mcberko Profile

On tap at Pien Shop, pours an opaque muddy yellow with a small white head. Aroma is pure hopburn, totally obscuring the Nelson, and just bombarding my nostrils with chalk, hopburn and allium. Flavour is egregiously chalky, with major hopburn dominating and only a slight hint of the Nelson hop tang. What a waste of good hops on such an incompetent beer from an incompetent, overhyped brewery. Garbage.

Tried from Draft at Pien Shop & Bar on 15 Nov 2025 at 08:50

mcberko (3442) reviewed

SalamaNation (Helsinki, Finland 🇫🇮)

8 months ago

7.6/10 — Setting 8 Selection 8 Service 9 Food Value 4 Overall 9

One of the nest newer spots in town. There's an affiliated brewery, but the bar features a range of breweries (across 20 taps) from all over Europe. For example, when I visited, there was some great stuff from PINTA Barrel and Boerenerf on tap. They do flights -- choose as many 0.15L pours as you want, slightly discounted from their 0.2L pours, but you will definitely rack up a bill because this is Finland and these are sexy beers. They also have many cans/bottles -- Salama beers are discounted 30% for takeaway. Very friendly, hospitable bartenders. Mandatory stop when in Helsinki.

Visited on 14 Nov 2025 at 19:00

mcberko (48811) reviewed

Embrace the Uncertainty from Revenant Brewing Project (Kuopio, Finland 🇫🇮)

8 months ago

7.3/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 8

On tap at Pien Shop, pours jet black with a small brown head. Aroma is full of big toasted malt, gentle vanilla beans, and some molasses. Flavour is big, with plenty of vanilla beans, molasses, and light toasted malt. Good malt depth despite being rather airy on the palate, serving up a good foundation for the vanilla. Good stuff.

Tried from Draft at Pien Shop & Bar on 15 Nov 2025 at 08:33

mcberko (48811) reviewed

Proximity from Amity Brew Co (Farsley, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)

8 months ago

5.4/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 5 Overall 5

On tap at Pien Shop, pours black with a small tan head. Aroma has soft marshmallow upfront, toasted malt, and a touch of vanillin. Flavour is rather thin and lacking depth, with toasted marshmallow, vanilla, and a very weak malt base. There’s really just nothing of value here. Finishes oddly harsh in bitterness and alcohol. Pretty lame.

Tried from Draft at Pien Shop & Bar on 15 Nov 2025 at 08:32

mcberko added a new beer Proximity by Amity Brew Co
8 months ago

mcberko (48811) reviewed

Darkwing (6%) from Duckpond Brewing (Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪)

8 months ago

6.5/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6

On tap at Pien Shop, pours an opaque dark pinkish red with a large bright pink head. Nose is dominated by the vanilla upfront, followed by jammy currant, and some lacto in back—no gose elements when you layer in this much adjunct. Flavour is likewise dominated by the currant and vanilla, with little actual complexity, just a barrage of tart currant, insane vanilla, and lacto. I guess it’s fine for what it is, but this could never be satisfying for me.

Tried from Draft at Pien Shop & Bar on 15 Nov 2025 at 08:26

mcberko updated a beer: Darkwing (6%) brewed by Duckpond Brewing
8 months ago

mcberko (48811) reviewed

Patience 2025 from PINTA Barrel Brewing (Wieprz, Poland 🇵🇱)

8 months ago

8.6/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8.5

On tap at SalamaNation, pours jet black with a tiny tan head. Aroma is complex and decadent, with heaps of toasted coconut upfront, big bourbon barrels on tap, and a hint of the rue, though I don’t get vanilla. Flavour is wonderfully complex and rich, with deep coconut galore upfront, accentuated subtly by the bourbon, and a touch of vanillin. The coconut steals the show and the barrels just round things out and add subtle woody nuances. One of Pinta Barrel’s best I’ve had.

Tried from Draft at SalamaNation on 15 Nov 2025 at 08:24

mcberko updated a beer: Patience 2025 brewed by PINTA Barrel Brewing
8 months ago

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