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

330 ml can, from Gulating ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Clear and beautiful chestnut to mahogany colour, large off-white to beige head. Distinct aroma of caramel and brown bread with dark syrup, also notes of mild Christmas spices and nuts. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma, but is not too sweet. Low bitterness. A nice dunkel - not a bock with this ABV.

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

330 ml can, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Contract brewed for Dragur at Berentsens Brygghus. Beautiful clear chestnut colour, moderate beige head. Aroma and flavour of malts, caramel and brown bread. Minimal bitterness.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.4%. Beautiful and clear chestnut colour, large off-white head. Aroma of malts (some of it lightly roasted), brown bread, burnt breadcrumbs, some caramel. The flavour is not too sweet, but has the same elements as the aroma, and more bittering hops than your average dunkel.

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

330 ml bottle, from the brewery's off-licence. ABV is 4.7%. Deep reddish brown colour, large to moderate beige head. The aroma has the expected notes of chocolate and caramel, also hints of brown bread and burnt breadcrumbs. Smooth mouthfeel. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma, also fruity notes of prunes and a hint of honey, but not too sweet. A slight bitterness in the aftertaste. Very pleasant to drink.

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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV 5.7%. Dark redddish brown colour, moderate beige head. Strong malty aroma, notes of caramel, bakery and prunes. Very malty flavour, also vinous notes, prunes. A tasty and interesting beer.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.7%. Dark brown colour, big to moderate tan head. Nice aroma of slightly burnt caramel and brown bread. The flavour has also notes of caramel, fresh black bread, and burnt brown bread toast. Not very sweet. Maybe not so exceptional, but a drinkable and decent dunkel. Should not be drunk too cold.

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

330 ml bottle, ABV is 4.4%. Will be imported to Norway soon. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Moderate beige head. Surprisingly moderate aroma, some "dusty" malts. The flavour has a nice maltiness with mild roasted notes, but is not very sweet. Moderate but noticeable hops, dry finish. Refreshing and pleasant to drink.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

500 ml bottle, from REMA 1000. ABV is 4.7%. Lade Gaards Brygghus does not exist, this is another fake "craft beer" brewed by Norway's crappiest brewery, Grans. Copper coloured beer, big cream-coloured head. Fairly nice aroma of butterscotch and caramel, hints of spices. Thin mouthfeel. The flavour has a slight acidity which seems totally misplaced in a dunkel, also notes of brown bread and caramel, but the beer is not vey sweet. Very moderate hops. Not much to write home about, but as this is Grans, it is still one of their "better" beers.

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

Cask (hand pump) at the Darlington Spring Thing Beer Festival 2011. ABV is 4.6%. Chestnut colour, low head. Malty and nutty aroma. Nutty flavour, a hint of caramel, but very dry for a dunkel. Fairly bitter hops in the finish.

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

(500 ml bottle). Reddish brown colour, hazy (unfiltered). Very good thick head. Moderate malty aroma, notes of caramel. Flavour is malty and slightly spicy, not too sweet. Well balanced with a nice hoppy bitterness in the finish. Mouthfeel is a bit watery though. Overall: Not bad this one.

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

500 ml bottle, as Olivetinsky Opat Čokoládovy Special 13%, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV is 5.3%. Black colour, creamy beige head. Intense aroma of chocolate, more chocolate and vanilla. Lighter bodied and less sweet flavour than the aroma makes you expect, but still with plenty of chocolate in the flavour.

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

500 ml bottle, from SuperBest Hjørring. ABV is 5.0%. Brown colour, slightly hazy, huge beige head. The aroma has strong notes of brown bread and lightly toasted malts, hints of caramel. The flavour is fairly malty and medium sweet, notes of caramel, also brown bread baked with a dash of dark syrup. A fairly decent dunkel.

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

500 ml swingtop bottle, bought at Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 5.3%. Dark brown colour, big to moderate off-white to beige head. Nice aroma of malts, fresh bread and fruity and floral hops. The flavour is quite fruity and refreshing for a dunkel, the malts are there, but the beer is not too sweet. Low bitterness, but scores high on drinkability.

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

On tap, or possibly the glass was poured from bottle, as Mariabrunner Dunkel, at the Brauerei-Gasthof zur Post, Erding. Very dark brown to ruby colour, moderate off-white head. Pleasant malty aroma with notes of dark bread and caramel. The flavour has distinct notes of dark münchener malts and caramel, also notes of brown bread. Minimal hops. A decent dunkel.

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

Poured from a 500 ml bottle, as Fischers Stiftungsbräu Dunkel, at a Chinese restaurant in Erding. Very dark brown colour, moderate off-white head. Nice aroma of bakery, dark münchener malts and caramel. Soft mouthfeel. The flavour has also notes of dark münchener malts and caramel, but is not too sweet. Minimal hops.

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

500 ml bottle, as Kloster Scheyern Kloster-Export Dunkel, bought at Rewe Getränkemarkt, Erding. ABV is 5.4%. Mahogany coloured beer, moderate off-white to beige head. Moderate aroma of brown bread. The flavour is moderately malty with notes of caramel and brown bread, but it is not too sweet. Just enough hops to make this a fairly well-balanced and drinkable dunkel.

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

500 ml bottle, as Březňák Schwarzbier, bought at Rewe Getränkemarkt, Erding. ABV is 3.8%. Ingredients include sweetener. Mahogany coloured beer, big off-white to beige head. Strong sweetish malty aroma, notes of bakery / brown bread, caramel and syrup. The flavour is malty and slightly roasty, but not as sweet as the aroma made me fear. Decent hops in the finish balance the flavour nicely.

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

500 ml bottle, from Rewe Getränkemarkt, Erding. ABV is 5.0%. Fairly dark reddish brown colour, big to moderate beige head. Aroma of brown bread / bakery, some caramel. The flavour is fairly malty with notes of caramel and brown bread, not too sweet, a hint of "dusty" hops in the finish. Pleasant to drink.

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

500 ml bottle, from Rewe Getränkemarkt, Erding. ABV is 5.1%. Deep copper brown colour, big to moderate off-white head. Aroma of bakery (brown bread and pastry) and caramel malts, also some moderate fruity notes. The flavour is malty with caramel, but not too sweet, some lightly burnt notes and moderate hops in the finish. Well balanced and pleasant to drink. According to Roger Protz, this is one of the 300 beers you need to sample before you die. I would not limit myself to 300 beers, but König Ludwig Dunkel is definitely worth sampling (and having again the day after), as a fine example of Bavarian dunkels - a style that most of the time does not get the love it deserves on beer rating websites.

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

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Very dark brown colour, big to moderate beige head. Moderate aroma of caramel and toasted brown bread, hints of dark dried fruits. Decent flavour, caramel and toasted brown bread again, a hint of fruit, moderate but sufficient hops in the finish. Well balanced and pleasant to drink.

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

500 ml bottle from REMA 1000. ABV is 4.7%. Copper colour, moderate off-white head. Moderate aroma of caramel malts, hints of chocolate. Thin and fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is slightly acidic, with moderate notes of caramel malt and a hint of chocolate malt, without being very sweet. "Dusty" and empty finish. Not undrinkable, but definitely one of the most boring Yule beers you can get in Norway.

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

330 ml bottle, from my local grocery store. ABV 4.7%. This is a completely new recipe this year, from Lervig’s head brewer Mike Murphy. Dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Moderate malty aroma, some caramel. Easy drinking Münchener dunkel flavour, some caramel but not too sweet, some mild roasty notes, hints of brown bread. Has not the body of stronger Yule beers, of course, but should satisfy the average Norwegian’s need for a beer to go with his traditional pork rib dinner, especially with a dram of aquavit at the side.

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

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.0%. Beautiful deep reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts with some caramel and notes of bakery, fair enough. The malty flavour has some sweetness, but not too much, still with distinct notes of caramel. Moderate hops, as expected from a dunkel. A pleasant dunkel to drink.

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

(Also known as Aass Dark.) A quite acceptable Norwegian Bayer, but not as rich flavour as I expected. Rerate: This beer grows on you - the bitterness and burnt tastenotes make this beer probably the best all-year Norwegian beer for the grocery store market (ABV < 4.75%) there is.

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

33 cl bottle, served too cold at Lorry Restaurant, Oslo. Reddish brown colour, moderate to low head. Moderate malty aroma with notes of slightly burnt caramel, hints of tobacco. Disappointingly bland flavour, some malts and caramel, thin and watery mouthfeel. Low on hops. Little aftertaste.