500 ml. bottle purchased at a semi-local Asian supermarket – thx. for the tip Belgbeergeek as to where I could find this because this beer finally concludes my goal of trying all 73 styles on RB. Malt Liquor is the last one to go – I suppose I saved the best for last – I have been hearing and reading up some wonderful things about this style. Honestly if I were to rate according to style as opposed to my personal perception of the taste, I should just check how terribly drunk this will make me compared to the cost of this beverage and score it according to that. As far as the price is concerned, taking the bottle size into account, this was still noticeably more expensive than the other macro Asian beers at the store, I suppose the elevated alcohol percentage should even things out. I must say that I do not find 6.9 % all that high for a beer living in Belgium, I would still classify this as a lower to medium alcohol beer honestly. Obviously for the Philippines this carries a very high alcohol percentage but honestly if getting violently drunk was my goal – which I assume is the inherent purpose of this beer – there are far cheaper and faster ways of accomplishing this. Vodka for instance comes instantly to my mind or is doing this with beer more socially acceptable, frankly seeing how drunk people often get, I do not see why getting lightly drunk on a hard liquor is frowned upon more than getting comatose drunk on beer but that is just me I suppose. Packaging wise I must note that the brown glass looks suspiciously cheep to me – it is just so transparent – I am having difficulties to believe that upon transport that this beer didn’t have to bear extraordinary amounts of light, frankly I am a bit scared of consuming this. The bottle promises me “that distinctive full-flavoured taste and extra satisfying strength of a world class premium beer” which slightly comforts me and makes me feel once again like an alcoholic (I am referring to the phrase “extra satisfying strength”). The cap mysteriously mentions Oktoberfest 2012, the BBF date 04/09/2013 (way more than expected) and hilariously enough for domestic sale only :) The ingredients are water, malt – contains any of the following cereals, sugar, starch – hops. Curiously no mention of yeast but I have seen this before with some other macro beers, apparently yeast can be omitted as an ingredients, I assume that even they still used yeast to brew this. RB hilariously suggests a paper bag as the correct way of serving this but not having one on hand, I opt for a Lager glass. Crystal-clear straw golden, light shade of amber, white head vanishes to almost nothing quickly. Sweet cereal, starch, apple juice, sweet grains, hay, light butter & candy sweetness. Taste is bitter grains, watery, almost metallic, grains, light floral, grass, real grass, after watery middle it goes back to a typical lager, grains, grass, light metallic finish, small pause & then comes this interesting sweetness it is like candy, butter, peanut butter, white twix, corn,… yeah not sure how to place it, is the starch – must be starch? This beer is like unpleasant … unpleasant … short interesting candy taste. Only lightly watery … typical pale lager body – no noticeable booze. This style is no wore than the regular pale lager stuff, brief interesting sweetness as bonus. Like this more than a factory macro pale lager. It is not getting me drunk enough though… & all styles are done now :)

12oz bottle from The Foodery, Center City, Philadelphia. Pale straw with a billowing, creamy looking, white head; sweet, grainy aroma; surprisingly full in the mouth with a substantial grainy body, and some gentle, floral, hops. Much better than I expected - I bought it to get the country tick - but ending up quite enjoying it.

a very good lager if on vacation ! many belgian lagers could learn from this one ( yes inbev, yes f*** maes, i’m talking to YOU ) but not THAT good i want to have this at home