Beer review: Litovel Sváteční Speciál (6.0% The Czech Republic: Pivovar Litovel)

The Litovel Sváteční Speciál is a lager, more specifically a Czech Pilsner. It's brewed by Pivovar Litovel, a Czech brewery founded in 1893, although the brewing traditions allegedly reach all the way to 1291. The brewery produces about 22 638 100 litres annually. Litovel is the leading brand of the brewery, and therefore its beers are quite bulk in quality. However, the Sváteční Speciál is a special brew first produced in the brewery's 111th anniversary in 2004, so let's see if it manages offer something special.

Taste: The Litovel Sváteční Speciál is a medium-bodied beer with a round, sweet and malt-dominant body. It offers an aftertaste of medium-strength herbal hoppiness but not much else.

Overall, The Litovel Sváteční Speciál is, for some reason, a hard one to put my finger on. It does have potential, but then again it's missing any of the distinct flavors that make a beer great. It's average in every way, and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed by it.

50 Average

Beer review: Hartwall Karjala III (4.5% Finland: Hartwall)

The Hartwall Karjala III is a lager, more specifically a Pale lager. It's one of the 'basic beers' in Finland along with Lapin Kulta, Olvi, Koff and Karhu. It's brewed in bulk quantities by Hartwall, one of the largest breweries in Finland. Hartwall was founded in 1836 and their annual production (alcohol and soda drinks combined) is about 400 million litres. The name Karjala refers to the Finnish region of Karjala (Karelia), part of which was lost to Russia in the Winter War. Hence, a somewhat popular catch-phrase among people for whom Karjala is the beer of their choice is: Karjala takaisin, vaikka pullo/tölkki kerrallaan. (Karelia back, one bottle/can at a time.)

Taste: The Hartwall Karjala III is a light-bodied lager. It starts off with a slightly roasted, bready malt taste and then finishes with a slightly metallic, faint bitter hoppiness.

Overall, The Hartwall Karjala III suffers from the same weaknesses as all of the other bulk lagers in Finland. It's quite watery, the taste is metallic and doesn't really have any real hoppiness. However, in my opinion the malty taste in Karjala offers a bit more roasted, bready malt taste than other basic lagers of Finland and if you're into that, maybe Karjala should be your choice. However, Karhu is the most aroma-rich when it comes to the Finnish bulk lagers. Karjala isn't the best but neither is it the worst. Really average!

50 Average

Cider review: Sherwood Apple Cider (4.7% Finland: Olvi)

The Sherwood Apple Cider is an apple cider produced by Olvi, one of the largest breweries in Finland. Olvi was founded in 1878, has a 24% market share in Finland and is the largest Finnish brewery not belonging to the large international beer corporations. The Sherwood cider brand is a relatively new release by Olvi and it aims to honor the English ciders in its taste. Let's see if that's true!

Taste: The Sherwood Apple Cider is a light-bodied cider with a sour apple taste. The taste is quite natural and is reminiscent of apple wine and apple juice (which is logical, since the ingredients list reveals that it's actually a mixture of the two in addition to other things of course).

Overall, the Sherwood Apple Cider is quite refreshing and a decent cider. The Finnish supermarket ciders are quite poor when it comes to taste, and the Sherwood Apple Cider doesn't really make the situation any better. However, personally I'd say it's above average when comparing it to other market ciders, although not by much. It's on the same level as Somersby and if you prefer sweetness go with Somersby, but if you prefer some sourness, choose Sherwood.

50 Average

Beer review: Sandels Tumma (4.0% Finland: Olvi)

The Sandels Tumma is a lager, more specifically a dark lager. The beer is named after the famous Field Marshal Johan August Sandels. It's the premium beer brand of Olvi, one of the largest beer producers in Finland. The Sandels Tumma is a dark version of the basic Sandels lager, and it's produced in bulk quantities. Thus, one can't really expect much character from it. Let's try it out nevertheless.

Taste: The Sandels Tumma is a light/medium-bodied beer with a slightly sweet bready malt taste. It's a bit watery and the taste is quite dull - the beer doesn't really offer anything besides the maltiness. The beer finishes with a faint hoppiness, but really nothing to speak of.

Overall, the Sandels Tumma is basically everything you would expect it to be. It's a dark version of the basic Sandels lager. It's quite smooth, but then again it's quite watery and dull. Although the Sandels Tumma manages to do an OK job, there are several better dark lagers available in Finnish supermarkets.

50 Average

Cider review: Crowmoor Dry Apple (4.7% Finland: Sinebrychoff)

The Crowmoor Dry Apple is an apple cider manufactured by Sinebrychoff, one of the largest Finnish breweries. Sinebrychoff belongs to the Carlsberg Group, the fourth largest beer manufacturer in the world. The cider promises a strong apple taste with no dominating oak flavor. It's sweetened with sugar.

Taste: The Crowmoor Dry Apple is a light/medium-bodied cider with a sweet, sugary apple taste. It delivers a flavor of sweet apples but fails to do much else. The apple aroma isn't refreshingly natural, although it isn't artificial either.

Overall, The Crowmoor Dry Apple is a decent bulk cider without anything interesting to offer. It tastes like one might expect, but the aroma is not really reminiscent of real apples. It's somewhat refreshing but I've tried many ciders that do much better in that area. I wouldn't really recommend it although it's OK.

50 Average

Beer review: Nobelaner Kesäolut (4.5% Finland: Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas)

The Nobelaner Kesäolut is a lager, more specifically a Pale Lager. It's a "summer edition" of Nobelaner, a beer brand of the supermarket chain Lidl. It's aimed for the Finnish markets and it's brewed by a Finnish medium-sized company Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas.

Taste: The Nobelaner Kesäolut is a light-bodied beer with a watery, light and slightly sweet malty body. The beer finishes with a faint metallic and citric hoppiness.

Overall, the Nobelaner Kesäolut is an OK beer, but it doesn't impress in any way. It's one of the cheapest beers in Finland so it's OK in that sense, but that's basically the only good thing there is to say about it. For beer connoisseurs, it doesn't really offer anything.

50 Average

Cognac review: Apteekkarin Cognac V.S.O.P (40.0% France: Peyrat Associés et Cie)

The Apteekkarin Cognac V.S.O.P (The Apothecary Cognac in English) is a cognac brand, continuing the traditions of cognac that was available in Finnish pharmacies during the Prohibition. It is a brand by the French cognac manufacturer Peyrat, and as is traditional for V.S.O.P cognacs, the Apteekkarin Cognac V.S.O.P has an average ageing of 6 years.

Taste: The Apteekkarin Cognac V.S.O.P delivers a medium-bodied, fruity and syrupy taste. It also offers faint aromas of oak and honey.

Overall, the Apteekkarin Cognac V.S.O.P is a decent cognac. It's quite cheap and therefore, the price-value is quite good. However, in my opinion it's not pleasant enough to truly enjoy, and thus serves more as a true reminiscent of the times when alcohol was difficult to obtain.

50 Average

Beer review: San Miguel Pale Pilsen (5% Philippines: San Miguel Brewery)

The San Miguel Pale Pilsen is a pilsener, more specifically a German type pilsener, brewed by San Miguel Brewery, a Philippine brewery and the largest one in Southeast Asia. It is a bulk beer, so I have no great expectations towards it. Nevertheless, lets give it a try!

Taste: The San Miguel Pale Pilsen offers a watery, light-bodied flavor with surprising sweetness. The beer features aromas of corn, fruitiness and a slightly meady aroma. It features no hoppy flavor and only a slight hint of malt.

Overall, the San Miguel Pale Pilsen is a decent easy-to-drink bulk beer with a watery and sweet taste. However, the only thing close to a pilsener is its name. It tastes like a decent pale lager, although a sweet one at that. However, it's quite cheap and it's surprisingly drinkable. For inebriation purposes it serves well.

50 Average

Beer review: Höss Adler König Das Echte Weissbier (4.7% Germany: Privatbrauerei Höss der Hirschbräu)

Adler König Das Echte Weissbier (German for Eagle King The Real White beer) is a wheat beer, more specifically a Hefenweizen, made by a relatively small German brewery. It is an interesting addition to the beer selections of Finnish supermarkets and gets a plus in my books for its lightning stopper sealing method and stylish labels.

Taste: The Adler König Das Echte Weissbier offers the traditional flavors of a Hefeweizen: a wheat dominant flavor with a faint citric aroma and a touch of herbal hop. However, it is a bit dry, disappointingly thin and light-bodied.

Overall, the Adler König Das Echte Weissbier is not bad, but it's not good either. I really like the lager beer by the same brewery and therefore my expectations were quite high for their wheat beer. I'm sad to say that it's a disappointment, since it offers a thin and even a bit dry taste. If you're looking for a refreshing, aroma-rich wheat beer this is not your choice.

50 Average

Beer review: Motörhead Bastards Lager (4.7% Sweden: Krönleins Bryggeri)

The Motörhead Bastards Lager is a lager, more specifically a pale lager, made by Krönleins Bryggeri, a large Swedish brewery founded in 1836. They have sold their soul not only to Kiss, but also to Motörhead and worst of all to IKEA. Everybody's got to make a living somehow I guess, and you never know...maybe it's a positive surprise. At least the label is quite nice in this one as well. Let's try it.

Taste: The Motörhead Bastards Lager is a light/medium-bodied lager that starts with a grainy maltiness. The taste doesn't provide anything special, and unlike the Kiss version which ends with a nice hoppy taste, this one ends with a metallic bitterness. Like the Kiss version, it tastes like a bulk lager because well... it is one.

Overall, The Motörhead Bastards Lager is a beer which reflects the discography of Motörhead nicely. This beer has short moments of promise and even accomplishment but like the most of the works of Motörhead, it ends up being a really average beer. It's kind of fitting that the beers of Motörhead and Kiss are produced by the same company, and thus are very similar, since in my opinion the works of these two bands are really similar as well. The Bastards Lager is better than all of the Finnish basic beers, but it's not worth its price and I personally prefer the Kiss version, because it tastes more fresh.

50 Average

Beer review: Kiss Destroyer (4.7% Sweden: Krönleins Bryggeri)

Kiss Destroyer is a lager beer, more specifically a Pale Lager, made by Krönleins Bryggeri, a large Swedish brewery founded in 1836. They have sold their soul not only to Kiss, but also to Motörhead and worst of all to IKEA. Everybody's got to make a living somehow I guess, and you never know...maybe the KISS beer is a positive surprise. At least the label is quite nice. Let's try it.

Taste: Kiss Destroyer is a light-bodied lager that starts with a grainy maltiness. The taste doesn't provide anything special, but ends with a nice faint taste of grassy hoppiness. Tastes like a bulk lager because well... it is one.

Overall, Kiss Destroyer is a beer which reflects the discography of Kiss nicely. This beer has short moments of promise and even accomplishments but like the most of the works of Kiss, it ends up being a really average beer. It's better than all of the Finnish basic beers, but not worth its price.

50 Average

Beer review: Olvi III (4.5% Finland: Olvi)

Olvi III, is the signature beer of Olvi, one of the major beer manufactures in Finland. It is a lager, more specifically a Pale Lager and it's one of the 'basic beers' of Finland. Made from Finnish malt and Bavarian hop, the beer has received international recognition, winning the gold medal in Barcelona in 1991. It's produced in bulk quantities so one can't expect a mind-blowing experience. In my opinion, when comparing it to other basic beers of Finland, it definitely isn't the worst, though not the best either.

Taste: Similar to all of the Finnish 'basic beers', Olvi offers a medium-bodied malt-dominant flavor. What sets it apart from the others is the faintly sweeter and softer malt flavor. The beer ends with a hint of bitter hop and leaves almost a metallic bitterness behind.

Overall, Olvi III is one of the better choices (at least price-value-wise since it's often the cheapest one) if you ever end up in a Finnish supermarket. If you enjoy a stronger tasting beer, then maybe Karhu III is your choice but if you prefer smoothness and a cheap price, then Olvi III is for you. However, if you don't mind paying a bit more I would recommend Sandels, the premium lager by the Olvi company.

50 Average

Beer review: Young's Bitter (4.5% England: Wells & Young's)

Young's Bitter is an ale, more specifically a bitter, produced by Wells & Young's, the largest private beer brewery in England. In addition to the strong hoppy character of the beer, it promises nutty, fruity and lemon flavors. Let's see how well it redeems these promises.

Taste: Young's bitter is a medium-bodied ale, dominated by a strong hoppy character. On first taste the beer offers a sour lemony taste and after the hoppy-dominant malty base it finishes with a relatively soft nutty flavor.

Overall, Young's Bitter is an OK beer but, in my opinion, it's missing the real bitterness and is too strongly dominated by its hoppy character.

50 Average

Beer review: Pirkka III (4.5% Finland: Olvi)

Pirkka III is a lager, more specifically a Pale Lager produced by the Finnish beer company Olvi. Pirkka is a brand of the Finnish store chain Kesko (K-supermarket, Citymarket etc.) and therefore Pirkka III is one of the cheapest beers in Finland. No great taste experiences are expected, but in my opinion the beer is surprisingly drinkable considering the price and the bulk quality. However, the quality of the beer tends to vary a bit. Perhaps this is due to low price and the fact that it is brewed by Olvi but distributed by Kesko so the quality control might not be as strict.

Taste: Like all of the cheap 'basic beers' of Finland, Pirkka III is a bit watery, with a malt dominant taste. I've been drinking Pirkka III for a few years (since it came around) and at first it featured a more clear taste of hop than other Finnish lagers. However, recently the taste of hop has been replaced with an almost metallic bitterness at the end.

The overall impression of Pirkka III is a watery basic lager with some maltiness and some bitterness of hop (if you're lucky). In my opinion, still one of the best price-value deals in Finnish supermarkets.

50 Average

Cider review: Somersby Apple Cider (4.5% Denmark/Finland: Carlsberg/Sinebrychoff)

Somersby is among the ten biggest cider brands in the world. Somersby Apple is a sweet apple cider and is originally a brand of the Danish beer company Carlsberg but is brewed for the Finnish markets by Sinebrychoff. Since Somersby is the child of the gigantic Carlsberg corporation, one can expect no home-made qualities from the cider. However, considering the fact that it is among the ten biggest cider brands in the world, the flavor is surprisingly natural. Somersby prides itself in containing only natural flavors and receiving its sweetness from sugar.

Taste: More sour than the pear version of the cider, yet still quite sweet. Refreshing and surprisingly natural considering the bulk nature of the product. Reminiscent of apple juice, although definitely not of home-made one.

Overall, Somersby Apple Cider is a good choice for inebriation purposes for those who prefer the taste of cider over beer. It stands out positively among the selection of bulk ciders in Finnish supermarkets but can't compete with ciders of smaller producers. For connoisseurs it does not offer any exciting taste experiences. More drinkable in large quantities than the pear version, since the apple version is not as sweet.

50 Average

Cider review: Somersby Pear Cider (4.5% Denmark/Finland: Carlsberg/Sinebrychoff)

Somersby is among the ten biggest cider brands in the world. Somersby Pear is a sweet pear cider and is originally a brand of the Danish beer company Carlsberg but is brewedfor the Finnish markets by Sinebrychoff . Since Somersby is the child of the gigantic Carlsberg corporation, one can expect no home-made qualities from the cider. However, considering the fact that it is among the ten biggest cider brands in the world, the flavor is surprisingly natural. Somersby prides itself in containing only natural flavors and receiving its sweetness from sugar.

Taste: Very sweet, yet refreshing and surprisingly natural considering the bulk nature of the product. Reminiscent of pear juice, although definitely not of home-made one.

Overall, Somersby Pear Cider is a good choice for inebriation purposes for those who prefer the taste of cider over beer. It stands out positively among the selection of bulk ciders in Finnish supermarkets but can't compete with ciders of smaller producers. For connoisseurs it does not offer any exciting taste experiences.

50 Average

Beer review: Sandels Vehnäolut (4.7% Finland: Olvi)

Olvi is one of the largest and oldest breweries in Finland. It was founded in 1878 and is currently the only large Finnish brewery that is not part of the big beer corporations of the world. (I consider this a good thing) Sandels is one of Olvi's traditional brands and now they have published a wheat beer under the brand. Sandels belongs to the mid-priced beers of Finland and therefore, one can expect at least medium quality from the wheat version of it. The beer delivers what is expected and, in my opinion, even succeeds in exceeding the expectations.

Taste: First tasting of the beer delivers a nice wheat flavor reminiscent of German wheat beers. However, more than its German brothers, Sandels Vehnäolut starts with a notable fruity, bananaesque aroma. Furthermore, it offers the distinct flavors of the traditional Sandels beer, that is a soft combination of grain (in this case wheat) and a hint of hop. In my opinion, this beer nicely combines the flavors of a decent wheat beer, and the good qualities of the basic lager version of Sandels. The only downside of this beer is its slight watery feel.

Not the most flavor-rich of wheat beers, but definitely a nice welcome to the quite boring beer scene of Finnish supermarkets. Great for drinking as a refreshment.

50 Average