Sunday, December 27, 2009

Sapporo

Let me start with a little vanity when I say, this is a good looking can. It has a very nice shape and feels good in your hand every time you grab it to take a gulp of the very smooth taste, without much of an aftertaste. It has a refreshingly vivid taste that can only be described as actually refreshing. I feel like many other beers make this claim, but Sapporo actually delivers on their aim to truly provide a refreshing taste. I think that it goes excellent with most food, and would definitely recommend this beer to anyone looking for something that quenches the thirst and is not too heavy. As an import, I believe that Sapporo is both easily available in most stores, and usually priced quite fairly, which is key when purchasing any of the signature beers of a country. Keep in mind, would anyone buy Budweiser or Coors products if they were priced as imports? I leave that for the consumer to decide.


Final Verdict: The beer is flavorful, refreshing, and goes well with food. Not a bad choice if you are looking to break the monotony of domestics, without sacrificing that very basic "beer flavor" that is borderline generic.

Heineken (Keg Can)

What can I say about a beer I am so openly against? I enjoyed Heineken wen it came from the tap, in Amsterdam, where the real stuff is made, as opposed to the watered-down crap we get her in the States. Let's keep this short and simple; Heineken has a smooth taste, but a strong after taste I do not care for. The keg can is a great size, but it's merely a novelty that does not affect the taste. Heineken in the United States is far too watered down from the original brew, it simply cannot be considered anything above average. I wish that the company would recognize that at least some Americans enjoy tasteful beer, and they should not proceed with subjecting to us to quasi-beer or poor renditions of a quality product. To me, Heineken goes great wit food, and you should definitely consider it if you are looking for a reasonably priced import to drink at home with some food while watching regular television (definitely not prime-time though).


Final Verdict: This beer will always get sales, but not from me, and hopefully not from you.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Stella Artois

Stella, my love, if only every woman that carried your name was as appealing as you. Moving on from the sad realization that far too many undesirables carry your name, this Stella is the one you keep. I have to be honest, Stella's scent is not the most appealing to me, but boy does this beer make up for it in taste. Not only is it incredibly smooth and easy going, from the very first sip to the last gulp, the beer is refreshingly great tasting. Even the after taste is one that you simply cannot complain about, how could you?! Stella Artois has that rare quality that allows it to be a regularly consumable beer, regardless of the situation, the accompanying food, or the time of the season. I am no expert when it comes to pairing alcoholic beverages with food items, but my pallet is the only compass I need to guide me in the direction of this amazing import. Stella needs to be ranked highly on everyone's "drinkability" list and should easily make its way to your regular rotation of brews (if it's not already there). Easily the second best beer I have reviewed on this blog (behind only my beloved Guinness Draught) and probably the most popular. So whenever you get the urge to drink a solid beer that is not too heavy or filling and is loaded with taste, try giving Stella a try, she  unlike other Stellas, is very desirable.
Final Verdict: Drink this beer!

Bud Light Golden Wheat

Wow. Don't get overly excited, it's not the greatest, but it was definitely a pleasant surprise. I can definitely attest to the lighter taste and less filling nature of Bud Light Golden Wheat - at least compared to Budweiser Select. I feel like this beer actually lives up to its name of being light, but unlike most light beers, there is definitely taste in this beer - a welcomed change. Unlike some of the other Budweiser brand beers, this beer is actually something I would drink again, maybe even offer it to other people when they came over for a drink in the summer time. However, the beer is not good enough to make it into my regular rotation, however, there is no harm in picking up a pack or two and mixing it into the cooler full of ice you keep near the grill on a summer afternoon. Other than that, I really would not recommend this beer for regular consumption, ad definitely not outside the summer season (unless unseasonably warm). On a complete side note, really hate the damn orange bottle cap and stupid swirl on the label, make me feel like I am drinking some sort of magical concoction or a tropical fruit drink. Hint to Budweiser: drop the swirl! Let the beer sell itself, there really is no need for the extra gimmick.

Final Verdict: Surprisingly not bad. Definitely can drink it again in the summertime.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Land Shark Lager

Had high expectations for this beer, which was mistake number one I soon discovered, as I took a big gulp of the 4.5% alcohol tasteless Corona (an already non-tasty beer) with the shark fin on it. Thoroughly disappointed, I had hoped that Land Shark Lager would pack more of a punch, but the bottom line is this beer lacks taste. It is very light and easy to go down, reminding me of a prominent ingredient in this crap, water, something I do not want my beer to remind me off! What this beer lacks in flavor, it makes up in "chuggability" (totally not a word) though, being that water is probably the easiest thing i the world to chug, and this beer is not only made up primarily of water, the folks who bottle this crap were so generous as to leave the watery taste in there for our consumption. Thanks for nothing guys, when I feel thirst for water, I usually pay a dollar for a bottle of Poland Spring, I don't order a beer! Nobody wants to consume a beverage that is so eerily reminiscent of water when they are consuming any type of alcoholic beverage! Even the bottle is stupid looking and I am glad no one was here to actually see me holding it, with my terrible luck, they catch a picture of me and it circulates around the Internet promoting the horribly inaccurate notion that I actually enjoy this watery crap, or perhaps even worse, that I enjoy holding bottles with animated sharks on them. Even the cap sucked!

Final Verdict: This beer sucks! It tastes entirely like water and I will never purchase it again (neither should you). Also, stay away from sharks. Sharks are not friendly.