Beer Goals 2014 - Result

My beer goals for 2014 were as follows:

• Get from 92 to 100 Ratebeer countries      [Goal reached 2014-10-28]
• Get from 22 to 32 US states      [Goal reached 2014-10-26]
• Get from 2 to 6 Canadian provinces      [Current status: 4]
• Get last eight English counties      [Current status: four left]
• Get last four German Bundesländer      [Goal reached 2014-12-25]
• Get last two styles      [Current status: one left]

On the positive side I managed to get from 92 to 121 countries, from 22 to 35 US states and I rated the last four German Bundesländer. So three out of six goals reached.

On the flip side, I only managed to rate two new Canadian provinces, four of the remaining English counties and one of the missing styles. I will try harder in 2015 to reach these goals :-).

Mandalay Strong Ale

• Name: Mandalay Strong Ale, 6.5%, Myanmar
• Appearance: As "Mandalay Strong Beer". Says "Thank You" on the inside of the cap... For buying it?  Golden orange, clear. Fizzy white head.
• Aroma: Malt, some sweetness?
• Taste: Malt and hops, not too sweet. Better than expected.
• Bought: Courtesy of Erica M. - thanks!, 640 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 29/12-2014

Strela

• Name: Strela, 5.6%, Cape Verde
• Appearance: Light golden, clear. Some white head.
• Aroma: Malt, grains, grass.
• Taste: Grains, some malt. Light.
• Bought: Courtesy of Julien C. - thanks!, 250 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 28/12-2014, BB: 1/3-2015

Pilsener (Ecuador)

• Name: Pilsener (Ecuador), 4.2%, Ecuador
• Appearance: Very pale golden, clear. Some light white head.
• Aroma: Grains and malt?
• Taste: Grains, some malt and hops. Watery.
• Bought: Courtesy of Antonio S. - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 27/12-2014, BB: 24/1-2015

Bière Lorraine Blonde

• Name: Bière Lorraine Blonde, 5%, Martinique
• Appearance: Pale golden, clear. Some white head.
• Aroma: Grains, malt.
• Taste: Cereal, malt, sweetness. Forgettable.
• Bought: Trade with MarkoNm - thanks!, 250 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 25/12-2014, BB: 10/3-2015

Hasseröder Premium Pils

Final Bundesland, Saxony-Anhalt (16/16):

• Name: Hasseröder Premium Pils, 4.9%, Germany
• Appearance: Light golden, clear. Some off-white head.
• Aroma: Malt, grains.
• Taste: Malt, good hops. Slight grains and some lasting bitterness. Crisp.
• Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 500 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 25/12-2014, BB: 30/4-2015

Cerveza Salva Vida

• Name: Cerveza Salva Vida, 4.8%, Honduras
• Appearance: Pale yellow, clear. Some fizzy white head.
• Aroma: Corn, cereal.
• Taste: Cereal, corn. Not that interesting.
• Bought: Total Wine & More (Sterling), 355 ml, $1.42
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 24/12-2014

Gala

• Name: Gala, 5.3%, Chad
• Appearance: Orange golden, clear. Some off-white head.
• Aroma: Malt, basement.
• Taste: Malt, little hops, grains. Watery?
• Bought: Trade with Gregory - thanks!, 640 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 23/12-2014, BB: 10/10-2015

Murree Beer

• Name: Murree Beer, 4.7%, Pakistan
• Appearance: Light golden, clear. Some fizzy, white head.
• Aroma: Malt and some hops.
• Taste: Malt, some hops and grains. Crisp. Standard.
• Bought: Trade with Cunningham - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 23/12-2014, BB: 16/1-2015

Fallen Angel Black Death

New English county, Hertfordshire (42/46)*:

• Name: Fallen Angel Black Death, 5.2%, England
• Appearance: Very dark brown, hazy I think, flat.
• Aroma: Sour fruit, chilli.
• Taste: So, I didn't know this was a chilli beer, so a big swig later my mouth was on fire. Before that it had some sourness. Not going to risk it "burning twice" so the rest of the bottle goes in the drain. Amazing how much chilli they decided to add to this socalled beer.
• Bought: Beers of Europe, 500 ml, £2.69
• Overall score: 1/6
• Info: 21/12-2014, BB: 30/9-2015

* (42/46) again since the Northumberland beer I tried has been reclassified as being from Nottinghamshire...

Neuzeller Schwarzer Abt

New Bundesland, Brandenburg (15/16):

• Name: Neuzeller Schwarzer Abt, 3.9%, Germany
• Appearance: Blackish brown, good amount of tan head.
• Aroma: Caramel, malt.
• Taste: Very sweet, malt, very slightly toasted. Borderline too sweet.
• Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 500 ml
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 21/12-2014, BB: 23/7-2015

St. John Brewers Virgin Islands Island Hoppin IPA

• Name: St. John Brewers Virgin Islands Island Hoppin IPA, 6.2%, United States Virgin Islands
• Appearance: Burnt orange, some off-white head.
• Aroma: Hops and virgin fruits?
• Taste: Pretty bitter, some caramel sweetness, light fruits. Lingering bitter aftertaste. Maybe better if consumed on USVI?
• Bought: Trade with Cunningham - thanks!, 355 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 20/12-2014, BB: 30/9-2014

White Bull Lager

A very hard-to-get country:

• Name: White Bull Lager, 5%, South Sudan
• Appearance: Light golden, clear. Some fizzy, white head.
• Aroma: Cereal, lightly fruity?
• Taste: Cereal, light malt, hops, watery. Not horrible, though.
• Bought: Trade with Gregory - thanks!, 500 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 19/12-2014

Bario Classic

• Name: Bario Classic, 0.0%, Saudi Arabia
• Appearance: Light brown, clear. Fizzy, micro-head.
• Aroma: Fruity-malty.
• Taste: Malty-fruity sweet juice. Not horrible, though.
• Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 10/12-2014, BB: 21/2-2015

Castel Beer (Senegal)

• Name: Castel Beer (Senegal), 5.2%, Senegal
• Appearance: Yellow golden, clear, fizzy white head.
• Aroma: Cereal, that's probably it...
• Taste: Cereal, some malt. Ok.
• Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 7/12-2014, BB: 5/12-2014

Kilikia

• Name: Kilikia, 4.8%, Armenia
• Appearance: Pale golden, fizzy white head.
• Aroma: Cereal, corn, not pleasant.
• Taste: Corn, cereal, some malt. Pretty bad.
• Bought: Trade with MarkoNm - thanks!, 500 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 5/12-2014

Castel Beer (Cameroon)

Another new country? Yes, it is.

• Name: Castel Beer (Cameroon), 5.2%, Cameroon
• Appearance: Yellow golden, clear, fizzy. Lots of white head.
• Aroma: Sweet, cereal.
• Taste: Malt, sweet, some light fruit? Pretty standard.
• Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 650 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 1/12-2014

Orasul Vechi Semibruna

New country!

• Name: Orasul Vechi Semibruna, 4.3%, Moldova
• Appearance: Dark brown, clear. Some light tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, caramel.
• Taste: Malt, sweet, caramel.
• Bought: Trade with Dorin - thanks!, 500 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 27/11-2014

Master Polotmavý 13°

My first Polotmavy!

• Name: Master Polotmavý 13°, 5.3%, Czech Republic
• Appearance: Amber, clear. Some fizzy light tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, not much. Sweetness.
• Taste: Malt, sweet. Pretty smooth.
• Bought: Trade with Dorin - thanks!, 355 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 22/11-2014, BB: 18/11-2014

Kross Golden Ale

New country - again!

• Name: Kross Golden Ale, 5.3%, Chile
• Appearance: Chestnut, clear. Good amount of off-white head.
• Aroma: Metallic, fruit.
• Taste: Sweet, slight fruit. Shy bitterness.
• Bought: Trade with MarkoNm - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 22/11-2014, BB: 31/8-2014