Maharaja Premium India Pilsner - Associated Breweries & Distilleries Ltd.

Gusler

Arizona

1.1/5  rDev -60.3%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Pours a typical clear golden yellow to amber color, the head bright white, modest in size with sufficient lace to cover the glass, nose is all malt, and is also crisp and fresh. Start is malt, the top cadaverous, the finish caustic and the hops pitiful, dry and a very forgettable beer and it pains me to call it that.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2002 09:15:20 | More by Gusler

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

1.2/5  rDev -56.7%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

At one point I had mistaken this for Taj Mahal, as it was so bad, and had my review for that deleted. But now I've come to realize that these are both different yet equally awful beers in their own right.

Comes in a 330 ml brown bottle, a red label, gold foil around the neck and cap, with a black logo of a Pegasus on the foil, with the words UB beneath it. Remember this well, as to be able to avoid it all the better in the near future. On the pour it is a thin looking clear yellow hue, okay white head that recedes to a thin ring. However the moment you bring the glass up to your nose the thing doesn't hesitate to bitch slap you. Swilly, cidery, skunky fumes waft up from the glass, keep it away from your eyes. The flavour is horrible, sour old grains, a cidery apple-juice like flavour. This stuff was only made 6 months ago according to the date on the back label. The mouthfeel is thin, but difficult to concentrate on, as the flavour is so bad. Now I understand why the liquor store always has a lot of this stuff packed in on their shelves--no one is buying it, it just sits there. I receommend not buying it either, I find it truly awful.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2004 22:08:14 | More by IronDjinn

Dogbrick

Ohio

1.58/5  rDev -43%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

I tried this awhile back and somehow forgot to rate it. First of all, this is the heaviest 11oz bottle you can find. You could probably throw it against a wall and not break it. Pours a pale gold color with a medium white head. No real lacing to speak of. Minimal aroma of hops, luckily there was no skunk aroma present. Flavor was typical boring Lager stuff. Light hops and light malt is about all you can find. I know there must be some good Indian beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2003 07:34:20 | More by Dogbrick

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

1.58/5  rDev -43%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

Poured from an 11.2oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a pale gold color, with a thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of light malts, lager yeast and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste is bready with flavors of grain and lager yeast. There's a little malt sweetness and almost no hops presence. There really isn't much to this beer. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sweet.

M: A little smooth and a little crisp, light body, medium-to-heavy carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Not very tasty, goes down ok, not filling at all, mild kick, not the best representation of style, this is definitely not a beer that I would want to drink again.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2009 03:35:18 | More by TheManiacalOne

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

1.75/5  rDev -36.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Pallid amber with a few fine floaters frolicking within. The bright white cap is a majestic four fingers in height and is nicely firm. There's quite a bit of lace too, although it doesn't last. This is a better than decent look. In fact, I might have thought 'quality German pils' if I hadn't seen what bottle it came out of.

I knew the nose wouldn't maintain the standard set by the appearance because I've been smelling the beer from afar since the cap was popped. It isn't quite skunky, but it's certainly nothing that appeals to me either. It's musty and tangentially floral with a definite chemical-like undercurrent.

The odd flavor is a fair approximation of the nose. The first half of each mouthful is bland and inoffensive. Then 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'. Bitter greens, hot plastic, minerals, Band-Aids. Oddly enough, it's still drinkable. However, there's no way I'd go any deeper into the bottle if I wasn't sacrificing my palate for the sake of this review.

The mouthfeel is light, even for the style, without descending to the depths of 'light beer light'. More carbonation might have helped. As far as drinkability, it depends on what one's options are. I'd take a bottle over undergoing Chinese water torture, but not over most pilseners that I can think of.

Apparently, Maharaja Premium Indian Pilsner was brewed with 'the technical expertise of Belgian brewers'. That means it has to be good, right? Not so fast muchacho. The Indian Subcontinent is anything but a hotbed of brewing excellence. Given that, it's amazing that this little foil-capped pils isn't even as good as the better known substandard pale lagers from that neck of the jungle.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2005 00:55:21 | More by BuckeyeNation

CharlieMopps

Virginia

1.8/5  rDev -35%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A: Half-inch, fizzy white head vanishes just as quickly as it appears, and the beer itself is the color of pale straw. While the bottle's label definitely has a certain appeal, the pour does not.

S: Clean, yet musty profile in the nose, with a hint of adjunct and grain. Doesn't exactly have the smell of a "premium pilsner," as the bottle indicates.

T: And frankly, not much can be said for the taste either. Hints of a buttery side, but the hop and malt presence is weak in the sense that there is not much to balance at all. Somewhat of a detectable bitterness, and a drying finish, but nothing special.

M: Carbonation seems to be a bit on the low side, but still retains a bubbly quality, just not very crisp on the tongue.

D: Whereas pilsners mainly shoot for subtle, this one seems to under-shoot. Not enough flavor, and a bit of an unpleasant grainy adjunct taste that didn't make things any better. Not a beer I'd recommend.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2007 20:14:54 | More by CharlieMopps

JudgeRoughneck

Louisiana

1.85/5  rDev -33.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

There is a curious sound this beer makes when you poor it. It is eactly like pouring a fizzy soda. Its quite loud. The head is gone in a flash and leaves a few meager stains on the surface of a beer that both (and I'm not kidding here) looks and smells exactly like apple juice.

Taste is very light in this watery brew. It is tangy with an uncontrolled fruit off-flavor. Probably won't be finishing this. It isn't particularly offensive, its just kind of a "why bother?" beer. Unpleasent aftertaste is a big blow to drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2006 04:15:01 | More by JudgeRoughneck

ADR

Pennsylvania

1.9/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Medium yellow (not as pale as some), transparent appearance. The head is soupy and pretty thin, but it holds up and leaves traces of lacing on the Pilsner glass. Aroma is pretty reserved, slight sulfur tanginess that might have some relationship to hops. Light but overcarbonated, seltzer overpowers the ordinary maltiness and combines with the funky aroma to give an odd and unsettling close -- a little like Smith Bros. cough drops or even traces of locker room witch hazel. I can't recommend this beer as drinkable in a tasteless kind of way, it has some off properties to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2004 17:22:07 | More by ADR

bluHatter

Michigan

1.9/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Batch No 203 US

A: Very slightly cloudy yellow. A small bit of wafty thin head that sticks to the side of the glass in thick foamy walls.

S: Cardboard, corn, raisins - all with sweet undertones.

T: Sour, malt, bitter throat. Not much else. It's just a little thin and dirty tasting. I can't say I'm much of a fan.

M: Sudsy, wet, thin.

O: Quite unpleasant overall. I think I would rather grab a Kingfisher.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 05:18:41 | More by bluHatter

GClarkage

California

1.93/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

11/22/04- Purchased at Wine Globe in San Mateo, CA

Appearance- Pours a light pale yellow color with minimal quickly disappearing head and very slight traces of lace.

Smell- It smells like bad cheap bum liquor. Maybe like nightrain or white port. Not a good smell. If anything maybe a smell of budwieser but worse.

Taste- Guess I wasted my $1.79 on this one. Very odd (in a bad way) taste. Don't really know how to describe it. Malt is there, but something is in the background. Something stale tasting. Stale grains? No hops do I detect.

Mouthfeel- Way to carbonated. Like seltzer. My stomach is hurting after three sips.

Drinkability- Hello sink, here comes your dinner.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2004 01:08:53 | More by GClarkage

TastyTaste

Minnesota

1.93/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Very light hazy pale gold colored body, small white head, not much to look at. Smell and taste are akin to soda water. Watery and fizzy, maybe a little graininess, nary a trace of hops anywhere. Not a very good beer, no matter. If this is Maharaja, I would hate so see what Raja tastes like.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2005 00:16:42 | More by TastyTaste

Shadman

Alberta (Canada)

1.93/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

another asian beer..this one's from India.

deep amber yellow, slighty hazy with 1 finger head that disappeared quickly. Lousy lacing.

not a whole lot of aroma...some faint sweet grain & hops and that's it

well it certainly had some bite to it. Not sure they were hops, but some bitterness up front. Not overly sweet which was a surprise and a hint of metallic aftertaste.Not sure if it's adjuncts or what but someting about this beer tastes off.

intial mouthfeel is ok, nothing spectacular. It's after you had a swig this awful aftertaste really builds.

take Kingfisher over this swill any day

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2007 23:02:47 | More by Shadman

danielharper

Michigan

1.95/5  rDev -29.6%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

My first beer from India. At least that's a milestone of a sort.

Appearance: Transparent yellow body, very slight orange tinge. Very minimal head that dissipates immediately, leaving only slight traces of soapscum. Not an auspicious start.

Smell: Very sweet, strong notes of corn. Uncomplex, but decent. Not spectacular, but sets the stage for what might be a decent pils.

Taste: This one is way off. Too sweet on the up-front, almost lip-puckeringly so. Unpleasant corn aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Decent. Thin body, goes down clean like a pilsner should. Flat, with almost no carbonation.

Drinkability: Maybe this would go better with curry, or maybe it just doesn't travel well, but I'm very unimpressed.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2009 04:07:22 | More by danielharper

Padron4KM

Arizona

2/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

11.2 oz bottle. batch no. 650 manufactured 11/2004.
Okay so going in I know it’s probably past it’s prime.
Poured clear yellow with a white head and no lacing.
Aroma is grain and corn.
Flavor is corn,lemon,acid, with a dry finish.
Mouthfeel is sharp, overly carbonated.
If was I was at an Indian resturaunt I might drink this, but I think I'd prefere water.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2005 06:00:31 | More by Padron4KM

philipquarles

Louisiana

2.1/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 bottle from 11/07--wish I had seen that date before buying. Pours a clear light gold with a fizzy, medium white head. Smells faintly of sweet malt and straw. Essentially devoid of all taste. Almost no malt and only a lingering bitterness. I've never had a beer that tasted like nothing before; it's really quite strange. Thin body. Drinks about like a flat Perrier. Bud has more character than this.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2009 22:38:03 | More by philipquarles

garymuchow

Minnesota

2.13/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Bottle lists original gravity as well as reference to "Belgian Brewers."
Aroma is a sweet mix of pale sweet water, malt and light fresh hops.
Very fizzy sounding. Medium white head that settles on its own and only leaves a ring. Watery looking in light gold.
Mostly bitter in taste. In background very mildly is a little pale malt. Taste gets worse as warms to a unpleasant bitterness.
Fizzy mouthfell, excessive carbonation.
This is pretty bad, other that an okay aroma, I can't thing of any redeeming qualities.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2003 03:27:42 | More by garymuchow

adamette

Ohio

2.35/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 4

Live review. Poured from a 300ml bottle into my SN Anniversary Ale pint glass. Purchased at Lena's Beverage in Painesville a few days ago for the odd price of $1.39. I admit that I pretty much bought this beer since I had not had a beer from India prior to now.

A Looks like a Bud. Straw yellow translucent body under a very brief white fluffy 2 inch head that dissipated nearly as I set the pint glass on the table after pouring. It is just now a trace layer of bubbles on the top now.

S Corn malt and barley. Light and forgettable, like a Miller or Coors.

T Yeah, this is pretty bad. Lightly sweetened corn based Pilsener with really little taste. Reminds me of the last time that I had a Bud Light only this is not as fresh as that one was.

M Thin with only that bit of sweetness and light corn malt to keep it from being downright watery.

D Good but I will not test that theory in the future.

Notes: Well, I have now had a beer from India but now I shall seek out a beer from India that has some depth to it (The guy working at Lena's....who is from Bombay....said that this, "Taj Mahal" and a third beer are the most common beers there....he did not say which is his favorite though).

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 01:24:33 | More by adamette

Newmerator

California

2.38/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

very light transparent yellow. white foam that quickly disappears.

smells like breads and malts. no hop aroma

tastes much the same.

i wouldn't see myself having one of these unless i was in the actual country it was bottled. it was only 1.50$ so i figured i'd try it. a bit refreshing (because you are drinking mostly water) wouldn't have it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2009 00:24:20 | More by Newmerator

lwillitz

Florida

2.38/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

11-oz bottle into weizen glass

A - 1 finger of quickly-fading head over a clear yellow body; lots of carbonation

S - corn; grassy/spicy hops

T - corn and grass with a spicy twang; bitter finish; not very good

M - light/medium-bodied with high carbonation; the highlight of this brew

O - If you find yourself staring at a shelf of beer in the liquor store and, like me, you think to yourself, "I've never had an import from India--maybe I'll give this a try," learn from my mistake and save your $2 for something more palatable.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 23:08:59 | More by lwillitz

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

2.42/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

The beer pours crystal clear with a white head which falls quickly. The aroma is Saaz hops and a decent malt background. The flavor is slightly sour, crisp and bitter. Also present is a metallic flavor. he finish is bone dry. The body is light and watery.

11 ounce bottle (330 ml). Bottle says original gravity 1042-1048 ABV 5%. It also says:
"Produced for the finest malt and imported hops with the technical expertise of Belgian Brewers"

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2003 00:11:37 | More by GCBrewingCo

thekanna

Maryland

2.5/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours clear yellow with small effervescent bubbles. half a finger of white head dissipates pretty quickly and leaves a very thin sheen of resilient foam on the top.

S: Strong yeast sourness, almost like injera bread. Very small bit of sweet malts detectable underneath.

T/M: Very watery yeast flavor leads to some adjunct malts and detectable hop bitterness at the end. Relatively high carbonation, but it is not exactly crisp; I'd say "biting" is the more appropriate term.

D: Very run-of-the-mill lager; good for quenching thirst, bad for much else.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2010 03:58:21 | More by thekanna

Rayek

Colorado

2.53/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Slightly hazy gold color with leisurely carbonation. Soapy white head is small and has OK retention. Leaves a very nice lace.

S: Lemon, grass, light honey and a bit of cooked cabbage greet the nose.

T: Very light. A slightly sweet malt flavor starts things out. Hops come along with a mild lemon and pepper bite. The pepper lingers into the finish. A subdued metallic taste joins in at the end. As the beer warms, cooked cabbage rears its ugly head.

M: Medium light body is a tiny bit grainy. Carbonation level feels about right.

D: Not that impressive to me. The light flavor certainly makes it go down quick. At cold temps, the beer is halfway decent. Letting it warm kills the experience, sadly. Overall, a very mediocre brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2009 01:44:23 | More by Rayek

TaySuth

California

2.53/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottled 03/07

Appearance: Murky gold in color with no head or lacing.

Smell: Mostly molasses. Not noticing much else beyond the molasses.

Taste: Very sweet molasses but rather light in flavor overall. Strange sort of dusty flavor.

Mouthfeel: Light body and light carbonation.

Overall: Could have just been an old bottle but I can't say that I enjoyed this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 07:09:31 | More by TaySuth

russpowell

Oklahoma

2.55/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Poured an effervescent golden with 1 finger+ of white head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Sweet cereal & some soapy notes

T: Metallic hops taste up front, with some cereal notes (corn flakes). Soapy notes as this warms. Finishes with more metallic notes & some dryness

MF: Thinnish with lively carbonation

Had this an Indian restraunt, else wise this was a drain poor. Still left about 30-40% of it there. Serve icecold if forced to drink this. Slightly better than BMC

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2007 22:17:36 | More by russpowell

gopens44

Virginia

2.55/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Clear light straw with almost no head.

S - Malty and a touch sweet. That's about it.

T - Sweet, some malts going on and slightly tinny.

M - Thin, highly carbonated and a touch bitter in the aftertaste.

I'm sorry, but I couldn't imagine drinking this again unless I was actually in India and wanted to get some local beer drinking on.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 03:56:19 | More by gopens44