Tinkov Russian Lager (Zolotoe)

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

Poured out a clear golden brew with some white head produced that didn't last. The aroma is heavily based on grains, corn and grass. The taste is pretty much along the same line with decent sweetness and more malts. There is nothing offending here at all, it's just kind of plain and nothing that will set it above the throngs of boring beers available at your local swill stop.

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

Yet another average, boring, Russian lager. I understand that they don't have the structure to be as creative as Euro or American beers, and Baltika does some nice stuff but damn if this beer was booorrrinnnggg. To start, the aroma was corn, corn, corn and a little more corn. Appearance was nice with a clear yellow hue with quickly melting head and decent conditioning. Mouthfeel was fairly lively with a decent carbonation to keep things alive but as soon as it hits the tongue. Taste was weak, albeit a bit dry on the end. I couldn't really pick up anything more than corn, some maltiness and there was just a minimal amount of hop but it had a fairly chemical taste. To be honest, it's not a bad beer (MUCH better than Baltika 7), average in stature. I think I will finish up my other bottles and not bother again unless I find an incredible deal.

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

My fiance has a friend that occassionally hangs out with us. Somebody gave him a six-pack of this a while ago. And while he's not a big beer drinker, he does enjoy Guinness, Sierra Nevada, and my homebrew once and a while. But in his words, "This beer tastes like dispair", as he gave me the remainder of the sixer. Now, I'm not exactly sure if he was making a dispondent reference to such depressing Russian authors as Dostoevky and Tolstoy, but I really have to say that this beer really isn't that bad.

While this looks like it would be pretty bad (Rolling Rock, anyone?), and the smell is nothing to jump up and shout about, there is a certian amount character here in the mix. Fairly solid in the mouth, with a fairly decent front and finish. Grainy, but not in an unappealing way.

Nothing that makes me want to jump and dance like a Steppe Cosack, but, at the same time, nothing that makes me want to send the brewers off to the Gulags, either. One of the cleaner and more interesting Russian lagers I've had so far.
//TB

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

6% - clear bright amber colour, the foam disappears very quickly, agrumes and alcohol in the nose with a hint of plastic, lot of carbonation, very sweet and oily, decent malt backbone, the aftertaste is short and quite dry which makes it just drinkable - definitely qualifying for a malt liquor

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

(330 ml clear bottle, bought in Denmark). Golden colour, not entirely clear (cold filtered). A whiff of Heineken-like freshness when you open the bottle, disappears in the glass, where the aroma is weak malty with notes of boiled vegetables and wet cardboard, just a faint hint of catpiss (clear bottle?). Flavour is lightly malty with an unpleasant sweetness, notes of boiled carrots and maize (corn). Low on hops. Little aftertaste. The Russians may keep this beer to themselves, as far as I’m concerned.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

TRY IT !!! It is very good and thirst quenching.

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

I've had Russian beers before, this must be it's weak American made cousin. Mild, decent malt nose, some hop bite and a fairly generous head and lace. I think my bias against most beers you can see through clouds my judgement.