Bernard Celebration Lager - Bernard Family Brewery

heygeebee

Australia

2.63/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

The good news is that you can get beers from what i assume is a small brewery at somewhere like Northmead, in their extensive Euro range. Not expensive, either. Several medals on the label!!!!

The rest of the news isn't quite such a cause for 'Celebration'

Pours ok, one finger head that recedes quickly, looks darker than a Euro lager.

After that, sadly, it neither has the fresh taste nor does it refesh like a Euro, or more accurately of course, Czech lager should.

Earthy, dull flavours predominate, some bitterness but not a lot, and it is light and watery in the mouth. Would be OK in summer, but hell, there are so many better.

The bottle had six months left on the bb date, as well.

Move along folks, nothing to Celebrate here, sadly.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 03:57:56 | More by heygeebee

RaphaelSC

Brazil

3/5  rDev -11.8%

04-24-2013 05:39:35 | More by RaphaelSC

hutoroff

4/5  rDev +17.6%

02-04-2013 00:43:55 | More by hutoroff

David1975

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -11.8%

12-22-2012 20:07:12 | More by David1975

FLima

Brazil

3.28/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

One finger foam quite persistence. Very faint smell, more than i would wish or expect. It got a little better after I let it warm up. Tasted some spicy bitterness and bredy malts. The usual czche hops show up at a later stage. Old school beer. Tried to celebrate a working hard day ahead of a holiday (harder than usual). Deserved something better. Don't get me wrong. This is a top pilsener, ahead of Urquel.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 00:45:27 | More by FLima

jhm

3.5/5  rDev +2.9%

08-20-2012 15:55:25 | More by jhm

vr6corrado

California

3/5  rDev -11.8%

03-24-2012 22:17:25 | More by vr6corrado

Amalak

New York

4/5  rDev +17.6%

11-23-2011 03:08:16 | More by Amalak

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.68/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Brown swingtop bottle purchased from Leura (now called "Downunder"?) Cellars, a huge burst of malt-scented carbon dioxide explodes right into my face on opening, but the beer doesn't gush, fortunately. Pours a pleasant bright golden colour, perfectly clear with a fine, and boisterously frothy head of white. Some blobs of soapy lacing stay sullenly on the sides of the glass. Looks like a good, classic Czech Pils.

Nose is cleansingly sharp and metallic, with a crisp organic Saaz note, and a pleasant brewday-malt underpinning. Hint of green apple skin. It's very nicely balanced between the malt and the sharp hops, giving it a softness overall. Very nice.

Taste is a little flat, unfortunately, with very little body, especially through the center. Light fermented honey characters on the mid palate, with a pleasant zing of metallic and slightly earthy hops coming through on the back. Doesn't have quite the spritz and sparkle I associate with Czech pilseners.

Drinkability is good, for what it's worth. The light body and the zing of hops on the back combine to give enough interest and enough smoothness.

It's not a bad beer, but it falls down a bit where it counts. Certainly something I'd be happy to drink as a cleansing finish, or to quench my thirst on a hot day, though.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 07:08:52 | More by lacqueredmouse

Gorilla

Australia

3.68/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've always found the famous Czech lagers very disappointing - the trip to Australia in green glass results in them tasting soapy. Not so with this beer, which was far fresher. Good head with nice lacing, and died down to a thin foam after a minute. Pleasant golden colour, and a smell that nicely blended honey sweetness with noble hop aroma. The taste was malty without the honey sweetness that can sometimes be evident in beers of this type, with a great mouthfeel. Very drinkable. I'll certainly go back to this beer, and it's nice to finally have a Czech lager worth buying all the way down here.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2007 23:32:47 | More by Gorilla

BeerSox

Virginia

3.23/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

.5l bottle into mug.

Hazy honey color with a light tan thin head that doesn't last long. Sringy lacing makes tiny layers.

Bready malts with a sweet caramel aroma.

Grain and sugary flavors lead off the taste with a little bit of European hop flavor and bitterness coming in. Medium bodied with lower carbonation. The finish consists of lingering hops.

An alright Czech lager, but a departure from the original Pilsner Urquel. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2007 02:54:13 | More by BeerSox

SchmichaelJ

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Presentation: 500 ml bottle, with a resealable cap.

This bottle of Bernard was yet another gift from a friend visiting the Czech Republic. After popping off the top, champagne style, the beer poured a frothy, cloudy, light amber color with a huge head. A somewhat strange foam was left after a few minutes, but the active carbonation highlighted the nice yeasty suspension. A light, sweet malt smell greeted the nose, along with some citrus elements. Above average smell for a pilsner. The hops mark their presence a bit more in the taste. The same light malt foundation remains, but a crisp bitterness creeps in after some time. A sharp but delicate taste lingers, not overpowering but subtly present between sips. For all its good qualities, the champagne appearance comes up thin in the mouthfeel. I hoped to avoid a club soda feel, but the Bernard body is a little light, despite the delicate character or taste. Nonetheless, the Bernard Celebration Lager was tasty and very easy to drink. I can easily imagine myself in a Czech pub having several of these, even if it isn't the best Bohemian lager/pilsner out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2003 00:43:55 | More by SchmichaelJ