Windhoek Lager

Brewed by Namibia Breweries
Style: Pale Lager
Windhoek, Namibia

Much like Heineken, but sharper, and more tasty. Out of the capital city of the southwest African Republic of Namibia, Windhoek lager is perhaps the best African beer I have had, though it is incredibly difficult to find in the United States. I know it is not sold in the "Deep South" (Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama). Very good when served very cold in a glass. Has a quality taste, but lacks the uniqueness of a micro-brew, or craft-brew. Perhaps the fact that it is Namibian places it above the classic/generic Dutch lagers it so closely imitates. But then again, maybe Namibia’s time under South African Dutch colonialism made it that way. Regardless, if you can find it, it’s worth the money.

Bottle. Medium high and lasting white fluffy head. Clear yellow body. Mild barley malt flavor with hay ang grass notes. Thin and watery weak and relatively sweet barley malt flavor with just a hint of hops bitterness. Low carbonation, short dry aftertaste.

Further along in the beer tasting i had last night, we opened this baby up. Brought back from Africa from my good buddy Pfoxyjohn, and im glad that i was able try this: Clear golden, small thin off whitehead that quickly dissipates. Taste was soft, grainy fairly malty with a noticeable grassiness midpalate. But all in all it was a pretty refreshing beer. Thanks John!

Bottle. Strane almost peppery smell. Sweet malt in taste. Weak but not disturbing.

Metallic aroma. Pale amber, little head. Flavour is dusty grain, not much malt or hops. Weak and watery body. Finishes coppery and bitter. I’ve had better, decidedly.

Smells of that ever-so-average tinniness and hops, some alcohol, and a whole lot of water. Not much in terms of head, and what there was was gone pretty quick. Colour is yellow, straight through, nothing special. Taste is malts and some bitter aftertaste, a little grain in there. Not much alcohol, but what do you expect for a 4% brew. Dry finish. An okay African lager, better than some, soundly in the middle of the pack.

Pours a weak gold, barely any head. Aroma of wheat slightly discernable under a big skunk blast, oh dear. Light flavour of corn, some wheat and a nice hoppy bitter tang. Fairly strong carbonation. Weak swallow and aftertaste, slight bitterness. Goes down brilliantly on a stinking hot day. A bit bland and boring, but not too offensive, and refreshing in the right situation.

A bottle I picked up at a Big Lots store here locally. For about 50 cents a bottle, I wasn’t expecting much and I didn’t get much. Huge skuned aroma that dominates anything else trying to get noticed. Flavor was some wet corn and a touch of grass. Looked like dirty dishwater that had been filtered. Odd beer. Forgetful.