Devassa Tropical Ale Review

“Nothing New Under The Sun”

Country: Brazil 

Brand: Devassa Tropical Ale

Brewery: Cervejaria Devassa, Cachoeiras de Macacu (RJ)
Package: Bottle (355 ml) 

Type: English Pale Ale

Age: NAS

ABV: 4.8%

Ingredients: Water, Six different Malted Grains and European Hops.
Antioxidant: INS 316 
Stabiliser: INS 405

Colour: Light Amber

Foam: Thin but nice, slightly Off-White Foam. Unfortunately it dissolves after 5 minutes or so leaving only a thin head of Foam in the glass while drinking. A few light Laces remain in the glass once you finished it.

Nose: Light with quite some Citrus as well as Malt, light and slightly Bitter Hops, Pineapple, Sweet Pop Corn, White Bread, Caramel and some Floral Soap Notes.

Palate: Light, Watery and Bitter-Sweet with Musty Grains, light Hops, Caramel, Citrus, Sour Berries, Ripe Bananas, Grass, Dried Herbs, Hay, Floral Soap and Wet Paper. The Carbonation is adequate.     

Finish: Short, Watery and slightly Bitter with Musty Grains, Bread, Caramel and hints of Nutmeg and Peppermint Chewing Gum. 

Rating: *****1/2  (Five and a Half out of Ten)

The Brewery in Cachoeiras de Macacu

General Remarks: Devassa started in 2001 when Marcelo Macedo and Marcelo do Rio saw a niche market for creating a Brazilian style Beer, brewed using European quality standards. They started selling their beer from their own shop but gradually they moved towards Franchising and in 2007 a total of 11 units were in operation. Around that time, the second largest Brazilian Beer Brewery Schincariol entered into a partnership with the two Marcelos. From that moment on Devassa profited from Schincariol's distribution network while maintaining the Craft Qualities of their beers. Many new outlets were opened. Schincariol was bought by Kirin from Japan in 2012 and was subsequently renamed Brasil Kirin. Devassa Beers are exported a/o to the United Kingdom and the USA.

Drinking Experience: Okay but Boring and not very Refreshing.  

Conclusion: Devassa Tropical Ale is not really bad but it's nothing special either. It's way too light to be really considered a true Ale type of Beer. There's not too much tropical about it as well apart from some light Fruity notes here and there. My main complaint though is the fact that the Devassa Tropical Ale is not at all Refreshing. In fact, it all smells and tastes a bit Musty and Tired. It's drinkable but it's not a Beer I would buy again.

Jan van den Ende                                                                      May 27, 2015

Bernard Amber Review

“You Shouldn’t Judge A Beer By Its Colour”

Country: Czech Republic 

Brand: Bernard Amber

Bottler: Rodinny Pivovar Bernard AS, Humpolec 
Package: Nice Bottle (500 ml) 

Type: Semi-Dark Yeast Lager  (Non-Filtered - Unpasteurised)

Age: NAS

ABV: 4.7 %

Ingredients, Water, Malted Barley from own production, Special Malts, Prepared Saaz Hops, Yeast and Hop Extract.
Antioxidant: Not Indicated 
Stabiliser: Not Indicated

Colour: Dark Reddish Amber (Beautiful Colour)

Foam: Creamy Beige Foam that dissolves too quickly unfortunately. Only a Thin Head remains while drinking your glass. No Laces are left once you've finished the glass.

Nose: Relatively Light with Malt, Toffee, Treacle, light Hops, Grass, Yeast, Bread Dough and traces of Red Fruits, Citrus and Dried Herbs.

Palate: It's more Watery than I would have thought. On the Palate, this Bernard Amber is Medium-Sweet and Bitter at the same time. I don't think it's Well-Balanced. It doesn't seem to know where it's going. I find loads of Caramel and Toffee as well as Malt, Dried Herbs, Toasted Barley, Earthy Hops, light Citrus, Coffee Liqueur and a Metallic Off-Note. 

Finish: Short, Watery, Dry, Bitter Sweet and slightly Sour with Red Berries, Grass, Earth, Treacle, Caramel and the same Metallic Off-Note as on the Palate.

Rating: *****  (Five out of Ten)

General Remarks: The first Beer Brewery in the city of Humpolec was founded in 1597. In October 1991, Stanislav Bernard and two Czech business partners acquired the bankrupt Humpolec Brewery via auction. In 2001 Duvel-Moortgat from Belgium bought a 50% participation in Bernard. Today, Bernard Beers are exported to around 30 countries, including Brazil. The Brewery produces all kinds of Beers like Pilsen, Lager, Dark and Non-Alcoholic versions. The Amber was launched in 1995.

Drinking Experience: Average/Okay 

Conclusion: Let me start on the Positive side. The colour of this Bernard Amber is really spectacular. A beautiful dark Amber that combines extremely well with the Beige Foam. The Foam dissolves much too quick however. And on the Palate, the Bernard Amber pales quickly. It's too Watery and it misses Balance. Sweet and Bitter notes are at war with each other. I can't find any Harmony. And finally there's that slight Metallic Off-Note that should not be there. The Bernard Amber once again proves that you should not judge a book by its colour! It's not a Beer I will buy again.

Jan van den Ende                                                                      May 20, 2015

Bohemia Imperial Review

“The Lost Empire”

Country: Brazil 

Brand: Bohemia Imperial

Bottler: Cervejaria Bohemia, Petropolis (RJ) 
Package: Bottle (550 ml) 

Type: Premium Lager (American Adjunct Lager Style)

Age: NAS

ABV: 4.7 %

Ingredients, Water, Malt, Unmalted Grains, Hops
Antioxidant: INS 316 
Stabiliser: INS 405

Colour: Golden Amber

Foam: Slightly Off-White Foam that dissipates very quickly. Although it's Creamy, it only leaves a thin head while you're enjoying your glass. Very few Laces remain in the glass once finished.

Nose: Light and Clean. There's not much going on in this department. It's mainly Biscuits, Bread, Malt and Toast with light Grassy Hop notes. It's not overly Sweet so I suspect a low Corn content. I also find some Citrus notes, basically Lemon. 

Palate: Medium-Light Body with adequate Carbonation. It's very Malty and slightly Sour. Again it's not overly Sweet and it does not possess that awkward Corn Syrup flavour. It does have a bit of Caramel and Butterscotch. I also find Light Floral Hops, Lemon and light Mineral tones.  

Finish: Short, Malty, slightly Herbal and Dry but with increasing Sweetness. It could do with a little more Bitterness here to get more balance. 

Rating: ******  (Six out of Ten)

The Home of Bohemia Imperial in Petropolis (RJ)

General Remarks: The Bohemia Brewery was founded in 1853 by Henrique Kremer, a German immigrant. Bohemia was the first Pilsen type of beer produced in Brazil. In the beginning, Bohemia brewed strong and bitter beers following the German traditions. But over time the recipe was gradually adapted to the local market that prefers Lighter and Sweeter beers. In 1960 Bohemia was bought by Antarctica Paulista and today it is part of the Anheuser-Inbev Group. Their main products include Pilsen, Weiss, Escura (Dark) and Confraria. Imperial is a special Expression that was launched to celebrate the fact that the Brewery in Petropolis was re-opened for the public. Its recipe was inspired by the special Beers brewed in the days of the Brazilian Empire but adjusted by Bohemia's Master Brewer to match today's demands.

Drinking Experience: Okay 

Conclusion: I suspect that this Bohemia expression is a far cry from the original Bohemia that was brewed in 1853. To me, today's Imperial is just another common Brazilian Adjunct Lager, produced to accommodate the Sweet palate of most Brazilian beer consumers. It only differs in the Mash-Bill where less Corn and, probably, more Rice and/or Wheat is used. The Imperial comes in a very neat bottle that somehow suggests something special. But that's not the case. In fact I prefer the regular Bohemia that I will review later this year.

Jan van den Ende                                                                      May 17, 2015

Oettinger Extra Strong Review

“I’m a Fan of German Beer But…….!”

Country: Germany 

Brand: Oettinger Extra Strong

Brewery: Oettinger Brauerei, Gotha
Package: Tin Can (500 ml)

Type: Strong Pale Lager

Age: NAS

ABV: 8.9 %

Antioxidant: Not Indicated
Stabiliser: Not Indicated

Colour: Golden Yellow

Foam: Slightly Off-White Foam that dissolves very quickly. Almost no head of Foam while you drink your glass. Almost no laces remain once you finished the glass.

Nose: Very Sweet with Grains (Corn), White Bread, Sugar, Yeast, light Honey, Caramel, Hay, Grass and Lemon. There are some Fruity notes as well but I can't quite pin them down. Peach maybe. Very light Hops. It doesn't smell like real Beer to me. Although the ABV is strong, the Alcohol doesn't bother me on the Nose.

Palate: Terribly Sweet with a light Bitterness. The Alcohol is more present now but it doesn't add anything to this Beer. You just get drunk more quickly. The carbonation is Light/Medium. I find Caramel, Sugar, Yeast, Corn Syrup, White Bread, Floral Soap, Cheap Alcohol, Candies and traces of Acetone. I'm sorry but this is nearly undrinkable. I'm not going to finish this whole tin.  

Finish: Sweet and very Short, almost to the point of non-existing. I find Sweet Bread (Brioche type), Musty Grains, Yeast and Sugar. Slightly Bitter and Dry towards the end.  

Rating: ***  (Three out of Ten)

Oettinger Brewery in Gotha (Picture Credit: Oettinger)

General Remarks: Since 1956, the Oettinger Brewery is owned by the Kollmar family. The Head-Quarters and main facility are located in Oettingen in Bavaria but there also Breweries in Mönchengladbach, Braunschweig and Gotha. Since 2004 it's the best selling Beer Brand in Germany leaving Krombacher behind. The company strategy is to sell huge quantities of Beer at the lowest possible price. Most of the production is sold in Supermarkets and Gas Stations. One of the reasons their products are so cheap is the fact that they don't make any sort of propaganda.

Drinking Experience: Unpleasant and way too Sweet.  

Conclusion: This Beer is very cheap, at least in Europe. Because here in Brazil I paid Euro 3,50 for this! So you can't and shouldn't expect paradise. But I must admit I'm going to drain the rest of my can. This is not Beer in my world. It's a mixture of Corn Syrup and Sugar. At least it tastes like that to me. According to the label, Oettinger Extra Strong is made with Water, Sugar, Malted Barley and Hops Extract. So be it. Well, the Brewery does not make propaganda for this Beer and neither will I. Won't buy this again. What a disappointment!   

Jan van den Ende                                                                     May 13, 2015

Black Princess Gold Review

“A Glass of White Bread”

Country: Brazil 

Brand: Black Princess Gold

Bottler: Cervejaria Petropolis S/A, Teresopolis (RJ) 
Package: Bottle (355 ml) 

Type: Pilsen (Premium American Lager)

Age: NAS

ABV: 4.7 %

Antioxidant: INS 316 and INS 223
Stabiliser: INS 405

Colour: Bright Gold

Foam: Thin White Foam that dissolves quickly. Only a thin layer of Foam lasts until you have finished the glass. Almost no laces remain afterwards.

Nose: Very Light and Thin. Grains and Supermarket White Bread dominate. Only a little hint of Hops. Quite Sweet for a Beer that apparently does not contain Corn. A very distant hint of White Grapes. There's nothing Premium to be found on the Nose.

Palate: Light, Watery and Medium-Sweet with a little Bitterness and Medium Carbonation. I find Grains, Malt, very light Hop and a Grassy note.

Finish: Basically Grain and Bread with a mild Bitterness that suggests that at least some Hop was used. Quite Dry towards the end with a very light Metallic aftertaste.

Rating: *****  (Five out of Ten)

The Castle of the Black Princess (Picture: Petropolis Group)

General Remarks: The Petropolis Brewery was founded in 1994 and is currently one of the Top 3 Breweries in Brazil. Its Brand Names include Itaipava, Crystal, Petra, Lokal and Black Princess Gold. The Group possesses five Breweries. They are located in Petropolis, Boituva, Teresopolis, Rondonopolis and Alagoinhas.The beer I'm reviewing today is produced from Water, Malted Barley and Imported Hops.

Drinking Experience: Okay   

Conclusion: Black Princess is more expensive than the ordinary Brazilian Lager Beers. But it does not justify that price difference. It totally lacks sufficient Aromas and Flavours and is quite Watery. It's a little less Sweet and a little more Bitter and that's all. I had expected more from the Black Princess. It's very easy to drink of course but so is Water! And that's a lot cheaper. At least for the time being. In short, I did not enjoy this expensive Glass of Supermarket Bread. Will try some other expressions from this Brewery later this year to see if the Black Princess Gold is the exception or the rule!  

Jan van den Ende                                                                      May 10, 2015