I was curious to pick this one up in the stores. The Brits are known to make sweet ales, even the dark ones, and I'm a sucker for lagers and porters, so why not try this. Fuller's Golden Pride smells of bitter orange and coffee. But the interesting aspect in this case is not the aroma, but the taste.

You kind of get what you expect: a heavy mix of dark chocolate, coffee, bitter orange and hops. Beautiful taste. But incredibly smooth and lean considering its 8,5 percent of alcohol. Coffee and chocolate dominate, making this ale a berry-sweet experience in the British tradition. Yet it's neither bland nor candy-ish like Young's Double Chocolate Stout. It's serious, and after having emptied half of the bottle, strong.

When I think about it, even though it may sound like something you would serve your friends who might not be into this kind of beer otherwise, it's far too intensive. Hardly bitter but strongly sweet. The complex character that creates this kind of almost burning aftertaste, really defines a dark ale that dares to stand out. In short, it's got balls. I'll have it again, never before work out.

La Goudale (Bière de Garde, 7.80%)

Appearance: Bière de Gardes La Goudale pours an orange-to-golden colour with a rich, foamy, white head, however looks to be a bit flat because of its low carbonation.

Smell: Sweet and caramelly with hints of yeast and yet fresh.

Taste: Much like the smell La Goudale holds a deep sweetness to it, and at the same time a clearly distinct bitterness reminiscent of bread – greatly poised!

Mouthfeel: Medium full and greatly mellifluous, though it leaves a quite dry sensation afterwards.

Drinkability: Highly recommended, primarily due to the fact that its taste holds a great symbiosis of sweet and bitter.

Additionally, La Goudale actually goes very well along with hors d'oeuvres made of gravlax, (hand) whipped cream (no, not that kind Mr. Bator, think again!) and whitefish roe, or any other Scandinavian fish dish for that matter, seriously, try it!

Ruedrich's Red Seal Ale (American Amber / Red Ale, 5.50%)

Appearance: Pours a dark amber with a diminutive vanilla-coloured crown which leaves a sporadic tracing of residue on the glass.

Smell: Strongly sweet and fresh smell of hops, somewhat similar to Belgian Dark Ales.

Taste: Moderate in strength, but distinctively bitter in collaboration with a gentle, fruity feeling and a somewhat artificial/metallic (in lack of better words) sense to it.

Mouthfeel: A bit "thin", or watery body with sensible carbonation.

Drinkability: Comes off as an ale that can be enjoyed in a numerous amount of occasions, however fails to become a prime choice due to its artificial aftertaste.

Left Hand Milk Stout (Milk/Sweet Stouts, 5.20%)

Appearance: Left Hand Brewing Company's Milk Stout pours a very dark vermillion colour along with a thick and rich light brown-to-wheat crown, which is persistent for several minutes.

Smell: Chocolate caramel milk (obviously) with hints of coffee.

Taste: Corresponding with the smell, this Milk Stout tastes of chocolate milk along with lots and lots of well-roasted coffee (which becomes vividly apparent when served at a higher temperature), other than that, the alcohol isn't noticeable at all.

Mouthfeel: Pleasingly creamy and full (reminiscent of the dairy product in question ...duh!) medium in carbonation.

Drinkability: Highly recommended for any fan of Milk/Sweet Stouts since it delivers all of the styles characteristics to your tongue, palate and throat in a great and prominent manner.

Black Boss Porter (Baltic Porter, 9.40%)

Appearance: Black Boss Porter pours a dark, dark vermillion colour along with a rich light brown head that leaves some lacing.

Smell: First of there is chocolate along with a slight touch of sourness, closely followed by hints of molasses and rounded of with a powerful cup of Colombian dark roast.

Taste: Comes off as somewhat burnt in the beginning, later on you get the smell characteristics of chocolate-to-coffee with a gentle – yet clearly reminiscent – sense of humus (the dark organic material in soils) in a fashion that fits this particular kind of porter perfectly.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat low in carbonation, viscosity is full and smooth.

Drinkability: A Baltic Porter the way it should be; dark, heavy and rough, hence Black Boss is probably not suited for consumption in any larger amount of quantities at once – however still, highly recommended.

Saranac Black Forest (Schwarzbier, 5.50%)

Appearance: Saranac Black Forest pours a dark, dark maroon colour (somewhat similar to the one of a coke, you know it insidiously looks as if to be dark, dark brown but really isn't?) and a relatively high – light brown-to-cream yellow colour – crown which diminishes rather quickly and leaves some lacing.

Smell: Sweet, malty and caramelly, almost with a fruit sensation to it at times. Great!

Taste: Once again, in great correlation with the smell: caramel and malt (not all that bitter though) with a slightly acidic reminiscence to it in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium full and creamy with low carbonation, it's smooth, smooooth like Shaft (not "a shaft", ya perv!) to the palate. Can you dig it?

Drinkability: Another? Surely, pleasing to down, rich to the experience, what more can you ask for? – Yarr, tis be a top notch Schwarzbier!

So once again: another? – Why, thank you! Yes, I just think I might! (So he did, and thus lived moderately happy ever after).

Samuel Adams Honey Porter (American Porter, 5.45%)

Appearance: Samuel Adams Honey Porter pours a dark maroon-to-ruby colour along with a high (ca 2,5 inches), light brown-to-orange crown, which diminishes rather slowly and eventually leaves plenty of decrepit letters-looking lacing.

Smell: At first there is a sweetness reminiscent to that of plums and raisins and then there is some dark bread in the background.

Taste: The first thing that strikes me is that for a so-called "honey porter" is that it isn't all that sweet... Nonetheless, Samuel Adams Honey Porter is not a bad beer, far from it! Sure, it has some mild, honey-like characteristics in the beginning but they are almost directly dominated by a acrid sensation which is clearly evident in throughout the entirety of the taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium in carbonation. Body: Full. Round. Smooth. Great!

Drinkability: Surely interesting, however it's ultimately not all that convincing as a "honey porter"... but as a porter? Sure! Give it a go ya ho!

Samuel Adams Winter Lager (Bock, 5.80%)

Appearance: Samuel Adams Winter Lager pours a copper colour along with small amounts of carbonation and a medium-sized yellow-brown crown, which resides rather quickly and leaves barely no lacing.

Smell: First and foremost a caramelly maltiness, and to some extent a citrus fruit/ginger, freshness.

Taste: Sweet and full maltiness, the caramel makes a reappearence – and whadda ya know, it brought some friends! Namely a tad of sourness (the citrus fruit in the smell), the hops in form of a slight, but still fairly distinct, bitterness and they all stay for the palate-party (even though some of them did make a late arrival) with great results!

Mouthfeel: Almost as creamy as they come, full and adequately medium-to-low in carbonation.

Drinkability: Oh how I wish this wasn't my last one (I have been saving it for almost a year now)! And I do wish so primarily due to the fact that it holds a balance between the – almost – equally satisfying smell and taste experiences, which qualifies Sam' Adams Winter Lager as a definite "let's have another one, eh?!"-er!

Coopers Best Extra Stout (Export Stout, 6.30%)

Appearance: Coopers Best Extra Stout pours a thick dark, dark, dark, dark-dark opaque brown along with a small crown which diminishes rather quickly.

Smell: Plenty of chocolate along with some notes of dark ryebread and roasted malts.

Taste: Similar to that of smokeporter actually, I get the sensation of charcoal (don't have any perticular recollection of ever tasting it, but who knows right...), it is, however, most likely the roasted malts making themselves noticed. Then what? Well, there's some hints of caramelized sugar and a mellow tone of bitterness in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: So fudgepackingly thick and creamy, oh lawdy lawd and plenty of carbonation too (NOT too much, but plenty)!

Drinkability: Rich to the flavour, decently poised between the taste and smell, great mouthfeel, shure a bit heavy, but me likey likey AND SO DO YOU!

Anchor Liberty Ale (American Pale Ale, 6.00%)

Appearance: Anchor Liberty Ale pours an apricot colour along with a creamy and frothy crown of great persistence, low amounts of carbonation are visible.

Smell: Mainly apricot and peach with notes of yeast and an overall sourness in a great combination!

Taste: A sweetness similar to the above mentioned fruits, only a bit more discrete this time. Dry and distinctively bitter in its aftertaste, at times, almost with an Absinthe-like wormwood-dryness.

Mouthfeel: Medium full and rather creamy, carbonation is subtle but not low or all too distant.

Drinkability: A bit too over-represented in its bitterness. Personally, I would've liked it if the fruitier and sweeter notes were a bit more pronounced, but then again it sort of fades at a higher temperature.

Hibernation Ale (Old Ale, 8.00%)

Vintage 2007

Appearance: Great Divides Hibernation Ale poured into a snifter delivers dark ruby colour along with a pale grey medium dense crown, which resides after a minute and leaves plenty of lacing on the side of the glass.

Smell: Probably the most accentuated and powerful aromas that I've ever come across in a beer! We get bread dough and some diacetyl, (or sweet yeast and syrup in combination with some butter for that matter) dark fruits like plums, raisins and figs along with some caramel lurking in the "background," that is, if there is a background for this beer...

Taste: Primarily an upfront burnt malt sensation (greatly similar to that of the charcoal taste one could get from a "smoked beer") this, however gradually transforms into a more and more bitter – and slightly acidic – character as the temperature increases (and come to think of it: perhaps some liquorice from the coal-like sensation).

Continually, we get a caramel and butter 'n' bread-like sweetness. The figs emerge once again, but in a more gentle fashion this time, the alcohol is not all that prominent in taste but leaves a warming finish.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and full as hell! As stated this is a vintage and therefore it has a lower amount of carbonation but still enough to spice up the smooth character of this beer along with some freshness.

Drinkability: Tried it when I first bought it in 2007, have one left, gonna store it for at least another year, or so, and then compare it to that year's batch. Will be going back to this one as often as possible. It is a rich and rewarding beer in all of the sensory experience compartments, truly worth a try!

Fuller's India Pale Ale (English India Pale Ale, 4.90%)

Appearance: Fuller's India Pale Ale pours a persimmon-to-amber colour along with a fuzzy white crown that gradually disintegrates in a quick pace, cheddar-cheese manner, like an imploding building, leaving a sporadic amount of lacing on the side. Plenty of dormant carbonation on the bottom of the pint glass, looks like a collection of caviare eggs waiting to be devoured by voracious predators...

Smell: Strong and fresh aromas of slightly bitter, yet citric zest, and utterly sweet scents of apricot - and lot's of it! Not completely unlike a smoothie or purée, pretty grand actually. At a closer whiff we get a caramel cream and bread-like maltiness mixing with some burnt or earthy notes hiding in the back with a tad of pineapple.

Taste: The bread-like characteristics are pretty upfront, intense but short in lifespan. A pleasant and lingering bitterness which does not dominate the show, but sticks around until the final like a true champ is what comes next. The sweetness is clearly reduced compared to how it presented itself in the smell and instead replaced with a slightly citric touch, which in combination with the aforementioned bitter hops brings grapefruit to mind! Additionally, the caramel cream sweetness does however reveal itself a bit more as the temperature of the beer gets closer to reaching an equilibrium with the room.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy in texture, somewhat low in carbonation, medium-to-thin in the body and with a dry finish.

Drinkability: Very resonant in taste and smell, even though some of the characteristics switched priorities in the hegemony of sensational order. Milder than I expected it to be, guess I've had me one too many of the Yankee versions... Nonetheless, this is an IPA not to be ignored, it's interesting and has a prominently hoppy tone, winning not by measures of strength but of perseverance.

Well's Banana Bread Beer (Fruit/Vegetable Beer, 5.20%)

Appearance: Well's Banana Bread Beer pours a thick amber colour along with a short crown below a third of an inch, the crown in question disappears quickly and leaves a circle of lacing along the glass, while legions of small bubbles ascend to the surface like The Horned One and his rebel angels reclaiming their lost domain.

Smell: Oh would you guess it – bananas! The fairtraide-bull aside, they come forth in a synthetic way, i.e NOT PLEASING. Additionally, acrid 'n' acid tones hide there in between the shadows of the palm trees.

Taste: Aforementioned fruit (or is it berry, or herb now again?) comes forward like a blooming of a exotic vegetable of not noteworthy character. Sure you can feel the taste of banananananana, but it ain't merely enough, gladly we get a pretty decent maltiness, which saves the day by adding a sense of variation amidst of all this monotonous flavour sensation.

Mouthfeel: Watery as funk, medium-to-low in carbonation, other than that fairly smooth.

Drinkability: Even though I thoroughly detest bananas and their wimp flavours in their original form, I decided to put that aside and review this one from a neutral stand point, thus the disappointment lies not in the choice of flavouring, but in the fact that it is all too weak and bland.

Their strong porter is excellent, so what about their golden-looking ale? The smell reeks of hops when opening the bottle. After sip, a somewhat surprising flavor builds up, combining a richness of hops with what seems to me like honey, but apparently it also contains scents of peaches, which would explain the slightly fruity dimension.

Of course it's heavily bitter. Definitely not sweet. Despite only containing 5,2 % alcohol, you can taste it, and so this ale is probably for the beer fans rather than for everyday drinkers (negative-sounding term, I know). The slightly acidic aftertaste rounds up this experience, which in summary is another solid beer from Oppigård's. Not as complex as it possibly could be, but well within standards of a good, traditional ale with depth.

This black-looking British stout smells overwhelmingly of cacao, and to a lesser degree of coffee. Like the name suggests, Young's Double Chocolate Stout tastes heavily of dark chocolate, and leaves a considerably bitter aftertaste. This beer is altogether very wholesome and rich in taste, making it more a social drink rather than something you enjoy together with food (unless it's chocolate).

Like most British-style stouts it's fermented to a lower alcohol percentage, in this case 5,2 %. That's enough, because a stronger version would probably make it less drinkable and take the edge off its flavor trademark, which is an unusually round but distinct character of cacao and coffee. It's one of the better stouts in its class and I can, without overstating its merits, recommend it to our readers.

What a lovely smell. This brown-black Swedish beauty oozes of dark chocolate and coffee, nicely accentuated by a fruity scent of syrup. First sip confirms the incredible harmony of D. Carnegie & Co's Class III porter. The mellow flavor of coffee and dark chocolate meet a sugary, slightly fruity roundness that few porters can pride themselves with.

The careful carbonation helps to create a creamy impression if letting the beer linger in the mouth. There's a distinct bitterness present, but it quickly fades into a more sweet, coffee-like sensation that absolutely hides the 5,5 % of alcohol. After a bottle of this I am wholly positive: the old Swedish breweries have done it again. This is a porter so harmonic and balanced in flavor, yet full of mellow character, that it's absolutely worth chasing this down.

Alfred's summer recollections of Germany (I, II) reminded me of an Oktoberfest (well, kind of, it was held in April) in Hannover a few years back. This week my university held a smaller Oktoberfest, so naturally I had to show up and check out the place. To avoid essay form, here are a few impressions I remember from those nights out:

1. Studio music sucks. A real Oktoberfest features live music from local bands. This way you can sing along (read: mime the facial gestures of other Germans) and achieve some kind of communal spirit, which is the essence of an event like this anyway. Playing "Deutsche Volk Hits" 6 hours on repeat doesn't cut it.

2. Good beer is important. It's tiresome to walk up to the bar and notice they mostly serve bland ales. This place had quite a few Belgian style ales and a few Swedish porters, some of which were decent. No rauchbiers until Friday. If you open up a place and celebrate an Oktoberfest, you party from day one with the best beer you can offer, preferably from local places if possible.

3. People want something heavy to eat. You can't serve hamburgers and nachos at an Oktoberfest. Back in Hannover I was served pork meat and some kind of hot potato salad. The meat was so perfectly cooked; so gentle it would melt in your mouth. After one of those dinners, you couldn't move for an hour. This is what people want, because they usually get really hungry after being at a place like this the whole evening. When you're done eating, you can concentrate on drinking and singing instead.

4. Real Oktoberfests don't have "guards" - German women are rule of law. Everyone who has ever been to a real German beer party knows what I'm talking about. Nobody--and I mean nobody dare laying a hand on the women who carry out food and beer. Observe how many liters of beer and plates of food they can carry at once without so much as flinch, and you have the answer. They could probably beat down a bull if they had to. Better keep yourself friendly with the ladies.

5. When non-Germans arrange German fests, make sure students aren't involved. Students have only three things on their minds: grades, sex, alcohol. Well, sort of makes sense for poor students, but it's a bad ingredient for a really pleasant Oktoberfest. Since this party was arranged by students, the closest you could come to German atmosphere were half-drunk nitwits with Jägermeister suspenders and paper hats. Yuck. I feel sorry for the dude who bid 30 euro for a pair of those suspenders. If he'd waited for the next pair, he'd gotten them at half the price. He could have added a few euros and bought himself a pair of Lederhosen instead, which otherwise is mandatory during an occasion like this.

6. If you serve beer, make sure you know what you're doing. If I ask where a particular beer is brewed, I don't expect this answer: "Uuh...I guess...uh...wait...let me look...how do you see that?" Moron.

7. Bring people together, not apart like we always do in Sweden. In Sweden everyone is busy doing their own thing, but if you make the slightest attempt to bring people together, they will love it. What a poor community culture we have, which is reflected at a time like this when people are supposed to sing together and hold cheers for strangers you wish well. Instead we get drunk in small private groups, then make half-assed attempts at becoming friends with random people at the bar. To my knowledge, not even Germans would consider that a social option at an important celebration.

There's more, but I think I've managed to summarize how many of these evenings unfolded. Unlucky our university couldn't put up a better Oktoberfest, because it really is one of the finest aspects of contemporary German culture, and an excellent opportunity to check out local beer sorts, chat with strangers, and participate in competitions. If you ever make it to Germany during autumn, don't hesitate to check out the real deal. For the rest of us, we'll stay home and pretend we're somewhere else.

Chimay Tripel (White) (Tripel, 8.00%)

Appearance: Chimay Tripel pours an opaque apricot orange tone along with a yellow-to-white crown of approximately 1 ½ inches of height that diminishes in a slow pace as small delicate bubbles rise to the surface.

Smell: Sweet scents of exotic fruits, namely, banana with yeasty notes and perhaps a touch of liquorice. Overall the aromas present themselves in a very round and gentle fashion.

Taste: Resonating to the smell we get some fruity and sweet notes of banana, yeast and a bitterness that is short but rather stingy.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, round and medium in body. Carbonation emerges in a satisfactory manner, i.e not blatantly overwhelming but fittingly refreshing and medium in strength.

Drinkability: As always with Chimay a great Trappist. However, I would find it a bit more pleasing if it were merely somewhat increased in viscosity.

Maredsous 6 – Blonde (Belgian Pale Ale, 6.00%)

Appearance: Maredsous 6 pours an amber-to-ochre colour along with a 2 inches tall and frothy, clear white head that diminishes to half its original size in, say 40 sec, and leaves plenty of lacing on the side of the glass.

Smell: A scent of yeast plus a sweet apricot is the dominant tone, perhaps some alcohol can be traced in the back along with some malt tones.

Taste: Modestly acidic at first then the somewhat sugary and fruitier tones start to bloom in the palate, along with the aforementioned yeast. It's finished off with a really dry, lingering aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation tickles the tongue, so it is pretty rich, however not in an overwhelmingly strong manner. The viscosity is that of a creamy light-to-medium body.

Drinkability: I've had me a few, and so shall you! This is an OK Belgian Pale Ale, quite interesting primarily due to its aftertaste.

Maredsous 10 – Triple (Tripel, 10.00%)

Appearance: Maredsous 10 pours a darker shade of amber along with an airy crown consisting of huge bubbles which disintegrates rather quickly and leaves a cobweb-like lacing, all this along with plenty of visible carbonation.

Smell: Bubblegum-peach flavour, sweet yet not artificial to a disturbing degree, a sharp yeasty tone as well. Pretty basic 'n' simple yet qualitative.

Taste: A dry sweetness appears quite early and it lingers on and on and on and on throughout the tasting experience. Floral and fresh notes of hop comes through along with a slightly bitter aftertaste, hints of popcorn is traceable as well...

Mouthfeel: Alert carbonation strikes ones tongue and palate, it's definitely noticeable but not in a disturbing or overly dominating fashion. There is a fresh character which seems to substitute a near complete lack of bitterness and instead complements this with aforementioned abilities and a combination of a round and medium full body.

Drinkability: Highly enjoyable, rather complex, but greatly rewarding!

Pauwel Kwak (Beligan Strong Pale Ale, 8.10%)

Appearance: Pauwel Kwak pours a beautiful tone of mahogany along with an airy crown of a tone comparable to that of buffed leather. Alas, the monarchy is not of any longevity since the crown is reduced to the level of commoners in but a matter of seconds. Noble looks aside, plenty of rather big bubbles tend to fizzle like a soda pop on steroids whilst the entropy takes place in aforementioned crown.

Smell: A deep, sweet tone of cognac is the primary sensory input here, just the way I like 'em. Continually, we also get honey interacting with grape juice, some traces of butterscotch and leather may be scented as well.

Taste: First and foremost a cane sugar-like sweetness with burnt undertones comes forth along with a bitterness of distinct, and yet discrete character, giving a perplexing overall impression. Finally, and to a lesser extent, some sarsaparilla – or root beer for that matter – and hints of pear occasionally makes a visit on the palate.

Mouthfeel: A wee bit thin (light-to-medium full), creamy - almost oily in its consistency. The beer in question leaves the mouth with a considerably dry feeling afterwards and despite having a rather high level of alcohol (8,1%) it does a pretty good job keeping itself clandestine and only, once in a while, make itself heard as a warming aftertaste. Additionally, the lively carbonation in appearance faded rather quickly, leaving it, hypothetically, just like a soda pop, or anything for that matter, on steroids: all show, no go...

Drinkability: Sure, nice and complex with a lot of pretty unique traits, but a lot of small factors are missing to those traits, which all together simply end up leaving this one standing at the finish line of the "Superb brew Marathon". To clarify: there is absolutely nothing wrong with this "Belgian strong pale ale", it is in fact pretty good, its just that it exists a whole bunch of better ones out there so why necessarily choose this one?

La Trappe Tripel (Tripel, 8.00%)

Appearance: La Trappe Tripel pours a darker shade of orange-to-golden colour accompanied by a short, cream white crown, which under the duration of two minutes gradually dissolves into a top of sporadic bubbles, whereas plenty of carbonation is visible.

Smell: Fruity, notes of peach and hints of fresh citrus, not all that strong though...

Taste: A mild maltiness, a fresh character of the aforementioned peach comes forth pretty clear, the aftertaste consists of mostly bread-like and acrid notes.

Mouthfeel: Alert carbonation kicks it up a notch and brings a fresh touch. Medium-to-light in body, smooth and creamy.

Drinkability: Nice, however, quite simple and somewhat mellow for a tripel, yet very balanced and thus ever so pleasurable in the experience!

Valeir Extra (Belgian Pale Ale, 6.50%)

Appearance: Valeir Extra pours a gamboge, nectar-like colour along with a cream-toned crown, which spouts a decent posture of roughly 2" height. Plenty of micro-sized bubbles, which ascend like an, seemingly, ever flowing stream (soon to be flat) as the thick crown dissolves and leaves an opulent legacy of lacing.

Smell: Overall this one is quite the fruitcake since we get banana, floral hop notes, citrus, peach nectar, buttery (pie)dough and possibly oats or wheat for that matter.

Taste: Rather mild acridity slightly reminiscent to that of grapefruit (even when decantated completely the bitterness isn't all that noticeable), mellifluous characteristics of dried banana as notes of pineapple display an example of great persistence.

Mouthfeel: Light-to-medium, very smooth, the visibly all so strikingly high amount of carbonation detected is nowhere as evident as one would expect but it's still enough to give the beer a decently fresh result.

Drinkability: For a Belgian Pale Ale, all too anonymous, not bad by any means or measures, but it simply doesn't stand out from the Bishop's gathering...

Ommegang (Abbey Ale) (Dubbel, 8.50%)

Appearance: Ommegang Anno 2007 pours an opaque, grimy browner shade of burgundy (who would've guessed!) along with a frothy, fudge-to-cream white crown of medium height. Said crown accompanies the brew in question for a lengthy period of time (over 1½ minutes) before transgressing into infinite obscurity.

Smell: A deep scent of crème caramel greats the nostrils closely followed by the archetypical characteristic of cognac soaked plums, which is both enthralling with its sweetness as well as its pleasantly sophisticated touch of alcohol. Finally the whole thing is wrapped up in a butterscotch-package.

Taste: Slightly acidic at first, these citric notes however quickly subdues to the aforementioned, rich flavour of caramel. Alongside this malty backdrop we get the return of plums and sweetness finished off with a slightly dry aftertaste which brings to rise the late and – somewhat unexpected but nonetheless – welcome arrival of the mildly mannered Mr. Bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Full and creamy in body, rather timid in carbonation and yet at the same time, still bold enough to make the it an invigoration experience. The finish, corresponding to the bitterness in the aftertaste, is a dry one and due to the alcohol giving itself away, pleasingly warming.

Drinkability: Sadly this was my last last one, I've been saving it for quite some time now, and as you all know: the greater the wait, the greater the reward. Over the years that have passed since I first tried this Ommegang, it's certainly gotten more pronounced in the bitter areas (the same as with humani generis, I guess). Final line is, this beer holds everything you could expect from a genuine Trappist so if you can get a hold of this Yankee Doodle Brewski – go for it!

As its name implies, this is a bitter ale from a Swedish brewery. Very bitter, one might add, and only minimally sweet. It's considerably round, malty, and tastes of bread; a standard British-style ale.

Its golden amber color is beautiful, and smells kind of fruity too, but even though this beer won the Stockholm Beer Festival's prize for best European beer in '06, I cannot really find any reason to praise it. It's a good beer with a moderate alcohol percentage. Fairly foamy, very bitter, very bready. But nothing really stands out here and maybe this beer has been overcredited. I always enjoy a well-brewed beer with some discernible character, and Bedarö Bitter is just that--but that's also all it is.

Here's a familiar Belgian Abbey ale with a blonde color and fresh, fruity smell. The flavor can be described as slightly fruity (peachy, to be exact), but very bitter and certainly wholesome. Leave it in your mouth; the beer's foamy character will enhance itself and taste creamy and mellow. It's not just blonde in color, but also in flavor.

Of course, one should not underestimate the fermentation; Maredsous reaches 6 % alcohol, and you can really taste it. Maybe not to the point where it intrudes, but this is a strong Belgian bull to tackle. If you want to drink this to food, prepare something really heavy and traditional so that the alcohol can do its part, otherwise you'll spoil the dish.

This is a fine ale with a distinct character, yet clearly true to its Belgian tradition. It's strong, bold and extremely round in character, yet there's a peachy aspect that makes it more interesting. I'm not sure if the Monks really do brew this stuff anymore, but if that ain't the case, I for one wouldn't be surprised. It'll knock you out softly while you wind down after work--recommended.

I'm not going to occupy too much space this time. California's Red Seal Ale is an amber red beer that, once you open the bottle, unleashes a small cloud of aromatic smell. The flavor well matches the color: acidic, aromatic, slightly fruity. The overall impression is a clear and fresh beer best served cold. Probably something you'd take with you on a summer picnic or a trip out to the ocean.

Despite 5,6 %, the alcohol never intrudes in this ale, which shifts emphasis unto its well-balanced composition of hops and malt. Despite being hardly sweet but very bitter, I would prefer a richer amount of hops and maybe stronger fruity spice. Yet, even though I've tasted for more superior ales in my life, it would be a mistake to pass this one when offered. A pretty solid beer experience.

This is interesting. A local Swedish brewery from Oppigård in ultra-Swedish Dalarna producing a dark, strong porter. I open the bottle and smell a roasty, chocolate-sweet scent. Some light smoke in there too. Oh yes, there's chocolate malt in this beer. You can tell by the brownish-dark color, but even more so on the flavor. Like many fine beers, this one builds up character if you leave it in your mouth for a second or two.

Oppigård's porter carries a strong (5,9 %), bitter taste worth its name "strong porter," but maybe the defining ingredient here is the chocolate malt and coffee. It all comes together in a classic porter experience, yeasted just long enough to build up a fresh, aromatic taste. It's a quite heavy drink experience, yet its distinct persona doesn't in any way stand at odds with its otherwise round character.

Unlike some of its American cousins, this porter is sure to leave a long and pleasant aftertaste that really summarizes the best aspects of this beer. I admit I have never been a coffee drinker, and while this is not coffee, it's pretty damn close in regards to flavor. But its rich character saves it from becoming yet another local porter not really standing out. It's got style, especially being from Sweden, and as it says on the bottle, it's "a start on a new tradition." I'll buy it again in the future.

I peeked at this beer in the stores, probably because of its brown-black color: the glaring sign of a black lager. Brewed by America's Samuel Adams, this beer smells quite heavily of dark chocolate, coffee and hops. However, taste deceives. This is not an impressive beer.

If you're into creamy and foamy lagers, this one is likely to disappoint. The first sip develops some foam, but unless you leave it in your mouth for a while, it'll trickle down like water. The flavor features a heavily roasted character, not so bitter, but rather sweet thanks to burned sugar and chocolate. This is a dark lager alright, but unusually sweet compared to many other lager beers.

So what's the catch? First of all, this beer features a flavor so wholesome and round that it loses character. The complexity you'd expect from the brewing method is simply not here. But I guess the real problem is the almost complete lack of aftertaste. Most people who drink beer always talk about immediate taste, forgetting the aftertaste probably is 60 % or more of experiencing a beer.

Samuel Adam's black lager features very little of this. You drink it, you contemplate the dark and sweet flavor, but then you're left wondering what happened to the rest of the experience. Nothing lingers after a sip. In short, it's too bland. I'm sure this beer would fit perfect to some meat, but as a stand-alone drinking experience, it leaves a lot to be desired in the world of dark lager.

Most people who don't like beer (weird, I know) usually don't appreciate the bitter taste. They should check out Franziskaner's Weissbier, which thanks to its unusually high amount of wheatmalt makes this a very round, wholesome drink experience unlike most other beers around. As a result the flavor is hardly bitter, possibly appealing to non-beer types.

To the beer itself: often poured in high glasses due to its foamy character, this Weissbier certainly stays true to its name by literally tasting heavily of wheat and malt. It's liquid bread with a golden color, very cozy and warm flavor, almost certain to appeal as a beer to fish.

Averaging in at 5 % alcohol, anyone can bulge this down an evening without notice, but the real class of this beer is its seedy, slightly acidic dimension. I cannot remain honest here without admitting I'm not a fan of Weissbier and its yeasty taste in general, but if anyone appreciates this sort, Franziskaner offers what is certain to be a satisfying end product. The Monk on the front label looks happy.

I just served this ice cold, and must say I don't regret my choice. I was quite taken by the complex, fruity flavor of this Belgian Trappist. Sweet as berry, gentle as water can be pure, and yet unmistakably bitter in contrast. And it all comes together in a fluffy beer with lighter, red-brownish color.

Brewed under supervision by Trappist Monks as the tradition requires, Westmalle offers a beer fermented long enough to reach the alcohol percentage of 7. Due to its sweet, slowly emerging taste this doesn't seem like a stronger beverage at first. You begin to feel it first when you note the heavy taste of malt and its lasting impact after first sip.

Be aware, because this is a seductive beer. Its clarity and brilliant flavor, ranging between fruity and bitter, offers a spicy, diverse and rich experience well situated in its larger Trappist tradition. No wonder Monks turn to beer when God disappoints.

(For a stronger experience, try out Westmalle Trappist Tripel).

"Smoked malt, finest Bavarian hops and pure water" characterize this pitch dark rauchbier classic from Bamberg city in Bavaria. The consistency is thick and foamy, almost creamy if you leave it in your mouth for a while before swallowing. Schlenkerla carries a rich, wholesome taste of smoky malt that builds up while you drink. Like its aroma (think smell of campfire wood), it is mellow and round rather than immediately distinct in flavor.

The degree of bitterness, smokiness and alcohol are perfectly even, so no flavor will dominate the other. This makes this drink experience into something you slowly contemplate with your taste buds, preferably separate from food. Yet, Schlenkerla is true to its Central European rauchbier tradition in both flavor and aroma, and ultimately thanks to its perfect balance makes for a perfect beer choice. For newcomers to rauchbier: this is where to start.

Something to relax you in the evening, get you going in the morning, or tide you over until the end of your shift, alcohol has been a staple of our diet for centuries. To pay homage to the fine arts of drinking and brewing, we've collected some links that take a look at this highest of cultural achievements from the past to the present day:

• Before you crack open a cold one, check out this History of Beer.
• We usually think of the Irish as the real boozers, but the Russians may be in line to steal their title.
• Though he prefers wine, Roger Scruton writes very eloquently about
  virtuous drinking.
• Responding to the demise of the British pub, he also nails it here.
• For the do-it-yourselfers, check out this introduction to the basics of homebrewing from the American Homebrewers Association.
• If you've had enough of beer and wine, you might try brewing mead, the drink of the gods.

In a recent study conducted by the Leicester University, the old claim that men walk home with ugly chicks because they're drunk, is nothing but a myth:

For generations, young males have been explaining to friends that their odd choice of female company was down to alcohol.

Beer goggles are a fallacy and women actually seem no prettier after drinking, a study suggests.

While the women rated the faces in the pictures as more attractive after drinking, alcohol had no effect on the men's judgement. Dr Egan said: 'This seemingly flies in the face of the commonly held notion of 'beer goggles'.'

The problem with many of these social studies is that they only account for a few variables, when the equation is much more complex in reality. Ok, so men didn't rate women prettier because they were drunk--so? There could be several other explanations to why a drunk man would take a less pretty woman home. Maybe alcohol leads him to overlook physical drawbacks, in favor of pure sexual lust?

It would be a harder task to explain why women, on the other hand, found men more appealing when drunk. Whatever the conclusion should be, lonely women out on a Friday night seem to have finally found an excuse not to order one last tequila out of desperate boredom.