Beer review: Robinsons Trooper (4.7% England: Robinsons)

Robinsons Trooper is an ale, more specifically an English Pale Ale. It is the official beer of the heavy metal group Iron Maiden and supposedly the recipe was created by the group. It's brewed by a British family-run regional brewery Robinsons. This sounds much more promising than the roots of the Kiss and Motörhead beers. Of course, being the beer of Iron Maiden, one of the most popular metal bands in the world, it's also meant for worldwide distribution. Let's see if this compromises the taste of the beer.

Taste: The Trooper starts with a faint sour lemony taste and then moves on to a medium-bodied sweet, malt dominant taste. It features hints of toffee, honey and finishes with a mild bitterness.

Overall, the Robinsons Trooper is miles above the beers of Kiss and Motörhead. It's not a beer with the most character, but considering the wide distribution and bulk quality of the beer, it's a really nice one. It's available in many Finnish supermarkets and it's one of the better beers there.

70 Good

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: Plevna Amarillo Weizen (5.0% Finland: Panimoravintola Plevna)

Plevna Amarillo Weizen is a wheat beer, more specifically a Hefeweizen, brewed by a Finnish brewery restaurant Plevna located in Tampere. Koskipanimo Oy, working in the facilities of the brewery restaurant Plevna has been in business since 1994 and their annual production is about 200 000 liters. Plevna Amarillo Weizen is made by using Amarillo hop, an especially aroma-rich hop. Sounds promising!

Taste: From the first taste, it becomes clear that Plevna Amarillo Weizen is a really nice, refreshing wheat beer. It starts with a fruity, pineappley and lemony taste which merges with a nice light-bodied wheat base and finishes with a light, refreshing faint sweetness.

Overall, Plevna Amarillo Weizen is one of the best wheat beers I have tried. It has character, thanks to Amarillo hop used in it and the taste is just what a wheat beer is supposed to be: light, refreshing, yet full of intricate flavors.

90 Exceptional

Beer review: Lervig / Nøgne Ø We Love Wheat (7.9% Norway: Lervig Aktiebryggeri)

Lervig / Nøgne Ø We Love Wheat is a wheat ale, more specifically a wheat Indian Pale Ale, brewed by Lervig Aktiebryggeri, a relatively small brewery from Norway. The combination of being an IPA made out of wheat is an interesting one since wheat beers are among my favorite kind. On the other hand, I'm quite picky about IPA's and only prefer their hoppy taste to a certain extent/depending on the kind of hop. Let's see how they have succeeded in this interesting combination.

Taste: The We Love Wheat beer starts with a fruity mango-ish flavor typical to some wheat beers. However, its hoppy character overrides the fruitiness and a wheaty, strong taste of hop with some bitterness steps in. The beer finishes with a relatively smooth taste, at least for an IPA.

Overall, the Lervig / Nøgne Ø We Love Wheat is a really nice beer. It succeeds in combining the good qualities of a wheat beer and an IPA, being mildly sweet on the start and then moving on to a hoppy bitterness. Yet the hoppiness is not too dominant. If you are into IPAs and wheat beer, this is definitely your choice!

85 Great

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: Chimay Triple (8.0% Belgium: Chimay Brewery)

Chimay Triple is a strong ale, more specifically a Tripel, brewed by Chimay Brewery, a brewery located in the Scourmont Abbey in southern Belgium. It is one of the ten breweries in the world to produce Trappist beer. All of the profits from Chimay products go for the benefit of the monastery and to charity. Finally a way to do charity while practising a hobby of mine! Considering that it's a monastery brewery, the annual amount of Chimay products being brewed is staggering, 12 million litres reported in 2005. That has to be a sign of something exceptional, let's find out what it is.

Taste: Chimay Triple is the driest and most hopped of the Chimay products. This is apparent in the taste, which is medium/full-bodied yet quite soft. The taste is dominated by a herbal grassy taste of hop.

Overall, Chimay Triple was a bit of a disappointment for me. Chimay Blue is one of my favorite widely available beers, and therefore maybe I expected too much of the Triple. I have to admit that I am generally quite picky about strong hoppy beers. Chimay Triple offers a nice hoppy, yet soft taste but in my opinion does not stand out in any special way. I'm not saying it's bad, when the beer is a Trappist it's bound to be good but I expected a bit more.

75 Good

Beer review: Chimay Blue (9.0% Belgium: Chimay Brewery)

Chimay Blue is an ale, more specifically a Belgian style strong ale, brewed by Chimay Brewery, a brewery located in the Scourmont Abbey in southern Belgium. It is one of the ten breweries in the world to produce Trappist beer. All of the profits from Chimay products go for the benefit of the monastery and to charity. Finally a way to do charity while practising a hobby of mine! Considering that it's a monastery brewery, the annual amount of Chimay products being brewed is staggering, 12 million litres reported in 2005. That has to be a sign of something exceptional, let's find out what it is.

Taste: Chimay Blue is a very sophisticated and mature beer, with a malt dominant, medium/full-bodied yet soft and smooth taste. The aftertaste of Chimay is pleasant, finishing with a warm, mildly sweet, almost liquorice-ish malty flavor.

Overall, Chimay Blue is worth its reputation and its understandable why it's so popular. It's available in almost all of the alcohol stores in Finland, which is a good thing because it's one of my regular picks. If you haven't tried Chimay Blue yet, do it!

95 Legendary

Beer review: Leffe Brune (6.5% Belgium: InBev Belgium)

Leffe Brune is an ale, more specifically a dubbel ale, brewed by InBev Belgium. Although it is a monastery beer, receiving its name from a monastery, it is quite obvious that the bulk quantity of Leffe production means that the monastery is present only in the beer's name. The company which produces Leffe is part of the Anheuser-Busch corporation, the largest beer corporation in the world. Leffe is brewed under a license from the monastery and it receives royalties from the product. However, being part of a big corporation, being produced in a factory, yet selling under the name of a 'monastery beer' is a bit dubious, at least in my books. Let's not let that affect the review of the taste of Leffe Brune.

Taste: Leffe Brune is a very sweet ale. It is medium-bodied, soft and a bit fruity, although less so than the Blonde version of Leffe. The taste of sweet bready malt is quite dominant, and a faint aroma of smoke is present as well. Leffe Brune finishes with a sweet sugary and almost creamy malt flavor with a tiny hint of hops.

Overall, Leffe Brune is a very likable beer and is easily available. In my opinion, it's one of the best beers in wide distribution in Europe. It doesn't provide any mind-blowing taste experiences, and personally I prefer the Blonde version. However, they're both good bulk beers and I'm jealous of mid-Europeans for having this stuff in their supermarkets. + I guess it's a good thing that some of the profit goes to the monastery.

70 Good

Beer review: Leffe Blonde (6.6% Belgium: InBev Belgium)

Leffe Blonde is an ale, more specifically a Belgian style ale, brewed by InBev Belgium. Although it is a monastery beer, receiving its name from a monastery, it is quite obvious that the bulk quantity of Leffe production means that the monastery is present only in the beer's name. The company which produces Leffe is part of the Anheuser-Busch corporation, the largest beer corporation in the world. Leffe is brewed under a license from the monastery and it receives royalties from the product. However, being part of a big corporation, being produced in a factory, yet selling under the name of a 'monastery beer' is a bit dubious, at least in my books. Let's not let that affect the review of the taste of Leffe Blonde.

Taste: Leffe Blonde is a very sweet ale. It is medium-bodied, very soft and fruity. The taste of malt is quite mild and sweet, and the Leffe Blonde finishes with a sweet sugary and almost creamy flavor.

Overall, Leffe Blonde is a very likable beer and is easily available. It doesn't provide any mind-blowing taste experiences, but it is certainly a nice change from your typical lager beer. I guess it's a good thing that some of the profit goes to the monastery. In my opinion, one of the best beers in wide distribution.

75 Good

Beer review: Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier (5.0% Germany: Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu)

Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier is a wheat beer, more specifically a hefeweizen, produced by the German Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu brewery. The brewery has long traditions reaching all the way to 1397. Today it is part of the Anheuser-Busch corporation, the largest beer producer in the world. I wasn't aware of this fact before doing some research for this review, and I have to admit I'm quite disappointed to find out that the brewery of one of my absolute favorite wheat beers is part of Anheuser-Busch. I would rather see my money go to small entrepreneurs than gigantic corporations, but unfortunately that's how the world goes around these days. Luckily this hasn't affected the taste of the beer, and belonging to a large corporation has made the Franziskaner easily available, at least around Europe.

Taste: Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier is one of the best balanced wheat beers I have ever come across. None of the flavors seem too dominant and, for me, therein lies the fascination of it. It starts with a faint fruity taste of banana, followed by a light-bodied taste of wheat and yeast and finishes with a pleasant slightly bitter and dryish feel.

Overall, the Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier is one of the best wheat beers in wide circulation. Some beer connoisseurs may be put off by it's non-edged, balanced flavor, but that's what I'm looking for in a wheat beer. It's one of my regular picks because of the good availability.

90 Exceptional

Beer review: Holba Premium (5.2% The Czech Republic: Pivovar Holba)

Holba Premium is a lager, more specifically a Czech styled pilsener/lager produced by Pivovar Holba. The Czech Republic is one of the most highly regarded beer producing countries in the world. The quality of almost all of the beers coming from the country is above average, and therefore one can expect good quality when coming across a Czech beer. Holba is among the ten most popular beer brands in the Czech Republic and thus it is produced in bulk amounts.

Taste: Holba Premium is a medium-bodied Czech styled beer with a taste dominated by a slightly sweet maltiness. The aftertaste of the beer offer a bitterness typical to Czech beers. It is slightly bitter without being pungent and the beer finishes with a faintly herbal taste of hop.

Overall, Holba Premium is precisely what one can expect of it, based on it being from the Czech Republic but produced in mass quantities. It is an OK beer, without much personality but still...its a Czech and you can't really go wrong with that.

65 Above average

Sparkling wine review: Divici Organic Prosecco Extra Dry (11.0% Italy: Botter)

Divici sparkling wine comes from the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. It is made by Botter, a winery founded in 1928. Divici belongs to the group of low/mid-priced sparkling wines available in Finland. It is described as extra dry, containing flavors of pear, lemon and green apple. Before tasting it, I was a bit suspicious about the extra dry nature of it but the wine was a positive surprise.

Taste: Divici is dry but not in an unpleasant musty sort of way. It's actually a really refreshing sparkling wine, dominated by medium sourness and containing aromas of lemon and hints of pear and apple. The wine finishes with a faint sour taste of lemon, and does not leave a dry feel to your mouth like some cheap wines.

Overall, Divici Organic Prosecco Extra Dry is a really nice sparkling wine, especially considering the low price and the good quality it provides. Divici doesn't have much personality, but if you just want an inexpensive easily enjoyable sparkling wine, I would definitely recommend going with this one.

65 Above average

Gin review: Hendrick's Gin (41.4% Scotland: William Grant & Sons)

Gin has traditionally been the choice of the working class and thus, Hendrick's Gin is a rarity among gins. It is among the new wave of gins, which seek to raise among other prestigious liquors, such as whisky and cognac. Launched in 1999, Hendrick's Gin is produced by William Grant & Sons, the third largest producer of Scotch whisky. Despite the size of its producer Hendrick's Gin is made in small batches, only 450 liters per batch. In addition to the traditional aromas of juniper, Hendrick's Gin promises aromas of rose and cucumber. It comes in a stylish apothecary-style bottle.

Taste: A sophisticated, delicate, albeit at first pungent aroma of juniper accompanied by a hint of rose, lemon and the subtle taste of cucumber. 

Overall, Hendrick's Gin is a very pleasant gin to be savored. Suitable even for people who aren't normally into gin since the aroma of juniper is more mature, smoother and the aromas of rose and cucumber lessen the bitterness of it.

92 Exceptional

Whisky review: Chivas Regal 12 Years Old (40.0% Scotland: Chivas Brothers)

Chivas Regal 12 Years Old is one of the most popular blended Scotch whiskies in the world. It is produced by Chivas Brothers, a company currently owned by Pernod Ricard. Price-wise it falls among the mid-range of blended Scotch whiskies. Since blended whiskies are, as the name suggests, blends of several whiskies, whisky connoisseurs often regard them as a no go. However, for its price Chivas Regal succeeds in offering a surprisingly sophisticated and smooth taste which makes it easy to enjoy. Of course, being a blended whisky, the aromas in Chivas Regal aren't as strong as in single malts.

Taste: Chivas Regal is a medium-bodied whisky with a hint of smoky aromas. However, what sets it apart from other blended Scotch whiskies in my books is the enjoyable aftertaste which provides a smooth, almost creamy finish.

Overall, Chivas Regal 12 Years Old is a very good quality blended Scotch whisky and its popularity doesn't come as a surprise. Of course, blended whiskies are nowhere near single malts but among its own, Chivas Regal comes close to the top.

70 Good

Whisky review: Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Islay Malt (40.0% Scotland: Laphroaig)

Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Islay Malt is among the most common Islay whiskies. For many, the Islay whiskies are among the most prestigious in the world. There seems to be something mysterious in the peat of the island, which creates a unique taste. Distilled by the relatively small Laphroaig distillery, the Laphroaig 10 Year Old was my absolute favorite whisky for quite a long time, but recently I have started to favor whiskies with a smoother taste. As Laphroaig promises, it offers a strong aroma and a pungent flavor which may be overwhelming to inexperienced whisky tasters. However, the 10 Year Old version of Laphroaig serves as a great introduction into the Laphroaig family.

Taste: A strong and pungent taste, rich in smoke and peat aromas. A hint of tar, saltiness and even oiliness. A very long and enjoyable aftertaste. Preferably enjoyed with a spoonful of water to tame and open the aromas more.

Overall, Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Islay Malt is a very good whisky with a rich, sophisticated taste. Since it is among the mid-priced Single Malt whiskies, it offers good price-value. However, it may prove too strong for some and is best when enjoying and truly savoring a single glass.

85 Great

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

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

Sandels III, named after the famous Field Marshal Johan August Sandels, is the premium brand of Olvi, one of the major beer manufactures in Finland. It is a lager, more specifically a Pale Lager and it falls in the category of mid-priced beers, just a bit above the 'basic beers' of Finland. It's produced in bulk quantities so one can't expect a mind-blowing flavor festival. However, in my opinion, in the category of basic lagers, it is the best one in Finland.

Taste: Similar to all of the Finnish 'basic beers', Sandels offers a malt-dominant flavor which is quite mild. What sets it above the others is its smoothness and lack of unpleasant extra flavors. The beer ends with a hint of hop and leaves a pleasant taste in the mouth

Overall, Sandels III is the best choice (at least price-value-wise) 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, then choose Sandels.

55 Above average

Beer mix review: Foster's Radler (2.0% Australia/Finland: Heineken/Hartwall)

Foster's Radler is a combination of lemonade and Foster's beer, the ratio being 60:40. Thus, in no way can it be considered beer and the review is made in comparing it to other beer mixes (or refreshment beers as the Foster's company likes to call it). The beer selection in Finnish supermarkets is quite thin and therefore the Radler is a welcomed release. Foster's is brewed in Finland by Hartwall, and therefore the company is also in charge of manufacturing the Foster's Radler. With no expectations of a mind-blowing connoiseuric experience, I enjoyed a can of Radler and was pleasantly surprised.

Taste: The first impression introduces a taste of lemonade, with a hint of sourness. It is sweet enough but not too sweet and it is actually surprisingly close to the taste of Finnish grape long drinks. After this the drink finishes with a very faint taste of lager beer, and therefore can justifiably be called a lemonade beer.

Not the right choice for people who want to enjoy beer, nor for people who want to get inebriated. However, a good choice if you want something refreshing and enjoy the taste of lemonade with a pleasant, albeit weak aftertaste of beer. This being said, I personally enjoyed the taste a lot and the Radler is really refreshing when served ice cold.

65 Above average

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

Adler König Das Echte Hell (German for Eagle King The Real Light/Pale) is a lager beer, more specifically a German Hell lager beer, 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.

Taste: The beer offers a traditional German lager beer taste with hints of hop and the sweetness of honey. It is full-bodied and relatively thick for a lager beer and the flavor is enjoyably rich without being excessive.

A well accomplished beer which is definitely worth tasting if you want to enjoy a quality lager.

75 Good

Beer review: Keisari Kellari (4.5% Finland: Nokian Panimo)

Nokian Panimo is one of the middle-sized breweries of Finland. It prides itself in being an honest, independent brewery. Keisari (Finnish for emperor) is their brand and Keisari Kellari (Finnish for cellar) is a hand-brewed lager beer, more specifically an unfiltered cellar beer. It can be found in supermarkets in Finland and definitely offers a more interesting variety of flavors than the 'basic beers' of Finland.

Taste: The unfiltered character of the beer becomes clear in its full-bodied malty flavour. It is quite thick, sweet and bready, with a hint of yeast. Reminiscent of home-brewed beer, which in this case is a good thing, since it gives character to this supermarket-available beer. Maybe a bit musty towards the end.

A good choice if you are into beers with more character and taste than the bulk products and choose to enjoy a single beer instead of gulping down a case. However, does not deliver strong aromas and in this way reminds a home-brewed beer. This might be a good or a bad thing, depending on the drinker.

65 Above 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: Sol (4.5% Mexico: Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma Brewery)

Sol is a lager, more specifically a Pale Lager beer. It is one of the "victims" of the large beer corporations. It is brewed by Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma Brewery which belongs to the Heineken corporation. Since the Finnish brewery Hartwall is also part of the corporation, it is in charge of importing Sol for the Finnish markets. When the large beer corporations are involved, one can expect no personality from the beer. Keeping this in mind, Sol is a beer meant more for refreshment and inebriation than for tasting.

Taste: Thin, watery flavor with almost no recognizable maltiness. A faint taste of lemon of the beer should definitely be accompanied by fresh lemon or lime.

A really average beer which I would only recommend if you do not want to taste your drink too much. If you just want a refreshment Sol and a lime will serve you well enough.

35 Below 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

Beer review: Lammin Sahti Pyy (7.0% Finland: Lammin Sahti)

Produced by Lammin Sahti, the oldest microbrewery in Finland founded in 1985, Lammin Sahti Pyy is an ale, more specifically a strong ale. As the Finnish name "sahti" suggests, this ale aims for being a home-brewed type of strong beer. Sahti is the nickname for Finnish beer that has been home-brewed, traditionally in a quantity-over-quality sort of way. However, the Lammin Sahti Pyy has clearly been brewed carefully and the beer features a wide variety of mature flavors.

Taste: The taste is reminiscent of home-made bread and features flavors of bready malt and a hint of smoke. Only a hint of hop is present. That being said, the flavor is very soft and sweet, yet full-bodied.

A very good choice for beer connoisseurs. Contrary to what the name of the beer suggests, this beer has clearly been produced with great quality and features a pleasantly soft and mature taste.

90 Exceptional

Beer review: Karhu III (4.6% Finland: Sinebrychoff)

Karhu III beer is one of the so called 'basic beers' found in supermarkets in Finland. It is a lager beer, more specifically a Euro Pale Lager, and it belongs to the low price range of beers found in Finland. Therefore, it is produced and sold in large quantities and you can definitely taste this: in other words the beer lacks clear distinctive flavors and gives a somewhat dull overall impression. However, in my opinion it is one of the best basic beers in Finland.

Taste: Quite a strong taste of bready malt. More full-bodied than other basic beers in Finland. A bit sweet, and a slight aftertaste of bitter hops. Medium carbonation, once again more than in other basic beers of Finland.

I would recommend this if you ever end up in Finland and are in need of a good, but cheap, basic lager beer.

55 Above average

Beer review: Inniss & Gunn Oak Aged Beer (6.6% Scotland: Inniss & Gunn)

Inniss & Gunn Oak Aged Beer is definitely one of my favorite ales. It is defined as a ale, more specifically a strong ale and it stands out because of its recognizable flavor. As the name suggests the beer is aged in an oak barrel and this gives the beer an uniquely mature flavor.

The taste: Creamy, soft, quite sweet but still refreshing. Malty taste with distinct flavors of oak, honey and vanilla

I definitely recommend this, especially if you are into sweet, but still refreshing, distinctive beer. Not the strongest tasting beer, but in my opinion it isn't all about strong flavors. Beer needs to have character and Inniss & Gunn definitely does.

85 Great

Foreword

Hiya! Since I've come across (read 'have drunk') so many alcoholic beverages, I've lost track of the taste of some, well OK most, of them. I do remember the most unforgettable flavors, the best and the worst. However, since to this date I've drank too many kinds of beer, cider, wine, whiskey, cognac, vodka, (insert alcohol type here), I figured now would be the right time to start writing down my opinions about each one. In other words, this blog will focus on reviewing all kinds of alcoholic beverages. It's mainly meant for my own purposes: for remembering my opinions about each beverage. However, the reviews are also here in case anyone else is interested in them. If any of you stumble upon my blog while searching for reviews about a specific liquor, feel free to follow my recommendations. After you have tasted it yourself, leave a comment. I'm interested in seeing if you agree or disagree with me. Cheers!