Beer - #604 - Harbin - Harbin

To China, and a beer of many labels, this one a 2014 FIFA version. I'm sure it's still fresh though, right?

Two-row malt, European and Chinese “Qindao Dahua” hops, rice, and German yeast

This is a 500ml bottle of a beer that is 3.6% ABV, making this 1.42 standard drink units,  and that would be 144 ish calories a serve size

Brewed by Harbin Beer Company (AB InBev) in the style: Pale Lager and they are in Harbin, China

Harbin Beer, the earliest Chinese beer, brewed in 1900 in the origin of the beer industry in China.

[caption id="attachment_11113" align="alignright" width="300"] I look happier than I probably will be[/caption]

With hundred years of infusion of China’s traditional culture Harbin Beer brings a pure good taste.

Inspired by the Tradition and Culture of China’s Most Northern Province of Hellongjiang.

and so then, what could possibly go wrong?

I picked this up at the local bottle shop, small place, caters to a different audience, or a more specific audience perhaps, and I couldn't resist, and possibly a place to visit again, my overall aim of course to drink beer anyone can buy not just the craft wizardry, but then also to be as honest as I can be,

Malt lager aroma, which is no surprise on opening.

Really is pale yellow on pouring and it has a small head, the carbonation indicate that it could have had more, if only I was better as the pouring thing.

It's quite harshly dry hop bitter is my first impression, and that it doesn't have a lot of substance. It's not sour or sweet it's kind of a bit nothing really. First impressions are not reliable, it wasn't dry, hoppy or bitter.

Had a promise of hops, didn't eventuate, aroma indicated a bit of malts, wasn't there, and this is disappointing in it's lack of pretty much anything.

That said, and being honest this possibly isn't for an international audience, or market, where I'm sure it's as successful as any domestic  lager beer you could name from Bud to Tuborg.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 4 (below average) of of its things from the thing. Apart from a sweetish taste there is nothing in the taste profile of this to write home about, it is a lower ABV beer, and these things happen. I'm not disappointed though, at least there were a few pin pricks of taste sensation to at least make the whole drinkable.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I'm not hating it.
Would I have another? IF I had to drink another I don't think it would be a tragedy, I wouldn't pay cash money for another though.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Depends on if I liked them or not :-)

Music for this, Left-field, cosmopolitain pop/rock&soul band 'Zulu Pearls', I believe from Berlin, this album "Singles Deluxe"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-djXHbVHlkU

PALE LAGER

The colour of pale lager ranges from light bronze to nearly transparent and the alcohol anywhere from 4-6%. Adjunct usage may be quite high, though in some cases the beer is all-malt. Carbonation is typically forced, though not always. One thing that doesnt vary is that neither the malt nor the hops make much of an impression on the palate. These beers are brewed for minimum character, though faint traces of hop or malt may show through. More likely though is that adjuncts like corn will show through, or you’ll find notes of higher alcohols (fuel notes) due to the use of high-gravity brewing. The body will be thin and watery, and the finish is typically non-existent.