Asmara Lager Beer
Asmara Breweries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottle at Massawa, New York, NY

A: The beer is clear light yellow in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin collar of white bubbles around the edge of the glass and some lacing on the surface.
S: Sweet aromas of adjunct malts—corn seems to stand out in particular—are present in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has flavors of corn adjuncts along with a bit of associated sweetness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer has a fuller mouthfeel compared to what I would have expected compared to other beers in the style. It wasn't that bad and took some of the edge off my Ethiopian/Eritrean food.

Serving type: bottle

 

 

This is a common beer usually available at our local Ethiopian-Eritrean restaurant. Most beers there, like Harar, come from Ethiopia but this one comes from Eritrea. Compared to Harar, it is a more standard, basic pale lager a lot like the usual American macro if somewhat better than many.

Deep straw yellow and faintly hazy, it has a rather large, creamy white head that shrinks slowly and leaves a little creamy lace.

The aroma is light and simple, sweet but pleasant, being light dough with honey and a hint of flowers.

The taste is also light but quite clean and pleasant, slightly on the sweet side with no noticeable bitterness, a clean flavour of apple with dough and honey and a hint of mineral. It has a faint warming alcohol quality. It is smooth and drinkable.