Beck's Sapphire - Brauerei Beck & Co.

UCLABrewN84

California

2.9/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Pours a clear honey orange with a foamy tan head that settles to a small amount of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, and some grass and hay aromas. There is also a slight vegetal aroma that comes out as the beer warms up. Taste is much the same with a grainy bread flavor on the finish. There is an extremely mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is an average beer with very mild hop aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 05:55:51 | More by UCLABrewN84

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.91/5  rDev +42.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Beck's Sapphire
12 oz bottle, code dated "12348 SM76"
"Product of USA. ST. LOUIS, MO"
$30.99 per case of 24/12 @ Javie's Beverage, Philadelphia, PA

Apparently brewed by Anheuseur-Busch in the United States, Beck's Sapphire is a fairly basic beer. It doesn't have the bite or bitterness of Beck's (regular), but it does have a nice bit of floral hop flavor to it.

The Sapphire hops (actually Saphir) come through clearly, but keep in mind that they're really just a derivation of the standard "noble" Hallertauer Mittelfrue hops that are so common in European beers, as well as lagers across the globe.

In the end, it's kind of sweetish and there aren't really enough hops to balance it - both in bitterness and flavor. Interestingly, it's 6% ABV, which you would think would leave it a little bit more dry-ish, but it's not. Or was that just a marketing concept for the US?... add a little alcohol and the consumer will think they're actually getting something for their money?

Not really recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 23:05:38 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.89/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Thanks to some boss-ness at my local, the grandiose ticker in me was graced with a single bottle o' this. Always best to assuage that ticking fool... Anyway, this stuff pours a clear golden-brass topped by a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises partially-artificial-seeming banana, soft wheat, very light sweet flowers, and a hint of biscuit. The taste focuses on the wheat and flowers, but waters them down to keep their edges from showing and adds a heavy splash of sweetness that helps to drown them out regardless. The body is a hefty light, with a light moderate carbonation and a slick feel. Overall, if there actually are any hops here, they're completely o'erwhelmed. Regardless, this stuff is meek as all hell for a pils or any other kind of German lager: It's far too sweet for its own good, and any character beyond that is ridiculed into obscurity.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 21:15:26 | More by TMoney2591

zeff80

Missouri

3.03/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A - Poured out a pale golden color with a pillowy white head of foam. Little to no lacing to speak of.

S - It smelled floral with some grains and caramel.

T - Caramel sweetness, bread crust and some floral spiciness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light to medium bodied lager.

O - This is okay. Don't quite understand the D score. It's just average.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 22:28:37 | More by zeff80

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.16/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This poured out as a clear golden yellow color with a fizzy white head on top. The retention was thin and lasted for a little while. The lacing was basically nowhere in sight. The smell of the ever is slightly floral, there is some grainy notes and a tough of creaminess as well. The beer smell way better than any other Beck's I've had in the past. The taste is sweet, there is a dominant malt flavor with some corn-like flavors as well as this hops shining through again. The mouthfeel is pretty standard, it's thin and carbonated. Overall it's the best thing I've tried from Beck's I'm glad it wasn't terrible. If I had to be a cheap date and this was available I would order it.

Serving type: can

04-05-2013 01:46:43 | More by Knapp85

Halcyondays

California

3.6/5  rDev +30.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

16 oz. tallboy can,

A: Pours gold with a medium soapy white head, good retention, some spotty lace.

S: Surprisingly striking, lots of floral character, tropicality - passion fruit, watermelon, some green apple, the freshness of the hops is quite appealing.

T: After the promise of the nose, it drops back to being a middle of the road German lager. Nice malt flavours with a solid hop backing, floral and earthy. Nothing too special, definitely a drinkable beer.

M: Light-bodied, crisp and smooth, with a long hoppy aftertaste (for the style), quite a bit more substantial than one would expect.

O: This is not going to blow anyones' socks off, but for a solid German lager at BMC prices, it certainly works.

Serving type: can

01-26-2013 07:40:49 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

1.88/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours light golden yellow with a thin fizzy white head that quickly becomes a wispy patch.

The smell is of cereal/grain (with some soap?). A touch of peppery alcohol comes through.

The taste is of cereal - mild sweet grain. Saphir hops (which I assume is being used, and re-named "sapphire" for marketing reasons) are sweet and almost tangerine-like. Here, they might add to an already sweet brew, but do little else. Alcohol comes through in a malt liquor way. Some wet cardboard (and a hint of soap?) gives a bland, rather unpleasant finish.

The feel is on the fizzy, almost watery side. It is somewhat slick, and hardly refreshing.

This hardly resembles a traditional pilsner. More towards a malt liquor without the adjuncts. Catchy name, though. By the way, this was brewed in St. Louis, MO. Beck's has some decent brews for a big brewery, but this is not one of them. Not good.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 20:32:23 | More by jwc215

Jason

Massachusetts

2.75/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

12oz black bottle with no freshness date. They spent a ton of dough on getting the bottle right ... or at least that is what they are telling us. Brewed in the USA.

Great looking head, crystal clear pale yellowish golden hue. Faint cooked cereal, mineral, hint of flora hops though expected more ... a clean aroma none the less. Ample crispness, light bodied with a mild slickness. Very grainy, animal feed, hay, grass with a kiss of alcohol. Now for the hops, there is bitterness but I am really having a hard time finding the Sapphire hops ... I do detect a very vague hoppiness but nothing that wakes the palate up. Semi-clean drying finish.

If you are going to boast about a certain type of hop and even make it a part of the beer's name then you need to make sure it is actually in the beer ... a vague character of the hop does not work. Pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:19:37 | More by Jason

mdfb79

New York

2.58/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

From 02/20/13 notes. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

a - Pours a clear yellow-gold color with one finger of fluffy bright white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of bready malts, grains, wheat, corn, earthy notes, light floral notes. Not bad but very bland; pretty average overall.

t - Tastes of sweet corn, grains, wheat, bready malts, vegetables, earthy notes. Sweeter than the nose but I didn't like it. A big step down for me.

m - Light to medium body and moderate carbonation. A bit of a watery feel.

o - I'm not a big fan of the normal Beck's and I didn't really care for this one either. The nose is bland thought not offensive, but I didn't really like the sweetness in the taste and the body is a bit thin. Wouldn't have it again, and wouldn't reccomend it.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 16:58:57 | More by mdfb79

Zorro

California

3.48/5  rDev +26.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear gold with a small white head.

Smell is clean toasted grain and hay with some black pepper spiciness. Noble hop scent it smells similar to Saaz with pepper added.

Starts out toasted grain with a distinct lemon flavor. Slightly spicy tastes like Becks with a lemon slice. Powdery yeast flavor it is OK and better than the regular Becks.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Overall a tasty beer but nothing really different. Will be an excellent hot weather beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 02:20:38 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.04/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle. Copper with a rich white head. Loads of thick sticky lacing. Smells floral and earthy wtih some citris notes (lemon sticks out). Touch of Lager must as well. It's got flavor but doesn't remain in the nose for long. The taste has a leafy and citric bite with a bit more sweetness to it than I was expecting (which is maybe brought out even more by the fruitiness of the hops). Feel is medium with a firm snap to it. It's certainly easy drinking for the most part but it plays too fast and loose with the sweetness for a German Pils. The Saphir hops at least add a little something different to what would normally be a pretty boring Lager.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 15:14:29 | More by Kegatron

plaid75

New York

2.25/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

Poured a medium straw hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured adjunct sweetness and a grassy hop.

The taste consisted of a round artificial sweetness and a slight hop.

The mouthfeel was full for the style.

Overall a poor euro lager. Stripped of any character in an attempt at smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 02:51:47 | More by plaid75

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

"Anyone" turned out to be my local, in-person trader, tone77, who is quickly becoming a source for CANs. Many thanks!

From the CAN: "Beck's Quality - Brewed under the German Purity Law of 1516".

The Crack and inverted Glug came off without a hitch and I had a finger of dense, bone-white head with good retention. Color was a deep-gold with NE-plus quality clarity, allowing me to see into the future. Nose had the familiar honey-like lager sweetness. It definitely tended more to malt than to hops. Mouthfeel was medium and the taste was still generally pretty sweet, even for the style. It is as one previous reviewer queried - if this is supposed to be showcasing Sapphire hops, then what is their value added? This finished like any other dime-a-dozen German Pilseners with a semi-sweetness and nothing terribly remarkable about it.

The below is my original, bottle review of 02-21-2013 with scores of 3.5; 3.25; 3; 2.75 and 3.25.

I purchased a bottle of this one during my foray to Highland Pizzeria on Monday, but if anyone has a CAN of it for trade, I would be interested.

From the bottle: "German Sapphire Hops - Smooth Taste"; "Beck's Quality - Brewed under the German Purity Law of 1516".

My pour initially left me with a finger of fizzy, bone-white head that quickly reduced to wisps. Color was a deep-golden yellow with NE-plus quality clarity, enabling me to peer through walls. Nose had an upfront sweetish malty quality underlain by a grassy hoppiness. Mouthfeel was slightly thin and the taste was much sweeter than what I had expected. What happened to/with the hops?!? Finish was likewise sweet and not really my cup of tea. It was not a bad beer, per se, just kind of uninspired.

Serving type: can

04-14-2013 18:52:29 | More by woodychandler

Brad007

Vermont

2.65/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5

Never heard of the hops so I thought I would try a bottle. No way I'm paying for a full 6 pack of this.

Golden color that resembles apple juice a bit. A thin head forms and ample carbonation seems apparent.

Light and full of sweet, buttery malt. Hops add a bit of spice but not much more to the overall aroma.

It's a bit crisp with some buttery malt and spice from the hops. Inoffensive but the mouthfeel is another story.

Very thin mouthfeel that is barely there. Reminiscent of juice. Some malt and hop flavors but not much else back there.

Better off sticking with regular Becks. Not impressed.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 21:55:32 | More by Brad007

JohnGalt1

Idaho

2.74/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Almost no head atop a bright golden brew... despite the lack of head, a decent lacing shows with the decreasing beer.

Nose is standard Beck's.. I hoped for more... Pale grainy maltiness with little in the way of hops, just some background earthy notes.

Flavor is also "Beck's" grainy beer balanced toward the sweet side of the beer spectrum and only barely balanced by some hoppy bitterness and just a touch of grassy hops toward the end of the palate.

Decent beer.. I would pick this over anything from the Big 3 any day... but I would pick a PBR pounder over the "black glass" just as quickly.

3/2.5/2.75/3/2.75

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 06:00:45 | More by JohnGalt1

mactrail

California

2.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I have to say this is a beautiful golden amber color in the tall tulip with a decent head. It's slightly sprizty on the tongue, but not very bubbly. The flavor is classic malt liquor, but with a peculiar fruity and earthy taste. It may just be some combination of real malt and hops, but it tastes like something brewed up in the food research lab.

Corn and cereal taste, orange flavoring, winey, dirty, and a hint of Cynar, the artichoke aperitif. Not trace of hop flavor [after I wrote this I see that Sapphire refers to a variety of hop]. Overall, there is some beeriness but it is exactly what I hoped never to taste in a-- whoops! I almost said German-- beer, but it is now an InBev product made by the former AB in the St. Louis factory. All the discussions on "if you were CEO of a giant brewer" are interesting when you taste what they DO produce, in contrast with what good brews they COULD produce.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 05:48:33 | More by mactrail

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Beck's Dark is one of my everyday, after work go to beers. Easy to drink, flavorful, crisp, simple. Don't need to think a lot about what I'm drinking. When I saw the Sapphire bottle at my grocery store, I though it was a variation of Beck's dark. I was a little disappointed, but still intrigued to try it out anyway. Even though it's been awhile since I've had regular Beck's.

Color is a clear , somewhat bubbly, golden, light amber color. Very quick head and no residual foam.

The aroma is a note or two of faintly toasted crackers and a grass clipping or two.

Crisp, mellow, and a better defined toasty malt flavor than I expected. Typical grassy hop flavors. A little Earthy. Overall, pretty simple and easy to drink. Worth a try if you like pilsners. I wouldn't mind trying a side by side taste test of Beck's and Sapphire.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 01:28:48 | More by scruffwhor

ZAP

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Was excited to try this Sapphire hop which I have not had before.

This beer pours an impressively clean, clear golden color with minimal head.

Aroma is grainy with a soft herbal/spicy note backing it.

Taste is unremarkable. Grainy...lingering sweetish maltiness....light hops which lend just a hint of spiciness. This is not a hop forward pilsner.

There is some lingering dryness on the finish...body is medium...nothing bad about this but nothing to recommend either except its exceptional clarity if you want to look at it.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 05:53:02 | More by ZAP

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.26/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

The color and clarity are good, enjoyed chilled in a tulip, deep gold with thin head of white which leaves copius lace and beading is fine and retention is good. Smell is faintly mineral with grainy and light floral scent with a mild sweet tinge. The feel is somewhat creamy with mild dry feel and light bitterness with subtle spice in the finish.
Taste is decent with floral hop and light pilsner sweetness with low alcohol and hop bitterness adding to the smooth malt taste. Overall a decent lager but it didn't stand out among the style and pretty tame it could provide more of a hop taste considering it has the variety listed on the label.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 14:58:22 | More by Slatetank

Bitterbill

Wyoming

2.38/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bright and clear gold colour, not much foam, less lacing.

Corn in the smell, slight hint of some hops.

Big corn flavour, grainy, non sweet malt, light but not pleasant bitterness. Fancy looking bottle but it's what inside that counts and the beer doesn't count for much. An AB-InBev fail. Kicking up the abv and putting it in a brown bottle does not make it an auto better brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 20:28:53 | More by Bitterbill

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

2.91/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a pilsner glass.
6.0% ABV,

A - Bright golden in color, this clear beer shines with pride and is topped with a towering white head of foam. As the loose bubbles slowly collapsed, light wispy lace was left adorning the glass.

S - If there were such a style as German Adjunct Lager, the aroma of this beer would make it a prime candidate for it's categorization. Grainy pale malt and additives smell cheap and hops seem underwhelming for the advertising push of their existence.

T - From the light smattering of sweet pilsner malts to the abundance of grainy pale malt and adjuncts to the creamed corn finish, Beck's Sapphire tastes cheap. German hops are afoot though, coming in on the back end with some herbal characteristics which greatly helps alleviate the cheapness of the malt flavor.

M - Sapphire's best quality is the fact it strays from going all out effervescent with explosive carbonation like a lot of mainstream lagers. Instead, Beck's Sapphire has a nice smooth (albeit slick) entry into a faintly dry finish with a suggestion of lingering hop bitterness captured on the back end.

O - Beck's Sapphire manages to bring fourth some hop flavor and presence in an otherwise ordinary "import" lager but it doesn't save it from being mundane, like it's awful commercial. This "German adjunct lager" isn't worth any elevated cost above the American swill we've already got here. Probably because it's also not made in Germany. It's made in St. Louis.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 02:15:09 | More by BeerFMAndy

smakawhat

Maryland

2.79/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2

Poured from the bottle into a pilsner glass.

A very dark amber, kind of a gold light bronze and crystal clear. Lots of giant cola bubbles though, many sticking to the edge of the glass. Head is barely a finger with soapy white color and consistency. Seems to settle to a small puck. Not bad looking, but quite dark for a pilsner.

Nose is a bit muted. Mild hop, but a very earthy mud sensation and mild fresh cut lawn grass. Sort of hints at German Pilsner but quite neutered. Return to the bouquet after some sips and there is that macro sweet smelling sensation again.

Palate hints with a brief hint of wet, but then some density comes in. Sweet tasting almost adjunct finish. Malt action comes with a minor macro sense, then there is a large hint of macro sweetness on the finish. Crisp and hints of club soda like finish, but sweeter. Mild watered honey and sugar on the front palate. So where are the special hops on this brew?

Overall first sip hints at something like a muted pilsner, but then the sweetness (corn?) like taste just starts dominating. The emphasis on making this a hop specialty beer? who could tell.. just another pale euro macro lager for the masses.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 00:32:47 | More by smakawhat

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

2.83/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle served in a pilsner glass.

L - clear golden color with a white head that thinned out to a light ring.

S - grassy and grainy.

T - pretty much the same as the smell.

F - light/medium bodied with a crispness to it.

O - it is what it is.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 23:20:08 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev +30.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Wow a brown bottle! Hope it's skunk free
A - Clear bright yellow with a mild orange tint. Head is just a 1/4 inch of head that sticks around for a while.
S - Has the typical lager corn and sweet malts. Not very skunky yet not very strong.
T - Corn sweetness with a touch of lager yeast, some biscuit malt is surprising and some sweeter malts too.
M - Light to medium not bad.
Overall I never really liked Beck's but this one is as advertised, smooth and somewhat hoppy (I guess)

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 05:04:23 | More by DrDemento456

flagmantho

Washington

2.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: medium golden hue with a haze-free body and a strong effervescence. Head poured a thin layer of white foam which disappeared almost immediately. Color is nice, but a beer of this style really needs an impressive head.

Smell: light, slightly sweet, slightly malty aroma. No hops which I can discern. Not offensive, but way too bland for the style.

Taste: sweet, sticky malt flavor with kind of a sickly aftertaste. Hops are, again, indiscernible, and bitterness is very, very low. This beer is a bit of a disappointment.

Mouthfeel: light body with a decently well-integrated carbonation and a little bit of creaminess. Not too bad.

Overall: bland, unremarkable, underwhelming. This beer isn't even trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 00:25:22 | More by flagmantho