Estrella Damm - Damm S. A.

rickyleepotts

Arizona

3.63/5  rDev +28.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I see this beer all the time, but I have never had it. Until I grabbed this to review, I didn't even know what Estrella Damm meant! Estrella means "star", but had no idea Damm came from the guy who started the entire operation. Cool story, and cool how they changed the name of the brewery to honor him. This is a VERY old recipe, and I am excited to try it. Not usually a fan of American Adjunct Lagers, but this one has a good brand and comes to us from Barcelona. Actually it comes to us from the Total Wine & More in Scottsdale, Arizona. But you get the idea.

This is our first beer from this brewing company, but there are several more on the list. Let's see how the Estrella Damm stacks up. Bottoms up, people!

In the Glass: The beer looks pretty boring in the glass. It is thin, and you can see right through it. Some bubbles are rushing to the top, but not much action. Very little to no lace is offered here. Before I stick my nose in the glass, know that I do not expect great things. I expect this to be slightly better than an American domestic product, but a tad bit sweet like I have come to expect from boring European lagers.

Nose: Smells like beer. It has a weak aroma, but what I am getting is grassy and smells like liquid bread. That is what beer is, anyway. Liquid bread! A deep second whiff gives me yeast and some more bread aromas. Expecting a lot of that from the flavor.

Flavor: The first impression is somewhat sweet. It hits your tongue and the sweetness sort of explodes across your palate. Then it drinks like any other American Adjunct Lager I have had, then finishes sweet leaving a linger aftertaste of yeast and bread. Considering my expectations here, I am VERY impressed with this offering. The sweetness sort of took me for a loop. Wasn't expecting that.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is full, and flavorful ending with a smooth sweetness left on the tongue. There aren't a lot of bubbles, and it is a beer you could literally chug all day long. I bet this does well at futbol games in Europe and other foreign countries. This would be a good example of a domestic beer for countries like Spain, Italy, and France. I haven't been to Barcelona, but this will be the first beer I order when I step off the plane.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste is nice, dry, and bittersweet. The sweetness you get from the flavor hangs on and it just continues to get dry as I swallow. I bet the aftertaste hangs around a good 5-7 minutes. VERY impressed with this offering. Fun learning what "estrella" means and neat knowing the man that started this was named Damm. Consider this beer a learning experience all around!

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 20:42:25 | More by rickyleepotts

secondtooth

Indiana

2.53/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a straw yellow, with a nice couple of fingers of white carbonation. Lace is thin and wispy.

Nose is adjunct grains. I get the requisite cream corn and rice notes. Unremarkable and pedestrian.

Taste is sweet and malty, with accents of cream corn and rice. Hops are there, but oh-so-lightly resigned to the background. The Bud Lite of Spain? Seems like it. Nothing more to see here.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 23:45:51 | More by secondtooth

aty11b

Texas

2/5  rDev -29.3%

05-14-2013 01:41:12 | More by aty11b

Mullinger1980

Ohio

3/5  rDev +6%

05-11-2013 11:14:23 | More by Mullinger1980

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev +6%

05-11-2013 09:15:27 | More by mick303

jjarreau

Louisiana

3.5/5  rDev +23.7%

05-05-2013 02:23:43 | More by jjarreau

Rhettroactive

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -2.8%

04-13-2013 22:14:03 | More by Rhettroactive

Poupae

Thailand

3.25/5  rDev +14.8%

04-04-2013 10:16:25 | More by Poupae

beerhunter13

Ontario (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -11.7%

04-04-2013 00:30:24 | More by beerhunter13

DrewSnyc667

Massachusetts

2.71/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at la Bocqueria in NYC

A - Pale yellow water, little bit of fiz and a little bit of lacing

S - a little skunky but mainly metallic

T - Butter sweet and Metallic nothing else to it

M - Could use a bit more carbonation to make it at least refreshing, kind of leaves too much sweetness in the mouth

O - It's what's in tapas bars so you have little other choice, but honestly, it's not that good

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2013 00:34:40 | More by DrewSnyc667

grahamboudreaux

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +41.3%

03-21-2013 06:04:15 | More by grahamboudreaux

BGsWo22

New York

1/5  rDev -64.7%

03-21-2013 00:38:44 | More by BGsWo22

ste5venla

California

3/5  rDev +6%

03-20-2013 02:56:01 | More by ste5venla

spycow

Illinois

3/5  rDev +6%

03-11-2013 06:55:14 | More by spycow

Beerman1977

Austria

2.75/5  rDev -2.8%

03-09-2013 19:38:39 | More by Beerman1977

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -11.7%

03-09-2013 00:15:43 | More by ejimhof

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +32.5%

03-08-2013 18:26:49 | More by WanderingFool

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

2.5/5  rDev -11.7%

02-27-2013 23:33:00 | More by Damian74Shensky

M1ke

Puerto Rico

4.5/5  rDev +59%

02-23-2013 00:29:33 | More by M1ke

GLARY

4.5/5  rDev +59%

02-23-2013 00:28:26 | More by GLARY

Mat_Rampson

Illinois

3/5  rDev +6%

02-16-2013 04:31:09 | More by Mat_Rampson

MaxOhle

Illinois

3/5  rDev +6%

02-11-2013 14:38:33 | More by MaxOhle

Dinkel

Texas

2/5  rDev -29.3%

02-09-2013 14:41:29 | More by Dinkel

Chris77McGrath

Ohio

3/5  rDev +6%

02-08-2013 20:27:02 | More by Chris77McGrath

freditoj

Alabama

3/5  rDev +6%

01-29-2013 00:42:50 | More by freditoj