Afanasy Tyemnoye
Afanasy

Afanasy TyemnoyeAfanasy Tyemnoye
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Afanasy
 
Russia
Style:
European Dark Lager
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.66 | pDev: 15.03%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
14
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 15, 2014
Added:
Sep 28, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by IronDjinn:
Photo of IronDjinn
Reviewed by IronDjinn from Canada (AB)

2.2/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1
Managed to find bottles of this sold in singles, and as I found an option of not having to pay $17 Canadian for a 6 of it, the prospect became more tempting, given my past experience with the pale lager. Came in the geometrically bevelled, cudgel-like triangular bottle, a red label this time with the viking biting his thumb, the Norse ship thermal symbol on the back of the label. The best before dates on the back are also not marked off.

Pours out a cloudy/murky amber walnut colour, small fizzle of head that lapses to nothing in a matter of moments. The aroma is of wort and strong carmelized sugar. Flavour contains that sweet sugary caramel flavour, which masks some astringent off flavour on the aftertaste, of which I can only hope comes from some hop content, but I have my doubts. Mouthfeel is bland and nondescript, not quite watery, but not full either. More off flavours the farther down the glass I get. Perhaps the original product in Russia is far better than what I got my hands on here in Canada, perhaps I got an old bottle, but I can't say I'll be returning for more of this stuff at any given time, let alone finishing this glass. At least I have one more cool bottle for homebrewing.
May 26, 2004
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by AlexAfonin from Russian Federation

Nov 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois

Aug 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by WOLFGANG from South Carolina

Jul 13, 2013
Photo of SaCkErZ9
Reviewed by SaCkErZ9 from South Carolina

3.76/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from an 11.5 oz pyramid shaped bottle into a pint glass.

No head whatsoever forms. Maybe some tiny white speckles on top but nothing more than that. Quite dark looking; cloudy, orange brown, prune juice look.

This beer is very comparable to a scottis ale. Very malty in flavor and aroma. Also smoky. Definitely malts in the smell. Notes or whiskey in nose as well. Nothing in the way of hops. Not overly malty though. Very balanced.

Clean finish with a sweetness. A very drinkable beer.
Oct 29, 2005
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.42/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours out a murky medium amber body with a small head that quickly dissipates to a ringlet; no lacing

Smell: Sweet caramel prodominates; smells like wort

Taste: Very sweet caramel malt flavor dominates the start and is paired in the finish with a slight hoppy bite; slightly phenolic on the finish

Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy with a very modest level of carbonation

Drinkability: Not a bad beer; quite different, but the sweetness limits the amount of this one would want to consume
May 30, 2005
Photo of Backer2004
Reviewed by Backer2004 from North Carolina

3.82/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This one was left over from a beer tasting we had over New Years. wanted to try it because it would be a first from Russia. Very interesting bottle shape and label. Poured above average light chocolate colored with a slight head. Tastes and smells of sweet malts, no bitterness to speak of. Pretty good choice depending on the price at which you can find it.
Jan 13, 2005
Photo of MAB
Reviewed by MAB from Canada (AB)

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
I liked the bottle and shape of the bottle- very unique, unless you're buying soya sauce.
The beer itself had that Eastern European flavor- sweet but thick, and almost buttery. Tiny bubbles in a beautiful amber color. Definite nose, with what I thought were Sasz Hops coming through.
I wanted to like it more than I did. I think Ocacim, from Poland, is a better beer. This one has a definite taste and it didn't quite agree with mine. I would have preferred a bit more carbonation, I think, to make it less syruppy.
Oct 09, 2004
Photo of Shiloh
Reviewed by Shiloh from Canada (ON)

3.47/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Arrived a very cloudy dark amber with short crown and limited glass ring in its aftermath. Carbonation appears weak.
The body is a medium plus.
Aroma has a worty composition with something extra..
Very sweet tasting ...very little hop presence until the end.
The linger is seemingly well balanced but plays to the malts to end.
How odd is that?
May 25, 2004
Photo of Globetrotter
Reviewed by Globetrotter from Virginia

4.01/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Update on 4/3/04 - almost a year after my original review. I think I was too harsh originally, as this has become one of my regulars. The color is burgundy under a dark tan head that actually lingers well down the glass, leaving sparse but not insignificant lacing. The nose is sweet - too sweet - caramel. The mouth is prickly and medium bodied. The taste opens with sweetness - caramel and sugar. This is followed by a good fresh hoppy bite in the finish. The aftertaste return to sweet. Sugar is an ingredient here, and it shows. Still, this is a very, very drinkable brew. I might even miss it when I leave Russia.

From 4/5/03: A decent brew. The color is a bit darker than an amber, but not quite a porter. The head is white and thin, disappearing quickly without any trace of lace. The smell and taste are malty, with a hint of hops - it needs more. There is a pleasant hoppy aftertaste, which lingers long enough to make you take another sip. This beer is certainly drinkable, but leaves you wanting more - more quality, that is.
Apr 03, 2004
Photo of GCBrewingCo
Reviewed by GCBrewingCo from North Carolina

4.12/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The light brown/amber brew pours with a good head, but is every so slightly cloudy in the glass. It has a huge sweet malt aroma with definite caramel. The flavor is crisp, with good bitterness and sweet malt that goes into a dry finish. The body is medium light.

I had to do some research to find out this was even the brew I tasted. The bottle has little to no markings, and the label and the backaging don't have very many clues either. The giveaway was that the beer is a Dunkel. The label says Tver Beer and Dark. That is just about all. It does have a thermo-sign lable that shows up whenever the beer is cool enough to consume. The bottle is a rising cone shape and very heavy when empty. It has to be one of the coolest beer bottles I have ever seen. The importer is in Johns Island, SC which is a small place near Charleston. Not really a location you look to for beer importing. Also the ABV as listed on this brew is above the SC limit. The bottle and packaging doesn't list any limit on it.
Nov 29, 2003
Photo of SilentSabre
Reviewed by SilentSabre from North Dakota

4.25/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a nice dark brownish red, almost like tea. Decent head that stayed around for a little while. Light lacing of the glass. Quite a bit of malt in the taste. Almost a little chocolatey to me. Indeed impressed, and will most likely buy this one again.
Sep 17, 2003
Photo of Nesued
Reviewed by Nesued from South Carolina

4.32/5  rDev +18%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Being Slavic, I was quite interested that I haven't come across this beer before a visit to a newly-opened Russian eatery in town. The recommendation from the owner directed me to this brew.

As mentioned in previous reviews, yes indeed this beer has a malty slant which is quite a nice change of pace.

Presentation is a nice dark color with a minimal head.
Smell is mild and not at all overpowering.

Taste is well worth it, if you can locate this brew via your typical establishments or wholesalers. I had some trouble locating this one outside the eatery.
Jul 06, 2003
Photo of inebrius
Reviewed by inebrius from Michigan

4.17/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Scored this at the local supermarket. Quite a find for the outlay. Malty! Nose of sweet and toasted malts. A creamy draught hollers malt yet is subdued by a near perfect dose of bittering hops. Mild alcohol kick and a nice long finish make Afanasy Dark a pleasure to drink.
Sep 28, 2002
Afanasy Tyemnoye from Afanasy
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 14 ratings