Charger's Wine (and Beer) Club

[Charger]

I've been doing this on facebook for years now...It started with the idea of going through every single US made wine available here and posting reviews of them and rating them using the wine magazine rating of 85 to 95...well I did that...was a really fun journey albeit short one.

So I branched out and went for beers as well and now it's been Charger's Wine Club Beer Edition for a while...

I thought I'd share it here too...I might post some of my earlier stuff as well just for curiosity to show you what I've had but today I thought I'd start with the beer I have in my glass at the moment:


This time we have yet another first at the Wine Club, this is the first time I have EVER had Russian beer.
Like most people I would imagine my only contact with Russian beverages is Vodka, never really even considered that the Russians would be much of a beer drinking people...But atleast they have one brewery there and from that I got Baltika 6 Porter.

A dark colored Porter with tastes of liquorice, ryebread and plum even.
There is a bit of a sharpness there as well like most porters do but it isn't overpowering like it can be on some UK made porters.
I have to say I am bit surprised by this as I wasn't expecting much, but I did get a very tasty, albeit very traditional porter beer. The alcohol content of this is quite high at 7% and you can taste it too however it does not feel like it is too much.
Over all I have to say Cheers to the Russians, they can make something else than Vodka too and even make it taste good.

* * * ½

[Zzzptm]

Russians drink plenty of beer and vodka and also a very low-alcohol drink called kvass. It is fermented bread, often sold with the yeast still in the liquid, which gives it a very yeasty flavor and lots of Vitamin B.

But, yeah... fermented bread...

[Vyn]

...fermented bread, often sold with the yeast still in the liquid...

[Charger]

Charger's Wine Club Beer Edition the Birthday eve special.

For this wine club we have something truly special, the one, the only, the real GUINNESS DRAUGHT straight from Dublin Ireland!

Guinness is probably the most known stout in the whole world and for a very good reason. It's silky smoothness is so rich with flavour it is like a party in your mouth...a party of sheer deliciousness.

I can understand that Guinness might be a bit of an acquired taste (as it is with all stouts) but if you like stouts you will LOVE Guinness...and even if you don't I'd highly recommend you try this out because...well...it just is THAT good...and as far as stouts go this is most certainly the smoothest and most approachable.

I have stated this before and I will state it officially here now again, Guinness is without a shadow of a doubt the BEST beer in the world...it is pure perfection in a liquid form.

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[Charger]

Charger's Wine Club, Beer Edition St. Patrick's Day continuation.

Still in the aftermath of the Irish holiday this week we have an Irish Red Ale Draught from KILKENNY, part of the Guinness company.
This (just like it's black counterpart) has a small co2 cartridge inside and while pouring it mixes the foam into the drink beautifully.
I am quite surprised by just how much the taste actually resembles Guinness eventhough this is supposed to be an ale. This is also very dark amber brown in color, not pitch black like Guinness but very dark non the less.
Extermely smooth beer this too but this is tad bit sweeter than Guinness and your average ales...or stouts for that matter. But the taste is quite sublime regardless. I couldn't possibly say that this is as good as Guinness but it is pretty damn close.


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[Vyn]

Hey Charger - do you have any recommendations for a good Czech beer? Thanks!

[Charger]

Well I'm not a huge fan of Czech beer, but then again I haven't had all that many...but there is one that I can recommend very easily...This review is from about a year ago:

Charger's Wine Club Beer Edition.
This week we have again a beer from the Czech Republic called Rohozec Skalak.
A nice mild flavoured amber colored draught. Czech's are known for their beers but I have not been able to find one that I've really liked...untill now. This is a really good tasting beer. It's not strong, it's not overly hoppy or malty, but it is very well balanced and smooth. There is non of that sharpness that is unfortunately so common for Czech beers.
Without a doubt among the finest beers I've ever had...so I'll be giving this one a very strong:

* * * * ½

[Vyn]

Excellent, thanks!

[Zzzptm]

Question: are there any British beers that you enjoy? Or do you steer away from any beer served warm?

[Charger]

Question: are there any British beers that you enjoy? Or do you steer away from any beer served warm?

I like a lot of british beers...but I don't drink them warm though!  to the idea even!

[Zzzptm]

Question: are there any British beers that you enjoy? Or do you steer away from any beer served warm?

I like a lot of british beers...but I don't drink them warm though!  to the idea even!

That's the thing, though... because of the way they're brewed, they supposed to drink better warm, as opposed to other brewing methods that make those beers drink better cold.

[Charger]

Question: are there any British beers that you enjoy? Or do you steer away from any beer served warm?

I like a lot of british beers...but I don't drink them warm though!  to the idea even!

That's the thing, though... because of the way they're brewed, they supposed to drink better warm, as opposed to other brewing methods that make those beers drink better cold.

Yeah that is possible...but so far though I have not had a single bottle that specifically said "serve warm"...also I do firmly believe Beer should always be served chilled.

[Zzzptm]

From the Wikipedia:

Temperature
One common misconception of beer served in the United Kingdom concerns the serving temperature: it is believed that British beer is served warm. In reality, beer in the UK is usually served at cellar temperature (between 10–14 °C (50–57 °F), which is often carefully controlled in a modern-day pub, although the temperature can naturally fluctuate with the seasons. Proponents of British beer say that it relies on subtler flavours than that of other nations, and these are brought out by serving it at a temperature that would make other beers seem harsh. Where harsher flavours do exist in beer (most notably in those brewed in Yorkshire), these are traditionally mitigated by serving the beer through a hand pump fitted with a sparkler, a device that mixes air with the beer, oxidising it slightly and softening the flavour.

[Charger]

This time we have a beer from the Czech Republic called Bohemia Regent.

This is a pale lager with golden brown color. The taste is slightly hoppy but nothing over powering. There is a very mild after taste that has a hint of citrus, which is not to my liking.
There is a bit of a bite present so this isn't among the smoothest of lagers but then again the czech lagers rarely are. This is not among the finest lagers or even the finest Czech lagers but far from the worst either. Quite well balanced I'd say...a rather okay basic beer. Nothing to write home about but nothing that would make me want to throw it out the window either.

* * *

[Charger]

Charger's Wine Club Beer Edition time again!

This time we have a strong Pilsner from Germany called BERLINER KINDL Jubiläums.

It's a very light golden colored beer. Someone might call this a rather typical German pilsner and frankly why wouldn't I?
There is nothing about this that screams ultimate flavour but on the other hand there is nothing that screams anything negative either. A very uncomplicated beer with a rather clean and smooth taste with an almost sweet aftertaste.

This is slightly stronger in alcohol content with 5.1% but you can't really tell the difference to a normal 4.7% beer.
A very good basic beer.

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