Lao Brewery Co (Carlsberg) : Beerlao: Dark Lager (Lao: Dark Lager: 6.5% ABV)
Visual: Dark ruddy red brown body, with a very large browned head that leaves suds.
Nose: Nutty. Ashes. Cashew and peanuts. Malt drinks. Subtle black-cherry. Light fruitcake and port.
Body: Fruitcake. Cherries. Raisins and suet. Lightly bitter. Cloves. Bitter leaves. Light chalk. Madeira.
Finish: Light charring. Fruitcake. Suet. Cloves. Nutmeg. Bitter leaves. Madeira soaked sponge.
Conclusion: This seems to get a bit of a kicking on review sites, and having drunk it I’m not sure why, is it because Carlsberg own them? Because in general this is a very satisfying dark lager that leans into a far more fruitcake and Christmas set of flavours than you would normally expect from a dark lager. It feels like it is using that slightly higher abv to bring out a whole range of sweet, spirity and vinous notes to play with that you would not normally see. This includes a lot of Christmas spice, which is not always my thing, but used in moderation here it definitely enhances rather dominates the beer.
It is easy drinking but all those big flavours does leave it a tad less lager like than you would expect.
It actually tastes pretty ESB like, unusual but I am not complaining about those flavours layered over a lager easier (if not easy) drinking take on the style.
Maybe that is why reviews give it a kicking? For all it is tasty it does not fit neatly into any style hole? Maybe?
Any which way, I am enjoying it. Big flavours, ESB level flavours but easier to drink. I am not sure how well it would suit traditional Thailand or Lao heat, as I am drinking it in a lovely air conditioned room, but here it is lovely.
Background: While out in Thailand we did a river boat trip where Loa, Myanmar and Thailand meet, and on that boat they were selling Lao beers to drink. I passed at that point but at a corner shop in Krabi they had them, and I decided to grab one to do notes on – might as well add another country to the list of ones I’d tried beers from. Decided to go with the dark lager as I’d seen the standard a few times in the UK so seemed one I was less likely to try again. As mentioned looking on ratebeer this has abysmal reviews, which seems odd considering how much I enjoyed it. Dunno if people hate it as Carlsberg own it, or just my tastes are not in line with a lot of drinkers. Who can tell? Anyway, drunk in my hotel just before heading out for the night.
