Beer Goals 2015 - Result

My beer goals for 2015 were as follows:

• Get from 121 to 140 Ratebeer countries     [Goal reached 2015-12-19]
• Get from 35 to 43 US States     [Goal reached 2015-09-16]
• Get from 4 to 7 Canadian Provinces
• Get last four English Counties     [Goal reached 2015-01-18]
• Get last style (Sahti)     [Goal reached 2015-03-13]
• Get a top-50 beer rating from the last eight styles     [Current status: 8 left]
• Rate 11 beers from the 300-book (232->243)     [Current status: 238]
• Rate 12 beers from the 100-book (58->70)     [Current status: 64]
• Rate 34 beers from the 300M-book (66->100)     [Goal reached 2015-12-24]

I managed to reach five of the nine goals. The last four English Counties were completed early in the year after an order from Beers Of Europe and the last style I managed to get hold of via a trade with someone from Finland. Some US online orders helped me reach the US States goal in September, and I eventually managed to reach 45. Near the end of the year I managed to reach (exactly) 140 countries and also exactly 100 beers from the 300M book.

I failed to progress on the Canadian Provinces, not sure how to get hold of more of them. The Top-50 Style beer rating goal became even more difficult as they changed the way this was calculated, and I am still missing eight styles... I managed to get approximately halfway on the 100-book (6/12) and 300-book (6/11) goals, but not good enough, unfortunately.

Bring on 2016!

Doppelleu Oak Wood Red Ale

A Top-50 Irish Ale:

• Name: Doppelleu Oak Wood Red Ale, 6.0%, Switzerland
• Appearance: Dark chestnut brown, clear. Quite a big tan head.
• Aroma: Barrel, followed by some malt.
• Taste: Medium malt, strong oak/barrel. Slight caramel sweetness.
• Bought: Drinks of the World (Online), 330 ml, CHF 5.80
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 31/12-2015, BB: 29/2-2016

Erdinger Dunkel

• Name: Erdinger Dunkel, 5.3%, Germany
• Appearance: Dark brown, good amount of light tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, some sweetness.
• Taste: Medium malt, sweetness, not that much wheat. Pretty nice, though.
• Bought: Drinks of the World (Online), 500 ml, CHF 3.00
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 31/12-2015, BB: 29/2-2016

Barlingbo Bysen No:1

• Name: Barlingbo Bysen No:1, 5.5%, Sweden
• Appearance: Redish dark golden, slightly hazy with some white head.
• Aroma: Wheat, slight fruit, spices.
• Taste: Fruit, wheat, some spices. A bit odd.
• Bought: Trade with Nisse666 - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 30/12-2015, BB: 31/1-2016

Pan Tamni

• Name: Pan Tamni, 5.5%, Croatia
• Appearance: Very dark brown, with lots of dark tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, slightly roasted.
• Taste: Nice medium malt, roasted. Slight sweetness. Ok.
• Bought: Trade with ogivlado - thanks!, 500 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 30/12-2015, BB: 16/2-2016

Mac Ueli Ale (2015)

• Name: Mac Ueli Ale (2015), 5.0%, Switzerland
• Appearance: Dark orange brown, clear and fizzy. Good amount of off-white head.
• Aroma: Malt, some dark fruit.
• Taste: Nice malt, sweet, prunes. Light spices. Pretty good.
• Bought: Drinks of the World (Basel), 330 ml, CHF 3.50
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 30/12-2015, BB: 31/12-2015

Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

• Name: Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout), 11.2%, United States
• Appearance: Bottled 11/2-2015. Pretty much black, tiny amount of dark tan head. Almost oily.
• Aroma: Barrel, coffee, very dark malt.
• Taste: Burnt, dark malt, coffee, dark chocolate. Quite strong barrel notes. Hides alcohol very well. Very nice.
• Bought: Trade with Nisse666 - thanks!, 355 ml
• Overall score: 5/6
• Info: 27/12-2015, BB: 30/11-2015 (according to importer)

Narragansett Lager Beer

New state, Rhode Island (45/51):

• Name: Narragansett Lager Beer, 5%, United States
• Appearance: Pale golden, clear. Fizzy. Some white head, not much.
• Aroma: Hops and some light malt. Grains.
• Taste: Malt, hops, grains. Standard.
• Bought: Kindly provided by Nipun J - thanks!, 355 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 27/12-2015

BrewDog / Victory Brewing U-Boat

• Name: BrewDog / Victory Brewing U-Boat, 8.4%, Scotland
• Appearance: Batch 251. Very dark brown, near black. Huge amount of lasting, dark tan head.
• Aroma: Dark malt, bacon, smoke.
• Taste: Dark fruit, dark malt, smoke, coffee, very roasted. Still pretty smooth, though.
• Bought: Drinks of the World (Bern), 330 ml, CHF 5.80
• Overall score: 5/6
• Info: 27/12-2015, BB: 22/7-2017

Reinaert Tripel

• Name: Reinaert Tripel, 7%, Belgium
• Appearance: Hazy golden orange, lots of creamy, white head.
• Aroma: Fruit, slight yeast and metal.
• Taste: Lots of fruit, slight yeast. Alcohol shines through.
• Bought: Saveur-Biere.com, 330 ml, €2.50
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 25/12-2015, 64/100, BB: 23/2-2017

Carlsberg Imperial Stout

• Name: Carlsberg Imperial Stout, 8.2%, Denmark
• Appearance: Very dark brown, basically black. Small amount of tan head.
• Aroma: Dark malt, roasted.
• Taste: Dark malt, slight bitterness, roasted. Slight sweetness.
• Bought: Trade with Bamsen78 - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 24/12-2015, 238/300, BB: 1/12-2019

St. Stefanus Blonde [Augustijn Blond]

• Name: St. Stefanus Blonde [Augustijn Blond], 7%, Belgium
• Appearance: Burnt golden orange, clear. Good amount of off-white head.
• Aroma: Fruit, slight yeast. Citrus.
• Taste: Lots of fruit, spices, some sweetness. Hint of alcohol.
• Bought: Saveur-Biere.com, 330 ml, €2.90
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 24/12-2015, 100/300M, BB: 30/7-2016

Freiburger Biermanufaktur Bière de Fête

• Name: Freiburger Biermanufaktur Bière de Fête, 5.9%, Switzerland
• Appearance: Very dark brown, small amount of tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, sweetness.
• Taste: Good amount of malt, dark fruits, sweetness. A bit too sweet. Lacks balance.
• Bought: Brewery, 330 ml, CHF 3.60
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 23/12-2015, BB: 31/5-2016

Freiburger Biermanufaktur Blacknose Mountain Pale Ale

• Name: Freiburger Biermanufaktur Blacknose Mountain Pale Ale, 5.7%, Switzerland
• Appearance: Murky brown, ok amount of light tan head.
• Aroma: Hops, light fruits.
• Taste: Lots of hops, some fruitiness. Lingering bitterness. Hay, maybe? Seems more like an IPA to me.
• Bought: Gift from "anonymous" - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 23/12-2015, BB: 27/1-2016

Kalik Gold

• Name: Kalik Gold, 7%, Bahamas
• Appearance: Pale, yellow golden. Clear. Some fizzy, white head.
• Aroma: Light malt, grains?
• Taste: Light malt, slight alcohol. Leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
• Bought: Kindly provided by Nipun J - thanks!, 355 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 19/12-2015

Einstök Icelandic Toasted Porter

• Name: Einstök Icelandic Toasted Porter, 6.0%, Iceland
• Appearance: Very dark brown, almost black. Small tan head.
• Aroma: Dark malt, pretty roasted, pleasant.
• Taste: Dark malt, roasted, coffee and chocolate. Slight bitterness. Smooth and enjoyable.
• Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £2.79
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 19/12-2015, 99/300M, BB: 12/9-2016

Saison de Pipaix

• Name: Saison de Pipaix, 6%, Belgium
• Appearance: Very hazy, dark amber. Enormous amount of head, overflowing the bottle.
• Aroma: Fruit, slightly metallic. Yellow pepper.
• Taste: Lots of fruit, spices (especially pepper). Slight tartness.
• Bought: Trade with tderoeck - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 19/12-2015, 63/100, 237/300, BB: 30/4-2016

Dugges Idjit!

• Name: Dugges Idjit!, 9.5%, Sweden
• Appearance: 2014 vintage. Very dark brown, almost black. Some dark tan head.
• Aroma: Dark malt, roasted, chocolate.
• Taste: Dark malt, dark chocolate, heavily roasted. Slight sweetness, coffee. Very nice!
• Bought: Trade with Nisse666 - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 5/6
• Info: 18/12-2015, BB: 11/6-2017

Freiburger Biermanufaktur Black IPA

• Name: Freiburger Biermanufaktur Black IPA, 6%, Switzerland
• Appearance: Very dark brown, some dark tan head.
• Aroma: Hops, slight malt and roasted.
• Taste: Lots of hops, strong bitterness. Malt there to balance it all. Slightly roasted. Good stuff.
• Bought: Brewery, 330 ml, CHF 3.60
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 18/12-2015, BB: 31/3-2016

Prestige Lager

• Name: Prestige Lager, 5.6%, Haiti
• Appearance: Light golden, clear. Lots of fizz. Ok amount of white head.
• Aroma: Malt, grains?
• Taste: Malt, funk, some grains. Not great.
• Bought: Kindly provided by Nipun J - thanks!, 355 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 18/12-2015