Saturday 18 April 2015

Brahma Chopp Review


“Chopp Till You Drop”
Country: Brazil 
Brand: Brahma Chopp
Bottler: Companhia Cervejaria Brahma
Type: Adjunct Lager
Age: NAS
ABV: 4.8 %
Antioxidant: INS 316 + INS 221
Stabiliser: INS 405

Colour: Pale Gold. 

Foam: Nice Thick White Foam. It dissipates after a couple of minutes. Make sure your Glass is crispy clean and eventual fats have been removed thoroughly. A bit of Foam remains in your glass after you finished it.

Nose: Light but Clean. No Off-Notes. Clear Grain notes, mainly Corn and most likely some Rice as well. I hardly detect any Hops and/or Barley although they are part of the composition. After a while I get a light Grassy note. 

Palate: Sufficient Carbonation. Quite Watery and Thin delivery. It's almost like you're drinking slightly Creamy Golden Yellow Water. Refreshing when you're thirsty but without any significant Flavours. I find Corn, a bit of Yeast, very light Hops, Grass, Paper and a bit of Iron. But again, no real off-notes. 

Finish: Short, Watery and slightly Dry and Sour towards the end. The Hops are more noticeable now alongside the Grain, Grass and a Metallic note.


Rating: ******1/2  (Six and a half out of Ten)

General Remarks: Bottled Brahma Chopp was first launched in 1934, brewed by Companhia Cervejaria Brahma that was founded in 1888 in Rio de Janeiro by a Swiss immigrant by the name of Joseph Villiger. Today it's part of Anheuser-Busch InBev. In terms of turnover, Brahma is the 5th biggest Brewery in the world today. Brahma Beer is exported to over 30 countries. Belgium, Canada, the USA, France, Great Britain and the Netherlands are important markets.

Drinking Experience: It's Light and Refreshing without any disagreeable off-notes. 

Conclusion: A typical Light Summer Beer to enjoy in the sun when you're thirsty. You wont find any off-notes and it's almost as easy as drinking Water. But don't expect any significant Aromas and Flavours because they are simply not there. So relax with your friends and "Chopp Till You Drop".

Jan van den Ende                                                                      April 18, 2015


Thursday 16 April 2015

Quilmes Review



“Don’t Think, Just Drink"

Country: Argentina 
Brand: Quilmes
Bottler: Cerveceria y Malteria Quilmes SAICA Y G
Type: Adjunct Lager
Age: NAS
ABV: 4.9 %
Antioxidant: E 224

Colour: Light Gold. 

Foam: Nice White Foam that collapses rather quickly.

Nose: Very Light. The first impressions are Sweet Corn and Rice. I also find Slightly Sour Bread Dough, Floral/Grassy notes, Mineral tones and a sprinkle of Lemon Juice. No personality whatsoever in this department. No real off-notes as well. 

Palate: Light and Watery with average Carbonation. I find Sweet Corn Syrup, Yeast, Bread Dough, Grass, Rice Crackers, slightly Sour Apples and again this light Lemon note. 

Finish: Short and Watery with a light Bitterness that is very welcome. Without it, the Finish would be excessively Sweet. I find Corn, Rice, Grass, Lemon, a touch of Pineapple Juice and a hint of Wet News Paper. After a while I get a light Metallic off-note as well.


Rating: ******  (Six out of Ten)

General Remarks: The Quilmes Brewery was founded in 1888 in the city of Quilmes by German immigrant Otto Bemberg. In 1920 it was already the most popular Brand in Buenos Aires and today it controls the Argentinean market with a share of around 75% (April 2015). Lots of soccer fans around the world will recognise the Brand as Quilmes sponsors the Argentine National Team and some well-known clubs as Boca Juniors from Buenos Aires. Today, Quilmes is a part of Anheuser-Busch InBev. Quilmes is exported to the USA, South - and Latin America, Australia and Europe. Quilmes uses local Barley, local Hops and Pure Patagonian Water in the production process.

Drinking Experience: Okay. Drink it cold and it's quite refreshing. But once it gets warmer, it becomes painfully Sweet and the Grassy/Vegetable notes become stronger and stronger.

Conclusion: Despite its decent ABV, Quilmes is a very light Adjunct Lager with overwhelming Corn and Rice characteristics. It's quite difficult to detect any significant Malt and Hops content. It's a Mass-Product without any specific signature Aromas and/or Flavours. It's quite refreshing on a hot day however as long as it's cold enough. Don't think, just drink! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                     April 16, 2015