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

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

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

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

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

Erdinger Pikantus

• Name: Erdinger Pikantus, 7.3%, Germany
• Appearance: Dark brown, clear. Some light tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, sweetness, berries.
• Taste: Malt, caramel sweetness, fruits, berries. Nice.
• Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 500 ml
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 20/11-2015, 98/300M, BB: 31/1-2016

Achel Extra Bruin (de 3 Wijzen)

• Name: Achel Extra Bruin (de 3 Wijzen), 9.5%, Belgium
• Appearance: Very dark brown, some tan head.
• Aroma: Dark malt, dark fruit.
• Taste: Dark malt, caramel sweetness, some dark fruits and chocolate too. Very nice!
• Bought: Saveur-Biere.com, 750 ml, €8.40
• Overall score: 5/6
• Info: 14/11-2015, 62/100, BB: 31/1-2017

Tango Bière Blonde

• Name: Tango Bière Blonde, 4.8%, Algeria
• Appearance: Clear golden, lots of fizz. Some lasting white head.
• Aroma: Grains, micro-malt.
• Taste: Grains with light malt and hops. Some sweetness. Better than feared.
• Bought: Trade with Greg - thanks!, 250 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 23/10-2015, BB: 23/11-2015

Krombacher Weizen

• Name: Krombacher Weizen, 5.3%, Germany
• Appearance: Orange golden, slight haze. Good amount of thick, white head.
• Aroma: Wheat, banana, slight citrus.
• Taste: Wheat, citrus, banana. Nice and smooth.
• Bought: Trade with Erzengel - thanks!, 500 ml
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 16/10-2015, 97/300M, BB: 5/12-2015

Hopshackle Restoration

• Name: Hopshackle Restoration, 9.5%, England
• Appearance: 2010 vintage, bottle 333/1600. Dark brown with hint of red. Small, fizzy light tan head.
• Aroma: Dark malt, dark fruit. Raisins.
• Taste: Dark fruit, raisins, vinous. Some dark malt. Warming! Very nice.
• Bought: Beers of Europe, 275 ml, £3.89
• Overall score: 5/6
• Info: 9/10-2015, 96/300M, BB: 30/11-2015

Starogradsko Premium Pils

• Name: Starogradsko Premium Pils, 4.5%, Macedonia
• Appearance: Interesting non-idiot-proof pull-off cap design that made me spill some of the content. Orange golden, clear. Some fizzy white head.
• Aroma: Light malt, light fruits. Grains?
• Taste: Light malt, some light hops and metal. Slight sweetness. Watery.
• Bought: Trade with ogivlado - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 2/6
• Info: 9/10-2015, BB: 1/10-2015

Mützig (Rwanda)

New country, Rwanda:

• Name: Mützig (Rwanda), 5.5%, Rwanda
• Appearance: Light golden, clear. Some fizzy, white head.
• Aroma: Slight malt, tiny amount of hops.
• Taste: Light malt and slight hops and sweetness, not bad. Better than expected.
• Bought: Trade with ogivlado - thanks!, 330 ml
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 3/10-2015

De la Senne Taras Boulba

• Name: De la Senne Taras Boulba, 4.5%, Belgium
• Appearance: Pale yellow, hazy. Good amount of creamy, white head.
• Aroma: Fruit, floral. Light hops.
• Taste: Light fruit, floral hops, citrus, slight yeast. Nice and smooth.
• Bought: Saveur-Biere.com, 330 ml, €2.90
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 26/9-2015, 61/100, BB: 27/11-2015

Einstök Icelandic Pale Ale

• Name: Einstök Icelandic Pale Ale, 5.6%, Iceland
• Appearance: Burnt orange golden, clear. Good amount of light tan head.
• Aroma: Slight malt and bitterness.
• Taste: Nice light malt, some caramel sweetness. Light bitterness.
• Bought: Beers of Europe, 330 ml, £2.59
• Overall score: 3/6
• Info: 25/9-2015, 95/300M, BB: 29/11-2015

Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold

• Name: Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold, 8.5%, Belgium
• Appearance: Cage-n-cork. Dark redish brown, clear. Lots of light tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, fruit. Prunes.
• Taste: Malt, fruit, sweetness, molasses. Expected more.
• Bought: Total Wine (Sterling), 750 ml, $5.99
• Overall score: 4/6
• Info: 17/9-2015, 94/300M