World Beer Challenge
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Quilmes Cristal
Brewed: Cerveceria Malteria Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.9%
Sourced: Dan Murphys, Alexandria, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Argentina should stick to making loud gestures about small British islands off their coast and not brewing beer.
Date Consumed: 14th March 2011
Beer: Sapporo Yebisu
Brewed: Sapporo Breweries, Toyko, Japan
Size: 334mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Camperdown Cellars, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Typically lovely Japanese beer.
Date Consumed: 27th December 2011
Beer: Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
Brewed: Kiuchi Brewery, Ibaraki, Japan
Size: 7.5%
Alcohol Content: 330mL
Sourced: Tokyo, Japan (thanks to Martin Sturgeon)
World Beer Rating: 10/10
Notes: I couldn’t believe I got the opportunity to drink this one! Rated 98.89% on RateBeer.com, it’s Japan’s highest rated beer and very hard to get. I can see why; this stout is absolutely amazing! Coffee and chocolate, burnt malt with a bitter taste – this one is hands down the best Japanese beer I’ve ever had and will probably ever get to drink.
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Zywiec Porter
Brewed: Bracki Browar Zamkowy, Cieszyn, Poland
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 9.5%
Sourced: Glebe Cellars, Glebe, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: An alcohol content of 9.5% combined with delicate notes of chocolate and coffee, this porter is a 9 and not 10 because it’s so bloody strong!
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Taj Mahal Premium Lager Beer
Brewed: United Breweries, Bangalore, India
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Glebe Cellars, Glebe. NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Suprisingly good.
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Phoenix Beer
Brewed: Phoenix Beverages, Pont-Fer, Mauritius
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: 1st Choice Liquor, Naremburn, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Lacks the pedigree of more established beer producing nations and it shows in this beer.
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Weihenstephaner Kristall Weissbier
Brewed: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.4%
Sourced: The Local Taphouse, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 10/10
Notes: What a fantastic demonstration of how to make a world class beer from Germany! Slighty fruity, perfectly carbonated, smooth aftertaste. Perfection from Europe.
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Prinzregent Luitpold Weissbier Hell (König Ludwig Weissbier)
Brewed: Schloßbrauerei Kaltenberg, Kaltenberg, Germany
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.5%
Sourced: Lord Nelson Pub, The Rocks, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: What a lovely Hefeweizen! Wheat beers are always going to rate highly but this is definitely another world class beer from Germany.
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Jacob Bodenwöhrer Weissbier
Brewed: Familienbrauerei Jacob, Bodenwöhr, German
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.3%
Sourced: Noble Green Wines, Hampton Hill, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Germany knows how to pump out great weissbeer. This is one is no exception. Classy weissbeer, cloudy with cloves and banana flavours.
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Bintang Pilsner
Brewed: Multi Bintang, Jakarta, Indonesia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: Dan Murphys, Alexandria, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: None.
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Stark Wheat Bir
Brewed: Lovina Beach Brewery, Bali, Indonesia
Size: 5.0%
Alcohol Content: 330mL
Sourced: Bintang Supermarket, Seminyak, Bali, Indoneia
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: Excellent wheat beer, surprising given the climate and country location.
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Storm Beer Black Moon Iron Stout
Brewed: Storm Brewing Bali, Denpasar Selatan, Bali, Indonesia
Size: 5.2%
Alcohol Content: 330mL
Sourced: Wine Import Shop, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: What a lovely stout from Indonesia, bonus points for the great name!
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Samuel Adams Boston Lager
Brewed: Boston Beer Company, Boston, USA
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: Dan Murphys, Alexandria, NSW, Austra
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: This is a surprise, a real surprise. Lovely beer.
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Speedway Stout
Brewed: AleSmith Brewing Company, San Diego, California, USA
Size:750mL
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 10/10
Notes: This stout is fantastic, chocolate and coffee all over the place! World class.
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Narwhal Imperial Stout
Brewed: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California USA
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 10.2%
Sourced: Noble Green Wines, Hampton Hill, United Kingdom.
World Beer Rating: 10/10
Notes: Mind blowingly good. A true Imperial Russian Stout with masses of absolutely everything. One of the best stouts I’ve ever had.
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Mythos Hellenic Lager
Brewed: Mythos Brewery, Thessaloniki, Greece
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: Dan Murphys, Alexandria, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 3/10
Notes: This beer tastes awful. I think the Greeks are better at making wonderful Greek dips.
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Kronenbourg 1664
Brewed: Kronenbourg Brewery, Strasbourg, France
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Dan Murphys, Alexandria, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: None.
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc
Brewed: Kronenbourg, Obernai, France
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Hippopotamus, Paris, France
World Beer Rating: 10/10
Notes: I love citrus and floral notes in a beer – this beer is oozing with both. Absolutely wonderful to drink; light, refreshing, delicious! Rating a full 10/10 as this beer pours wonderfully and the aftertaste is just as great as the taste itself.
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Colomba
Brewed: Brasserie Pietra, Furiani, Corsica
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Beers Of Europe, Kings Lynn, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: What a brilliant wheat beer! Wish this was imported more often. Icy cold and cloudy with a great head and citrus notes, this beer needs more visibility worldwide.
