Brew Review: Heineken Lager Beer

This is the first time I am trying this beer since my beer enlightenment. Previously, I've tried it before, but it never really impressed itself on me, and plus, back then I remember throwing away half a can since I obviously didn't know how to appreciate beer back then.

I took this beer out of my stash to try. I got home today after work at about 6PM, and then chilled an R.T.P. can in the fridge and freezer alternately for about 3 hours.

Out of the can, the beer poured a golden straw colour with a dense head. The head took a little coaxing to come out. Halfway through the pour, with my beer pouring experience, I decided that this beer really needed a little more agitation in the pour, so I ended up doing just that and I achieved a perfect two finger head.

The nose was a good sign that the beer was not going to be a disappointment. The nose was malty, with a metallic halo, which I find is very characteristic of beers coming from cans. Upon further sniffing, there is a very distinct aroma of toasted wheat; this is not immediately apparent, but reveals itself subtly but not quietly. Carbonation is strong at first, showing itself as strong angry bubbles fizzing from the bottom of my weizen glass to contribute to the head, but dies down quickly.

After a while, the head dies down to reveal a more macrobubbly head that is about half an inch thick. It does not recede to form a halo - it stays floating like a cloud on top of the beer.

In the palate, however, is where this euro lager truly shines. Compared to its cousin from Sweden, also a Euro lager, the Mariestads reviewed in a previous post, this is lighter in body, more casual, friendly and inviting, with its toasted wheat and malt nose, and digestives and biscuits to balance out the moderately hopped body. The beer is a lot less mineral than the Tiger previously reviewed, and there is good texture and mouthfeel - the residual sugars dance on your tongue in a tango with the other simple, one dimensional notes that are somehow simple but harmonious.

The yeast does not show itself immediately, it hides in between the hops and I think that it is very charming indeed because it isn't that outrightly savory from the get go. It manages to hide the umami and stay refreshing. There is a hint of grain in the palate right about here, and I cannot decide if the fleeting teasing flavor was that or barley or rice. Nonetheless, a very pleasant dance on the palate.

Nearing the end of the beer, the head thickens to form a one inch high macro bubbly head which contributes to the moderate lacing seen in the photo below. The finish is short with a wash of hops that coats your tongue and makes it water, making it a very competent thirst quencher.

Overall, I enjoyed this beer, and the weizen glass was empty before I knew it.

Component Intensities:

Malt: 5/10

Yeast: 5/10

Hops: 6/10

Overall Ratings:

Nose: 6/10

Body: 7/10

Finish: 5/10

Total: 18/30

N.B.: The component intensities are a bit low, not because the beer is not good; it is because it is a euro lager that manages to stay light without staying dilute. Stylistically, being able to stray on the light side without being the least bit diluted is a triumph. The beer is very one-dimensional, very simple and basic beer, but manages to charm with the well integrated and quality components. If anything, it is let down by its length of finish, regrettably, a little too short.

It is not a complex beer. But that does not mean that it is not good at all.

A very good example of a standard euro lager by Heineken. Its performance to price ratio is very good; but drinking this one-dimensional beer everyday would leave me bored by like, what, day 4?

I know what I'm tasting, and this beer is not lacking in quality and craftsmanship. For a million gallon lager, the quality definitely is higher than what the market expects, and its other competitors in the market.

#GlowingExperiences #Lager #eurolager #heineken #chug