Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Finally a Brew Pub Review!!







Beer Reviewers

Richard aka “Satan Spawn” Cassada

Jon ““Matatu Man” Bernt

Helen aka “must have a beer review” Shipman

Micah “I’m a one woman wolfpack” Branaman


Beer Review Method

Thumbs up = 1 point

Thumbs sideways = ½ point

Thumb down = 0 points

Brewery location

Brew Bistro and Lounge

Nairobi Kenya

http://www.eatout.co.ke/brewbistro-p/bigfivebrewbistro.htm


Chuikolsch – 3.5 Thumbs

100% malt, German style pale blonde ale, crystal clear with a light body, medium bitterness clean taste.

Our opinion – We gave this a solid thumbs up but realized in retrospect that we would downgrade this beer to a 3 Thumbs. Although it was a solid beer, it lacked the delightful sharpness that comes from more hoppy beers. Still a great well balanced, late afternoon beer that whets the appetite for more.


Simpilis – 1.5 Thumbs

This is a classic medium bodied 100% malt pilsner brewed according to the German Purity Law. It has a complex but well balanced malty character, a flowery hop aroma, a dry finish, and a golden blonde with excellent clarity.

Our opinion – This beer rated low on our list. It was described as “like Blue Moon”. It was a bit skunky with a sharp aftertaste and very watery. We gladly passed on to our next beer.


Temstout – 2.5 Thumbs

A classic full bodied beer with a lovely creamy head distinguished by the aromas of coffee roasted malt and dark chocolate.

Our opinion – Although this beer did have a nice balance between smokiness and oak aromas, it simply did not have the full rich body we were seeking. The head was indeed creamy and rich and was a pleasant introduction to the beer itself.


Octoberfest – 4 Thumbs

100% malt, deep amber colored ale, full bodied, complex with distinct caramel and coffee taste.

Our opinion - We were unanimous in our liking of this beer. Its rich amber color hinted at the delight to come. It was full bodied, tingly and had no scent or aftertaste. Its complex and rich taste endure from first sip to finish. It was my beer of choice after the tasting.


Nyatipa – 2.5 Thumbs

100% malt, deep copper, pale ale, well rounded, bitter, medium bodies and has a great head. Hoppy but malty too.

Our Opinion – This was a heavy beer. Hearty and bitter. Low on our list but great for the beer drinker who appreciate a true deep hops taste.


Kifabock – 3.5 Thumbs

Full bodied 100% malt Belgian style Dobbel Boch with lots of malt flavor. Golden brown color.

Our opinion – We finish our tasting with this delightful beer. It has a definite fruity aroma but a bitter finish. The heavy malt and golden brown color made this my next beer after tasting. It was hearty, heavy and we give it almost full marks!





Wednesday, April 7, 2010

I miss good beer!

Sampling the "Red" bananas used for beer in Mto Wa Mbo, Tanzania

Local beers reviews for Kenya and Tanzania
March 27, 2010
Richard Cassada


Let’s face it. Kenyan and Tanzanian beers suck. Beer is not commonplace or frequently consumed in these two countries. Tuskers has a virtual monopoly on the market in Kenya and is very aggressive about protecting their territory. I have been told that they go so far as to buy competitors beers, leave them in the sun for a while and then put them on the market. Tuskers responded to the demand from its consumers for another beer by simply putting the beer in different colored bottles. From what I know about Kenya so far, this is business as usual. Guinness also has a presence here and you can find Heineken with some effort. Guinness also sells a nonalcoholic malt beverage called Malta. With this said, I will attempt a review of the few local beers and one very local Tanzanian banana beer. That’s right, you heard it correctly. Banana beer.

Tuskers Premium Lager – Kenya
This beer has the characteristic off odor of many African beers. It comes in a large, heavy bottle and is the monopoly beer of Kenya. It is very pale yellow and has a light, mildly hoppy flavor. There is also a metallic taste that seems to permeate all African beers. It is clean and crisp and great for sitting on the veranda in Nairobi while breathing in the noxious fumes from the unmaintained vehicles. It is a standard, uninteresting beer.











Kilimanjaro Premium Lager – Tanzania
This lager is light and clean but before you reach the point of tasting, you have to get past the slightly rancid odor and mild bitterness. It has a pale gold color and has a sweet finish and a hint of hops. After a long hot safari, it is preferable to dehydration.












Serengeti Premium Lager – Tanzania
This beer is an improvement from Kilimanjaro but only in removing its negative aspects and not adding positive aspects. It has a light, malty, slightly fruity flavor. It has a light golden color but unfortunately has a slight chemical taste. The taste is slightly sweet. It does not have the disagreeable odor of Kilimanjaro and is the one beer that I look forward to after a day of backpacking.












Homemade Banana Beer – Tanzania
While in the market in Mto Wa Mbo - A small town adjacent to Lake Manyara in the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania, I asked my safari guide if there were any local microbreweries in the area. After explaining to him what a microbrew was, he called our camp cook to buy some local banana beer. At that point, he took me to the local market to let me sample some of the local bananas. Banana beer is made from red bananas so named because of their red peels. The banana is much larger and sweeter than the bananas to which we are accustomed in the states. This high sugar content has the predictable effect on the fermentation of the beer. The brewing of banana beer is a relatively simple and straight forward process that would probably turn the nose of most beer enthusiasts. The bananas are mashed to a pulp, boiled and left to ferment for a week. Millet is then boiled and added to the mix after the week of fermentation. The resulting product is understandably coarse and a bit rancid although it does have a pleasantly smoky taste. This taste is from an unidentifiable source as I could not determine its origin. It tastes nothing like beer or bananas and comes much closer to rancid cider. The alcohol content is through the roof and the carbonation from the high sugar content is substantial. Half a glass each had our group on the happy side of our safari tents. When I first opened the bottle, I noted that it was entirely unfiltered. The millet (and whatever else) was still in situ. I attempted to decant the beer. The guide and the cook were aghast that I would not want to chew on the chunks of millet. They grabbed the bottle, swirled it and each poured a glass. Although not recommended for its culinary qualities, it is definitely local fare to be sampled.