TAKEN for granted and often overlooked as being too ‘high end’, I finally decided to
indulge in a Carlsberg.
Mind you it had plenty to do with the new promo push which is virtually taking Carlsberg off the top shelf and placing firmly in the middle rack of the beer fridge.
I use to think (and rightly so) that Carlsberg was for those considering themselves well
above the mainstream beer and having a point to prove.
However, with the craft beer market now inundated with plenty of beers in the same price bracket or even above, Carlsberg is now competitive with well-known Aussie drops.
If you have been like me and shied away from Carlsberg, it’s time you lashed out and
found out why this is one of the world’s premium pilsners.
It has a light golden appearance with a barley/hop aroma which you expect from quality
European brews.
With a tight white head, Carlsberg offers plenty of flavour with medium body which is crisp and clean across the palate and finishes with a well-balanced bitterness in the aftertaste.
For a full strength beer at 5 percent, it doesn’t sit that heavy in the gut and this adds to its sessionability which is excellent.
It’s a very social drop which has good versatility with food, especially acidic or spicy
foods.
It is an ideal warmer weather drop though it can enjoyed year round – after all the Danes
have had about 180 years to perfect it.
If you like a refreshing beer that serves up a good degree of bitterness to quench a thirst,
it’s easy to taste why Carlsberg is among the world leaders.
I must confess that I’m not a big fan of the clean green embossed stubbies, the old label
added some class but it’s what’s inside the bottle that counts.
You can even get a free iPhone app, ‘C-Quotes’ which features quirky quotes about the
drop so you further impress friends with your ne-found knowledge.
Even if it is brewed under license here in Oz, after a hard day’s work, I’d be happy to
suggest “that calls for a Carlsberg”.
MY TIP
Serve this nice and cold though the lack of label may means you’ll have to explain what
it is. Now priced ‘mid-field’ in the premium beer section, at $17 per 330ml six pack,
Carlsberg isn’t just for show anymore but a real alternative to some higher profile but less flavoursome drops.
Comments (1)
Surprising to hear that
Surprising to hear that Carlsberg is a high end beer down under. In the UK it's a cheap and cheerful beer, with not flavour really. Not something I would grab. That being said I remember when I lived in Australia Stella Artois was also a high end beer. We call it wife beater, more of a yobbo lager really! Still I tried many great independent Aussie beers, I really liked Jim Boags.
Great blog by the way.