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

355 ml bottle, as Southern Tier Porter Dark, at Plan B, Copenhagen. Black colour, huge beige head. Lovely vinous and fruity aroma, notes of American hops and orange maramalade. The roasty notes are very subdued. The flavour is very moderately roasty, notes of chocolate and moderate American hops, not very sweet. Decent beer.

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

Shared 500 ml bottle, at Plan B, Copenhagen, 26.05.11. BB date was 28.04.11. ABV was 8.5%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, moderate white head. Moderate aroma, hints of caramel and honey. The medium sweet flavour has also notes of caramel and honey, with distinct hops and alcohol in the finish.

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

On tap at Copenhagen Beer Festival. Gruit brewed with meadowsweet, yarrow and bee balm. Cloudy golden colour. Nice herbal aroma. The flavour has an unusual sweetish herbal character, but lacks the balance of bittering hops (or other bittering agents).

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

On tap at Copenhagen Beer Festival. Golden colour, moderate white head. Lovely piney and resinous aroma, also notes of tropical fruits. The flavour has also notes of pine and tropical fruits, very pleasant and thirstquenching.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger, as Lapin Kulta Premium. Was said to be 4.5%. Golden colour, low white head. Moderate floral aroma, not bad, not remarkable. Crisp and fairly dry flavour, but far too modest on the hops. This is a beer you’d drink on a tropical beach, rather than in the wilds of Lapland.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed by Bosteels. ABV is 8.4%. The glass fills completely by an enormous foamy head, and the golden beer below appears only slowly. Strong and attractive aroma of spices, Belgian ale yeast and some fruit. The flavour is also spicy and yeasty with some fruit, notes of white kandij sugar, but the sweetness is not too much. Moderate hops in the finish.

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

330 ml bottle, Cardinal & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.9%. Amber colour, slightly hazy. Large off-white head. The aroma has strong notes of coffee and powerful Tomahawk hops, an unusual combination. The flavour has a considerable sweetness, followed up by strong notes of coffee and resinous and fruity hops. The combination feels kind of weird, but on the other hand: Why not?

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

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, as Left Coast’s Hop Juice Double IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.4%. Deep golden to orange colour, moderate white head. Strong aroma of fruity and resinous hops, notes of orange marmalade. The medium sweet flavour has intense hops from start to finish, as expected. Notes of resin, pine needles and bitter oranges. Bitter and sharp aftertaste, of course - and the alcohol is not well hidden.

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

750 ml very elegant corked bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot. ABV is 10.5%. Crystal clear golden colour, pours very sparkling with huge white head. Slightly "unfresh" aroma of "Belgian" ale yeast, mild spices and stale marmalade, hints of alcohol and solvent. The flavour has also an "unfresh" character, notes of stale fruit, stale hops, alcohol and a hint of caramel. Whatever the idea behind this beer, it was poorly executed. Disappointing.

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

500 ml supermarket can, a gift from my brother, bought in Italy. ABV is 4.7%. Pale yellow colour, large white head. Strong sweetish aroma, notes of maltose, grass and artificial candy. The flavour is sweet and sugary, with very moderate hops. Lacks the crisp flavour of a decent pilsener. Typical industrial supermarket pale lager.

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

750 ml capped bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brew #64, ABV is 6.0%. Golden colour, slightly hazy, enormous white head that lasts "forever" and makes the beer hard to drink. Strong and pleasant spicy and yeasty aroma. The crisp flavour has also distinct spicy and "Belgian" yeasty notes, with a substantial hoppy "bite" in the finish.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5%. Pale golden colour, large white head of good retention. Decent aroma of grassy and floral Saazer hops, with a hint of honey. The flavour has also nice presence of Saaz, but there is also a pleasant malty sweetness. Overall is this a fairly well balanced pilsener, above average for the style, and very refreshing when cold.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.5%. Reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head of good retention. Sweetish aroma of caramel, molasses and raw alcohol. The fairly sweet flavour has also notes of caramel and molasses, hints of dark dried fruits and liquorice. Too moderate hops.The alcohol is not well hidden.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård. ABV is 6.5%. Black colour, large brown head. Roasty aroma, strong notes of coffee, hints of dark chocolate. The flavour is roasty and medium sweet, strong notes of coffee again. A nice stout, but it would be probably be tasty even without the coffee, which I assume the nursing mother and her baby wouldn’t miss before they go to sleep.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, from Dagli’brugsen Skødstrup. ABV is 5.3%. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights. Large tan head. Pleasant roasty aroma, notes of coffee. The flavour is roasty and quite dry, notes of coffee, hints of liquorice. Fairly light bodied, but nice enough.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, as Nøgne Ø Stuten, unpasteurised first brew (later brews will be pasteurised), sample at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Impressive appearance - pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Roasty aroma with strong notes of coffee. Roasty dry flavour, notes of coffee and dark chocolate. Fairly bitter finish with some resinous notes. The mouthfeel is a bit thin, as expected, but this is by far the best n/a beer I’ve ever tasted.

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

500 ml bottle, from Dagli’brugsen Skødstrup. ABV is 6.5%. Deep reddish brown colour, huge orangey-beige head of good retention. Very nice aroma of spices, Belgian ale yeast, caramel malts and brown kandij sugar. The flavour is moderately malty, not too sweet, with spicy notes, also notes of dark dried fruits and caramel, hints of oak. The mouthfeel could have been fuller, but this is still a remarkably drinkable beer.

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

500 ml can, from Dagli’brugsen Skødstrup, Denmark. ABV of the pasteurised bottled/canned version is 4.7%. This is a premium bitter, not an Old Ale. Amber to copper colour, large off-white head. Moderate but nice fruity aroma, also notes of toffee. The flavour is fruity, with some caramel and decent hops in the background. Much better than I feared.

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

500 ml clear bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 7%. Black colour, large tan head. Roasty aroma with notes of coffee, hints of dark chocolate and woodwork, also an initial hint of fruity acidity. Fairly smooth mouthfeel. The flavour is medium sweet with notes of dark malts, coffee, chocolate and molasses. Some fruitiness too, but the bitterness is quite moderate. Pretty good stuff.

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

330 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård. ABV is 7.5%. Copper colour, large to moderate off-white head. Fruity / citrussy aroma, also notes of caramel and brown sugar. The flavour has moderate notes of citrussy hops on a caramel and brown sugar base. Very moderate bitterness. Not very complex. Clearly drinkable, but not my favourite Christmas beer. Wouldn’t buy again.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Very dark reddish brown colour, creamy beige head. Woody and ashy aroma, hints of tobacco. The fairly dry flavour has malty and woody notes, roasty notes too. Ashes and medium bitter hops in the finish. Bitter aftertaste.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8%. Deep golden colour, low white head. Moderate "dusty" lager aroma, nothing exciting there. The flavour has a nice balance between the malts and hops, fairly easy drinking for its strength.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

500 ml bottle, arbitrary sample. ABV is 4.2%. Might be imported to Norway, if a certain pubowner (not one of your usual suspects) gets it his way. Dark ruby colour, low creamy beige head. "Dusty" boring aroma. Smooth flavour, malts and a mild roastiness, low bitterness. Closer to an Irish Red Ale than a stout IMO. Drinkable, but not exciting.

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 2 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 2

330 ml clear bottle, arbitrary sample. Extremely pale yellow colour, moderate white head. Sweetish and sugary aroma, some grassy notes. Nearly void of flavour, just a little sweetness. No aftertaste (at least no GOOD aftertaste), as intended by the brewers. Who the hell LIKES this beer? Calling it "piss" would be an insult to any active human kidney.

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

500 ml bottle, from NETTO, Denmark. ABV is 6.0%. Amber to copper colour, large to moderate off-white head, leaves a nice lacing. Nice and fresh aroma of tree sap, but I am not sure I could identify it as ahorn, if I didn’t know. (I am well aquainted with ahorn syrup, but the aroma here is not nearly that intense.) Also grassy and herbal notes. The medium sweet flavour has some fruity and caramel notes, and moderate notes of ahorn syrup (contains also glucose syrup). Low bitterness, but the fruitiness saves the beer from falling in the "cloyingly sweet" ditch. Smooth mouthfeel. I kind of like it.