Gordon Finest Red
John Martin's (John Martin SA)

Gordon Finest RedGordon Finest Red
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From:
John Martin's (John Martin SA)
 
Belgium
Style:
European Strong Lager
ABV:
8.4%
Score:
77
Avg:
3.1 | pDev: 15.81%
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
18
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 14, 2022
Added:
Oct 02, 2005
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  4
No description / notes.
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Ratings by PapaEugene:
Photo of PapaEugene
Reviewed by PapaEugene from Netherlands

3.14/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bought this bottle at the Bierschuur in Poppel Belgium. High expectations since I really like the Gordon finest scotch. Poured it into my favorite Urthel glass.

A: A very nice brown/red color with almost no head. I was rather dissapointed that on the bottle it said that artificial colorants were added. Not my style.

S: Smells like an ale. Malty, some red fruits and a little caramel sweetness. But all very lightly.

T: Quiet a surprise that a ABV of 8.40% tastes so soft. Again malts and red fruits. Minor bitterness.

M: Medium/High carbonation. A nice light bitter, malty, fruity aftertaste.

D: All in all an interesting beer/ale, but the artificial colorant turns me off, hence a 2 for appearance. Will surely not decline in case offered....
Aug 01, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.65 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 14, 2022
 
Rated: 3.34 by JTuomi from Finland

Oct 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.77 by Giangio from Italy

Jul 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.51 by YvesB from Belgium

Mar 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by BILF from Israel

Oct 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by mattfancett from England

Aug 27, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by hoppecatania from Italy

Jun 27, 2014
Photo of deebo
Reviewed by deebo from Michigan

2.99/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
A can picked up in Carrefour in Brussels.

A-Clear, copper colored. Can tell a color was added to this beer-strange color that I haven't seen in a beer before. Sticky off-white head.

S-Sweet malts, alcohol vapor noticeable.

T-Sweet malt, not much else in there. Fairly clean for the strength.

M-High carbonation, light body given the strength.

D-Fine given the strength.

O-Lacks malt body and character. Decent sweet malt flavor and not overly strong given its ABV. Cheap alternative to the more exciting Belgian strong beers.
Jun 02, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by samEBC from Belgium

Jan 21, 2012
Photo of rvdoorn
Reviewed by rvdoorn from Netherlands

3.28/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Look: the beer pours a reddish-amber color with almost no head.
Smell: Some malts, caramel and yeast. Maybe some hints of red fruits, but very faint.
Taste: Malts, red fruits, caramel and some metallic tones . Finish is a bit dry and hoppy, but all very subtle. Alcohol is maybe a bit too strong in this one
Mouthfeel: medium carbonation, medium bodied
Overall: Not too bad, but as said by another reviewer, I would prefer two equally tasty 4.2% abv beers over this one.
Jul 27, 2011
Photo of benfons
Reviewed by benfons from Belgium

3.68/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Dark clear copper colour, big head that disappears fast.

S: malts, caramel and a hint of apple

T: Rock candy, malt, yeast, caramel, a bit like an IPA

M/D: Very drinkable, good mouthfeel, a bit dangerous, you really don't notice the high alcohol level
Jan 18, 2011
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Radek's choice, at L'autre oeil in Aylmer. A little reddish colour, thought it was a Vienna and was pleasantly surprised by long bitter finish. Decent mouthfeel, drinkability (though a pint by myslef would be too much). Would like more in-your-face hops. Caramel, not too boozy.
Nov 14, 2010
Photo of jneiswender
Reviewed by jneiswender from Massachusetts

2.96/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Had this beer out of a can. Served cool in a hotel water glass.

A-tan head, gem brown/red body

S-yeast, dough, sweet grain

T-sweet grain front, almost jolly rancher. Some booze aftertaste

M-light

D-nice, very smooth and drinkable. I would drink this again.
Aug 11, 2010
Photo of ThaCreep
Reviewed by ThaCreep from Belgium

1.62/5  rDev -47.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1
A nose of lager that blends the side grain (including malt) with the syrupy side (especially with red fruit). The palate is syrupy, follows the same drawn, and offers a bitter alcoholic but also acid fast nauseating presence that comes from a dye present in beer. The value of this addition is highly debatable, especially as coupled with a strong alcohol presence in this mouth, makes it difficult to drink beer.
Jun 06, 2010
Photo of BlackHaddock
Reviewed by BlackHaddock from England

2.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
I bought this can from a Night Shop in Brussels, as I staggered back to my hotel after an evening of beer tasting. Thank God I didn't drink it that night, or my head would have exploded. There would have been blood all over the bathroom mirror and all sorts of problems with getting my body home etc.

The 8.4% alcohol takes over this drink completely.

It looked very good, poured into my Gordon's Thistle glass. not really red, more a copper/amber colour, but bright and clean looking.

Caramel and yeast, no other aroma.

Strange taste, not an Irish Red, nor a Belgian Red, more like a dark lager, sweet, but also a dryness which takes away the flavour of malts and hops.

A battle between the sweet and dryness is not won by either side and the aftertaste just goes.

I would rather have two tasty 4.2% beers than this alcohol laden brew, but as a one off, not a bad beer.
Dec 16, 2006
Photo of Bierschenker
Reviewed by Bierschenker from Belgium

2.8/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
I found this Gordon beer in cans only. The exterior depicts a red and silver tartan with the Scottish thistle in the centre.

The colour is very pleasant and tasty. It has a nice red pale ale colour. But the head is a disaster. Very big bubbles form a big head, as the larger bubbles pop, the head collapses very fast. A messy white bit remains, but it does leave some nice lacing on the glass.
The odour is also rather disappointing, it reminds me of rotting wood and that typical malt odour of English ales.
The taste is a bit better. It gives me a stronger malt taste combined with new oak barrels, rasberry, a bit of strong IPA bitterness (concentrated), alcohol, wet grain.
I believe that the aftertaste combines the concentrated hop bitterness with slight chocolate malt, berries and yeast/fungus tones.

I never know what to do with these John Martin beers? They are not the same as other beers within the same style. They don’t compromise, but can’t convince me either.
Jun 27, 2006
Photo of Globetrotter
Reviewed by Globetrotter from Virginia

3.22/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Found in Moscow's largest discount grocery store, the can is red with silver lettering featuring a symbol that looks a bit like a flower. The Russian import label lists only purity law ingredients. I'm guessing that this is a lager, but nothing on the can provides confirmation. Best before August 2006, I opened it on 10/2/05.

Pours a crystal clear true red under an off-white 1/2 finger head that fades pretty quickly to collar but leaves no lacing. The nose is strong of raspberry. The mouth is well carbonated and fairly light. There's lots of sweet fruit in the opening, with a good malt base. The alcohol comes through pretty quickly, though, turning the whole thing metallic bitter. There's not much aftertaste - just a touch of dryness and fruity sweetness. Too much alcohol for a red.
Oct 02, 2005
Gordon Finest Red from John Martin's (John Martin SA)
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 18 ratings