Syktyvkarskoye
Syktyvkarpivo

Hailing from the far northern Russian Komi Republic, this beer was hand-delivered from Syktyvkar to Moscow (thanks, Kristen!). Standard brown half liter bottle with a short but tapered neck and a green and gold label featuring what looks like a bear running directly at the viewer from under a bright Arctic sun. The back label includes the slogan: "We all live on the same Earth. We take care of you." Ingredients conform to the purity law. Best before 4/06/06, I opened it on 3/14/06.

Pours a darkish clear gold under a short-lived 1.5 finger white head that lacks body and can leave nothing behind. The nose is pretty strong of sour watermelon and rusty hops. The mouth is medium-carbonated and a bit syrupy. The taste is dominated by the sweet/sour malt that reminds me of week old watermelon. There's a touch of metallic hops, but not nearly enough to break through the increasingly sour malt. The aftertaste is almost lemony on the back of the palate. Not sure if they get anything better in Syktyvkar, but this beer, so typical of what the Soviet Union had to offer, goes a long way towards explaining why Russians drink so much vodka.