Kingfisher Premium Lager - United Breweries - UB Group

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.11/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- pours a pale yellow-golden color with a small fizzy white head with shirt retention

S- light and clean hop aroma with a sweet and grainy malt, thankfully no skunkiness coming from the green bottle

T- cooked sweet corn with just a touch of light herbal hop, finishes slightly sweet with clean malt at the end

M- light-medium body with moderate carbonation with a slick finish

O- not as bad as I thought it would be, it has more flavor than typical adjuncts, but not something I would reach for again

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 15:34:09 | More by Treyliff

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

2.35/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Yellowish in color and a bit hazy, head was fizzy and didn't last long or leave a lot of lacing.

Aroma is lightly sweet and somewhat grainy. Taste follows, but is near cloyingly sweet, accented with grain flavors, and a smidge of light floral hops that's barely detectable.

Body is light but the cloying sweetness overpowers the finish to the point where it would be hard to drink several of these in a session.

Overall I'm not at all impressed with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:33:33 | More by AlCaponeJunior

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev +25.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I was trying to be authentic while out to eat at an Indian restaurant. The bottle says this Indian beer was brewed about 4 hours away in Saratoga Springs New York. Sheesh.

Straw colored with a tight, thin head. Some foam lasts for almost half a glass which I guess is par for the course in pale lager land.

Floral aroma which I wasn't expecting. Honey and green apple peel. Tastes like it smells with some nice herbal hops in there.

Refreshing, floral, and sweet. Pale lagers ain't so bad when you don't throw a bunch of rice in it.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 01:11:54 | More by donkeyrunner

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

650 ml (1 pint 6 fl oz) bottle, with no apparent production information on this bottle. From the same brewers as the Taj Mahal Premium Lager Beer that I enjoyed a few days ago, and the Flying Horse Royal Lager Beer which I just had a few hours ago. Not the highest expectations for this one, but higher at least than my expectations for the swill adjunct lagers produced in America.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours about one finger of quickly dissipating eggshell white bubbly head. Dark cloudy gold, cider / lager colored body.

S - Smell is comprised mainly of muted corn husk / malt smell, honey, and very little else happening. Very dominant corn kernel smell becomes apparent.

T - Tastes like straight up fresh corn husk / corn tortilla. To be honest, this has got to be one of the most literally corn tasting beers I've ever had. Not a disturbing, cheap, adjunctive chemically treated corn husk taste like you would find in Bud Light, Miller Light, Coors Light, etc. More of a natural corn taste going on here, but still very prominent, and very little else happening.

M - Sweet, slight sugar, smooth, clean, and, watery. My mouth tastes like I just ate a plain corn tortilla. It's a clean feeling beer, I'll give it that. Not as carbonated and cidery as the rest of it's contemporary beers.

Overall, another strange surprising endeavor into the United Breweries portfolio. They seem to brew strange and offbeat beers, but I tend to enjoy what they put out. If I could find more from them I would be interested in trying it, for sure. This Kingfisher Premium Lager Beer has probably been the worst outing I've encountered from them so far, tasting the closest to American corn water swill like Miller Olde English 800, but it still isn't so bad. It is definitely a beer to try if you so happen to come across it, and the same goes for the rest of the beers put out by United Breweries - UB Group.

Kingfisher Premium Lager Beer ---3/5.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 03:47:15 | More by mfnmbvp

charlzm

California

2.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Consumed at Cafe Bollywood in Sherman Oaks, CA on March 13th, 2013. Poured into a pilsener glass.

Pour is a very pale clear yellow with no head to speak of.

No appreciable aroma, save for a light whiff of husky grain.

Sweet, grainy flavor with a mild bit of corn. Light bitterness on finish. Really, there's nothing else to say about this one.

Mouthfeel is similar to carbonated water.

Easy to drink and doesn't interfere with the flavor of the Indian food I was eating, but I can't see myself ever ordering this utterly unremarkable beer ever again.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 21:55:53 | More by charlzm

GMB

Japan

2.1/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Kingfisher's Premier (Same as Premium?) Lager Beer pours a very light golden body with moderate, even carbonation and a fizzy snow-white head.

The nose struck me as slightly skunky and corn-dominated at first, but after a few deep breaths I began to appreciate some roasted characteristics and even a slightly fruity aroma.

The taste of this beer is sweet, sweet, sweet. The side of the can lists water, malted barley, sugar and rice/maize/corn syrup as its first four ingredients. This should give some indication of just how sweet this brew is. To me, it tastes like corn syrup with a bit of malted barley mixed in for good measure. Hoppy bitterness is only appreciable after a dozen or so small sips. The beer is far too thin on the palate; and sweet, far too sweet: sort of gross, really.

Considering my overall aversion to the sweetness, I was surprised to find a couple of sips somewhat enjoyable. Perhaps it was the freshness of the can: I drank it on 12 November and the can was "manufactured" on 07 November. Or maybe the seasoned puffed rice that I snacked on as I sipped cut some of the sweetness.

Serving type: can

11-12-2012 17:15:10 | More by GMB

Minkybut

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I poured this beer into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer was a golden color and quite nice looking with its nice white head. However the head did not hang around long. The beer also had a little bit of that skunky (Becks) smell, thank goodness it did not taste that way. it did have a bit of a bitter finish though not bad. I will buy again.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 23:05:40 | More by Minkybut

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.13/5  rDev +13%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I got a single bottle of this from Everett’s in South Beloit, IL.

Pours a clear golden yellow color with a very small head. There is a slight scent of grains and hops, but nothing all that strong. The taste is pretty average for an imported lager. There is a decent taste of grains and citrus mixed with some slight hops. Smooth and mellow that delivers an overall light and refreshing taste. A lot better tasting then you would expect from an Indian beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 04:00:55 | More by Lemke10

rangerred

Tennessee

3.2/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass out of a 22oz bomber.

Pours a clear golden yellow with just a tiny fizzy head that quickly disappears. Somewhat lacking in carbonation it seems.

Aroma lacks skunk thanks to the brown bottle and has a pleasant breadyness with some light citrus hop aroma. There is a slight musty smell but it doesn't really detract.

The flavor has plenty of bread and hay typical of mass produced European lagers. A little bit of a corn adjunct taste along with a slight citric bite from the hops. Mouthfeel is a little heavier than I was expecting and finishes somewhat sticky with a lingering light tartness.

Overall, a fairly typical Euro lager although it is not one of the better ones I have had. Just does not finish dry enough for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 22:22:58 | More by rangerred

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev +27.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a green, 12-ounce bottle into a Sam Adams Summer nonic pint glass at Haveli Indian Restaurant & Cocktails in Middletown, Conn. Bottle states brewed in Saratoga Spings, N.Y.

A: Clean, clear, pale, fizzy, yellow color with a very thin head of effervescent carbonation bubbles that leave a thin cap in its wake but only meager, soapy lace.

S: Cracked grain husk and very faint, floral bitterness from delicate hopping.

T: Clean, crisp and grainy malt flavor hits up front throwing a bit of toasted cracker at the palate before a very thin, spicy and floral hop bite dries out the palate completely. The bitterness is extremely low, however, and the brew finishes with a slightly vegetative, carbonated sweetness.

M: Very clean, crisp and refreshing on the palate, this is a light-bodied lager with mild hops for drying the mouthfeel.

O: There aren't too many good things to say about Kingfisher Premium Lager other than its a fairly inoffensive, clean, crisp lighter beer to wash down food or perhaps quench your thirst on a humid day. I wouldn't turn one away, though, because this all-malt, no frills, 4.8% ABV lager is just slightly above average in my book.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 16:11:24 | More by Gambrinus1184

StonedTrippin

Colorado

2.58/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

in all its forms this beer is pretty sub par. pours a clear yellow wheat color with nice rising carbonation but a quickly fading head. smells a bit skunked, possibly a product of the green bottle, but a bit rancid in odor. also some undigested sugars that still remain are present. flavor is about the same as the nose, a little like cold white toast, but with some sweetness in the finish. mouthfeel redeems it, its cold and crisp, lively on the tongue, and clean. very light body, easy drinker if you dont mind the taste. overall a beer that is impossibly unsatisfying as a last drink before 2 weeks of sobriety, but one that hits the nail on the head as a first drink after those 2 weeks. thats about all i say for kingfisher.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 13:13:35 | More by StonedTrippin

Tresha

1.15/5  rDev -58.5%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

This beer is lucky. While it tastes pretty bad compared to any craft beer, it is the most popular and most available beer in India. The colour is pale golden, and always served very very cold. Almost get a head freeze! Very very carbonated and will keep you gassy and burping (not to mention pissy) for a long time. Goes well with Indian food - most lagers go well with spicy food. Gets warm very soon and tastes terrible when at room temperature (undrinkable actually!)

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 10:56:40 | More by Tresha

tobelerone

New Jersey

2.03/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

On tap at the Olde Saratoga brewery. Probably the worst thing I drank there and that’s saying something because very little was distinguished at all. Pale straw color, decent clarity, small white head that settles slowly, some patchy lacing. The look was the best thing about this beer.

Strange aroma has an off, slightly soured milk aspect to it dominating some weak grainy malt and vague herbal hoppiness. This intensified in the tasting; aggressively awful spoilt milk flavor, with the accompanying sourness, as well as some kind of adjunct flavor, graininess, puny malt character. A hint of herbal, floral hops mostly noticed in the mercifully dry finish.

Body is medium light with strong carbonation. Feel was fine but this is a terrible, terrible beer. Memorably bad and to be avoided at all costs. Yuck.

Edit: noticed a bottle of this in the back of my dad's fridge last time I visited. Maybe I'll crack it open and see if it's actually as bad as it was on tap at the brewery!

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2012 18:30:08 | More by tobelerone

seydou

South Africa

2.15/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Bottle poured into chilled glass in Mumbai. Slightly better than my West African lagers (Flag & Castel), but definitely in the same family.

Unremarkable yellow-golden lager color, quickly-dissipating foam, fairly carbonated and best served very, very cold against a hot day. Bit too much of a Bud Light-like aftertaste for. An unremarkable beer but enjoyable in cultural context.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 15:24:31 | More by seydou

jsisko01

Michigan

3.53/5  rDev +27.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a clear golden color with a centimeter thick, fluffy white head. Has almost no lacing.

Smell - Slightly sweet with a corn aroma that's most dominant. Also some grains and bread.

Taste - Pale malts, slightly sweet, corn, and skunk.

Mouthfeel - Light bodied with mild carbonation.

Overall - This is a pretty good beer. Light and crisp.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 03:36:01 | More by jsisko01

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev +13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The last beer that was available at the India Restaurant and got it simply since I couldn't find it anywhere else.

A - This one actually had some nice deep golden color, almost like a pale ale with a 1/2 inch of fizzy head that again reduced to nothing. No lace ring but it got the most head out of the three.

S - What I noticed on this one was the strongest of lager yeast of the three but it gave way to a fruity aspect. Aside from that light cereal grains and actually some hops in the smell.

T - Well this one was pretty nice. Smooth crisp body and light hopping of typical lager flavors. Not bad overall. No vegital taste so I don't understand the low ratings...

M - Light in body.

Overall not a bad lager which really doesn't deserve the below average rating. Not my best style so it would only be something I would order again if at the restaurant.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 19:28:44 | More by DrDemento456

bonkers

New Jersey

2.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A friend brought it over for me to try, so I split it with him. Golden yellow pour, good head. The aroma at first is off, after a minute or 2 kinda bland. The taste is light, some grassy hops, finishes slightly bitter. The body is light, good carbonation. Not something I would pick up, but if offered it is not terrible.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 13:30:25 | More by bonkers

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

1.27/5  rDev -54.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Reviewed from notes.

Poured into a weizen glass (my only clean glassware at the time), appears straw yellow with a fading collar of white foam, presents a very strong cooked corn aroma combined with a medium skunked aroma...tastes like a helping of overcooked corn and gym socks on a slab of wet moldy cardboard. Light body, but I didn't get too far into it before pouring the rest of it down the drain. If this is what they consider "premium," I shudder to think what the normal version would be like.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 22:32:44 | More by WastingFreetime

JoLight

Georgia

1.5/5  rDev -45.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Golden in appearance, with a soapy white head, which does not retain at all.

It smells like spoiled hops, very light toasted malt, but has an overshadowing aroma of garbage. No seriously, garbage.

The taste profile is super light. I believe this has as much flavor as most light beer. (And I'm not hating on light beer. But for full-flavored beer, this is disappointing.) There is some very light toasted barley malt, and light hops. But all over, it's just very bland and spoiled-tasting.

I'm not a picky drinker, nor do I look for the worst in beers or criticize them to any great degree. But I have to say, this is one of the worst beers I have ever tasted.

God-awful, really.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 02:33:30 | More by JoLight

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This poured out as a golden yellow color with a thin white head that fades quickly. The smell of the beer was sweet but almost smelled like a locker room to me... Not that appealing. The taste of the beer is average, the taste is a little on the sweet side just a touch of bitterness to it. The mouthfeel was typical, nothing too exciting going on really. Overall this beer wasn't anything special in my opinion. My friend was raving about it so I gave it a try when he offered me some. It's not something I'd ever buy myself. It he really enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 08:02:46 | More by Knapp85

vkv822

Oregon

1.93/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

12oz green bottle into pint glass.

Pours a clear dark yellow with a fizzy white head. Unimpressive, but pretty standard for the style.

Lightly skunky, with some malty adjunct character.

The taste is a little better then the aroma, but not by much. There is a bit of cereal grain sweetness before another touch of skunk and finishes with malty adjuncts.

Light body, fizzy carbonation, as expected.

What one would expect in the style and coming in a green bottle. Basic adjuncts, some sweetness and a light touch of skunk. Not the worst in the style but not enjoyable either.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 06:28:00 | More by vkv822

WrathsU

Florida

3.55/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Brilliantly clear golden body with a thick vicious white head. The head is long lasting.

S - Very malty, hints of honey and light lemon fragrance.

T - Medium amount of malt up front and a slightly bitter finish. Not a lot to the taste. The bitterness at the end is slightly unwelcome as it is harsh.

M - Light to medium light bodied. Slightly over carbonation sensation.

O - A well done lager with relatively minor faults. A wonderfully drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 21:54:45 | More by WrathsU

Durge

Connecticut

3.18/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A light gold colored lager with very little white head on top and no lacing. The aroma offers oaky malt and oats. The flavor is nutty malt and vanilla with a touch of sweet cardboard. I also detect some woodsy cereal grain elements. It’s on the heavy side of light bodied with ample, tasteful carbonation for a light and refreshing feel that goes down very easily. Different from your typical lager and a passable choice with your Indian meal.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 06:28:27 | More by Durge

cbutova

Massachusetts

2.75/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Gonna be a week or two from the cheaper coolers, hopefully find some goodies I wouldn't buy normally.

A- Deep golden lager poured into a pint glass. One finger foamy white head forms and fizzes out fairly quickly. A few spots of lace on the glass.

S- Smells like a mix between mostly wet dog and some sweet caramel malts.

T- Slightly caramelized sugar and malts mixed with light fruit and floral hops. Kind of reminds me of those strawberry jam hard candies somehow.

MF- Creamy light body with smooth moderate carbonation. Tiny bitterness.

Flavor isn't too bad with fruit and relaxed hop notes, nothing bad in here. Smell upsets me as it reminds of bathing a dog.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 03:32:16 | More by cbutova

scratch69

Missouri

2.55/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I poured a bottle into a mug.

Appearance- Golden yellow with very little head and almost no lacing.

Smell- Simple grain aroma.

Taste- Bitter, bland flavor. Slight hop presence.

Mouthfeel- Light bodied and crisp. Average amount of carbonation.

Overall- Reminds me of a run-of-the-mill adjunct lager. Unimpressive and forgettable.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 20:53:37 | More by scratch69