Torin Svetloye Premium
Torin & Co.

Picked up in a Vladivostok supermarket, comes in a brown half liter bottle with a long thin neck covered by parchment like paper and tied with a string. The label is parchment beige and tan, with a lot of Latin words surrounding the image of an ancient coin from Turin. Sugar is an ingredient. Label credits the Teddy Beer company of Moscow for the technology used. Best before 4.5 months after 3/14/05, I opened it on 4/2/05.

Pours a cloudy orange gold under a one finger off white head that fades very quickly, leaving no hints of its existence. The nose is mild and slightly fruity, with a hint of grain. The mouth is light and fairly prickly. The taste is a bit thin and watery, with a hint of malt and a touch of raspberry or plum. Seems unfinished, as a Zwickel should. There might even be some ginger or other spice notes. Ever the slightest phantom of a hops presence lurks in the finish, but is gone as soon as it appears. The aftertaste focusses on fruit and spice. A bit thin for my palate, but I could see people liking this one.