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

750 ml swingtop bottle, as St Germain Page 24 Réserve Hildegarde Bière de Garde Blonde, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.9%. Pale golden colour, just a slight haziness, big white head. Nice aroma of "Belgian" (French, actually) yeast, with spicy / peppery notes. Some fruit and grass too. The flavour is first crisp and moderately spicy / peppery, leading to a fruity moderate sweetness, ending in a moderately hoppy and spicy finish and aftertaste. A truly enjoyable bière de garde - will buy again.

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

330 ml bottle, as Larché Thomas Becket Blonde de Bourgogne, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.5%. Pale golden / blonde ale, slightly hazy, with a huge white head. Lovely strong aroma of fruits and spices (cloves and coriander?). The flavour is distinctly citrussy, followed by spicy notes and a moderate hoppy bitterness. Fairly crisp and dry. Refreshing and very pleasant to drink.

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

500 ml bottle, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 4.8%. Brewed with organic barley malts, wheat malts, oats and hops. Deep golden to amber colour, big slightly off-white head. Aroma of fruity hops, notes of oranges, hints of caramel. The flavour is smooth with notes of toffee and moderate hops, nice enough to drink but not really very exciting. An OK refreshment though.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 40857, January 2009. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. Intense and lovely aroma of fine malt whisky, notes of oak and peat, hints of vanilla and dark chocolate. Strong flavour of dark malts and fine whisky, peaty and oaky notes, also notes of coffee, hints of liquorice and tar. Moderate bitterness in the finish. Pretty brilliant stuff.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 01232, March 2009. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. Strong aroma of whisky cask, notes of peat, tar and vanilla. Intense but well rounded flavour of malt whisky, oak, malty sweetness, coffee and tar. Moderately bitter aftertaste.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.7%. Hops are Boadicea, Styrian Goldings and Columbus. Deep golden colour, moderate white head. Pleasant hoppy aroma, also notes of fruits, hints of honey, toffee and blackcurrant leaves. The well rounded flavour has a nice balance between distinct malts and pleasant hops, some fruity sweetness, honeyish notes, the alcohol is noticeable but not disturbing. Moderately bitter aftertaste. Good beer.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.2%. Contains sulphites. Deep golden colour, big head rapidly diminishing. Aroma of ginger, syrup and and some fruit, hints of toffee. The flavour is very sweet, syrupy and sugary, with a moderate but nice ginger burn in the finish. Hardly any hops. Not really my kind of beer, but drinkable.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV was 5.5%. Brewed with lemongrass. Cloudy brownish golden colour, creamy off-white head. Moderate but nice aroma of lemongrass and undefined mild spices, with a faint hint of butterscotch. Refreshing flavour and mouthfeel, the lemongrass is there, but is not overdone. Moderate but noticeable hops. Very moreish. Could well be made a permanent brew - should appeal to "the general public", as well as beer geeks who want a nice refreshment.

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

conditioned, ABV is 7%. Dark brown opaque colour, huge tan head. Moderate aroma of malts, bakery, caramel and coffee, hints of chocolate. The flavour is malty with some caramel and weak coffee, with hints of chocolate, but the finish has unfortunately distinct and unpleasant notes of wet cardboard and cigarette ashes, some metallic notes too. Could have been a good beer - as it is, it is not good enough.

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

750 ml bottle, vintage 2008, sparkling, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 9.0%. Pale golden colour. Pours moderately fizzy with a very short-lived white head. Moderate carbonation in the glass. Aroma and flavour of fermenting sweet eating apples (varieities: Gravenstein, Summerred and Aroma), hints of sulphur and oak. Definitely drinkable.

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

330 ml bottle, at Olympen, Oslo. ABV was 8.0%. Dark ruby colour, nearly black. Minimal tan head, low carbonation. Nice aroma of roasted malts, sweetened coffee, chocolate and dark dried fruits. The flavour is fairly sweet with a distinct roastiness, notes of coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice.

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

330 ml bottle, as BrewDog Speedball, at Olympen, Oslo. I think the ABV was 7.8%. Deep amber to reddish colour, moderate head. Distinct aroma of American hops, and some honey. The flavour is first distinctly hoppy and rather bitter, then the flavour is mellowed when the malts and the special ingredients come through (guarana, kola nuts and heather honey - I can’t identify the Californian poppy), as the beer warms up a little. All in all a pleasant mouthfeel and an enjoyable beer.

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

330 ml bottle, at Olympen, Oslo. ABV was 10%. Imperial stout matured in Islay whisky casks. Black colour, dark ruby in the highlights, low tan head. Moderate carbonation. Intense peaty and smoky aroma, distinct notes of Islay whisky, tar, shore-washed seaweed and salty seas. Very salty, peaty and ashy flavour, with a solid roastiness and a moderate sweetness. The bitterness is fairly moderate though, compared to this beer’s other extreme qualities.

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

330 ml bottle, at Østkantfolk, Oslo. ABV was 4.7%. Golden colour, low head. Very pleasant aroma of European hops, notes of heather. Very fizzy mouthfeel. Standard pilsener flavour, nothing wrong with it, nothing very special. Maybe a hint of birch sap and honey. More bitterness and less carbonation would be desirable.

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

On tap at Olympen, Oslo. Cloudy orange colour, low white head. Strong yeasty and fruity aroma, also notes of cloves, coriander and oranges / orange peel. The flavour is wheaty and fruity (oranges) with yeasty and spicy notes. A bit sweet and "heavy" for a cross between Witbier and a Belgian Ale, but nice enough.

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

355 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.8%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy. Big white head. Lovely aroma of American hops, piney and citrussy notes, also hints of blackcurrants. The flavour is very bitter (too bitter) from the first sip, with piney and resinous notes. There is some malty and fruity sweetness, but not enough to balance the bitterness. The long aftertaste is chinine-like and very bitter.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8%. Despite being brewed with some brettanomyces and bacteria, this is a Fruit Beer, not a Sour Ale. Starts pouring out of the bottle by its own will. Brownish red colour, moderate head. Pleasant aroma of "tyttebær" / lingonberries (= a kind of wild Nordic mountain / forest cranberries), also notes of "old farmhouse attic". The flavour has distinct notes of tyttebær, and is fairly dry, with a very moderate acidity (much less than expected). This is no fruit lambic. The finish is a bit "empty", I’d like some bitterness there. The 8% alcohol is nowhere to be found though - untill you rise from the chair ... If I did not know the ABV, I would recommend this as a nice refreshment beer after hard work, fridge cold. As it warms up, it does not improve, and while still being definitely drinkable, it does not quite live up to the high standards of Nøgne Ø. Should (and will) not be a permanent beer in the Nøgne Ø range.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is formidable 13.25%. Very cloudy brown colour, moderate creamy head. Pleasant aroma of malts, caramel and raisins. Incredibly warming mouthfeel. The flavour has loads of malty sweetness, notes of rum-raisin and caramel, balanced by a distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish.

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

750 ml bottle, 2008 vintage (assemblage January 2009), bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. Bottle No. 00276. ABV is 11.0%. Sediment in the bottle. Hazy orange-brown colour, moderate to low off-white head. Some of the haziness might be chill haze, I started drinking it too cold. Very nice sourish-fruity aroma with a distinct brettanomyces character. The flavour is distinctly sour but not extreme, very fruity and tart (notes of sour cherries and Bramley apples), hints of oak, with just the right hoppy bitterness in the dry finish. The alcohol is well hidden - if someone had told me that this was a 6% beer, I would gladly believe it. A very fine beer, but it requires that you are into the sour stuff (a "sourhead") to really appreciate it.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Opaque black colour, dark ruby in the highlights. Nice and creamy beige head. Very interesting aroma, strong notes of raspberries and balsamic vinegar, on a subtle background of vanilla, malts and chocolate. The flavour was extremely sour and acidic, with notes of raspberries, red wine vinegar and undefined sour fruits, hints of chocolate. Interesting beer, but too far out on the sour side to be a favourite of mine. Maybe not a good idea to make a DARK beer this sour? - people kind of expect a fairly different flavour profile from the dark stuff.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.0%. This is Old Tom blended with Fentimans Ginger Beer (the latter is actually not a beer at all, but a softdrink like "ginger ale" - only with REAL ginger as an ingredient). Mahogany coloured beer, big beige head. Distinct aroma of ginger, also fruity and slightly vinous notes, hints of caramel. The flavour is rich and sweet, a bit too much on the sugary side, with distinct notes of stem ginger in syrup. Some hops and a ginger burn in the finish. I definitely prefer the "ordinary" Old Tom to this one - and also Chocolate Tom if I need a change. However, Ginger Tom is far from undrinkable, if you happen to like ginger - which I fortunately do.

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

750 ml corked bottle, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. ABV is 7.5%. Clear very pale golden colour (like a continental pilsener), big and lasting white head. Very moderate aroma, some spicy, fruity (banana) and yeasty notes. Fizzy and peppery mouthfeel. The flavour is distinctly spicy / peppery, on a background of fruity sweetness. The ABV is not particularly well hidden. Okay beer, but I hoped for something even better.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. No GTIN code on the label, but the "Finnfest" commander general confirms that it is brewed by Van Steenberge. ABV is 4.5%. Ingredients include sugar. Clear pale golden colour, huge white head, no traces of sediment in the bottle. Sweetish "pale lager" aroma, notes of grass, some fruit and yeast. The flavour is moderately sweet with a somewhat sharp hoppy "bite" in the finish. Not a remarkably good beer, but drinkable.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. ABV is 6.0%. Golden colour, huge white head. Lovely aroma of Belgian ale yeast and spices, hints of farmhouse kitchen. The flavour is mildly spicy and quite refreshing, but I’d like some more hops in the finish. A very drinkable beer all the same.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 4

500 ml clear bottle, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. ABV is 5.2%. Deep golden to amber colour, moderate white head. Fairly strong artificial banana aroma, not very pleasant, kind of sickly actually. The flavour is somewhat better than the aroma, notes of artificial "banana" candy throughout, but the sweetness is not overpowering, and there are notes of malts, toffee and hops too. The finish is reasonably hoppy. Would I drink it again, if for free, in order not to insult the host? Yes I would. Will I (ever again) pay good money for it myself? No way!