Tsingtao - Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd.

dbaker61

Ohio

2.65/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served in a heavy pint mug at Old Jacks, Qingdao, China.

Appearance: Light yellow color. Crystal clear, with copious tiniy bubbles supporting about two fingers of foam, which had average retention. The head left crescents of lacing as the beer was quaffed.

Smell: Slight sweet smell of malt and other cereal grains, especially rice.

Taste: Typical of major brewer adjuct lagers. Very little bitterness, a small amount of sweetness, a little frathouse sourness.

Mouthfeel: Light in body, it has adequate carbonation. Leaves the palate with a hint of sweetness. Finishes dry.

Overall: Fine for sessioning, good for washing down snacks, but can't stand on it's own. Very comparable to the other world's large brewers, which is both its blessing and its curse. I will inevitably have it again, as I currently live here in the home of Tsingtao Beer, but if given a choice I would pick something with more flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2011 07:51:10 | More by dbaker61

ThaCreep

Belgium

3.13/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

The nose is very sweet with the scent typical of a lager but with a dose of freshness and more. The flavor is that of a lager, but the taste is weak but it is quite aromatic. There are touches of metal but also with subtle touches of rice. The finish, though somewhat artificial, is slightly bitter and is touched once more to the taste of rice. Beer fairly low in terms of bitterness and flavor but is very pleasant to drink, which contains a heady force very well hidden. Indispensable when you went to a Chinese restaurant.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2010 18:10:19 | More by ThaCreep

dogfishandi

New York

2.01/5  rDev -28%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2

12 oz green bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a very clear light straw yellow color. Fairly retentive white head, somewhat soapy looking. Fast rising carb bubbles. No lace.

Aroma is maybe a touch skunky at first. Minerals are prevalent and it almost smells like glass if that makes sense.

Watered down weak flavors. Mineral water, light semi sweet hay like grain.

Very watery and light, almost like drinking carbonated water with a slit grain sweetness and mineral lager yeastiness.

Wouldn't this be a Chinese adjunct lager? Whatever. Nothing different here.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 18:09:02 | More by dogfishandi

VaRy

California

2.93/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Poured from a can into a pint mug. Clear pale straw color, ample and quickly dissipating white head, no lacing. Nose is quite sour. Tastes of lime, with a faint hint of bitterness in the background, but neither malt nor hop notes are recognizeable. Actually, quite reminiscent of Radler, a mixture of light lager and Sprite and a popular summer refreshment in Germany. Thin, highly carbonated.

Serving type: can

03-27-2013 14:18:18 | More by VaRy

abijen

Netherlands

2.3/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A poor pilsener in my opinion. Very thin and watery. A soft carbonation and very abrupt finish.
The color is pale, golden wit a minimal white head. I tasted a little bit sweetness.

What I did like was the aroma of this beer. It smells like hay and there were some herbs and grass smells.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 10:09:11 | More by abijen

smokinyodas

Florida

3.7/5  rDev +32.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Can be found at almost any good Asian restaurant. Out pours a nice pale golden color with a small white head, lively carbonation but it fades away fast. Faint aroma of malt, sweet corn, light grains and no bitterness. The combination of a thin body, low carbonation and sweet taste works well with oriental foods. Overall it's not bad, maybe a little watery, but works great as a thirst-quencher.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 16:05:52 | More by smokinyodas

dougbassett

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

One of the "1001 Beers You Should Try Before You Die" -- #15 of the ones I've reviewed here.

If I have a "guilty pleasure" in beer it's probably Tsing Tao. I can't justify my fondness for it -- it's in no way a good beer -- but I like it every now and then, and in certain venues I think it's a go-to.

Pours out a light golden yellow, with a dissapointing head that gives up the ghost the moment you remember to notice it. (Like a lot of cheaper beers, pouring it out does it no favors.) The nose is that classic mass Eurolager nose that anyone who's drunk a Becks or St Pauli Girl in their life will immediately recognize -- this time it reminds me a bit of Moosehead (another guilty pleasure of mine, actually) in that at times it's a pleasant nose of sweet malt, at times it's pretty skunky.

Very watery body, almost no hop flavors -- just a general sweetness and a kind of soothing bath of malt. Almost no finish.

Good in the summer, and the best accompaniment I know of to Chinese food, particularly very spicy Chinese food.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:18:56 | More by dougbassett

Fusion7777

Virginia

2.3/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25

Reminiscent of a Chinese Heineken, except with an odd medicinal aftertaste that became increasingly difficult to drink as it warmed. Decent to drink with Chinese food, but not worth the price of admission at import premiums. I also laughed when I encountered the U.S. packaging touting Tsingtao as "the number 1 selling Chinese beer in the USA"

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 06:12:52 | More by Fusion7777

BattleRoadBrewer

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +50.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served cold into a room temperature glass at a Chinese buffet restaurant.

Appearance: Golden color, crystal clear, with fluffy white head that dissipates quickly without any lacing.

Nose: Refreshingly hoppy with grassy barley hint.

Taste: Crisp, the slightest maltiness, sweet.

Feel: Light body, solid bittering, clean aftertaste.

Overall: My favorite pilsner. Distinctly crisp, clean, fresh and hoppy, with none of the soapy flavor or yeasty smell of macro lagers. It's a great lunch-time beer. It beats anything else in the category than I can think of, and the bad reviews of this enjoyable beer simply don't make any sense.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 04:43:51 | More by BattleRoadBrewer

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

2.18/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25

A-golden yellow color with a small white head and no significant lacing

S-light malt and grassy aromas with a slight funk

T-very mild malt flavor with slight metallic taste and slight bitter finish

F-light body with moderate carbonation, crisp and slightly astringent

O-not terribly appealing, little flavor

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 02:42:28 | More by MDDMD

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

1.73/5  rDev -38%
look: 2 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.75

Poured into a Pint Glass

Appearance - Crystal Clear Yellow Color with some mild carbonation. No head to speak of save for a filmy white cover.

Smell - As I was opening the bottle, I got a very strong and offensive skunky scent even as I was a couple feet from the bottle. Upon closer inspection, I'm getting Cereal Grains, Pils-Grassiness & Skunkiness, Corn & some malts.

Taste - The flavor is...not really there. Aside from some Pilsner & Barley notes, there really isn't any flavor and it has a VERY dry finish. The smell would indicate otherwise, but don't let that fool you.

Mouthfeel - Body is light but it has some weight. Carbonation is also quite strong but tapers off after a while. Still not what I would call refreshing or crisp

Overall - The smell is very skunky and prevalent while the flavor is almost non-existent. Although I'm not sure if I would want to taste the beer if it were made earlier just based on the smell I was getting.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 05:00:06 | More by NuclearDolphin

Maltmaiden

Alabama

1.98/5  rDev -29%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A: Straw yellow (but not a completely pale one). lots of carbonation. zero head.

S: Skunk and funk is so overpowering that I can't make much out :/

T: Sweet corn. Some funk. Bit of bitter hops. Apple?

M: Thin but not as thin as bud light.

O: A chugging beer. Will not have again.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 12:55:44 | More by Maltmaiden

beeroclock

United Arab Emirates

2.65/5  rDev -5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Classy bottle with Chinese writing, almost Christmas-y with the colors... why not.

A- poured a golden yellow with very little head with lots of bubbles

S- floral yet metallic

T- I can pick up some faint floral hints, but smooth, though a bit of a watered down taste

M- lots of carbonation, easy to drink. I live in a hot climate, but it's not as warm as usual at the moment. I could see this going down easily on a hot day with some shrimp off the grill.

This isn't the best tasting drink, but it is very light. It would be easy to kill a bunch of these to get drunk, if that's how you roll. Not terrible, but just below average.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 14:34:05 | More by beeroclock

Fatehunter

Oregon

2.15/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Light lacing on a pale yellow colored body.
Faint metallic smell. Nothing else.
Taste has a nice bitterness, mild sweetness in the middle. Descent for an adjunct lager, but still not great.
Normal light body. Light carbonation.
Nothing interesting or good here

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 05:05:15 | More by Fatehunter

rarbring

Sweden

2.4/5  rDev -14%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A clear pale straw colored beer. A low white head with no lacing and no curtains.

Smelling weakly, somw bread, lemon, and boiled vegetables.

Tasting white bread, a little lemon, some chemical bitternessl.

Low carbonation, a soft and watery texture. A small body with a small dry finish.

Very unoffensive, very noninteresting. But not really bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 20:02:57 | More by rarbring

TheSixthRing

California

3.4/5  rDev +21.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a bright, golden yellow with a white, 2 finger head. Average retention. Resulting lace is spotty, mostly clinging to the sides.

Smell - Aroma is a bit skunky at first, but then clears up to sweet grain malts, and a light grass hop.

Taste - Follows the nose; notes of grain, sweetness, counterbalanced by a bit of grass bitterness. Nothing off-putting about the flavor, but nothing special, either.

Mouthfeel - Body is a touch heavier than one might expect from a beer of this style; closer to medium. A bit of stickiness, with a moderate bite from the carbonation.

Overall - An old Chinese restaurant standby, pairs well with most offerings, but goes especially well with spicy dishes like General's Chicken or Kung Pao Shrimp.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 04:18:55 | More by TheSixthRing

Brabander

Netherlands

2.83/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Got this beer a few weeks ago. This is the Chinese Heineken i guess. Drank it on a warm evening with my buddy Andy.

Poured in my Struise Brouwers galss this beer looks quit OK when you only look at the head, big white and fluffy. The fluid looks very watery like the beer has no body.

Light smell of citrus. Taste is flat with no carbonation feelable in the mouth. As a beer for a warm day this beers does it's job, no more and no less.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 09:02:31 | More by Brabander

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

2.83/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Green bottle at the Chinese restaurant tonight.
Pours a pale straw color with a decent sized white head that dissipates slowly. Smells of grain and a hint of earth and little else. The flavor is light grain with some earth and a slight mineral metallic flavor. Light body with a spirited level of carbonation and a thin watery mouthfeel. Even for a light lager this leaves much to be desired. Light body with minimal flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 00:39:15 | More by johnnnniee

jadpsu

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: Green 12oz custom bottle with Chinese letters around the neck. Made with water from the famous pure mountain water of Laoshan. Wherever that is

Appearance: Pale, clear light goldow with a thin white ringed lace with average retention.

Smell: get mostly grains and hoppy floral notes.

Taste: MouthfeeL and body are moderate and light. Grainy corn husk and some malty sweetness are noted. Slight skunkingess is helped by bready flavours, and a tingh of hop bitterness Finishes with some pleasant crispness.

Had this in NYC Chinatown and was a nice complement to the meal

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 04:41:12 | More by jadpsu

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Best by 11/29/12.

Yellow straw color with a quick to fizzle head. Big bubbles slowly jump to the surface in the glass. 2.0

Sweet vegetal aroma, grassy hop bitterness, and perhaps rice malts. 3.5

Semi-sweet malts with herbal/vegetal muted hops. Tinny finish. Touch of corn and artificial white grape Gummi-Saver. 3.0

Very light and quenching with a soda-like carbonation. 2.5

Surprisingly pleasant lager. Washes down my hoedubbap and kimchi rather well. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 00:03:37 | More by thecheapies

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A 640ml green glass bottle with a BB of Nov 2012. ABV is stated as 4.7%. The label mentions the use of rice in the brewing process.

Poured into a straight pint glass. A clear pale straw colour with medium carbonation. Forms a small head of white foam that lasts for a minute or so before dissipating. Aroma of light malt with mild stewed hops and a faint hint of overcooked veg. Pretty clean.

Tastes of light malt with a mild finish. Faint notes of stewed hops and overdone veg. A subtle dry bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is light, crisp and tingly, but watery. Not much aftertaste - perhaps a hint of stewed hops.

A passable lager, but nothing special. Perhaps it stands out well in China. At least the taste is clean, if uninspiring. OK if there's nothing else going, but no need to seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 21:51:51 | More by jazzyjeff13

tdm168

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev +36.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - gold with a thin lacing of soft, loose head that has no retention

S - very skunky, musty, grainy

T - grassy, light grains, faint earthiness

M - smooth, well carbonated, light to medium bodied

This started as just another import; skunky and unpleasant. The flavor, however, is much different. The flavor has a light malt character and a moderate, grassy hop character. The drinkability is great. Crisp, clean, refreshing. This is definitely one of the better adjunct lagers out there.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 01:42:51 | More by tdm168

JRed

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Transparent yellow in body with white bubbly head that fades fast. Aroma of most adjunct lagers: light grain and hops. Tastes of light grains, hop bitterness, a bit grassy and some sweetness. Light bodied with mild carbonation. Such an easy drinker that doesn't gross me out.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 21:31:47 | More by JRed

kylehay2004

Florida

3.1/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: thin white head an no lace on a clear straw yellow body.

S: musty and bittering hops and some light grain.

T: sweeter than expected from the aroma. Mosty grain and sweet corn.

M/: light body and moderate carbonation with a quick drop off in feel at the end. Smooth as oppose to crisp which is surprising.

Overall: some surprises with this one. Actually a decent beer for the genre.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 22:37:18 | More by kylehay2004

darioklc

Croatia (Hrvatska)

1.93/5  rDev -30.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

appearance: Crystal clear gold look, with a little white head
smell: Mild sweet aroma. This beer just don't have enough aromas.
Taste: Like smell, this beer don't have strong taste. Just mild wheat taste and very weak sense of alcohol.
Overall: Regardless of that mild smell and taste, this beer perfectly goes with light chinese meal. I've drank it in chinese restaurant.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 14:19:32 | More by darioklc