Portugal’s Finest: Super Bock

It’s time for the first Portuguese beer, and for that matter also the most popular beer in the country (at least in its Northern part). I got it from a friend’s friend that went to Portugal, but haven’t had the chance yet to try it in its natural environment (but will do it some day).

• Name: Super Bock
• Brewery: Unicer Bebidas
• City: Leça do Balio
• Country: Portugal

Super Bock is not without a reason Portugal’s favourite beer brand. Winner of 28 consequitive gold medals at the Monde Selection, presents itself with a clear golden color, topped with a decent white head, which settles down relatively quick. It has a fairly distinct malty smell, with the faint addition of some corn. The taste is as expected – not too strong, fairly sweet, and followed by a slightly bitter aftertaste. The way lagers should be made. The decently carbonated body and its smoothness make it very refreshing, provided that it is appropriately chilled. A very nice beer, it must be said.

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 5,2%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, unmalted cereals (corn), glucose syrup, hops

• Slogan: “Sabor Autêntico!” (The Authentic Taste!)

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4 / 5
• Smell: 4 / 5
• Taste: 4 / 5
• Overall: 4 / 5

A Star from Barcelona: Estrella Damm

Today I bring you one of the summer beers, these are beers that are most enjoyed in the hot summer sun. Estrella Damm is definitely one of them. But if my words don’t convince, the TV spot for it will almost certainly do the job.

• Name: Estrella Damm
• Brewery: Damm
• City: Barcelona
• Country: Spain

Estrella pours out of the bottle with a typical golden color, often described as straw color, and is covered nicely with a very decent white and foamy head, which settles down quite quickly. It has a weak smell, where I could only point out the aroma of some grains. Estrella is light and very smooth, which makes it a very refreshing drink, especially when it is complemented by a quite decent carbonation. The taste is exactly what you would expect from a lager – a sweet, somewhat watery taste, followed by a slightly bitter aftertaste. I must say, it is a very likeable beer, and one of Spain’s best for that matter.

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 5,4%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, maize, hops, yeast, rice

• Slogan: “A veces lo normal puede ser extraordinario!” (Normal Can Sometimes Be Extraordinary!)

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4,5 / 5
• Smell: 3,5 / 5
• Taste: 4 / 5
• Overall: 4 / 5

One Night in Bangkok: Singha

Coming straight from Thailand (although bought at one of the larger supermarkets in Slovenia) here is Singha, one of the most popular Asian beers. Sadly, I haven’t had the chance (yet) to enjoy it in its natural habitat, the sunny Thai beaches.

• Name: Singha
• Brewery: Boon Rawd Brewery
• City: Bangkok
• Country: Thailand

Singha looks like one of the typical lagers on the market – it pours out with a characteristic golden color and is topped with a decent lingering head. The label states that it is made by royal permission, so I would think it’s the real deal – a top quality beer. And it proves to be quite a good one. The smell is nothing out of the ordinary, maybe it is even slightly disappointing with only a slight aroma of hops, really close to none. The taste is sweet with a slightly bitterish aftertaste, and together with a decent carbonation it makes it really refreshing and smooth. It should come with a note: Best enjoyed on the hot beaches of Thailand.

• Style: Premium Lager
• ABV: 5%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, hops

• Slogan: “Our Thailand, Our Thai Beer!”

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4 / 5
• Smell: 2,5 / 5
• Taste: 4 / 5
• Overall: 3,5 / 5

The Silver Bullet: Coors Light

Coors Light is one of the American beer brands that are extremelly heavily advertised, and because of that well known all around the world. But these beers are often also ridiculed because of their “poor” quality, and are often even compared to “piss”.

• Name: Coors Light
• Brewery: Coors Brewing Company (MillerCoors)
• City: Golden, Colorado
• Country: USA

So, what do I think? Well, Coor Light definitely looks like a typical lager with its golden color and white head. But there is great difference in smell, which is much more neutral, almost non-existant. The taste only follows the smell, and is therefore quite light (that’s why it is a light beer) and sweet. Because it is quite watery, it is very easy to drink and it is also quite refreshing. As the light beers go, Coors Light is definitely among the best of them, but as the beers in general go, Coors Light is……. not really there.

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 4,5%
• Ingredients: water, barley, sugar, hops, wheat, hops extract

• Slogan: “The World’s Most Refreshing Beer!”

RATINGS

• Appearance: 3,5 / 5
• Smell: 2 / 5
• Taste: 3 / 5
• Overall: 2,5 / 5

The Pride of London: Fuller’s London Pride

• Name: Fuller’s London Pride
• Brewery: Fuller’s
• City: London
• Country: England

London Pride, produced by Fuller’s, one of the traditional English breweries, pours out with a nice color somewhere between gold and amber. It is covered with a decent, slowly settling white foam. It has a pleasant malty smell with the addition of caramel, which only makes this ale more inviting. The taste is malty and sweet, although also slightly watery – meaning that the taste is not as strong as it is with some other ales, which is actually even better. The aftertaste is characterized by a mild bitterness, courtesy of the hops. It is clear that London Pride is a beer of high quality, and you might enjoy it even if you do not prefer ales (like I don’t).

• Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
• ABV: 4,4%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, yeast, hops

• Slogan: “Whatever You Do, Take Pride!”

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4 / 5
• Smell: 4 / 5
• Taste: 3,5 / 5
• Overall: 3,5 / 5

Santa’s Present: Lapin Kulta IV A

• Name: Lapin Kulta IV A
• Brewery: Hartwall (Heineken)
• City: Lahti
• Country: Finland

Lapland’s Gold, as it is translated from Finnish, originates from Santa’s country of Lapland. It pours out with a typical lager-like golden color, which is covered with a nice white head. The aroma is nothing you haven’t smelled before – a typical hoppy aroma, which can be noted in most other lagers. The taste is slightly watery and sweet, with a pleasant slightly bitter aftertaste. All in all, a very smooth and refreshing beer from the far north, and one of my personal favourites.

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 5,2%
• Ingredients: water, yeast, hops, barley malt

• Slogan: Kaukaa pohjoisesta! (From the Far North!)

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4,5 / 5
• Smell: 4 / 5
• Taste: 4 / 5
• Overall: 4 / 5

For the Kings: Budweiser Budvar

• Name: Budweiser Budvar
• Brewery: Budweiser Budvar
• City: České Budějovice
• Country: Czech Republic

Budweiser Budvar, or as it is known in the USA Czechvar, is one of the top quality pilseners that are available on the market. This beer presents itself with a pure golden color, topped with a decent white head, which lingers for just the right time. It comes with a pleasant sweet aroma, where you can also smell a hint of hops in the back. The taste is similar – a perfect balance of sweetness followed by a slight bitterness.  It is a very smooth beer, but by no means bland or watery.

• Style: Bohemian Pilsener
• ABV: 5%
• Ingredients: barley malt, hops, yeast, water

• Slogan: The Beer of Kings!

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4,5 / 5
• Smell: 4,5 / 5
• Taste: 4,5 / 5
• Overall: 4,5 / 5

A Golden Horn: Laško Zlatorog

• Name: Laško Zlatorog
• Brewery: Pivovarna Laško
• City: Laško
• Country: Slovenia

Laško Zlatorog is Slovenia’s most popular beer, first produced in 1825. It pours out with a typical golden color of a lager, topped with a decent white head. It has a pleasant hoppy aroma, which is followed by initially sweet malty taste, finished with a nice, bitter and hoppy ending. The aftertaste is slightly on the bitter side and not lasting really long. This highly carbonated beer is a perfect solution in hot summer days, but it is also excellent choice on any other day of the year.

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 4,9%
• Ingredients: water, malted barley, unmalted grains, hops

• Slogan: Zvestoba do roba! (Loyalty to the Brim!)

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4 / 5
• Smell: 4 / 5
• Taste: 4 / 5
• Overall: 4 / 5