Elephant Beer - Carlsberg Danmark A/S

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.18/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Light, bright straw colour with a thin and bubbly white head around the top that leaves minimal lacing.

Strong corn and lager hops aroma hits you straight away with this one, along with some citrus and a generally sweet aroma. The overall smell is a crisp and clean one.

Strong tasting with lager malts and hops along with some mild citrus and some malts. There is a fair amount of alcohol like grain to the taste along with a spicy finish.

Thicker on the palate than most pale lagers but still light, for the most part it is a smooth beer but there is some alcohol grain to the drink. It is rounded off with a crisp and slightly bitter finish. Carbonation is medium.

Average tasting beer and although not a great drink it still ranks higher than both the previous Carlsberg offerings I have tried previously. It wasn't great and it was slightly grainy but it id have strong flavours and nice kick to it.

1 of 1001 Beers To Try Before You Die:
http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2012 10:55:26 | More by flyingpig

ThaCreep

Belgium

2.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

The nose offers grain a bit outdated with a fine touch of alcohol, such as through any fruit liqueur. The taste is alcohol, syrupy (a bit too much) and offers an array of ripe fruit on the edge of decay. In addition, it is unfortunately not easy to drink. Many blabla finally a beer that is closely related to ordinary strong lager without any personality and originality.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2011 11:57:35 | More by ThaCreep

boudreaux

Alabama

3.95/5  rDev +42.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Finally got around to this one after avoiding it for almost a year. I'm not a huge Euro Strong Lager fan, but this one had been on my list for a while, and it's always available at the Alcove International Tavern. Here we go.

A: pours well, with a firm, white, 3/4 finger head

S: definitely a potent, hoppy nose; boozy notes present as well, which almost mask a hint of maltiness

T: definitely malty, fulfilling the possibility of sweetness suggested in the nose; also, slight estery (nail polish) notes and alcoholic taste; dry hop bitterness pretty much dominates after that

M: Starts off kinda heavy, but quickly returns to the middle/light body typical of traditional Euro Lagers; refreshing and biting

D: A little to bitter for consistent consumption; not bad, but borderline skunky hoppiness keeps me on the fence with this one

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2011 06:49:22 | More by boudreaux

Tang07

California

2.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The beer that I had was probably not very fresh.
I can say that I didn't order another one.
It was skunky and well, tasted like malt liquor.

It had a sorry head and left no lacing on the glass.
The taste was just short of bad, but definitely not good.
I can't recommend this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2004 03:07:50 | More by Tang07

Boto

Connecticut

2.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Draught: This one is a somewhat golden yellow color. Typical big, fizzy white head. It has a strong alcohol taste. There are some malts in the background, with a body a few ticks above thin. Seems to exist for the buzz factor alone. Perhaps this is why I liked it in college, but am not as keen on it now.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2004 19:07:42 | More by Boto

rickyleepotts

Arizona

3.28/5  rDev +18%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I asked Sheryl to pick a number between 1 and 3. She said 3. She "picked" the Carlsberg Elephant Beer. This is a beer that I wasn't excited about, but soon learned that the beer was pretty high in alcohol. 7.2% is pretty big. I feel like I have had this beer, but I have no idea when or where. Also, I am sad that this bottle doesn't have a label. The photo in the book has a label… and the photo on BeerAdvocate has a label. Those labels are different. Ours doesn't have a label; just a green bottle with Carlsberg on the side. Not sure why brewing companies do that… change the bottle and/or the labels. But still pretty sad there is no label! Especially with a beer called Elephant Beer.

Not too excited about this, but maybe it will surprise me.

In the Glass: The beer pours like any domestic beer, and offers a weak head and basically no lace. I am seeing some small bubbles rushing to the top; hopefully this is not too carbonated. The beer does have an inviting golden color to it… hopefully the aroma and the flavor is clean, crisp, and refreshing. It's hot outside, you know!

Nose: Didn't expect that much in the aroma. This has a really strong yeasty smell. I ca almost taste this beer as I smell it. Not a bad thing, of course. I use the word, "chuggable" a lot, and I am sure this beer is just that. I just hope they hide the ABV well. Let's see what this offering tastes like.

Flavor: Those same yeasty aromas do carry over. The beer also starts out thin and crisp, and then quickly becomes sweet. There wasn't much carbonation there, and while the beer is not thick, it is just a lovely velvet mouthfeel. I saw that word on a Total Wine & More tasting sheet the other night. I might start using the word "velvet" more often. I was right. This beer IS chuggable. I just love the sweet finish on this.

Oh, and you would NEVER know this was 7.2% ABV.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel starts out thin and boring, but as I begin to swallow, the back of the tongue feels thicker and has a nice velvet feeling to it. On one of my sips I did swish the beer around in my mouth a little. It, when doing this, the carbonation does become quite overwhelming. I will say my beer is almost gone. It just begs to be consumed. I can't imagine this getting better as it heats up. Think Heineken. (The burp is nice and clean, too. I would love to drink a few of these on the golf course.)

Aftertaste: There isn't much of an aftertaste here. It does end sweet, and becomes drying as I continue to swallow. My favorite part of this beer is the sweet finish. I just wish it would hang on for a bit longer. For $1.99 a bottle, it is worth every penny for the sweet finish and the high ABV. This is the first and only beer from Carlsberg on the list, too. I am not even sure what else they do… maybe I will look the next time I am at Total Wine. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 21:49:54 | More by rickyleepotts

Fatehunter

Oregon

2.25/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Poured almost a finger of head on a clear, dark golden colored body.
The aroma is borderline. It has some nice grain notes but has a damp room smell in the background.
The taste is sweet and moves to sweeter. There's the mildest bitter note at the very beginning. It lacks a real profile.
The texture is sticky with moderate carbonation... not appealing.
The sweetness and sticky texture make this a "no-go".

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 02:20:20 | More by Fatehunter

w3rd

Massachusetts

2.3/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

From Bottle to Pint glass

Love the green bottle. Looks really cool. Crystal clear golden beer. Almost no head on my pour.

Smell isn't anything special. I got a lot of malt up front. Almost like a cheap malt liqour. Didn't get much hops. Smells funky.

Taste also wasn't anything special. You can taste the funkiness. Has a very strong malt liqour taste similar to steel reserve. Not as bad as steel reserve but not far off. Strong malt/alcohol taste with lots of carbonation up front. Aftertaste is subtle I thought, and thankfully so.

Mouthfeel was fine. Light to mid body with plenty of carbonation.

I will say I'm disappointed with my purchase. Could have just got some other swill at a cheaper price and would have never known the difference. I will say that the 7.2% is not a lie. After one I could definitely feel it. Would not buy again though.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 23:49:22 | More by w3rd

alex_hart

Massachusetts

2.5/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25

served into a flute glass.

The appearance is by far the best part of this beer. It sounds gross, but it looks like dark urine, but in a good way. Hazy golden in color with beautiful bubbles sitting at the bottom releasing in an upside down waterfall. Kind of beautiful to watch.

Smells like, "oh! weed!", but then turns into "oh...oh...thats a skunk". Then some mild hop bitterness.

Taste is much the same, but not quite as potent. Not horrible, but not quite what I'd call enjoyable. Skunky, funky, and just a bit off. Some mild bitterness on the back of the tongue.

Mouthfeel is fine. Light to medium bodied with good carbonation and just a small bit of residue left over.

Overall this is just not my style. I havn't tried many Euro brews of this style, but if this is any indication then i think I will just stick to something else, anything else. Got it as a part of a mix 6 so I didnt waste money on a whole 6 pack. Maybe try this if you like skunky funkiness? Up to you. Drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 01:59:00 | More by alex_hart

smokinyodas

Florida

3.61/5  rDev +29.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picture needs to be updated, there is a new green bottle with silver green and gold label. A little cloudy but nice golden yellow color. The Malt taste is clean and smooth with faint hops. The best part is that the Alcohol sneaks in and does the job well. Seems like this beer is underrated here, but honestly it's a good Malt beer IMHO. Having drank 4 of these just now I'm having trouble focusing on this review, so what does that tell you? :)

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 06:18:48 | More by smokinyodas

Tinfang

California

2.1/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A dear friend passed away totally unexpectedly, and this was his favorite brew. Given that this was the person who turned me on to Samiclaus, I wanted to be sure some was served at his memorial. Sorry Jeff, but this beer is ghastly.

I miss the old labeling (pictured above). The current bottles have only a ringer label around the neck, and I looked at one of the carriers carefully to see if it was still brewed in the Old Country - it was. That doesn't save it however. I see other reviewers note a 7.5ABV, but these bottles bear a 7.2. No best by date, which is appropriate.

Appearance - average golden liquid with a quickly dissipating head.

Aroma - malt and malt and malt with grain accents. It smelled like beer overall, so there must have been some hop notes.

Taste - I remember thinking "This is for people who like pop". To be fair Elephant was formerly labeled malt liquor, hopefully to advise/warn consumers. It's not saccharine, but I thought it hugely unbalanced. No particular alcohol presence.

Mouthfeel - heavy but not oily, light carbonation. Drinks easily.

Overall - if I had been given this without knowing what it was, I would have thought this to be some corporate American product. It has some audience and may even be a staple for some, but for my taste it pushes the definition of beer too far in a single dimension.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 22:57:57 | More by Tinfang

JamesMN

Minnesota

2.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Clear straw with a thin white head.

Aroma: Skunk with some malt sweetness.

Taste: Not quite offensive but definitely one of the more skunky beers I've had. Some real pilsen malt flavor in there. No hop flavor and very low bitterness. Big alcohol note on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied but almost syrupy. Average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: Green bottles are never the way to go and this proves it. Would I drink it again? Highly unlikely.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 01:27:32 | More by JamesMN

Douberd

Netherlands

3.18/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Can of 500 ml, bought in Germany. ABV is 7,5% on my can. Poured into a lager glass.

Colour is very deep golden-yellow/ light copper-orange. Two fingers of white soapy head, with very good retention. Very light lacing on the glass. Great and continuous activity in the glass.
Malts, malts and more malts on the aroma, with a very faint hops smell.
Malts all the way on the taste too. It has a "dirty" taste, in combination with the smell. If you ever go into a mill or into a storage room where bags or barley are stored, you'll get what I mean, this beer has the taste of the air at those places, which is not necessarily bad. The alcohol is very well hidden under all the malts, it just bites your tongue at the end of the sip.
Great mouthfeel, thick and with just the right carbonation, dry on the palate. Very easily and quickly drinkable which, for a beer with 7,5% alcohol is not a wise thing to do.
Overall, a nice and sneaky beer, will get you there before you know it.

Serving type: can

10-29-2012 23:07:49 | More by Douberd

TheBigLebrewski

Michigan

2/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle to pint glass. Color is an unappealing yellow. I won't mention the analogy that comes to mind. But really. The head is initially substantial, though very quickly dissipates.

Smell is, bluntly put, nasty. I would recommend drinking this one out of the bottle.

Taste is not great; fair enough for a high content lager - that's a rough category to get an exciting flavor out of.

Mouthfeel is the beer's strong point. I genuinely enjoyed this beer, based on this criteria alone! Crisp, hugely bubbled, and it'll-get-you-drunk. Or, better yet, a good beer for when you're already drunk and not concerned about flavor and for some reason want to get more drunk AND want to look classy by drinking a sexy looking import bottle with a large African mammal on it. So, when you're in that sort of mood, drink the piss outta this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 06:01:39 | More by TheBigLebrewski

jjanega08

Minnesota

1.93/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

No freshness dating known
Bottle Stamped
21119414

A= Pours a translucent yellow color with a thin half finger of head that falls pretty quick with little retention and lacing.

S= Smells like a strangely sweet malt liquor sort of beer. A touch of booze and tons of sweetness and yeastiness.

T= The taste is similar to that of a malt liquor again. A sweetness to it as well as a slight alcohol flavor. Then to top if off there is a nice skunkiness in the finish. The taste is actually pretty offensive.

M= Very bubbley

O= This is a bad beer. I'm sure it's trip over seas doesn't help but this beer tastes offensive. It makes me make the face after every sip. Don't waste your money on this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 00:16:45 | More by jjanega08

ckollias

Maryland

2.68/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a large snifter glass.

A: Pours a dark golden hue with a decent white head that quickly dissipates into a wispy lace.

S: Slightly skunky aroma with honey and lemon backbone.

T: Honey malt flavor with a earthy quality. Similar to the smell there is a slight skunky mix to it. Slightly hoppy with a mild alcohol burn.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Typical Euro lager – skunky and not a whole lot more.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 01:35:29 | More by ckollias

soju6

Missouri

2.45/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a clear copper color with a decent head that fades to bits of lacing.

S: Aroma is kind of musty with a syrupy malt sweetness, grain and a bit of citrus in the background.

T: Taste of a syrupy malt sweetness and grain. Mild bitterness and a sweet sticky finish. Quite bland.

F: Light body, smooth and sticky.

O: Another Euro Lager, not bad but only if nothing else is available.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 07:38:12 | More by soju6

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev +25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

We pour a rich golden brew. It holds a pillow one and a half finger head of latte colored bubbles. You can hear these popping with vigor as the head slowly disappears, leaving chunky patterned lacing all around the glass. Carbonation appears light, and there is a thick haze throughout, without sediment. The nose sings of adjuncts of corn and flour. With warmth the grain takes on a more pale side, with lighter notes of sweet sugars and caramel. Initially, molasses adds sweetness, and a bitter raw vegetable quality to cut. Our first impression is that while this beer is adjuncty, it is even in flavoring throughout. As we sip, lightly buttered whole grain toast hits the lips. This is quickly replaced by a distinct air of corn and bittering flour. The sweetness from the nose comes at the peak, with white sugar and a pan-fried caramel taffy. Light bubblegum esters work in towards the end, as the grains get a bit watered out, with tins and minerals. There is a surprising buttered diacetyls vibe right at the outset, adding a nice depth to the grain that was otherwise not present. The aftertaste breathes of booze, which is hidden well, coin, caramel, yeast, and flour. The body is medium, and the carbonation is medium to high. The mouth is initially cooled and coated, but quickly dries up as the booze evaporates from the palate. There is okay slurp and sip, but it feels rather steely. The abv is appropriate, and the beer drinks fairly.

Overall, what we liked best about this brew was the flavoring. We were not expecting much after that nose, but we found a shocking depth to the malt bill. There was butter and diacetyls, light esters, and nice sweetness. The backing was still full of adjuncts, which ultimately took away from it, but this is not a bad experience on the whole.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 20:50:47 | More by TheBrewo

DCon

Missouri

3.15/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bought a Mix-A-Six Pack from MacDoodles in Joplin, MO for $9.85 and added a 11.2 FL. OZ. / 330 mL bottle of this to it. Poured from the Green Bottle with an elephant on the front into a Shaker Glass. Has no freshness date on the bottle.

Aroma- Tons of sweetness and noble hops in the aroma. Strong malts too.

Appearance- Pours a 1 finger head that has good head retention. Has a clear light golden body. Leaves a good amount of lace behind.

Flavor- Both yeast and hops are the main characters in the taste. Light-Medium Bitterness and very sweet on the finish.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, Medium Carbonaton, Smooth, and has a bite on the end with malts and light hops included.

Overall Impression- I remember having this one @ Growlers Pub in St. Louis but wasn't such a beer advocate at the time so probably chugged it. This one has a very strong profile while being very drinkable. Enjoyed but wouldn't be my typical style I would go to.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 03:21:09 | More by DCon

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

1.8/5  rDev -35.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I have to review European beers every now and again just so how others can see how they compare (read my other reviews on European beers, if you don't like this):

The picture shows a dark bottle, however I have a green bottle, no date. This oughta be interesting:

Into a pilsener (also tested in a pint glass, nonic, snifter and chalice, no change whatsoever):

A: clear golden yellow body that gives a large one and a half finger white foamy head and the whole thing dies to the width of a peanut shell within forty seconds. Slowly rising carbonation is seen rising. Minimal spotty foamy lacing is seen around the sides of the glass

S: centered around some light, bland rice and corn grains, not much else to note.

T: a lot of the same graininess that leads to a blandness that pretty much dulls my tastebuds

M: super light but really has nothing that stands out or has anything that is bad, carbonation seems right

O: I'm really not into this beer. The best thing it has going for it is its mouthfeel and that really isn't much. I really don't think I'd have this again, period, and am glad I have no more of these. I tried to be as fair as I could by waiting until I had the last one to offer a review and literally, as each beer I consumed it gradually got worse. I think this is not a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 16:57:04 | More by kangarooAdam59

Georgiabeer

Georgia

2.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Another standard Euro lager- in this case a strong Euro lager- In my experience, that just means a little harsher- and a little worse. This one is no different. Pours golden with a slight head and constant stream of bubbles. Smells harsh- alcoholic and grainy with a harsh bitterness. The taste starts out sweet, then grainy, then hot and harsh with a bit of sour graininess in the end. Not pleasant- made me grimace. If anything, the mouthfeel is even worse- harsh and solvent like. Bleh.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 01:53:48 | More by Georgiabeer

SmashPants

Australia

3.25/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: pretty standard for a macro, stylish green Carlsberg bottle, but only a small label around the lip. If I was paying AU$63 a case (2012) I'd want something a bit better.

Appearance: golden coloured with a reasonable, fluffy white head that lasts an admirably long time, little lacing.

Aroma: pale malts and lager yeasts with some grain and light citrus. All together not terribly brilliant, but not bad for such a high ABV.

Taste: lots of grainy flavours, again some citric sweetness, but not much in the way of sophistication.

Aftertaste: more of the same, perhaps a little bready malts lingering. Not much happening though.

Mouth feel: medium in body, with a fairly high carbonation. Maybe a little too fizzy. Could do with some backing off.

Overall: a reasonable lager, I had no idea it was so high ABV when I was drinking it. A good sessional, but a bit steep at AU$63 a case (2012) for just a lager (thanks to Australian pricing regulations).

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 08:11:48 | More by SmashPants

schoolboy

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

It's been a long time since I drank any of this. There is a reason for that. I don't like it.

This very "malt-liquorish" brew is pretty nasty. It has a nasty bitternes mixed with the malty taste that is a bit hard to drink. If given a choice of chewing my arm off or drinking a six of these, I'd drink these!

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 02:03:03 | More by schoolboy

PancakeMcWaffles

Germany

3.38/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Golden colour, white and thin head, the head disappears fast.

S: Strong but typical Pilsner smell

T: Definetely a stronger Lager, rich maltyness, well balanced hops and malt, the higher alcohol kicks in, the alcohol is taste-able, leaves a nice rich and sort of fruity aftertaste, not too much hops on the aftertaste, quite a lovely and relatively long lasting aftertaste.

M: Feels richer than a "normal Pilsner/Lager", average carbonation.

O: It is quite a nice beer if you want to stay in the Pils/Lager style but want a slightly different or more interesting taste experience. Due to its high availability in Supermarkets it is a good alternative to your "Standard Pils/Lager", it will probably not become my favourite beer, but it is worth a try.
I would call it an "above average" Lager, although not too far away from average.

Serving type: can

06-28-2012 20:50:59 | More by PancakeMcWaffles

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I don't drink this often, but I am giving this a positive review. This is, if not anything else, a unique malt liquor. A strong alcohol aroma with an underlying cloying sweetness and a rough graininess.and a sweetness comes through.

Fairly smooth medium body and lighter carbonation which all are a plus for me.

Taste is malty alcohol flavor with a hint of black licorice faded into the background. It kind of reminds me a bit of a Schnaaps.

Elephant carries a good kick so I recommend you drink this with Music For Gardening
Maja S.K. Ratkje & Lasse Marhaug

Read more: http://www.emusic.com/artist/maja-s-k-ratkje-lasse-marhaug/12645144/#ixzz1xBAhtFau

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 06:06:39 | More by frankiepop