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Carling Black Label
South African Breweries plc
- From:
- South African Breweries plc
- South Africa
- Style:
- American Adjunct Lager
Ranked #195 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 67
Ranked #28,211 - Avg:
- 2.7 | pDev: 31.11%
- Reviews:
- 17
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 13, 2023
- Added:
- Jul 07, 2002
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 10
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by TheBrewo:
Reviewed by TheBrewo from New York
2.8/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3
2.8/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3
We pour a brew of golden yellow. It holds a half finger high white head which leaves minimal lacing around the glass as it quickly recedes. There is no sediment or haze noted and carbonation appears standard. The nose opens with pale malts and other adjuncty grain. These peak with sweetness, offering forward some faint esters to ride on. Hops are lacking, but a smooth leather flavor emanating from the yeast used provides a soft edge. As we sip, bitter grain hits up front. This sensation is given from the grain itself, along with a cutting metallic punch. Moving through the middle gives soapy flavoring and a faint toast of grain, with faint alcohols wafting up to actually sweeten the palate. The finish is watered-down, offering more faint grain and sour bitterness of unidentifiable adjuncts. The aftertaste breathes hollowly of floury grain, ethanol, and general bitterness. The carbonation is high and the body is light. The feel to each sip is incredibly watery and light, with virtually no froth, cream, or smack. Thin overall. The mouth is left neither dried nor coated, but rather prickled from the big carbonation. The abv is appropriate and the beer drinks decently.
Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the aroma. It was soft and estery, and particularly inviting for an adjunct lager. With the flavoring, however, came a watery beer with little to hold it up. There were big metallics, and a bizarre acidity, as if fresh tomato juice had been squeezed into the bottles. The beer lost further points with the over-the-top carbonation, placing this guy somewhere in the middle for the style.
Aug 16, 2011Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the aroma. It was soft and estery, and particularly inviting for an adjunct lager. With the flavoring, however, came a watery beer with little to hold it up. There were big metallics, and a bizarre acidity, as if fresh tomato juice had been squeezed into the bottles. The beer lost further points with the over-the-top carbonation, placing this guy somewhere in the middle for the style.
More User Ratings:
Rated by JonathanWest from South Africa
3.78/5 rDev +40%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.78/5 rDev +40%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Great mass production beer, crisp and not too heavy. Very refreshing and does turn a bit unpleasant when warming up
Jun 24, 2023Reviewed by RedStickPhil from New Mexico
2.49/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.49/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
This is a crappy beer. I guess it doesn’t look so bad, but tastes like it was filtered through dirty socks, or maybe socks that had been soaked in formalin. I got one as a World Cup thing because I like the label. That’ll do.
Nov 26, 2022Reviewed by metter98 from New York
2.56/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.56/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
A: The beer is crystal clear yellow in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with just a few patches of white bubbles on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light aromas of malted barley are present in the nose.
T: The taste has watered down flavors of pale malts and a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels a bit more than light-bodied and clean on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: For an adjunct lager, this beer isn’t that bad because you can’t taste any of the adjuncts. It is a little watery on the palate but easy to drink.
Serving type: bottle
Oct 31, 2019S: Light aromas of malted barley are present in the nose.
T: The taste has watered down flavors of pale malts and a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels a bit more than light-bodied and clean on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: For an adjunct lager, this beer isn’t that bad because you can’t taste any of the adjuncts. It is a little watery on the palate but easy to drink.
Serving type: bottle
Rated by robed from California
3.54/5 rDev +31.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev +31.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
One of the better SA macros. Good taste, and if ice cold quite a treat.
Jul 15, 2019Rated by Mclusal from Colombia
3/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Z03
Feb 10, 2019Reviewed by rex_4539 from Greece
2.71/5 rDev +0.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
2.71/5 rDev +0.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
L: Clear golden color, no head, no lacing, light carbonation.
S: Smells like...lager.
T: Better than I expected actually. Decent lager.
F: Light bodied and smooth.
O: No as bad as it sounds. Drinkable but then again, why would you want to drink this one when there are so many amazing beers out there?
Dec 26, 2017S: Smells like...lager.
T: Better than I expected actually. Decent lager.
F: Light bodied and smooth.
O: No as bad as it sounds. Drinkable but then again, why would you want to drink this one when there are so many amazing beers out there?
Rated by Oidmoe from Austria
3.1/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.1/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Tasted all right on a cruise where only other macros were available.
Jan 23, 2015
Carling Black Label from South African Breweries plc
Beer rating:
67 out of
100 with
52 ratings
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