Archive for the 'Lion' category
Lion Imperial Pilsner
Third up this month, the Beer of the Month Club sent us another beer from Lion Brewery that I never knew existed. This one is an imperial pilsner – a beer with a lot of potential!
This pours a fairly clear golden, though it is apparent that there is some very fine debris, giving this a lightly cloudy appearance. There is also a decent head on this beer, flaring up a fluffy white before simmering down to a light coating. The aroma here is very rich and sweet, indicating that a ton of rich malts went into this. If the flavor is half as good as the scent, I’m in for a treat… In the mouth, this is certainly an imperial beer. The initial flavor is heavy on alcohol and very sweet. The sweetness is redolent of sweetbreads, starting rich and cloying on the front of the mouth and becoming richer and thicker as the beer flows down the tongue. Honestly, there isn’t much hop at all in this mixture, with the exception of a light bitterness that springs up right before the aftertaste. However, once that dwindles, we’re stuck with a very sweet aftertaste. The syrupy mouthfeel of this also ensures that the beer sticks around on the palate for ages, making the aftertaste last for quite some time. This is a mighty tasty beer, though the ‘imperial-ness’ of it all loses some of the subtleties of a good pilsner. Nevertheless, it’s enjoyable, and packs a punch at 8.8% abv.
Ed. Note – I can’t find a single picture of this beer label, so enjoy this picture of a kitten looking in the mirror.
Lion Stout
The next selection this month from the Beer of the Month Club is the Lion Stout. The funny thing is, this is the 2nd time we’ve received this one from BOMC. The upsides are A) It’s a killer beer, and B) It was about a year-and-a-half ago when they first sent it. So, no hard feelings, and I’m glad to have more of these in the fridge. Here is the original review:
Now, I consider myself a fairly adept beer drinker. But, truth be known, I had no idea Sri Lanka made any good beers. Much less did I realize that Sri Lanka might make a decent Stout – just doesn’t seem likely to me. But, there it was, sitting in the latest shipment from the Beer of the Month Club.
The Lion Stout pours a deep, deep brown with dense debris and a dense, caramel-colored head. The aroma of this beer is sheer joy – it’s very rich with a sweet toffee aroma blended with coffee hints. In the mouth, this beer is all sweet and rich. There is a thick sweetness that encompasses toffee, coffee, nuts and chocolate. The sweetness is the predominant force here, but a light nutty bitterness creeps in to give some balance, and there’s even a slight sour tinge that is reminiscent of licorice. The mouthfeel of this beer is also excellent. It is thick and coats the entire mouth, lending the flavor to all parts of the tongue at once and finishing with a lingering flavor that sits in the mouth for many seconds after the beer has seemingly disappeared. Now, I gotta be honest with you – I think that this beer is a rarity when it comes to Sri Lankan beers – I just can’t imagine a ton of great beer exports coming out of a rather unassuming country. However, I do have to give my hats-off to Lion, because this Stout is as good as most anything that we’re brewing stateside or in the UK. I believe this beer enjoys fairly wide distribution, so I’d suggest that you pick up a bottle if for no other reason than to enjoy a Sri Lankan brew.
