AzBeer: January 2021

Saturday, 30 January 2021

Brauhuus 531 IPA Special Edition

New CH brewery:

Name: Brauhuus 531 IPA Special Edition, 6%, Switzerland
Appearance: Dark golden, clear. Good-size off-white head.
Aroma: Good hops, some light fruits.
Taste: Lots of hops, good bitterness. Pine, some fruits.
Bought: Zur alten Weinhandlung, 330 ml, CHF 3.50
Score: 3.6 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 15/20)
Info: 30/1-2021, BB: 30/1-2021

Stadtbach New England India Pale Ale

Name: Stadtbach New England India Pale Ale, 5.1%, Switzerland
Appearance: Orange golden, slight haze. Lots of creamy, white head. Too much head.
Aroma: Light fruits, good amount of hops.
Taste: Light fruits, quite a lot of bitterness. More of an IPA, than a NEIPA. Decent, though.
Bought: Zur alten Weinhandlung, 330 ml, CHF 3.90
Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
Info: 30/1-2021, BB: 31/1-2021

Friday, 29 January 2021

Dogma / Flying Dog Flying Dogma Galaxy IPA

Name: Dogma / Flying Dog Flying Dogma Galaxy IPA, 6.6%, Serbia
Appearance: Light orange golden, slight haze. Tiny, white head.
Aroma: Light fruits, herbs, hops. Citrus.
Taste: Good hops, light fruits, some herbs. Light bitter aftertaste.
Bought: qoqa.ch, 330 ml can, CHF 5.79
Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
Info: 29/1-2021, BB: 29/5-2021

Stadtbach Verveine Ale

New CH brewery:

Name: Stadtbach Verveine Ale, 5.3%, Switzerland
Appearance: Pale yellow golden, hazy. Huge amount of creamy, white head.
Aroma: Herbal, light fruits, very pale malt.
Taste: Lots of herbs, very pale malt and light hops. Too herbal.
Bought: Zur alten Weinhandlung, 330 ml, CHF 3.90
Score: 2.9 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 11/20)
Info: 29/1-2021, BB: 31/1-2021

Saturday, 23 January 2021

Dois Corvos Creature

Name: Dois Corvos Creature, 6.8%, Portugal
Appearance: Orange golden, very slight haze. Some off-white head.
Aroma: Light fruits, tropical fruits, nice hops.
Taste: Good amount of hops, light fruits, pine. Lasting bitterness.
Bought: qoqa.ch, 330 ml, CHF 5.79
Score: 3.1 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
Info: 23/1-2021, BB: 30/4-2021

Chien Bleu Pomelo

Name: Chien Bleu Pomelo, 6.0%, Switzerland
Appearance: Yellow golden, hazy. Big, short-lived white head.
Aroma: Light fruits, grass, yeast, very slight barn.
Taste: Light fruits, some hops, grass, some yeast.
Bought: Wittich, 330 ml, CHF 4.80
Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
Info: 23/1-2021, BB: 30/4-2021

Friday, 22 January 2021

Abbaye de St-Maurice DXV

Name: Abbaye de St-Maurice DXV, 8.5%, Switzerland
Appearance: Golden orange, hazy, with a big, creamy white head.
Aroma: Fruits, candy sugar, floral.
Taste: Medium fruits, candy sugar, some floral hops. Yeast.
Bought: amstein.ch, 330 ml, CHF 4.16
Score: 3.7 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 16/20)
Info: 22/1-2021, BB: 26/6-2021

Lervig Idaho Picnic

Name: Lervig Idaho Picnic, 5.8%, Norway
Appearance: Pale yellow, very hazy. Small, white head.
Aroma: Light fruits, citrus. Quite a bit of hops.
Taste: Lots of hops, medium bitterness. Good, light fruits. Citrus, pine.
Bought: qoqa.ch, 500 ml can, CHF 5.79
Score: 3.6 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 15/20)
Info: 22/1-2021, BB: 10/5-2021

Saturday, 16 January 2021

Blaue Ente Apocalypsis

Name: Blaue Ente Apocalypsis, 9.3%, Switzerland
Appearance: Burnt orange, slight haze. Good amount of off-white head.
Aroma: Fruits, spices, yeast.
Taste: Medium fruits, spices, some yeast. Slight alcohol.
Bought: B Like Beer, 330 ml, CHF 4.70
Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
Info: 16/1-2021, BB: 31/3-2021

BRLO Berlin Jam

Name: BRLO Berlin Jam, 4%, Germany
Appearance: Dark pink, very hazy. Lots of light pink head.
Aroma: Bunch of berries, tartness.
Taste: Lots of berries, quite a bit of tartness. Hard to detect much wheat and such in there.
Bought: qoqa.ch, 330 ml can, CHF 5.79
Score: 3.0 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 12/20)
Info: 16/1-2021, BB: 1/9-2021

Friday, 15 January 2021

Hard Labor Double Ambrée

Name: Hard Labor Double Ambrée, 7.0%, Switzerland
Appearance: Reddish brown, I guess amber. Clear. Huge, creamy off-white head.
Aroma: Sweet dark fruits, medium malt, toasted, caramel.
Taste: Medium malt, caramel sweetness, some dark fruits. Toasted, smooth. A bit over-carbonated, though.
Bought: B Like Beer, 330 ml, CHF 4.50
Score: 3.6 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 15/20)
Info: 15/1-2021, BB: 31/3-2021

Ueli Lager Hell

Name: Ueli Lager Hell, 4.8%, Switzerland
Appearance: Light golden, crystal clear. Small off-white head.
Aroma: Medium malt, bready. Slight fruits.
Taste: Medium malt, crisp. Some bread and grains. Quite nice.
Bought: Halle aux Boissons (Matran), 330 ml, CHF 1.44
Score: 3.1 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
Info: 15/1-2021, BB: 31/3-2021

Saturday, 9 January 2021

Eastside Sun Stroke

Name: Eastside Sun Stroke, 8.5%, Italy
Appearance: Yellow golden, slight haziness. Good amount of white head.
Aroma: Light fruits, exotic fruits, good amount of hops.
Taste: Quite a bit of hops, nice fruits, exotic fruits. Good bitterness.
Bought: qoqa.ch, 440 ml can, CHF 5.79
Score: 3.6 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 15/20)
Info: 9/1-2021, BB: 31/7-2021

Ahoi Bier Raylay Island

Name: Ahoi Bier Raylay Island, 5.1%, Switzerland
Appearance: Light orange golden, slight haze. Big, white head.
Aroma: Lemongrass, good amount of wheat. Bananas.
Taste: Good wheat, some banana, indeed lemongrass.
Bought: qoqa.ch, 330 ml, CHF 5.79
Score: 3.4 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 14/20)
Info: 9/1-2021, BB: 10/3-2021

Pulsar Gold 12°

Uzbekistan #2, new brewery:

Name: Pulsar Gold 12°, 5%, Uzbekistan
Appearance: Light golden, clear. Small, fizzy white head.
Aroma: Grains, cardboard malt, some sweetness.
Taste: Grains, faint malt, some sweetness. Not totally horrible.
Bought: Trade with Grzesiek79 - thanks!, 50 ml sample
Score: 2.1 (Aroma 4/10, Appearance 2/5, Taste 4/10, Palate 2/5, Overall 9/20)
Info: 9/1-2021

Friday, 8 January 2021

Next Level Brewing / Reketye 99 Hop Cones NEIPA

New brewery:

Name: Next Level Brewing / Reketye 99 Hop Cones NEIPA, 5.5%, Austria
Appearance: Light orange golden, a bit of haze. Good amount of white head.
Aroma: Grapefruit, good light fruits. Some hops.
Taste: Light fruits, grapefruit. Pine, I guess. Light bitterness. Juicy.
Bought: qoqa.ch, 440 ml can, CHF 5.79
Score: 3.4 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 14/20)
Info: 8/1-2021, BB: 1/9-2021

Blackwell India Pale Ale

Name: Blackwell India Pale Ale, 6.6%, Switzerland
Appearance: Dark orange, hazy. Very murky later. Small, off-white head.
Aroma: Light fruits, some sweetness. Ok amount of hops.
Taste: Fruits, some hops, light bitterness. Some funkiness. Yeast.
Bought: Brewmee, 330 ml, CHF 4.82
Score: 3.0 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 12/20)
Info: 8/1-2021, BB: 19/2-2021

Saturday, 2 January 2021

Blaue Ente Nubilum

Name: Blaue Ente Nubilum, 5.6%, Switzerland
Appearance: Clear golden, hazy later. Huge amount of white head.
Aroma: Grapefruit, light fruits. Good hops.
Taste: Lots of fruits, exotic fruits. Good amount of hops. Nice bitterness.
Bought: B Like Beer, 330 ml, CHF 4.70
Score: 3.4 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 14/20)
Info: 2/1-2021, BB: 28/2-2021

Studer et Walker Oberbottiger Kurbelbräu

New CH brewery:

Name: Studer et Walker Oberbottiger Kurbelbräu, 4.8%, Switzerland
Appearance: Golden, very slight haze. Decent, fizzy white head.
Aroma: Grains, pale malt, grass.
Taste: Pale malt, grains, some grass. Very slight hops. Some sweetness.
Bought: Drinks of the World (Bern), 330 ml, CHF 3.90
Score: 2.9 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 11/20)
Info: 2/1-2021, BB: 25/1-2021

Friday, 1 January 2021

McGargles Export Stout

Name: McGargles Export Stout, 6.0%, Ireland
Appearance: Very dark brown, near black. Big, creamy tan head.
Aroma: Roasted, dark malt, some burnt bitterness.
Taste: Dark malt, roasted, some dark chocolate. Some burnt bitterness.
Bought: Wittich, 500 ml, CHF 4.20
Score: 3.7 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 16/20)
Info: 1/1-2021, BB: 31/1-2021

BLZ Red Pale Ale

Name: BLZ Red Pale Ale, 6.5%, Switzerland
Appearance: Dark brown, red hue. Clear. Small, light tan head. Good amount of head later.
Aroma: Some malt, caramel. Bread.
Taste: Medium malt, caramel sweetness. Bread.
Bought: B Like Beer, 330 ml, CHF 4.40
Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
Info: 1/1-2021, BB: 31/1-2021

Beer Goals 2021

Here are my beer goals for 2021:

Get from 194 to 198 Ratebeer countries* [Goal achieved 2021-12-31]
Rate a beer from the last missing style
Reduce styles I have tried less than 5 beers from 15 to 7 [Goal achieved 2021-12-30]
Reduce styles I have tried less than 10 beers from 31 to 20 [Current status: 26]
Get from 1442 to 1510 breweries [Goal achieved 2021-12-18]
Get from 648 to 800 Swiss ratings [Goal achieved 2021-10-08]
Get from 221 to 260 Swiss breweries [Goal achieved 2021-12-24]

Some other minor country related goals:

Increase countries with 10+ ratings from 37 to 39 [Current status: 38]
Increase countries with 5+ ratings from 48 to 50
Increase countries with 2+ ratings from 95 to 97 [Goal achieved 2021-12-18]

* This would at time of writing get me into the Top-8.