Admiralteyskoye
Stepan Razin Brewery

A pale straw gold body is capped by a full head of bright white froth that holds well and leaves some very nice rings of lace at the ouset of the glass. Dozens of streams of tiny bubbles can be seen racing upwards, and as might be expected, it's crisp in the mouth with a medium-light body and slightly elevated carbonation (@ 2.5 - 2.6 volumes CO2). The nose is quite basic, delivering a "generic" beer aroma; but it is clean and free of defect. The flavor is richer than the nose suggests, but at the same time it remains a basic European-style pils. The malt appears first on the palate, showing a sweet-side as it warms; followed by the appearance of a bitterness that had slowly been rising since taking it into the mouth; and finally, some herbal hops that usher you into a dry, lingering aftertaste.

Pours a pale gold, with a thin white head that doesn't stick around very long. There is some lace, but not very far down the glass. Smell is grainy, with a touch of alcohol. The mouthfeel was too heavy and sweet. The initial taste is a touch sour, with sugary alcohol tones. Some hops come out in the finish, and there is a reasonable bite in the aftertaste, but the primary impression is syrupy grain. Sure enough: sugar and rice are ingredients.