Yarpivo Strong (Krepkoye) - Baltika Breweries

maggotbrain

Ohio

2/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

This beer pours pale yellow with big bubbles of carbonation and a short lived white head.

I can only really smell alcohol when I sniff it.

It tastes pretty bad. There isn't much beer flavor here, maybe a slight graininess. Otherwise I can only taste a cloying sweetness and alcohol. It tastes like any other low quality American malt liquor.

The mouthfeel is thin.

This stuff is kind of difficult to drink.

I'd rather have a Steel Reserve.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2007 00:45:39 | More by maggotbrain

tclapper

North Carolina

2.5/5  rDev -7.4%

01-14-2012 05:03:38 | More by tclapper

Erish

Illinois

2.1/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I poured this 1 pt. .9 oz. bottle into a pilsner glass. Best by 03.06.11. I will review this beer again if somebody buys a fresh bottle for me...

A: pale golden color, thick head, good cap, good lacing.

S: corn, rice, grassy/herbal hop notes, a soapy note (yes, my glass is clean).

T: tastes like adjuncts and soap with a stale hop flavor. I'm betting that this tastes better when fresh, but I have to go with what I've got.

M: medium-bodied, watery texture, plentiful carbonation.

O: Looks good, but it is definitely not good.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 22:08:35 | More by Erish

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +50%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Yes, indeedydeed, a CAN! My bro, crossovert, let the cat out of the bag as to a EuroMarket here in the US that carries a LOT of Russkie, I mean Eastern European, beers and Kvass in CAN and other mediums.

Sorry, but as a retired US Navy sailor, we were inculcated from Day 1 about the Communist Menace. All I CAN tell you is, the AK-47 is a badass weapon and some of their women are drop-dead knockout gorgeous. Their beer sometimes comes on like a stiff shot of vodka. CAN we have a review today?!?

I am not strong like Russian bear on reading Cyrillic, but I CAN recognize "Krepkoye" or "Strong" when I see it on the label. That is the mark of the beginning of a good time. A friend on Facebook recently postulated, "What would the first four words be out of your mouth if you awoke and both of us were handcuffed together in a jail cell?" My response "Oh no, not again!" My incarcerations have always begun with Strong beer.

My pour created a little better than a finger of fluffy bone-white head with decent retention. Color was an oh-so-slightly hazy golden yellow. Nose had a clean lager-like sweetness, but with a slight fusel heat. Open the hatch, I'm taking the leap! Mouthfeel was initially honey-like, but then the heat began to kick in. Good thing I'm wearing a lap belt! Hey, when did I learn to drive? How did I get behind the wheel of this 1966 Mustang convertible? And who is the blonde in the passenger seat? Jesus! I may not be in Heaven, but I think that this is enabling me to see God! Mouthfeel was medium-to-full and so freakin' smooth that I feel the need to simultaneously slow down and mash the accelerator to the floorboard. What's that, honey? The windstream is messing up your beehive? Lemme back 'er down to a reasonable 80 per, vice 100. The sky is beautiful tonight and it's just after Noon. Dig the heavy lacing beginning to appear. Why don't you drive for a while? I'm going to take a nap. It's groovy, baby. Hey, hit the FM knob so I CAN listen to one of those way out SF DJs. Man, I'm flying like I had a pilot's license. No kidding, this was really lager smooth and even the heat began to subside after the third sip or so. I was reading James Ellroy earlier today - Sssssmmmmoooth! Dig? Finish resumed the heat, especially in the throat on the extreme finish, but by that time, I was long gone. Man, we're on our way to the Summer of Love and I may not be back any time soon. Gonna say Hi to Janis and Jimi. It's like magic.

Put some of this in your cooler when you're taking a trip, dig? It's like Colt 45 - works every time, baby!

Serving type: can

03-06-2011 07:57:09 | More by woodychandler

crossovert

Wisconsin

2.17/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500 ml red can.

Pours a dark amber/gold.

Smell is of alcohol and sugar.

Taste is of paper, alcohol, walnuts, and sugar. It has a suprisingly low alcoholic burn though.

Despite the off taste and smell, it was quite smooth and easy to drink I thought, easily chuggable.

Not a great beer but strong for a Russian Malt Liquor.

Serving type: can

02-03-2011 16:42:23 | More by crossovert

vandemonian

Maryland

2.98/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

My bottle was labelled Yarpivo Extra Lager but I think it is the same as this Yarpivo Strong. The smell is quite nice; I got piney hops and maple syrup. The taste is weak but there is some piney hops. It doesn't really go anywhere and the aftertaste isn't great. Not a great beer, but not terrible either.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 06:14:18 | More by vandemonian

BrewMaven

New York

2.45/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Yet another Russian beer to try...They're always a crapshoot :)

Pours a pale slightly hazy gold with a very minimal head. The remaining ring leaves some lace.

This has a yeasty earthy aroma..Seems a little foreboding.

Yup, the taste is what the smell hinted at..Grainy, oddly sweet and alcoholic with a metallic graunch at the finish..Not a pleasant tasting brew. Mouthfeel is slick and a little viscous and carbonation is light.

Not one I'll actively seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2010 22:44:36 | More by BrewMaven

hmk22

New York

1.78/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Nasty -- tastes like an alcohol-fortified grain beverage meant for soccer hooligans. Usually sold alongside their mainstream amber (5.3% ABV) and lighter (4.7%) varieties which have some merit. This brewery also markets larger-size screw-top plastic bottles of "beer" under various names with similar overproof alcohol levels that smack of get-drunk-quick swill. To be avoided whenever possible.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 02:34:42 | More by hmk22

puboflyons

New Hampshire

2/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

This pours from a bottle marked 24.01.09-14A-24.01.10-J. Sampled on February 23, 2010. The pour is about its best quality with a slightly cloudy copper-amber with a thin soapy white head and decent lacing. The aroma seems stale to me witha little bit of malts on the nose but more like day old bread. The taste is not a wholelot better. It is mainly bland, stale bread and a touch of hops behind it. It reminds me of flavored cardboard unfortunately and it took me forever to get it down.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2010 00:56:04 | More by puboflyons

malcontent

Illinois

1.6/5  rDev -40.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Poured into an appropriately tacky mug, this lager pours a pale gold with a solid finger of head to cap it off. Looks like a well-made lager.

Uh, oh. Smells like plastic, stale grain and sweet corn.

Slowly at first...then, argh! Massive rush of cloying sweetness. Weird, non-hop-derived bitterness toward the finish; pretty much just nasty adjuncts and additives. Man, I need to purge this.

For all of the generous head this actually ends up being a bit flat. The slick mouthfeel certainly doesn't help. Lovers of all-malt macros may enjoy this for a) the price (.99 for a 1 pint 9oz. bottle and b) the high ABV (7.2%) but there's simply got to be a better option out there. Down the drain we go...

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2008 21:04:26 | More by malcontent

WesWes

New York

2.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

The beer pours a gold color with a thick frothy white head that quickly fades to lacing. The aroma is average. It has a dry pale malt and adjunct scent. It's crisp and clean with little to no hop aroma. The taste isn't very good. It has a very dry and bitter flavor. It's full of pale malts and adjuncts as well as an earthy yeast component. Hops are nowhere to be found. The mouthfeel is horrible. It has a dry metallic feel with good carbonation. It's full bodied and hard to put down. This is going right to the drain. This is just not a very good tasting beer. It's one and done for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2007 21:47:02 | More by WesWes

Zorro

California

3.43/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

So this is Russian for Malt Liquor?

This is a clear dark gold bordering on amber colored beer with a good white head.

The smell is quite full of toasted and biscuit aroma grains. There is at best a trace of fusel alcohol in the scent. This actually does smell like a German Lager.

The taste begins sweet and fairly strong toasted grains and biscuit just like the smell. The toasted grain flavor stays and a bit of fruity fusel alcohol taste appears. You can clearly taste the alcohol here but it mixes extremely well in to the basic toasted grain flavors as a slightly peppery spice to it.

The mouthfeel is nothing special.

More drinkable than any American malt liquor. Somewhere between a good German lager and alcohol boosted piss in a glass. A toasted grain flavored beer that I actually like. For the $1.69 the 1/2 Liter cost this is a completely acceptable beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2007 07:02:05 | More by Zorro

Phatz

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +35.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This beer seemed to me to be in a similar league with Haffenreffer Private Stock - Malt Liquor but a step up. If you are a malt liquor fan then I suggest you give this beer a try. My guess is this is the Russian Federation version of Malt Liquor. Rating it as such it is a pretty decent beer.

Appearance: Pours a clear yellow with a sudsy white head.

Smell: Very clean in the nose with a bit of sugar malt and alcohol.

Taste: Like most all Malt liquors it is plenty sweet and there is no bitterness only a thinning rice attribute. I like the syrupy sugar taste but many people probably wouldn’t.

Mouthfeel: Thin and it portrayed some of the alcohol but it was also drying.

Drinkability: Again in the league of Malt Liquors it is a good “lets get drunk today beer” but it may not be the most unique beer you’ve had.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2006 08:26:24 | More by Phatz

Brent

Kentucky

3.33/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I believe this is the same beer as the abv is the same, although my bottle bore the designation "Extra." Poured an almost frighteningly luminous gold with nominal and short-lived head. A bit of sweetish malt in the aroma. Flavor was a fairly standard euro-lager profile, and a bit smoother than I would have expected. Some artificial sweetener at the finish, but not too bad. Alcohol hinted at harshness, but managed to fall back into line surprisingly well. An okay beer, but certainly beats the pants off any U.S. malt liquor, if one is so inclined.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2006 19:08:26 | More by Brent

TastyTaste

Minnesota

1.68/5  rDev -37.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Clear gold color, big fluffy head, pretty standard looking for a eurp strong lager. Sharp grain, alcohol, and corny smelling. Taste is strongly alcoholic, like rancid milwaukee's best with some vodka dumped in it. Yuck. Sharp and offensive, this is one of theworst tasting euro strong lagers that I've had. Avoid.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2005 00:02:50 | More by TastyTaste

schrist275

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +44.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

wow.... poured in a glass with wonderful ease, left a bright white full head sitting on top of yellow liquid gummi bear... center of the head dissipates, but the lace is full and intact, a nice light yet full malty smell that causes this mouth to water... first sip is odd... leads with the malt and refuses to carry thru with an aftertaste... 2nd sip was a bit more cloying.. could "feel" the beer running down the inside of my cheeks.. good taste.. for this ABV the flavor is very light.. sticking very well to lager rules... will stock this. find this one.. its good.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2004 06:49:01 | More by schrist275

Gump

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I knew I wanted to try a Russian beer, but I didnt know what was getting into with the Yarpivo's as there were no markings on the bottle to indicate style. I chose by alcohol content.
The clear yellow pour reveals a short thin head that lasts only seconds.
A strong alcohol content is evident from the aroma and grainy flavor. A quick, dry and slightly bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2004 01:54:49 | More by Gump

Globetrotter

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This one pours a bright yellow with a big white head. Don't blink, though, or the head will be gone. No lace, and practically no collar. The nose is big - strong sweet malt and a bit of alcohol. The mouthfeel is sweet and tingly. The taste is powerful - sweetness, rice (listed as an ingredient) and alcohol. There is just a touch of bitterness in the finish, but it is pretty much overwhelmed by the sweet malt. I won't be having another.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2003 11:52:02 | More by Globetrotter

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Yarpivo means beer (pivo) from Yaroslavl (which is located in central Russia). It pours a clear yellow-gold body with a full and foamy bright-white head that dissipates quickly. It keeps a thin collar through the start of the glass, but eventually drops to an entirely flat surface. The nose displays clean, sweet malt with a very mild touch of alcohol. It's full bodied, and mildly zesty on the tongue. Once tasted, rich sweet malt abounds - obviously adjunct laden, and over-riding whatever bitterness is present. Sweet malt, alcohol and a touch of bitterness lay on the tongue in a lingering, semi-sweet finish. Very much like an American malt liquor. Interesting, and fairly well done, but not really worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2003 16:34:09 | More by NeroFiddled