Saturday 28 January 2017

CREW Republic X 2.2 Barley Wine

  • Name: CREW Republic X 2.2 Barley Wine, 10.5%, Germany
  • Appearance: Dark brown, hazy. Basically no head.
  • Aroma: Dark fruits, prunes, vinous.
  • Taste: Malt, dark fruits, prunes, vinous. Slight sweetness and alcohol. Warming.
  • Bought: Drinks of the World (Bern), 330 ml, CHF 5.00
  • Score: 3.6 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 14/20)
  • Info: 28/1-2017, BB: 26/1-2018

Passarola Chindogu IPA

  • Name: Passarola Chindogu IPA, 6.5%, Portugal
  • Appearance: Hazy pale orange. Huge amount of white head.
  • Aroma: Hops, light fruits. Floral.
  • Taste: Nice light fruits, citrus, floral, good hops. Nice lingering bitterness in aftertaste.
  • Bought: Trade with Andre - thanks!, 330 ml
  • Score: 3.7 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 4/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 14/20)
  • Info: 28/1-2017, BB: 31/3-2017

Friday 27 January 2017

Maldita Wheatwine

  • Name: Maldita Wheatwine, 8%, Portugal
  • Appearance: Dark brown, hint of red. Enormous amount of creamy tan head, threatening multiple times to overflow the glass.
  • Aroma: Malt, sweetness, some fruits.
  • Taste: Malt, crisp, fruits. Slight bittersweet. Not great.
  • Bought: Trade with Andre - thanks!, 330 ml
  • Score: 3.0 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 11/20)
  • Info: 27/1-2017, BB: 30/6-2017

Willinger Brauhaus Weizen

  • Name: Willinger Brauhaus Weizen, 5.2%, Germany
  • Appearance: Yellow golden, mostly clear. Slight fizzy head. Hazy later.
  • Aroma: Light fruits, citrus, wheat, banana.
  • Taste: Wheat, banana, spices. Light fruits, slight sweetness. Decent.
  • Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 500 ml
  • Score: 3.2 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 12/20)
  • Info: 27/1-2017, BB: 28/2-2017

Wednesday 25 January 2017

Ironshore Bock

Ratebeer country #155:
  • Name: Ironshore Bock, 7%, Cayman Islands
  • Appearance: Medium brown, clear. Good amount of creamy light tan head.
  • Aroma: Malt, sweetness, bread.
  • Taste: Clear malt, caramel sweetness, slight metal. Decent.
  • Bought: Trade with Grumbo - thanks!, ~330 ml
  • Score: 3.2 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
  • Info: 25/1-2017, BB: 30/9-2016

Saturday 21 January 2017

De Molen Rasputin [Moord & Doodslag]

  • Name: De Molen Rasputin [Moord & Doodslag], 10.4%, Netherlands
  • Appearance: Bottled 1/10-2015. Dark deep brown, basically no head.
  • Aroma: Dark malt, slight chocolate, prunes.
  • Taste: Dark malt, prunes, lightly roasted. Quite smooth. Nice, but lacks complexity.
  • Bought: Craft Gallery, 330 ml, CHF 6.90
  • Score: 3.7 (Aroma 8/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 15/20)
  • Info: 21/1-2017, BB: 1/10-2040

Hertog Jan Weizener

  • Name: Hertog Jan Weizener, 5.7%, Netherlands
  • Appearance: Pretty hazy golden, lots of creamy white head.
  • Aroma: Light wheat, banana, citrus.
  • Taste: Banana, wheat, light fruits, citrus. Sweetness, smooth.
  • Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 300 ml
  • Score: 3.2 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
  • Info: 21/1-2017, BB: 28/2-2017

Friday 20 January 2017

De Molen Hamer & Sikkel (Hammer & Sickle)

  • Name: De Molen Hamer & Sikkel (Hammer & Sickle), 5.2%, Netherlands
  • Appearance: Calm enough in the bottle, but when pouring into a glass, mostly creamy tan head appears. Later very dark brown liquid appears...
  • Aroma: Dark malt, metal, roasted.
  • Taste: Dark malted, roasted, slight sweetness. A bit one-dimensional. Slight bitterness.
  • Bought: Craft Gallery, 330 ml, CHF 3.90
  • Score: 3.6 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 15/20)
  • Info: 20/1-2017, BB: 11/12-2020

BrewDog Jack Hammer

  • Name: BrewDog Jack Hammer, 7.2%, Scotland
  • Appearance: Light orange, quite hazy. Nice creamy white head.
  • Aroma: Lots of fruit, grapefruit. Hops.
  • Taste: Good fruit, clear hops, dry. Long, bitter aftertaste.
  • Bought: Drinks of the World (Online), 330 ml, CHF 5.20
  • Score: 3.4 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 14/20)
  • Info: 20/1-2017, BB: 18/2-2017

Thursday 19 January 2017

West Indies Windward IPA

Ratebeer country #154:
  • Name: West Indies Windward IPA, 7%, Grenada
  • Appearance: Slightly hazy red-ish golden. Good amount of creamy off-white head.
  • Aroma: Lots of fruit, citrus. Slight sweetness.
  • Taste: Light fruits, light hops. Lasting bitterness. Pine?
  • Bought: Trade with Grumbo - big thanks!, sample
  • Score: 3.2 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
  • Info: 19/1-2017

Saturday 14 January 2017

Willinger Brauhaus Landbier Dunkel

New brewery:
  • Name: Willinger Brauhaus Landbier Dunkel, 5.2%, Germany
  • Appearance: Dark brown, hint of red. Some tan head.
  • Aroma: Malt, sweetness.
  • Taste: Malt, caramel sweetness, prunes?
  • Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 500 ml
  • Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
  • Info: 14/1-2017, BB: 28/2-2017

Maisel & Friends Pale Ale

  • Name: Maisel & Friends Pale Ale, 5.2%, Germany
  • Appearance: Light orange golden, slightly hazy. Creamy off-white head, decent amount.
  • Aroma: Light malt, citrus, earth.
  • Taste: Light malt, light fruits, some bitterness. Sweetness in there too.
  • Bought: Aldi, 330 ml, CHF 2.50
  • Score: 3.4 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 14/20)
  • Info: 14/1-2017, BB: 3/2-2017

Friday 13 January 2017

Camba Bavaria Hop Gun

New brewery:
  • Name: Camba Bavaria Hop Gun, 6.4%, Germany
  • Appearance: Medium brown, clear. Some light tan head.
  • Aroma: Light malt, light fruits. Light hops. Light all around then...
  • Taste: Light malt, nutty, slight caramel sweetness. Later light bitterness. Not bad.
  • Bought: Aldi, 330 ml, CHF 2.50
  • Score: 3.2 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
  • Info: 13/1-2017, BB: 23/2-2017

Saturday 7 January 2017

CREW Republic X 7.0 Smoked Porter

New brewery:
  • Name: CREW Republic X 7.0 Smoked Porter, 6.5%, Germany
  • Appearance: Very dark brown, almost black. Some dark tan head.
  • Aroma: Dark malt, slight smoke, roasted.
  • Taste: Dark malt, roasted, smoked, slight tar. Some chocolate. Good.
  • Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 330 ml
  • Score: 3.7 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 4/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 14/20)
  • Info: 7/1-2017, BB: 17/2-2017

Schwelmer Kirchbräu

New brewery:
  • Name: Schwelmer Kirchbräu, 5.0%, Germany
  • Appearance: Orange brown, hazy. Some off-white head.
  • Aroma: Light malt, slight tartness.
  • Taste: Light malt, slight herbs and metallic, a bit watery.
  • Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 500 ml
  • Score: 2.9 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 11/20)
  • Info: 7/1-2017, BB: 30/1-2017

Friday 6 January 2017

Allagash Curieux

  • Name: Allagash Curieux, 11%, United States
  • Appearance: Bottled 3/9-2016. Quite hazy yellow, some white head.
  • Aroma: Fruits, slight funk. Slight wood.
  • Taste: Lots of fruits, yeast and spices. Vinous and warming. Slight barrel?
  • Bought: Total Wine and More (Sterling), 750 ml, $18.99
  • Score: 3.8 (Aroma 8/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 15/20)
  • Info: 6/1-2017, 70/100

Trois Dames / Drinks of the World Ginger Pale Ale

  • Name: Trois Dames / Drinks of the World Ginger Pale Ale, 5.4%, Switzerland
  • Appearance: Hazy orange brown, enormous amount of creamy, off-white head.
  • Aroma: Light fruits, ginger.
  • Taste: Clear ginger, slight metal. Some bitterness. Dry. Decent.
  • Bought: Drinks of the World (Online), 330 ml, CHF 4.80
  • Score: 3.1 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 12/20)
  • Info: 6/1-2017, BB: 31/1-2017

Sunday 1 January 2017

J.W. Lees Manchester Star Ale

  • Name: J.W. Lees Manchester Star Ale, 7.3%, England
  • Appearance: Very dark brown, almost black. Some light tan head.
  • Aroma: Dark fruit, prunes, dark malt. Roasted.
  • Taste: Dark malt, dark fruit, smooth.
  • Bought: Sainsbury's, 500 ml, GBP ?.??
  • Score: 3.9 (Aroma 8/10, Appearance 4/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 15/20)
  • Info: 1/1-2017, BB: 8/6-2018

Beer Goals 2017

Here are my beer goals for 2017:
  • Get from 153 to 164 Ratebeer countries*   [Goal reached 2017-10-22]
  • Get from 6 to 8 Canadian Provinces
  • Get a top-50 beer rating from the last eight styles   [Current status: 11]
  • Reduce styles I have tried less than 5 beers from 5 to 0**   [Current status: 2]
  • Reduce styles I have tried less than 10 beers from 10 to 5   [Goal reached 2017-09-29]
  • Get from 664 to 1000 RB posts   [Goal reached 2017-04-13]
  • Get from 905 to 1000 breweries   [Goal reached 2017-07-14]
  • Get from 288 to 320 Swiss ratings   [Goal reached 2017-07-21]
  • Get from 78 to 100 Swiss breweries   [Goal reached 2017-07-22]
Some other minor country related goals:
  • Increase countries with 50+ ratings from 9 to 10   [Goal reached 2017-03-24]
  • Increase countries with 10+ ratings from 23 to 30   [Current status: 28]
  • Increase countries with 5+ ratings from 34 to 40   [Current status: 39]
  • Increase countries with 2+ ratings from 79 to 85   [Goal reached 2017-06-23]
* This would at time of writing get me into the Top-10.
** India Style Lager introduced 2017-04 and only tried three.