Super Bowl Beer Sampling
I like professional football, more specifically the NFL, so Super Bowl Sunday is a special day that is typically reserved for imbibing copious amounts of alcoholic liquidities, parking ones ass in front of a preferably huge television, watching the million dollar thirty second commercials and eating various finger foods. During a recent trip to the local suburban strip mall, I made the decision that I wasn’t going to forget this Super Bowl. I decided that this special Sunday would provide an excellent window to do some beer sampling. I must say that my usual beer selection would be the run of the mill Canadian lager, to which I will not mention the name, which sort of like vanilla sex, good but not really all that exciting. I wandered into the accompanying liquor store, and decided to peruse the beer selection for something exotic, something special, something European. I am not sure if you have recently visited a liquor store in Alberta lately, but the price of beer has become ridiculous. I could tell you a sentimental story about how I remember when the price of beer was… but I will save it as it will date me. After nearly choking over a thirteen dollar six pack, I decided that my sampling would be done based off of 500 mL cans of 4 various import beers coming in at an average of $2.45 per unit. Not cheap, but not unreasonable for 2 liters of the nectar of the gods. It is a cost I am willing to incur for this review.
The Beers
Grolsch
Website: www.grolsch.com
5.0% alcohol
As the Bears scored the touchdown on the opening play of the game, I began to taste this Dutch treat. When I think of Dutch beer, I immediately think of Heineken and I found this beer tasting and smelling remarkably the same. It is deliciously smooth, with a quick finish and subtle bittersweet aftertaste presented in a rich golden color. I would drink this again and could see them going down in mass quantity.
Pilsner Urquell
Website: www.pilsner-urquell.com
4.4% alcohol
Halfway through the second quarter, I cracked open this Czech offering claiming to be the original Pilsner. I can’t qualify this fact but I can qualify its soapy opening and mid taste with a bitter, bitter finish and goldish tint. The taste of this pales in comparison to the Grolsch. I would have expected this beer to be stronger than 4.4% with such expressive flavors. As this tasting continued, this beer started to be tolerable, although I wouldn’t buy it or order it from a bar again.
DAB Original
Website: www.dab.de
5.0% alcohol
At the end of the 3rd quarter, I sampled this German Pilsner throat charmer. The hue of this beer is much lighter than previous tests, and it had a distinctive citrusy smell. It also poured with a nice, frothy head. The first taste took me aback as I still had the Pilsner Urquell taste in my mouth, but the second taste confirmed that this is a simple, uncomplicated beer with a slight bitterness at the end. This is my kind of brew; smooth and gentle with the ability to be chugged.
Holsten Premium
Website: www.holsten.de
5.0% alcohol
Game over, Bears lose. Time to drown my sorrows in the final test subject, Germanys Holsten Premium. So by this point I am pretty soused, so I have this feeling this is going to be the masterpiece of the collection. Boy was I wrong, this has a metallic tin can taste which can probably be attributed to the fact that it came from a can. Strangely though, I do not recall this sensation with the three other test cases. It is bitter from start to finish, and is the palest of the bunch. I could just be trashed, but I continued to drink it and its not half bad, although not great either.
Verdict:
Beer coupled with the right situation is an excellent choice. I recommend drinking it en masse, and trying several different kinds in one evening to really broaden your horizons. Coupled with delicious breads, cheeses and animal flesh, it can be quite a refreshing and enlightening beverage.
- Super Bowl Beer Sampling
- by Adrian Bryksa
- Published on February 15th, 2007
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Beer:
Grolsch
Pilsner Urquell
DAB Original
Holsten Premium
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