Mykhola Zhigulevske
Umanpivo

Umanpivo "Mykhola (Микола) Zhigulevske AKA Classic Mykhola (Микола)"
500 ml brown glass bottle, coded "LOT1800" and sampled on 05/03/2026
$4.49 @ Total Wine & More, Claymont, DE

Notes via stream of consciousness: A rough pour has brought up a massive head of rocky white foam atop a clear deep golden body. The aroma is grainy and earthy, and without any clear hops. The taste is surprisingly sweet, honeyish, and caramelish. I was expecting more of a straightforward Pilsner-style lager but this is interesting. It reminds me in some ways of Kvass. There's a toffee-like note to it and I wonder if that's due to some buttery diacetyl. There's just the lightest touch of some grassy and herbal hops in the finish. The body is medium and dextrinous, and the carbonation is mild (I certainly didn't need to give it a rough pour). That, combined with the sweetness of the malt and a lack of hop character leaves it a bit blocky but it's not cloyingly sweet, at least not about eight ounces into it. If you like malty beers this one's for you!
Review #9,511

Presentation: 500 milliliter bottle poured into a pint glass.

Look: dark golden color. Slightly cloudy appearance. 2 finger foam head that evaporates rather quickly. Minor amount of lacing.

Smell: bread, apples, veggies, grains, and sweet honey. The smell is pleasant, but not particularly strong.

Taste: bread, fruits, veggies, grains, and sweet honey. There is a bit of an earthy aftertaste too. The taste is pleasant but quite sweet.

Feel: medium bodied. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Carbonation is below average.

Overall: it is a decent lager. The flavor profile is very similar to other Ukrainian beers I have had, but this one is sweeter than typical. I do not usually like a sweet beer but it kind of works for this one. No foul aromas or flavors detected. It’s worth trying if you run across it but not a must have.

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass
Appearance – The beer pours a clear deep golden amber color with a small head of white foam. The head fades very quickly leaving a touch of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is heaviest of a biscuit and doughy smell mixed with some caramel and toffee sweetness. Along with these flavors comes notes of lemon and a touch of orange peel, along with a little bit of an apricot smell.
Taste – The taste begins with a caramel and toffee sweetness paired with some doughy malt, much bigger then would be anticipated for a 4.5 % brew. These tastes really dominate the flavor profile, with them lasting thought-out as the big flavor players. While absent upfront, some peach and apricot develop on the tongue as the taste advances sand with some light notes of earth developing, one is left with a sweet malt, but easy natured taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – For a 4.5 % brew the body is a bit heavier than I would anticipate, with a carbonation level that is on the slightly lower side.
Overall – A sweeter tasting, but very approachable and easy drinking lager with a lower abv. This actually makes for quite a nice session style brew.

Ah, Zhigulevske! The "Beer" from the distant past.

Good honest delicious brew from behind the Iron Curtain. This one is really well made. It's an honest to Communist God lager. Beautiful color, pleasant aroma, sweet malt and crisp hop balance.

IYKYK

Approved.

 

Good looking, golden color. Big, white head. Malt, grain, and hay in the aroma. Malty, refreshing taste with some hoppy bitterness. An average European lager.

Pours a fluffy bubbly almost 1 finger head with moderate retention, semi clear tan to pale color

Nose typical Euro lager, grainy malt, a bit like bread sitting in water and fermenting, plenty of cereal, straw, a little fruity note

Taste more of that cereal, this time a bit more like cereal in water fermenting, raw dough, straw, a bit of grass, lemony notes, general fruity, gristy, light herbal hops with the grassy and light to med bitterness, grain and mash, a little sugary note, semi sticky sweet finish

Mouth is med bod, lower carb

Overall not terrible, typical Eastern Euro lager that has weird malt and cereal like characters, but not bad

 

From the bottle, it pours a clear golden color with a white head that soon diminishes to a thin layer. The nose is sweetish with an extra something that is not completely pleasant. The mouth follows, with a slightly different malt flavor in a smooth body.

From Ukraine, it's Mykhola Zhigulevske lager. It pours a transparent golden straw color with a white head. The nose is sweet like malt, but there's something else present. That something else carries into the flavor, but the overall flavor is reminiscent of a Munich lager. The whole beer ends with a clean mouthfeel.

Poured from a brown 16.9 oz. bottle. Has a golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of malts, light grains. Taste follows the aroma, a faint hint of green apples as well. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer.