Beer Goals 2018 - Result

My beer goals for 2018 were as follows (with inline comments):

• Get from 167 to 179 Ratebeer countries   [Current status: 176]
• Helped by trades, but didn't quite reach the goal with three more needed. Climbed from 16th place to 14th place, though.
• Get from 6 to 8 Canadian Provinces   [Current status: 7]
• Given up on the trade now, but managed to randomly find one new one at least.
• Get last England County (Hertfordshire) again   [Goal achieved 2018-05-18]
• Managed to get hold of it via a trade, but lost another County during the year, so will be a goal again next year.
• Rate a top-50 beer from six of the last 11 styles   [Current status: 12!]
• This is a difficult one, will be even harder next year.
• Reduce styles I have tried less than 5 beers from 2 to 0   [Goal achieved 2018-02-01]
• Managed this one easily early in the year.
• Reduce styles I have tried less than 10 beers from 4 to 0   [Current status: 3]
• Still missing four bottles of three styles to get this completed. Hopeful for next year.
• Reduce styles I have tried less than 15 beers from 28 to 14   [Goal achieved 2018-12-21]
• Not helped by the introduction of NEIPA (had to get from 9 to 15), but managed this just before Christmas.
• Get from 1084 to 1200 breweries   [Goal achieved 2018-10-17]
• Ended up on 1237 breweries, pleased with managing to try 153 new breweries in a year.
• Get from 345 to 400 Swiss ratings   [Goal achieved 2018-09-01]
• Ended the year on 431 Swiss ratings, so did well here.
• Get from 109 to 140 Swiss breweries   [Goal achieved 2018-09-01]
• Ended the year on 148 Swiss breweries, but it is getting harder and harder to find and buy beers from new Swiss breweries.

Some other minor country related goals:

• Increase countries with 50+ ratings from 10 to 12   [Goal achieved 2018-10-20]
• Increase countries with 10+ ratings from 28 to 32   [Current status: 29]
• Increase countries with 5+ ratings from 39 to 45   [Current status: 43]
• Increase countries with 2+ ratings from 90 to 95   [Current status: 92]

I only managed one of the four "minor country related goals", but did some good progress on 5+ and 2+ at least.

3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze (Cuvée Armand & Gaston)

Lambic - Gueuze #13:

• Name: 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze (Cuvée Armand & Gaston), 5.5%, Belgium
• Appearance: Cage and cork. Dark orange, slight haze. Big, off-white head.
• Aroma: Tart fruits. Funk.
• Taste: Tart fruits, dry. Funk, lingering sourness. Not for me.
• Bought: Mikkeller Webshop, 375 ml, DKK 110.00
• Score: 2.5 (Aroma 5/10, Appearance 2/5, Taste 5/10, Palate 2/5, Overall 11/20)
• Info: 28/12-2018, BB: 26/10-2037

Godthaab Moskus (Umímak Bâja)

Greenland #2:

• Name: Godthaab Moskus (Umímak Bâja), 7.09%, Greenland
• Appearance: Burnt orange, clear and fizzy. Quite big, creamy off-white head.
• Aroma: Malt, herbs, faint fruits. Some bitterness.
• Taste: Medium malt, bread, some sweetness and herbs.
• Bought: Trade with Cunningham - thanks!, 330 ml
• Score: 3.0 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 12/20)
• Info: 27/12-2018, BB: 29/12-2018

Rinkuškiai Microhistory Beer - Pupsy the Great

New brewery, Lithuania #3:

• Name: Rinkuškiai Microhistory Beer - Pupsy the Great, 4.2%, Lithuania
• Appearance: Very dark brown, clear. Small, tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, toasted. Caramel sweetness.
• Taste: Malt, caramel sweetness. Toffee. Way too sweet.
• Bought: Drinks of the World (Basel), 330 ml, CHF 5.10
• Score: 3.0 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 12/20)
• Info: 23/12-2018, BB: 28/5-2019

Timmermans Tradition Faro Lambic

Lambic - Faro #8:

• Name: Timmermans Tradition Faro Lambic, 4%, Belgium
• Appearance: Cage and cork. Medium brown, red hue. Clear and fizzy. Small, off-white head.
• Aroma: Sweet, apples, honey? Very faint funkiness.
• Taste: Sweet, some light caramel. Apples, quite a bit. Very low tartness, hence I quite like it.
• Bought: Trade with tderoeck - thanks!, 375 ml
• Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
• Info: 23/12-2018, BB: 15/6-2019

De Cam Oude Lambiek

Lambic - Unblended #9, new brewery:

• Name: De Cam Oude Lambiek, 5.0%, Belgium
• Appearance: Cage and cork. 2016 vintage or bottled in 2016? Orange golden, very hazy. Good amount of creamy off-white head.
• Aroma: Tart, funk, basement.
• Taste: Very tart, funk basement. Sour aftertaste. Pearls for swine?
• Bought: boxbeers.com, 750 ml, €17.35
• Score: 2.3 (Aroma 5/10, Appearance 2/5, Taste 5/10, Palate 2/5, Overall 9/20)
• Info: 22/12-2018, BB: 31/12-2036

8 Wired Hippy Berliner

Berliner Weisse #15:

• Name: 8 Wired Hippy Berliner, 4.0%, New Zealand
• Appearance: Light yellow, slight haze. Fizzy, good amount of creamy, off-white head.
• Aroma: Light fruits, lemon. Some wheat and sourness.
• Taste: Good wheat, slight sourness, but not too much. Light fruits, some lemon. Refreshing.
• Bought: boxbeers.com, 330 ml, €4.57
• Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
• Info: 21/12-2018, BB: 6/7-2019

Kitchen Brew / Braukollektiv NEIPA

New England IPA #15:

• Name: Kitchen Brew / Braukollektiv NEIPA, 5.6%, Switzerland
• Appearance: Light orange, some golden. Quite hazy. Nice amount of off-white head.
• Aroma: Light fruits, grapefruit, some hops.
• Taste: Lots of fruit. Orange, grapefruit. Nice mild bitterness. Smooth.
• Bought: Drinks of the World (Basel), 330 ml, CHF 5.80
• Score: 3.6 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 15/20)
• Info: 15/12-2018, BB: 31/3-2019

Shangri-La Black Yak

China #5:

• Name: Shangri-La Black Yak, 5.4%, China
• Appearance: Dark brown, seems clear. Some tan head.
• Aroma: Malt, vegetables. Some caramel.
• Taste: Malt, herbs, some chocolate and sweetness. Weird, and I wouldn’t say a porter.
• Bought: Drinks of the World (Basel), 330 ml, CHF 4.00
• Score: 2.7 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 5/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 10/20)
• Info: 8/12-2018, BB: 7/2-2019

Shangri-La Tibetan Pale Ale

China #4, new brewery:

• Name: Shangri-La Tibetan Pale Ale, 5.4%, China
• Appearance: Orange golden, slight haze. Small, off-white head.
• Aroma: Grains, herbs. Some sweetness.
• Taste: Grains, herbs. Some pine. Pretty sweet.
• Bought: Drinks of the World (Basel), 330 ml, CHF 4.00
• Score: 2.9 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 11/20)
• Info: 7/12-2018, BB: 7/2-2019

Garage Virtue Signal

New England IPA #14:

• Name: Garage Virtue Signal, 6.2%, Spain
• Appearance: Yellow, very hazy. Some white head.
• Aroma: Grapefruit, light fruits. Some light hops.
• Taste: Light fruits, grapefruit. Nice low-key bitterness. Quite smooth.
• Bought: Bierrevier (Basel), 100 ml generous sample, CHF 3.25
• Score: 3.7 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 15/20)
• Info: 1/12-2018

Garage Silver Peel

Berliner Weisse #14, new brewery:

• Name: Garage Silver Peel, 5.2%, Spain
• Appearance: Bright red, clear. Light pink fizzy head.
• Aroma: Strong red fruits, very slight tartness.
• Taste: Red fruits, raspberries. Tart, but sweetness follows. Some malty aftertaste?
• Bought: boxbeers.com, 440 ml can, €6.05
• Score: 3.1 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
• Info: 17/11-2018, BB: 27/4-2019

St. Louis Premium Faro

Lambic - Faro #7:

• Name: St. Louis Premium Faro, 3.2%, Belgium
• Appearance: Medium-to-dark brown, clear. Tiny head.
• Aroma: Sweet malts, toasted. Basement.
• Taste: Wow, that is sweet. Quite fruity, slight tang. Expected much worse.
• Bought: Trade with tderoeck - big thanks!, 100 ml sample
• Score: 3.1 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
• Info: 5/11-2018, BB: 30/11-2009(!)

Tilquin Faro

Lambic - Faro #6, new brewery:

• Name: Tilquin Faro, 4.8%, Belgium
• Appearance: Light orange brown, quite hazy. Almost no head.
• Aroma: Tart fruits, nevertheless some sweetness.
• Taste: Tart fruits, some bread, dank, sweetness. But not as sweet as other Faros.
• Bought: Trade with tderoeck - thanks!, 100 ml sample
• Score: 2.7 (Aroma 5/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 5/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 11/20)
• Info: 5/11-2018, BB: ??/??-????

Seybrew Festive Lager

Seychelles #2:

• Name: Seybrew Festive Lager, 5.8%, Seychelles
• Appearance: Light golden, clear. Small, fizzy head.
• Aroma: Light fruits, pale malt. Grains.
• Taste: Pale malt, grains, slight sweetness. Watery, but not bad.
• Bought: Trade with tderoeck - thanks!, 100 ml sample
• Score: 2.4 (Aroma 5/10, Appearance 2/5, Taste 5/10, Palate 2/5, Overall 10/20)
• Info: 5/11-2018, BB: 26/2-2018

1770 LTD Pilsner Beer

Ratebeer country #176:

• Name: 1770 LTD Pilsner Beer, 4.3%, Seychelles
• Appearance: Golden, slightly hazy. Small head.
• Aroma: Vegetables, some off fruits.
• Taste: Some light malt, some fruits. Dusty. Watery.
• Bought: Trade with tderoeck - thanks!, 100 ml sample
• Score: 1.7 (Aroma 3/10, Appearance 2/5, Taste 4/10, Palate 2/5, Overall 6/20)
• Info: 5/11-2018

Beachwood Blendery Chaos is a Friend of Mine

Lambic - Unblended #8, new brewery:

• Name: Beachwood Blendery Chaos is a Friend of Mine, 6.0%, United States
• Appearance: 2017 release. Light orange, hazy. Slow over-flower. Lots of off-white head.
• Aroma: Tart fruits, citrus. Barn.
• Taste: Quite tart fruit, dry. Funk. Refreshing, at least.
• Bought: Beergium, 500 ml, €18.49
• Score: 3.0 (Aroma 6/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 6/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 12/20)
• Info: 3/11-2018, BB: ??/??-????

Cismontane Citizen California Lager

California Common #13, new brewery:

• Name: Cismontane Citizen California Lager, 6%, United States
• Appearance: Slightly hazy orange, fizzy. Some off-white head.
• Aroma: Light ripe fruits, floral, slight malt.
• Taste: Some malt, some sweetness. Some fruits. Dry end.
• Bought: Beergium, 500 ml, €4.54
• Score: 3.3 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 13/20)
• Info: 27/10-2018, BB: ??/??-????

Omnipollo Bianca Mango Lassi Gose 6%

Grodziskie/Gose/Lichtenhainer top-50, Sweden #50:

• Name: Omnipollo Bianca Mango Lassi Gose 6%, 6%, Sweden
• Appearance: Pale yellow, clear. Hazy later. Fizzy. Tiny head.
• Aroma: Light fruits, mango, slight tartness.
• Taste: Good light fruits, mango. Slight salt, some tartness. Nice and refreshing.
• Bought: boxbeers.com, 330 ml, €8.88
• Score: 3.4 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 7/10, Palate 3/5, Overall 14/20)
• Info: 20/10-2018, BB: 1/1-2019

Flying Couch Hazed And Infused

New England IPA #13, new brewery:

• Name: Flying Couch Hazed And Infused, 6.2%, Denmark
• Appearance: Very hazy yellow golden, some off-white head.
• Aroma: Light fruits, tropical fruits, some good hops.
• Taste: Very fruity, exotic fruits, good hops, some pine. Slightly dry. Low bitterness.
• Bought: Taphouse (Copenhagen), 100 ml tap, ~DKK 25.00
• Score: 3.7 (Aroma 7/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 15/20)
• Info: 19/10-2018