Lomza Pelne Wyborowe

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

Appearance is about average, a typical clear amber-yellow and very foamy (be careful when you open the bottle). Malty aroma has a strong yeast component. Flavor is lively and malty, with a little hop taste and bitterness and toffee hints. Smooth and rich, it is an enjoyable malt liquor.

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

This will be my first Polish beer is a longtime so I really do not know what to expect but, as always, I will keep an open-mind. The aroma is grainy with some sweet malt coming through as well as earthy overtones and is a bit synthetic-like. The appearance is a crisp and pale golden yellow when held to the light with a fuzzy and carbonated head on top that diminishes only slightly and leaves thick lacing. The mouthfeel is not as bad as feared and is medium-bodied and warm with some decent malty complexity with a palate that is a bit slippery but coating. The flavor is of grain, malts, as well as is sweet, with some dryness and warmth on the backend and is a bit too diesel fuel-like and hot but not as bad as it could be and has a bit of an alcoholic finish to it. Overall, most beers from Eastern Europe are going to bit very strong and malt liquor-like because of the former culture of the Soviet Union; most Soviets drank vodka not beer so the beers that were created from that are going to be big, grainy, and alcoholic. I will venture to say this malt liquor is better than some of its American counterparts; not a bad offering here for what its worth.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 10

One of the best local Polish beers. Strong yeast and hop aroma. Full taste. Should not be kept for a long time because it radically looses it's taste. Great for Polish style garden grill party!

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

This lager pours a light gold color from a 500ml bottle. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is grassy and grainy a touch sweet. A medium bodied lager. Malts are grainy and grassy. Hops are slightly spicy. Soft carbonation. Light and refreshing. Clean and crisp. Decent as far as any of these Euro lager can go. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

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

So what's the story with big-ass Lagers in former Communist countries, you ask? Good question.

The culture in Russia (and, by extension, every country that Russia nee CIS nee Soviet Union nee Russia has ever dominated) prefers strong spirits.... Yep, you guesed it, vodka. And everything that doesn't have the same "kick in the glasnost!" effect as vodka is derided as "Why bother? It doesn't get you drunk fast enough!". Thus, the appearence of a plethora of high-octane lagers (aka Malt Liquors) -- most having rather uncanny resemblences to low-grade diesel petrol fuel.

Once and a while a beer or two rises from the mire, and pleases the palate (which is why I keep coming back to this region, beer-wise).

Does this beer fit the bill? Does it break out of the standard East European Brain-burning Malt Liquor rut?

This isn't bad, as far as big Polish Lagers go. Yellow-gold in body, minimal head, with an appealing grainy/earthy aroma. Immediately reminded me of some of the better offerings from the Czech Republic.

Grainy and warm-ish in the mouth -- a little "hot", but not in a nasty "Olde English Malt Liquor"-sort of way. A little sugary for my taste, and thus a little cloying in the backend, but not really a show-stopper IMO.

Actually grew on me after a while..., and no, not like a bad fungal growth or anything!

Can't hold a candle to my favorite craft-brewed Malt Liquors (namely, the Old Dominion Spring Beer, and Rogue's over-priced Morimoto), but for East Euro Brain-Burning Lager, this is not bad at all... ;^)

Music: Rage's "Welcome To The Other Side".
//TB

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 4

smells yeasty. very carbonated. sour cherry taste at first, tangy, spicy hops. flavor is strong at first and then disappears quickly. interesting and weird...