Category: World Beer Challenge

World Beer Challenge

  • San Marino

    San Marino

    Date Consumed: 2nd April 2025
    Beer: Speak Easy
    Brewed: Birrificio Abusivo, Domagnano, San Marino
    Size: 330mL
    Alcohol Content: 4.7%
    Sourced: Suitcase by Jim Cook (thanks Jim!)
    World Beer Rating: 4/10

    Notes: Quite hoppy for an Italian pils, otherwise a pretty thin mouthfeel. Not bad, maybe better in a warmer climate.

    Speak Easy, San Marino
  • Jordan

    Jordan

    Date Consumed: 4th March 2023
    Beer: Dead Sea-rious
    Brewed: Carakale, Fuheis, Al Balqa Jordan
    Size: 330mL
    Alcohol Content: 5.0%
    Sourced: Suitcase by Jim Cook (thanks Jim!)
    World Beer Rating: 5/10

    Notes: Strong grapefruit flavour coming through; noticeable salt. A well made gose, definitely inspired by US brewed recipes.

    Dead Sea-rious, Jordan
  • Bhutan

    Bhutan

    Date Consumed: 16th May, 2020
    Beer: Druk Traffic Lights
    Brewed: Namgay Artisanal Brewery, Paro, Bhutan
    Size: 330mL
    Alcohol Content: 4.7%
    Sourced: Suitcase by Jim Cook (thanks Jim!)
    World Beer Rating: 7/10

    Notes: A mini break from the Covid-19 lockdown with a virtual trip to Bhutan! I did not expect to have this country ticked off. Pineapple and salt go surprisingly well together in a sharp but sweet gose.

    Druk Traffic Lights, Bhutan
  • Republic of the Congo

    Republic of the Congo

    Date Consumed: 5th October 2019
    Beer: Ngok
    Brewed: Brasserie du Congo, Brazzaville, Congo
    Size: 650mL
    Alcohol Content: 5.0%
    Sourced: Les Terroirs du Congo, Rue Labat, Paris, France
    World Beer Rating: 4/10

    Notes: Brewed by Heineken Congo and tastes a lot like Heineken. Not great, a bland lager with all the hallmarks of an African beer brewed for a hot market.

    Ngok, Republic of the Congo
  • Botswana

    Botswana

    Date Consumed: 28th August 2019
    Beer: St Louis Export
    Brewed: Kgalagadi Breweries, Gaborone, Botswana
    Size: 330mL
    Alcohol Content: 4.7%
    Sourced: Suitcase from Botswana. Thanks to Jonathan Rudd!
    World Beer Rating: 5/10

    Notes: Brewed for the export market. Nice carbonation, refreshing. Not bad at all. Very similar to Carlsberg.

    St Louis Lager, Botswana

    Date Consumed: 28th August 2019
    Beer: St Louis Lager
    Brewed:  Kgalagadi Breweries, Gaborone, Botswana
    Size: 330mL
    Alcohol Content: 3.5%
    Sourced:  Suitcase from Botswana. Thanks to Jonathan Rudd!
    World Beer Rating: 3/10

    Notes: Not as good as the Export version by a long way. Bland, low carbonation, lacks flavour. Lower alcohol, which may contribute to the poor effort.

    St Louis Lager, Botswana
  • Azerbaijan

    Azerbaijan

    Date Consumed: 9th January 2019
    Beer: Xirdalan Export
    Brewed: Carlsberg Azerbaijan, Xırdalan, Baku, Azerbaijan
    Size: 440mL
    Alcohol Content: 3.6%
    Sourced: Suitcase beer from Baku Azerbaijan (thanks James Cook)
    World Beer Rating: 4/10

    Notes: It’s brewed by Carlsberg and it tastes of Carlsberg. Surprising hop flavour, more like a Polish lager. A difficult country tick!

    Xirdalan Export, Azerbaijan
  • Faroe Islands (DE)

    Faroe Islands (DE)

    Date Consumed: 8th January 2019
    Beer: Föroya Bjór Classic
    Brewed: Föroya Bjór, Klaksvik, Faroe Islands
    Size: 330mL
    Alcohol Content: 4.6%
    Sourced: Keflavík International Airport, Reykjavík, Iceland
    World Beer Rating: 6/10

    Notes: A true to style dark lager; slightly sweet, not bad at all. I’d enjoy a couple but its not a style I enjoy.

    Föroya Bjór Classic, Iceland
  • Egypt

    Egypt

    Date Consumed: 12th November 2018
    Beer: Stella Lager
    Brewed: Al Ahram, Giza, Egypt
    Size: 500mL
    Alcohol Content: 4.5%
    Sourced: Bekya Middle Eastern Kitchen, Harold Park, Sydney NSW, Australia
    World Beer Rating: 4/10

    Notes: African lager is African lager. Suprised continued use of the word Stella hasn’t got some Belgian lawyers up in arms. Wasn’t expecting much, did not deliver.

    Stella Lager, Egypt

    Date Consumed: 12th November 2018
    Beer: Meister Max
    Brewed: Al Ahram, Giza, Egypt
    Size: 330mL
    Alcohol Content: 8.0%
    Sourced: Bekya Middle Eastern Kitchen, Harold Park, Sydney NSW, Australia
    World Beer Rating: 5/10

    Notes: Wasn’t expecting much as before, but this high alcohol beer wasn’t bad! Oh, its warming up. It’s not as good.

    Meister Max, Egypt
  • Antigua & Barbuda

    Antigua & Barbuda

    Date Consumed: 29th October 2018
    Beer: Wadadli
    Brewed: Antigua Brewery (Royal Unibrew), St. Johns, Antigua & Barbuda
    Size: 250mL
    Alcohol Content: 4.8%
    Sourced: Suitcase beer from a supermarket in Antigua & Barbuda (thanks Jim Marlow!)
    World Beer Rating: 4/10

    Notes: Caribbean lager, served in a smaller 250mL for quick drinking and many of them in the heat! Nothing too exciting but not unpleasant either.

    Wadadli, Antigua & Barbuda
  • Belarus

    Belarus

    Date Consumed: 28th March 2018
    Beer: Lidskoe Pilsner
    Brewed: Lidskoe Pivo, Grodnenskaya Oblast, Lida, Belarus
    Size: 500mL
    Alcohol Content: 4.2%
    Sourced: A Belarusian Deli on Ulitsa Vosstaniya near Обелиск Городу-Герою Ленинграду
    World Beer Rating: 3/10

    Notes: Absolutely nothing to report on this one. Pilsner, bland, slight cereal taste, mildly bitter.

    Lidskoe Pilsner, Belarus