I’ve spent time traveling in Russia (St. Petersburgh specifically), and drank a lot, but I don’t have any real memory what I was drinking. Chances were, a lot of it was Baltika.
Baltika Classic
Poured from a 500ml bottle with freshness dates on the back label. The head was foamy and dissipated to a thin ring quickly. Aroma is grainy, maybe with a bit of corn. There is a touch of hops, slightly floral. Taste is pretty thin, still much better then a Canadian or Blue. A touch of grain, thankfully the corn is gone. Hops are a touch bitter on the finish, not much taste. The aftertaste is actually a bit wet cardboard and grains. Mouthfeel is predictable, nicely carbonated, not too light, pretty good considering the flavour. This beer tastes like St. Petersburgh, not the core, but the perimiter, where everything is cracked soviet concrete and grey. I wonder if there is a beer that tastes like the hermitage and Petrograd and drunken late night cab rides with cabbies packing huge guns. Actually, I know there is, it’s called vodka. Good vodka, smooth and bitter with a hint of sweetness peaking through. Ice cold and served in shot glasses that hold 3oz. But Baltika tastes like a 1960s soviet 15 storey concrete apartment block. It gets the job done and that’s it. No joy, no love, just done. So about 136% better then a molson or labatt product.
I regularly describe myself as an "ardent supporter of beer", which pretty well sums it up. While I'm not working or busy being a husband and dad (okay, honestly, sometimes while I'm doing those things), I am drinking beer, attending events, visiting pubs, and thinking about beer. I work at Castro's Lounge, my local bar in the Beach, where I host beer events and take part in most things beer-related.
