Baltika 9 Krepkoe (Strong)

Brewed by Baltika Brewery (Baltic Beverages Holding - Carlsberg)
Style: European Strong Lager
St. Petersburg, Russia

Usually beers have ratings this low because they’re virtually tasteless. That’s not the case with this beer. There is plenty of complexity here: hay, banana, pear, nice bitterness. The aroma is actually pretty decent, with good classic lager notes. The problem is this beer is heavy as hell--both in sweetness and alcohol--and totally unbalanced. Lagers should be refreshing. If I want 8% alcohol I will drink a complex Belgian ale. This beer doesn’t work for me.

Light medium gold yellow pour with little white head. Smell is an odd mix of Alcohol, yeastiness, and a chemically smell, so in other words, not great. Taste was similar with a bit of bitterness, sort of malty sweetness I guess, and a bit alcoholic. Not very good, and wouldn’t get again.

courtesy of Laurent Mousson - clear and pale golden-yellow colour with a chaotic white foam; aroma of grilled almonds and solvant, some hints of pear too; thick and very sweet, full-bodied, long malty sweetish finish with fruity and alcoholic notes - awful

Was debating today, new beer or Stone RIS, new beer, or Stone RIS . . . went with the new beer, bad choice. Aroma is nasty with hints of sweetness and yeast. Pours clear and pale, little head. Flavor is dominated by a sweet fruitiness and an alcoholic finish. I mean, it has some aroma and flavor to it, it is just nasty. Ugh, gonna be tough to finish.

Bottle. High white and lasting head. Clear golden body. Sweet barley malt aroma and flavor. I suspect that a lot of corn had been added. Low bitterness, low carbonation, short aftertaste. Alcohol well hiddend though. Still I find it too boring.

75 oz bottle. Pours dark and watery with a thin head. Aroma of wet dog. Flavor follows aroma with added sweetness and overpowering alcohol. This makes me as well as my friends cringe. Avoid this stuff.

Rated 1/12/06: The first drink from my glass and my goodness, I paid too much....or so I thought. I let this beer warm up and air out a little bit and it got much better, that’s not to say it was a great beer experience. The color looks like your typical american pale lager, better head, and great lacing though. The aroma smelled of corn sweet, and a bit bitter to the nose. The taste like I said wasn’t good at first but it did get better. Very metallic flavor especially in the aftertaste. You can detect the sturdy alcohol content but it is not overwhelming. Now I can see why the Russians pride themselves on their vodka and not their beer.

50 cl can. Hazy golden beer, smells of ripe fruit. It has a wheaty sweetness, but when I look closer at the can, it says maltose syrup, not wheat malt. But there is a fruit aroma, apricots and bananas. It lacks bitterness in the finish.