Beer review: Grillimaisteri Gourmet (4.5% Finland: Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas)

The Grillimaisteri Gourmet is a lager, more specifically a dark lager. It's part of the Grillimaisteri brand, a barbecue brand of the supermarket chain Lidl aimed for the Finnish markets. Supposedly the beer is produced by Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas, a medium-sized company mostly focused on soda manufacturing. It's quite cheap and produced in bulk quantities, so I've got no great expectations towards it. In any case, let's find out what this "barbecue master" is all about.

Taste: The Grillimaisteri Gourmet is a light/medium-bodied beer with a bready malt body. It's a bit watery but delivers a decent roasted malt taste and finishes with a faint hoppy aftertaste.

Overall, the Grillimaisteri Gourmet is an OK, easy-to-drink bulk dark lager. It doesn't offer anything exciting, but it's fine considering the cheap price. There are definitely worse beers available in Finnish supermarkets, although there are also plenty of better ones as well.

60 Above average

Beer review: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier (5.4% Germany: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan)

The Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier is a wheat beer, more specifically a Hefeweizen. It's brewed by Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, a German brewery located in Freising. It's arguably the world's oldest brewery, dating all the way to 1040.

Taste: The Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier is a medium-bodied beer, with a mature and aroma-rich body. The beer starts with a banana, sweet fruity aroma and then produces a wheaty malt aroma. It finishes with faint hoppiness, sweet and round yeast and fruity aromas.

Overall, The Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier is a sophisticated and flavor-rich beer. It delivers all of the typical aromas of a Hefeweizen and can very well be used as a benchmark of what a Hefeweizen should taste like. Without a doubt, it's among the best of its kind. I personally prefer the Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier because in my opinion it's even more refreshing than the Weihenstephaner while delivering the same rich set of aromas... but that's just me, try them both so you get to know which one you prefer!

90 Exceptional

Beer review: Weihenstephaner Vitus Weizenbock (7.7% Germany: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan)

The Weihenstephaner Vitus Weizenbock is a wheat beer, more specifically a Weizenbock. It's brewed by Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, a German brewery located in Freising. It's arguably the world's oldest brewery, dating all the way to 1040.

Taste: The Weihenstephaner Vitus Weizenbock is a medium/full-bodied beer, with a mature and aroma-rich body. The beer starts with a banana, sweet fruity aroma and then produces a wheaty malt aroma. It finishes with medium hoppiness, soft and round yeast aromas and slight bitterness.

Overall, The Weihenstephaner Vitus Weizenbock is a sophisticated and flavor-rich beer. It's the "bigger brother" of the normal Weihenstephaner and this is apparent in every way. It delivers all of the same aromas as the normal version, but in a stronger package. If you want a strong experience go with the Weizenbock but if you prefer a refreshing wheat beer, then go with the original. In any case, they're both well-accomplished wheat beers, and among the best of their kind.

80 Great

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

Cider review: Nokian Panimo Omenasiideri (4.7% Finland: Nokian Panimo)

The Nokian Panimo Omenasiideri is an apple cider. It's produced by Nokian Panimo, a medium-sized Finnish brewery located in Nokia. They pride themselves in being an honest, independent brewery. The Nokian Panimo Omenasiideri can be found in supermarkets all over Finland, and currently it's one of the only widely available ciders by a medium-sized brewery.

Taste: The Nokian Panimo Omenasiideri is a light/medium-bodied cider with a natural, sweet yet sour body. It tastes like real apples and is quite juice-like. It finishes with moderate dryness.

Overall, The Nokian Panimo Omenasiideri is a really nice cider. Among the ciders available in Finnish supermarkets, it's definitely one of the best. You can really taste the natural ingredients. It's refreshing and natural, just the way a cider should be. The market-strength makes it a bit light but that's the price you have to pay for wider circulation in Finland.

75 Good

Beer review: Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel (4.7% Germany: Weltenburger Klosterbrauerei)

The Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel is a lager, more specifically a dark brown lager (Dunkel). It's brewed by the Weltenburger Klostenbrauerei, a German monastery brewery. The brewery was founded in 1050 and claims to be the oldest monastery brewery in the world (competing with the Weihenstepan abbey brewery). The beer has won several awards, for example the World Beer cup award in 2004, 2008 and 2012 for the best Dunkel beer in the world. Can't wait to try it out!

Taste: The Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel is a medium-bodied beer with a sophisticated, aroma-rich body. It delivers a smoky, roasted and bready and slightly sweet malt body. The flavor is strong, yet very pleasant and smooth. The beer finishes with a faint, yet once again very smooth hoppy bitterness.

Overall, the Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel is the best Dunkel I've ever tasted. It's an incredible achievement to pack such a rich set of aromas into a market-strength beer. This beer manages to do it, and yet maintains a well-balanced and smooth aroma. It's like drinking the liquid form of the best dark bread you've ever eaten. Pure enjoyment!

95 Legendary

Beer review: Blanche de Namur (4.5% Belgium: Brasserie du Bocq)

The Blance de Namur is a wheat beer, more specifically a Witbier. It's brewed by Brasserie du Bocq, a small Belgian family-owned brewery located in Purnode, near Yvoir. The brewery was founded in 1858 and produces about 6 million litres annually. The Blance de Namur has received several awards, for example the title of World's best wheat beer in 2009.

Taste: The Blanche de Namur is a light/medium-bodied beer with a spicy, yet quite sweet front. The beer is dominated by a wheaty, citric aroma and it finishes with a faint yeasty yet citric aftertaste.

Overall, the Blance de Namur is an excellent supermarket Witbier. It doesn't offer a strong aroma, but that's not what one should really be looking for in a Witbier, especially one that's sold in supermarkets. Being only 4.5%, the Blance de Namur packs a surprisingly rich set of flavors and is really enjoyable. One of the best, if not the best Witbier!

90 Exceptional

Beer review: La Trappe Dubbel (7% Netherlands: De Koningshoeven Brewery)

The La Trappe Dubbel is an ale, more specifically an Abbey Dubbel. It's brewed by De Koningshoeven Brewery, a medium-sized Dutch brewery located within the walls of the Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven abbey in Berkel-Enschot. The brewery was founded in 1884 and nowadays produces about 14,5 million litres.

Taste: The La Trappe Dubbel is a medium-bodied beer with a sweet sugary malt body. In addition, the beer offers aromas of sugary yeast, spices, roasted malt, dried fruit and caramel.

Overall, the La Trappe Dubbel is an excellent, well-balanced beer with a rich set of flavors. The beer is really smooth and sweet, but the spices balance the sweetness, resulting in a phenomenal overall taste. When you choose a Trappist, you're guaranteed to get your money's worth.

95 Legendary

Beer review: Lervig Art Collection Funky Moi Rye Saison (6.5% Norway: Lervig Aktiebryggeri)

The Funky Moi Rye Saison is an ale, more specifically a Rye Saison. Saison beers are usually fruity and the addition of several spices and herbs create a complex fruity or citric flavor. The beer belongs to the special "art collection" series of Lervig Aktiebryggeri, a small Norwegian brewery located in Oslo. The brewery was founded in 2003 and their products have received several awards in Norway, for example for the best summer beer and best pale beer in 2008.

Taste: The Funky Moi Rye Saison is a medium-bodied beer with a soft, fruity and sweet body. It features a slight malty flavor which is quite round and smooth (typical to beers with rye). The beer also features "earthly" aromas and finishes with a slight hoppy bitterness.

Overall, the Funky Moi Rye Saison is a good beer. It doesn't offer anything unforgettable, but delivers a nice variety of flavors in a well-balanced package. It's not the best Saison out there, but it's definitely worth trying...just because of the cool labels if nothing else!

75 Good

Beer review: Brooklyn Lager (5.2% United States: Brooklyn Brewery)

The Brooklyn Lager is a lager beer, more specifically an Amber lager. It's brewed by Brooklyn Brewery, a medium-sized brewery located in Brooklyn, New York. The Brooklyn Brewery was founded in 1987 and the lager is their most popular beer.

Taste: The Brooklyn Lager is a medium-bodied beer with a nutty, sweet malty body. It is quite soft, very well-balanced and features aromas of caramel, citrus, fruits and finishes with a slight bitter hoppiness.

Overall, the Brooklyn Lager is an excellent lager. It's well-balanced and rich in flavor, yet refreshing and easy to enjoy. In my opinion Samuel Adams Boston Lager wins by a nose, but that's just because I prefer the toffee aftertaste of it. Both are very close to perfection in their own category.

90 Exceptional