkels from industrial breweries, to a lower price.

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

480 ml can, from EkoMarket Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Mahogany colour, moderate to small off-white to beige head. Aroma of dark bread and dark Munich malts, hints of prunes and burnt breadcrumbs. The flavour has the same elements, and is not too sweet. Moderate to low bitterness.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

330 ml can, from Coop Mega Madla Handelslag. ABV is 4.7%. Mahogany colour, large beige head. Aroma of malts, caramel, dust and brown bread. The flavour is malty but not too sweet, discrete notes of caramel and brown bread, hints of mild spices, low bitterness. An easy drinking Dunkel.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

355 ml bottle, as Negra Modelo, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.4%. Clear copper to amber colour, moderate off-white head. Strong aroma of caramel, treacle and brown bread. Smooth flavour, notes of malts, brown bread and caramel, sweet but not extreme, low bitterness. Pleasant to drink.

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

330 ml bottle, shared by my son. ABV is 5.3%. Reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. "Dusty" and grainy aroma, some caramel, hints of brown bread. Bready flavour, not very sweet, "clean" taste.

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

Shared 500 ml bottle at local tasting, from Donslund Vine. Very dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of caramel malts and sourish brown bread, hints of chocolate. The flavour is malty and slightly sweet, mild roasty notes with notes of mild coffee and toasted brown bread. Dry finish.

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

Shared 500 ml bottle, from Donslund Vine, as Novopacké pivo Granát, at local tasting. ABV is 5.0%. Dark reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of caramel malts and brown bread. Nice flavour, not too sweet, malty and mildly roasty notes, dark brown bread, chocolate and a hint of mild coffee. Very drinkable.

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

Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting. ABV is 6.5%. Dark reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Unusual aroma, marzipan / artificial almond flavouring, some caramel and rice. The flavour has some caramel malts, but is not very sweet. Hints of almond essence again. Esoteric, but not a great beer.

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

Christmas seasonal. 500 ml bottle, from Det Gode brygg, Sandnes. ABV is 4.7%. Chestnut to mahogany colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts, caramel, brittle, brown bread and Christmas spices. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma, but is not too sweet. Very moderate hops. Pleasant to drink.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.0%. Deep brown (nearly black) colour, moderate to small tan head. Aroma of brown malts, caramel, brown bread. Malty flavour with the same elements, hints of burnt breadcrumbs and prunes, moderate hops.

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

330 ml bottle, as Cusqueña Dark Lager, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.6%. Very dark brown colour, moderate off-white to beige head. Aroma of malts, caramel and brown bread. Sweet and malty flavour - pretty far out on the sweet side, actually. Lots of caramel and syrup notes, hints of dark rye bread. Minimal bittering hops. Worth sampling, but hardly a beer I'll buy again.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikk. ABV is 5%. Dark reddish brown colour, moderate off-white to beige head. Aroma of malts, brown bread, chocolate, caramel, burnt breadcrumbs, also herbal hops. The flavour has the same elements, not too sweet. More distinct hop bitterness than in most dunkels.

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

330 ml bottle, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. This is not a Bock, but a Munich Dunkel. Deep reddish brown colour, moderate off-white to beige head. Aroma of caramel, medium roast malts, brittle, raisins and prunes. Smooth flavour, with the same elements as the aroma. Moderate hops. Nice to drink.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.0%. Cola dark to black colour, moderate beige head. Sourish aroma of black rye bread and sourdough bread, hints of burnt caramel. Smooth mouthfeel and flavour, notes of lightly roasted malts and dark bread, not too sweet, low bitterness.

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

750 ml bottle, from BilkaToGo, Skalborg. ABV is 5.6%. Deep reddish brown colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of malts, burnt caramel, burnt breadcrumbs. Soft mouthfeel. Malty flavour, some caramel, but the burnt notes are less distinct. Nice enough to drink.

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

July 2018: 500 ml can, thanks to Holmen1. Reddish brown colour, large off-white head. Malty aroma, notes of brown bread, some caramel. Malty flavour too, brown bread again, also slightly burnt breadcrumbs, a little caramel but not very sweet, noticeable bittering hops in the finish. Okay beer.

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

330 ml can, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. Also available at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Not a bock, but a dunkel. Beautiful clear and deep chestnut colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma and flavour of malts, nuts and caramel. Hints of burnt breadcrumbs. Low bitterness.

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

June 2013: Shared 500 ml swingtop bottle, thanks to gunnar who brought it fresh from Bamberg. ABV is 6.0%. Amber / reddish brown colour, moderate white head. Unusual "wet wool" or "damp closet" aroma, weak caramel malts in the background. The flavour is moderately malty with a little caramel, but is not very sweet. The aroma blends in with the flavour in an unpleasant way.