Beer Reviews by HANTRAN

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# Beer Origin Style Score Date
51 Kingfisher Lager India Pale Lager 2.9

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

Look, US mass brewed swill could take a real lesson from this Indian relative. OK, it was a hot day and I was eating a very hot Indian chicken dish but gosh darn this is a pretty decent Pale Lager. Unlike the American counterparts there is at least a hint of hops here, mostly in the nose. There is a bit of citrus in the nose and much less grass then US counterparts. Seems to ahve a more solid malt body which leads to some sweetness but still a very nice clean crisp finish. NO SKUNK! also.while there may be adjuncts, I don't really taste them. Finally, unlike Bud etc, this beer still tastes all right as the chill comes off it. I can't call this macro swill and I believe it shows what Macro swills COULD be if they were just willing to make a penny less profit per bottle. hats off to Kingfisher for being respectable!

Jul 16, 2007
07:41:16 PM
52 Harp Ireland Lager 3.0

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

First off at least in the US this lager is being brewed in Canada not Ireland, it would be fun to compare bottle to bottle but..... Second off, to me this is very simple lager. Aroma is quite pale, what there is of it is grassy and citrus in a pleasant way. Appearance is meduim golden with a fast big head that goes away just as fast. Very good lace. Mouth feel is tingly water. Flavor is also very mild. A little citrus and floral, nicely hopped with a bit of bitter in the middle and a slightly sour but clean aftertaste. This is VERY easy to drink. I like to let it warm up to just cool. At that temperature a bit more flavor comes through; it picks up a bit of bread in the taste. I find it slghtly over-carbonated but others may like that. For a lager its pretty nice and certainly would be an excellent session brew.

Mar 4, 2006
09:31:04 PM
53 Guinness Stout Ireland Dry Stout 2.9

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

Druaght in the bottle. The pour may be the best thing about this brew. I love watching the carbonation cascade down the sides to the bottom of the glass and then build up to a truely creamy, dark ivory head. The stout itself is a VERY deep brown and completley opaque. The lace is, if you can even call it that, a really thick and lovely foam residue on the sides of the glass. The head lasts forever. This beer has almost NO nose. Mouthfeel is suprisingly thin and a touch slimy. Flavor is uncomplicated. It hits sweet-sour with a significant amount of pine tar and rotted fruit and finishes sour. This is not as deep a flavor as I recall from past forced draughts. My English friends tell me the forced here is not as good as in England and that in England its not as good as in Ireland. The bottle says serve it very cold. I find that suprising and that may be contributing to the lack of depth and flavor. I will wait a bit and allow it to warm before giving this stout the poor rating it appears to be heading towards......Is gotten a bit better as it warms; a touch of coffee and oranges coming through and the sweet-sour is becoming more appealing. I hesitate to rate this bottle as I know it is so much better on draught. But bottle it is and bad it is!

Mar 5, 2006
08:43:05 PM
54 Smithwick's Irish Ale Ireland Irish Ale 3.7

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Easy drinking! Vanilla, malt, carmel in the nose, nice big creamy dirty beige head with good lace over a very ddep copper colored body. Mouthfeel is soft and satin and a bit slippery and a bit foamy, lotta carbonation here. Flavor is not too complex but very nicely balanced. Fairly bitter with a good balance of toasty malts. It finishes clean and dry. There is also a little sour throughout the taste. Very drinkable, perhaps the ultimate session brew. I think I can taste a bit of corn and would reather not.

Dec 14, 2006
10:59:14 PM
55 Guinness Draught Ireland Dry Stout 3.2

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Nota Lita nose... Deep brown body, Carmel colored head nitro charged foamy lace. Thin for a stout. Gonna let warm before rating flavor but strikes me is not as good as a draft. Little charcoal from the dark malts, some roasted coffee almost playing with sweet in the middle a little milk lactose. It's Guinness.

Nov 24, 2020
12:40:48 AM
56 Guinness Nitro IPA Ireland IPA 3.6

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Mild nose for an IPA, pine and sour fruit. Well, yes, its pretty in a Guinness widget sort of way. Huge head, good lace medium copper body. Mouth due to nitro widget is very creamy, odd for a so-called (we will get to that) IPA but fun. Not very bitter even with 5 hops involved (3 of them for dry hopping) more like a Pale than an IPA. Main flavor is coming from what I suspect is a proprietary yeast, a flavor detected in their stout as well. Good amount of roasted malt in the flavor. Very drinkable and a nice change of pace.

Oct 20, 2015
12:00:00 PM
57 Peroni Premium Lager Italy Lager 2.3

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

I am not a huge lager fan. This reminded me of the Hams (the beer refreshing) that my dad drank in the 60's. Ok here we go... almost no aroma, standard pee yellow color with thnk fuzzy small-bubbled head that disappears rapidly. Thin in the mouth, flavor actually so so, certainly better than Bud but has a hint of corn and a hint of skunk. Really really cold on a really really hot day chasing a nice slice of soppresatta this might chug nicely, maybe. Rerate 11/08 Uping the scores some, its not so bad for the style but very mild.

Feb 13, 2006
09:59:13 PM
58 Red Stripe Jamaica Lager 2.7

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

Well to review this it should really be a hot day and a lot of bbq going on, or maybe floating on a cat in the Carribean, but I finally broke down and bought a six anyway; its gonna have to stand on its own. Mild nose with a lot of grain and not much else, maybe a touch grassy. Very white , short-lasting head and moderate lace sits over an extremley pale gold body, a touch more yellow then most macros and cystal clear. Mouthfeel is watery but OK. I would have thought, from memory, that this would taste sweeter then it does. Its not complex at all, typical macroswill flavor but lacking perhaps the extremes of bad tasting aditives. Consequently not much taste at all. Theres a bit of corn, a bit of malt, very little hop, and it ends with less skunk than most macros.

Jun 23, 2007
06:48:23 PM
59 Hitachino Nest White Ale Japan Witbier 4.0

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Lots of clean earth and grass in the nose along with lemon peel. Pours a gorgeous cloudy lemon-colored body with a moderate egg white tightly bubbled head. A very pretty beer. Mouth is very slippery with moderate tingle from well done carbonation. Flavor is a bit complex for a witbier, starts with a nice bitter hops, turns a bit sweet and tart with a big burst of lemon peel flavor, then goes a bit bitter again with some coriander coming through, and finishes nicely quite dry. This is really a pretty spectacular wit! Incredible balance and finesse, flavors playing off one another throughout.

Jul 26, 2010
12:00:00 PM
60 Almaza Pilsener Lebanon Light / Lite Lager 2.5

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

Standard pilsner, not bad not good. Was fun at the local Lebanese festival. Medium gold, not much nose, grass and a bit of malt. Not a lot of taste, clean though and no awful aftertaste, not much skunk.

Aug 14, 2010
12:00:00 PM
61 Kalnapilis Original Lithuania Lager 1.6

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 3

light gold with white head minimal lace. Smells skunky, grass and chemical, smells like adjunct city. thin mouth, carbonation so so, tastes like grapefruit rind with acetone, just screams do not drink me!

Mar 29, 2009
12:50:29 PM
62 Victoria Mexico Dunkel / Dark Lager 2.7

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

Well this beer IS available in the US, maybe not legally but... I happened into a small Mexican Restaurant in a Mexican section of Brooklyn to get an order to take out. There was a hand written sign in felt marker on an old cardboard box side saying Victoria now available. Of course I had to try one. I am handicapped with this review because it came in a bottle and it didn't really look like the right place to ask for a glass, so I can't attest to appearance. That really bothers me because I see BeerPal lists this as a dunkel. I would never have guessed that from drinking it and none of the reviews here either support or contradict it being a dunkel. Almost NO aroma, just a very pale sweetness. Highly carbonated, I suspect small tight bubles that would disappear rapidly. Mouth feel very similar to water. Tasted to me like Corona but not as stong a flavor...LESS skunk. No nasty aftertaste. An easy drinking beer that is not particularly rewarding but quite acceptable. I imagine on a hot day it would be a great session lager. Interestingly, I was sitting near the kitchen, and when a shrimp dish hit the fan the beer actually started to taste like sea-food, the flavor and aromoa are that pale! I hope somebody reviews this beer and actually sees it, I would have sworn by taste that it would be pale golden, not a dunkel. I'll be damned, I searched the net and finally found apicture of a mug of this beer and it is indeed amber in color. This is one MILD dunkel!

Feb 19, 2006
02:52:19 PM
63 Corona Extra Mexico Pale Lager 2.0

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

First time I have ever tasted a Corona, have always put lime in it before. Aroma is very close to non-existant a wee bit of grass, a wee bit of bready yeasts, and a touch of sweet berries. Pours a minimal head that rapidly disapears leaveing almost 0 lace and a tiny but constant effervesance that bubbles up through a very pale yellow body. Mouthfeel is slightly tingly and slightly slippery, its an OK mouthfeel. Flavor .......what flavor? Tastes like a very stale sweet tart might taste; a litle corn, a little metalic, a little simple syrup, and ends with a slightly off-putting chemical taste, almost no aftertaste. All these flavors are just barely there, its a VERY small taste. All in all its better then most US macros, no skunk, and its better then drinking water.

Aug 11, 2006
09:00:11 PM
64 Modelo Especial Mexico Pale Lager 2.7

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

My brew of choice, and its a limited choice, at the Smallest Bar In Key West, a bar I like much more than the beer selection; what can I say? Above average micro-swill has a unique ill favor, a bit metallic but drinkable. Reminds me of Red Stripe.

Dec 13, 2008
12:23:13 PM
65 Negra Modelo Mexico Dunkel / Dark Lager 3.0

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

OK Mexican macro-swill, nothing special here, balance is OK, touch sweet, drink it very cold with some nice spicy food on a hot day. Lots of slightly off flavors probably some corn or rice.

Dec 13, 2008
12:27:13 PM
66 Pacifico Clara Mexico Pale Lager 2.2

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

Nose is minimal, grass and perfume hops notes, lavender or dissipated sweet-tarts. Average to poor head sits atop pale gold body. Watery mouth. Not much flavor, a little pissy, grass and skunk with some flavorless bitterness. Has perhaps a touch more character than Carona.

Aug 18, 2012
12:00:00 PM
67 Dia de Los Muertos Hop On or Die Mexico IPA 2.2

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

Least nose I have ever had on an IPA. Odd hint of vanilla and compost, but almost nothing there. Pour looks good, nice clear pale copper body topped with a solid white head with decent staying power and good lace. Mouth is Ok, medium with some slipperyness and carbonation OK. Flavor .......oh my god..... just WTF! Very little in the way of a malt backbone, fairly bitter (without any prominent hop flavors) and just an end/after taste from hell. Aspirin, urine? very timid and yet amazingly bad. Pouring this one down the drain.

Mar 31, 2014
12:00:00 PM
68 Grolsch Premium Lager Netherlands Pale Lager 2.5

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

Predominant hay in the nose with some bread and light citrus developing. Possibly corn and to me a bit skunky smelling. Pours a verly pale gold with a creamy, almost yeasty looking head the dssipates rapidly leaving a moderate lace. Mouthfeel is water and somehow I get just a hint of a gritty feeling. Finishes with a VERY dry feeling. Flavor is uncomplicated and primarly sour with moderate bitter hops. Aftertaste is a sour that is not particularly appealing and a bit skunky. I'm not quite sure what a really good pale lager should taste like but I do hope this is not it. A simple brew too sour for a decent session beer. I've always liked the cap though, makes a great salad dressing container!

Mar 9, 2006
01:03:09 AM
69 HaandBryggeriet Hesjeøl Norway Saison 4.2

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

COMPLETE REVISON 11/2016 I suppose if you have to fit its into a category Saison is OK, but really thinks a "traditional" ale. Very unusual nose, licorice, ripe fruit, grass. Not quite clear pale apricot colored body topped with good and long lasting head and OK lace. Mouth is a medium with good fiz. Flavor is so unusual its hard to read. Tastes of rye, some funk, lightly smoked malts, great battering finish very dry. Truly unfiltered it left a serious amount of gunk in the bottom of the bottle. I really really loved this beer.

Aug 11, 2015
12:00:00 PM
70 Cusquena Peru Pale Lager 2.5

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 5

In a small Peruvian restaurant in Key West so what the heck..it was breakfast time after all. Faint sweet malty nose. Almost no carbonation with a gold body. Medium in the mouth again with almost no carbonation. Sweet (but not cloying) malt and cotton candy. Finish is cleaner that one would think.Not my style but really not too bad tasting. Had it with ceviche and it played of the lime, onion, cilantro quite nicely. In similar circumstances I would drink it again. Interesting that some reviews here bound lots of carbonation, perhaps a consistency issue from the brewer, if they care.

Mar 8, 2014
12:00:00 PM
71 Zywiec Poland Lager 1.8

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

Pale in color and flavor this euroPale is so so. Not much nose, a bit of malt. Decent head over moderate amber body, no lacing to speak of. Mouthfeel is medium. Pale skunk balanced by a dribble of hops and corn.

Feb 5, 2023
10:49:49 PM
72 Spendrups Old Gold Sweden Bohemian / Czech Pilsener 3.3

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

Ok this is a review from memory. I was flying back to the US from St.Petersburg and we had a layover in Helsinki airport. This beer was delightful. It is possible that my shock, upon ordering a beer in an ariport and being given a berverage in a high quality glass mug and then being allowed to wander all over the smallish airport mug in hand, may have colored by enjoyment of this brew. A minimal nose, a lovely golden color and decent head, well balanced taste with a lot of malted sweetness and a fairly clean finish. A fantatic airport brew!

Feb 15, 2006
01:55:15 PM
73 Omnipollo Machaper Sweden American Pale Ale 4.2

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Ok, first of all I put this brewer in as Sweden because its Swedish dudes doing a "gypsy" thing and having beer brewed all over the place, in this case in Denver by Crazy Mountain brewing Company Limited. Very long lasting nose of grassy and lemon and honey with a hint of resin and some deep funk. Appears unflitered, lots of gunk on the bottom of the bomber ...hazy pale yellow body with a decent short lived head that is white white white, and minimal lace. Mouth is medium, slick, and moderately carbonated. Very unusual flavor profile. Classified as a Pale Ale because thats what the label alls it. Its certainly NOT an English style ale. Actually tastes like a slightly sour American IPA.The galaxy shines here, citric and tropical notes abound, lemon and passionfruit, hints of pineapple. Low malt presence for a Pale Ale (and maybe even for an IPA) finishes with sour grassy notes and slight alcohol warming. What comes to mind is a Session IPA IF a Session IPA every tasted good! this thing is could really be slammed. Odd duck but I really love it! (very hard to find out east here.)

Dec 3, 2016
12:00:00 PM
74 Singha Thailand Lager 2.7

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

Decent Asian macro, not a lot of flavor or nose, looks OK, washes down a nice Thai meal better than water does. AT 6 ABV with alcohol fairly well masked this was a lot of fun in Singapore at the outdoor food stands and it brings back fond memories when I have it in the states.

Aug 2, 2010
12:00:00 PM
75 Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale United Kingdom Brown Ale 4.0

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Big wonderful nose on this one. Raisins, chocolate, caramel, touch of citrus. Frothy off-white head of decent size sits atop a dark copper, light brown body that it clear. Laces well. Mouth is medium and chewy, nicely slippery, excellent carbonation. Crystal malts dominate in the taste mixed with some nice hoppy citrus, and there follows an additional malt flavor with some hints of prune and pepper and rosemary. Finish is slightly sweet and fairly clean.

Jan 11, 2010
12:00:00 PM