Sibirskaya Korona Rubinovoye
Pivzavod AO Rosar

The latest offering in the Sibirskaya Korona line, the name means "ruby colored." It comes in a tall brown half-liter long neck bottle with the standard SibKor label, just tinted a bit pink. The label proclaims this beer, of a "delicate velvety flavor," one "for true aficionados." Rice is an ingredient. Best before 4/19/04, I opened it on 11/19/03.

Pours a nice enough clear copper gold under a thin and short-lived off-white head that never mustered more than a finger. There's very little nose here at all. The mouth is very prickly and somewhat heavy with sweetness. The taste is refreshing, with just a hint of raspberry mixed with the malt. There are hops here, too, coming out just as the liquid goes down the throat, but lingering well into the aftertaste. There might be just a touch of harshness to the bitter, but it's not a bad drink.