Blog Tracker
02-07-2021, 08:00
Visit The Beer Nut site (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/07/russian-to-judgement.html)
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BMGONi0oeic/YM9jJWNU80I/AAAAAAAAUWs/fkEg5bZzK-ke4MzdIguNCGpxL2iwbcTEgCLcBGAsYHQ/w146-h200/zhiguli_barnoe.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BMGONi0oeic/YM9jJWNU80I/AAAAAAAAUWs/fkEg5bZzK-ke4MzdIguNCGpxL2iwbcTEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/zhiguli_barnoe.jpg)Once again the Polonez grocery chain has scratched my itch for seeking unfamiliar beers in foreign supermarkets. This time it's an all-Russian affair, beginning at their selection of Moscow Brewing Company beers.
Zhiguli Barnoe takes its name from a famous Moscow restaurant. It's a lager of 4.9% ABV and an enticing deep and wholesome amber colour in the glass. The aroma is clean and malt-forward, reminding me of the heavier sort of Czech 12° pale lager, and Budvar in particular. All very promising. Sure enough, weighty golden syrup follows through in the foretaste, backed and balanced by a mild grassiness that suggests real Saaz hops (or similar) to me. From the cheapie half-litre can, I was getting macro vibes from the outward visuals but this has not been assembled on an industrial assembly line from extracts and additives: it's a real beer in the central European vernacular. There's even a little buzz of complexity on the finish; some honey and rose petals with a pinch of black pepper. The texture is full and satisfying, rounding out a very jolly experience overall.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DkqL_qDM1QY/YM9jJRp9tBI/AAAAAAAAUW0/KcgRVEdMJhINHInHOKF5ttUarvgaUP4CACLcBGAsYHQ/w144-h200/zhiguli_barnoe_export.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DkqL_qDM1QY/YM9jJRp9tBI/AAAAAAAAUW0/KcgRVEdMJhINHInHOKF5ttUarvgaUP4CACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/zhiguli_barnoe_export.jpg)Presumably because all non-Russians are lightweights, Zhiguli Barnoe Export is lower-strength: 4.8% ABV, and you really need to squint at the small print to find that out. It's a fair bit paler too, bringing back fears of mass-produced dreck. The aroma is unimpressive though not unpleasant: normal bland-lager vibes. And yes, it's very plain. There's a mild toasted grain foretaste but not much beyond it. I looked for hop character and there's maybe a slight green cabbage bite, but that's me being charitable. It is at least full-bodied again -- thinness would be unforgivable -- but it's very boring fare. It could serve as in inoffensive party beer, but nothing more involved than that.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0sPWFmtt37M/YM9jJSU8fsI/AAAAAAAAUWw/Uc3nCdtErxsrOPNtBOVUcElZevqSm_zogCLcBGAsYHQ/w176-h200/stary_melnik.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0sPWFmtt37M/YM9jJSU8fsI/AAAAAAAAUWw/Uc3nCdtErxsrOPNtBOVUcElZevqSm_zogCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/stary_melnik.jpg)The final beer comes from AB InBev's Russian operation and is one of their core brands. Stary Melnik ("Old Miller") exists in a number of different versions and I think this is the basic pale lager. It's a light shade of gold and 4.5% ABV. Now here's that artificiality I had been expecting. There's quite a plasticky twang off this, and indeed hop extract is admitted to on the label. The soft bready texture is probably its best feature but that's not saying much. A minor malt sweetness precedes the plasticky off-note, and it all fades out quickly in quite an unpleasant watery way. I had thought the fancy embossed bottle would land me something interesting but it once again goes to show how deceptive outward appearances can be. This is a steadfastly dull low-grade industrial lager and nothing more.
And I guess that's the lesson for this post, inasmuch as there is one. Drink the beer first, then decide whether it's any good or not.
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/07/russian-to-judgement.html)
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BMGONi0oeic/YM9jJWNU80I/AAAAAAAAUWs/fkEg5bZzK-ke4MzdIguNCGpxL2iwbcTEgCLcBGAsYHQ/w146-h200/zhiguli_barnoe.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BMGONi0oeic/YM9jJWNU80I/AAAAAAAAUWs/fkEg5bZzK-ke4MzdIguNCGpxL2iwbcTEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/zhiguli_barnoe.jpg)Once again the Polonez grocery chain has scratched my itch for seeking unfamiliar beers in foreign supermarkets. This time it's an all-Russian affair, beginning at their selection of Moscow Brewing Company beers.
Zhiguli Barnoe takes its name from a famous Moscow restaurant. It's a lager of 4.9% ABV and an enticing deep and wholesome amber colour in the glass. The aroma is clean and malt-forward, reminding me of the heavier sort of Czech 12° pale lager, and Budvar in particular. All very promising. Sure enough, weighty golden syrup follows through in the foretaste, backed and balanced by a mild grassiness that suggests real Saaz hops (or similar) to me. From the cheapie half-litre can, I was getting macro vibes from the outward visuals but this has not been assembled on an industrial assembly line from extracts and additives: it's a real beer in the central European vernacular. There's even a little buzz of complexity on the finish; some honey and rose petals with a pinch of black pepper. The texture is full and satisfying, rounding out a very jolly experience overall.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DkqL_qDM1QY/YM9jJRp9tBI/AAAAAAAAUW0/KcgRVEdMJhINHInHOKF5ttUarvgaUP4CACLcBGAsYHQ/w144-h200/zhiguli_barnoe_export.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DkqL_qDM1QY/YM9jJRp9tBI/AAAAAAAAUW0/KcgRVEdMJhINHInHOKF5ttUarvgaUP4CACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/zhiguli_barnoe_export.jpg)Presumably because all non-Russians are lightweights, Zhiguli Barnoe Export is lower-strength: 4.8% ABV, and you really need to squint at the small print to find that out. It's a fair bit paler too, bringing back fears of mass-produced dreck. The aroma is unimpressive though not unpleasant: normal bland-lager vibes. And yes, it's very plain. There's a mild toasted grain foretaste but not much beyond it. I looked for hop character and there's maybe a slight green cabbage bite, but that's me being charitable. It is at least full-bodied again -- thinness would be unforgivable -- but it's very boring fare. It could serve as in inoffensive party beer, but nothing more involved than that.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0sPWFmtt37M/YM9jJSU8fsI/AAAAAAAAUWw/Uc3nCdtErxsrOPNtBOVUcElZevqSm_zogCLcBGAsYHQ/w176-h200/stary_melnik.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0sPWFmtt37M/YM9jJSU8fsI/AAAAAAAAUWw/Uc3nCdtErxsrOPNtBOVUcElZevqSm_zogCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/stary_melnik.jpg)The final beer comes from AB InBev's Russian operation and is one of their core brands. Stary Melnik ("Old Miller") exists in a number of different versions and I think this is the basic pale lager. It's a light shade of gold and 4.5% ABV. Now here's that artificiality I had been expecting. There's quite a plasticky twang off this, and indeed hop extract is admitted to on the label. The soft bready texture is probably its best feature but that's not saying much. A minor malt sweetness precedes the plasticky off-note, and it all fades out quickly in quite an unpleasant watery way. I had thought the fancy embossed bottle would land me something interesting but it once again goes to show how deceptive outward appearances can be. This is a steadfastly dull low-grade industrial lager and nothing more.
And I guess that's the lesson for this post, inasmuch as there is one. Drink the beer first, then decide whether it's any good or not.
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/07/russian-to-judgement.html)