Chechskiy Standart Svetloe
Krasny Vostok

In order to help out any future reviewers, I'd like to point out that my bottle reads 'Czech Standard' (blue letters on gold banners), with 'Pale Beer' and 'Product of Russia' in smaller type.

Textbook amber with multiple, superfine bubbles ascending slowly and softly plinking into the underside of a very nice looking head. The crown is alabaster in color and has a soft, melted marshmallow stickiness. It also leaves a fair amount of lace. This is definitely one of the better looking Euro pale lagers that I can remember.

The nose is semi-pleasant, although it could be brighter. At least there's none of the usual nastiness that I associate with this style. Czech Standard comes across as a passable attempt at a Czech or German pilsener. I smell grassy hops and very little else.

Unfortunately, the beer doesn't taste as good as it smells. Noble hops still lead the way, but it tastes like whatever vibrant flavor they might once have held is long gone. Pale malt takes the edge off the bitterness, while adding almost no sweetness; pretty typical for a Russian lager (not brewed by Baltika). As always, given the lack of dating, I have no idea how old this bottle is.

The mouthfeel is as one might expect for a lager with an ABV less than 4.0%. The beer is appropriately light in the mouth, without being watery. For the first second or two of each mouthful, I like the carbonation. The bubbles then did a quick death, leaving the finish strangely flat.

It's odd that a beer brewed in Russia would have the name Czech Standard. What isn't odd is the predictably drab, dull flavor. I'm relatively certain that I could have indentified the country of origin if given three guesses. Believe it or not, this is the best beer than I've ever had from Krasniy Vostok. It still isn't worth your money.

The beer emerges from the 500ml brown bottle a clear gold color with a majestic bright white frothy head, after its demise, the lace forms a thin sheet to cover the glass. Nose is prototypical lager, sweet malt, fresh and crisp to the senses; start is sweet, the grain profile adequate, and the top light to medium in feel. Finish is moderate in carbonation, the hops apropos to the style, a drinkable beer, and certainly not the worst I’ve tasted over the last 50 plus years of beer drinking.

This is a remarkably good beer considering the low alcohol content. It pours a basic clear gold under a big bubbly head that faded too quickly, leaving no discernible lace. There's a big malty nose, however, that promises good things to come. The mouthfeel is a bit too prickly, but there is a nice balance there - not too heavy, not too thin, good consistency. The taste is very pleasant - lots of malt to start, chased by lovely flowery bitter hops that leave a good bite in the aftertaste. I'll gladly have another, thank you.