Baltika Don Southern Lager

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 5

> "Don Southern Lager is
> brewed from a special
> recipe to achieve a
> refreshing malt flavor and
> enjoyable hop aroma"

Hmm. Really now.

I was kinda hoping this would be something a bit different from the huge yet faceless range of beers in the Baltika line-up, since I've read that the Southern portions of Russian -- specifically, the Don Cossacks -- like their beers hoppier than the norm. IPAs? Hardly. But at least comparable to their German and Czech lager/pils counterparts.

And while this isn't horrible -- "adequate", all around -- there isn't much here to really find remarkable. The hop aroma mentioned in the neck label is a bit hidden by the estery semi-skunky nose.

The mouthfeel and the flavor profile, however, is right in line with what you're going to find with most Russian lagers -- mushy, overly-soft mouthfeel...., that just lays around like some cheap Crimean hooker in a dirty hotel in Downtown Sevastopol.

Rather sweet and tart, too, that clashes with the semi-feeble attempts to introduce some hop character into the mix. Overall drinkability suffers due to this lackadaisical clash..., resulting in a big ol' "so what?" from me....

Not the worst Baltika-related offering that has crossed my path, but nothing that I would return to, either.

Music: Slayer's "South Of Heaven"
//TB