Apollo Seven
Apollo Brewing Company Ltd.

473 ml can from Longos dated BB 8/13/26, poured into traditional pint glass. Served chilled, formed two finger fine white head on pale gold. Head dissipated within a couple minutes, some lacing on glass. Looks like an excellent lager.

Decent malt scent, very little hops. Taste matches that, not bitter, a touch of sweetness - which matches my typical preference. The 7% ABV doesn't overwhelm the flavor, but not a lot stands out in the flavor to particularly recommend, either.

A local brewer for me, but I'll try another of their offerings to lend my support next time. Not a bad beverage by any means; but, only a good one.

From a 473ml can dated BB 08/13/26. Poured into a pint glass. A big two finger fine white head on a pale gold. The head soon diminished to a persistent thin layer. Lots of fine clingy lacing.

Malt in the nose. Some spicy hop. The taste is a bit thin. Sweet. A faint strange chemical taste in the finish.

The mouthfeel is fairly smooth. Medium body and good carbonation. Overall no major flaws. better than most European Strong Lagers.

473 mL can from TBS; best before 04/12/2026 and served slightly chilled. Brewed at the Brunswick Bierworks under contract.

Pours a crystal clear golden yellow colour, producing nearly three fingers of soapy, foamy white head that dissipates within four or five minutes. Fantastic lace deposition, with a frothy cap and collar remaining on the surface - looks great, but the aroma is another story. Grainy malts, buttered biscuit, corn husk, ethanol and an unmistakable hint of nail polish remover.

A little more palatable than the nose let on, but after a few sips it quickly becomes a chore to drink. I'm getting sweet corn, bready malts and graininess, with hints of bubble gum and confectionery sugar by mid-sip. Just a flash of grassy hay later on, concluding with a boozy-sweet, borderline sugary finish that I didn't really care for. Medium in body, with moderately assertive carbonation that adds some frothiness to this lager's smooth, slick mouthfeel. Finishing one can is not that difficult, but a single serving is plenty for this guy.

Final Grade: 3.12, a C+. I've had much more offensive strong lagers than Apollo Seven... but being 'merely tolerable' isn't much of a selling point. This is a very sweet lager - which, on some level, actually does help to a certain extent, because it distracts me from the poorly-integrated alcohol. It's also better than many of the Euro alternatives, e.g. the Bavaria 8.6 series, but not nearly good enough to earn a serious recommendation. I'd probably take a couple of Cold Shots over this, because at least I'd finish those before they get warm. If you're a college student looking for something to give you a light buzz before hitting up the bar/club, this is worth a shot.