Red Stripe Jamaican Lager
Red Stripe pours with a surprising head for a light lager. A copious, rocky bright-white head sits atop the clearest possible body, the colour of watered down apple juice. Retention could be improved but the head actually laces really well. Not a bad looking beer. Smells mostly of an unspecific astringency with the smallest bit of grain. There's something chemical-y in there too, some old mop bucket or something. I chose specifically to buy this in a can as the last time I drank this (well over a year ago) the bottle was incredibly skunked. It must have been sitting around forever. It tastes of grain, pale malt, a light honey-like sweetness and there are even some hops on the finish. There is some chemical-something in the flavour as well but it doesn't come off as badly as that from the smell. Some nail polish comes out as it warms. No alcohol present (obviously, at 4.7%). Yeah, I don't know about this one. I'm actually enjoying it less and less as I drink it. The feel is not good. Light body and medium carbonation. Definitely too watery. I was expecting worse, given the fact that my last Red Stripe was one of the worst beers I've ever had. I knew it had to have been off. This one doesn't taste off, it's just really not too good. I won't be buying this again, I kind of only bought it to add a notch to my country list... I also hadn't yet reviewed an "American Adjunct Lager". Kind of lame they brew it in Canada. Does this really count as a Jamaican beer, then?