Kingfisher Premium Lager - United Breweries - UB Group

billybob

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

first i must say this beer has a distinct smell and taste from other lagers that i have tried but not in a bad way but different.

pours a quarter inch white head very quickly fades to beer and a very light fading lace and lightly hazed golden color. herbal and metallic smell and taste. light malt grain and hop with strong herb front to finish and light metallic after taste. mouthfeel light and carbonation light also. good beer for a change of pace with a different lager taste and the price was right.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 18:44:40 | More by billybob

LuthersMug

Virginia

3.03/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Drank this one at Nawab Indian Restaurant in Roanoke, Va after running a marathon. Partook with some good friends, one of which also ran the half marathon.

A - Pale golden yellow, served in a standard pilsner glass. Tiny white head, some stringy lacing.

S - Not that strong, some earth and grain aromas noted.

T - Average lager, not great, not bad.

M - On the lighter side, fairly clean, not a lot of hops.

O - Average, and maybe even a bit above for a macro brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 15:54:17 | More by LuthersMug

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

2.9/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a clear, golden colour with plenty of bubbles. It forms a nice white head at the top that settles to leave a half centimeter of lacing around the rim of the pint which lasts for the duration of the beer leaving a little lacing on the glass although not a lot.

As you would expect this is pretty typical fare for a pale lager & the beer gives of a slightly skunky smell with corn & bread dominating the rest along with the usual grain smell you get from so many other pale lagers. Nothing bad but not much good going for it either.

Skunky in taste as in smell although not terribly so. Again rather standard for a pale lager with bread accounting for most of the taste. It also has a moderately warm, bitter aftertaste that was slightly better than I had expected and helped the beer scorer higher than it normally would have.

Average smoothness with a slight fizz from the carbonation. It is light bodied and somewhat refreshing.

Better than I was expecting even although I had tried it before in the past. It ranks above a lot of other pale lagers that I have reviewed & is worth a try when it can be found at the right price. Nothing special but better than a lot of Asian beers I've tried in the past.

More at:
http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 20:51:51 | More by flyingpig

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.15/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A very sessionable and inoffensive lager that is far more enjoyable while experiencing the heat, humidity and awesome overload of colour within India than at any time within our own dour climate/lifestyle.

Typical clear and European lager in appearance/colour, with a decent white head. Crisp and delicious mouthfeel, if completely lacking the aroma and taste of hoppy American micro brews. An absolutely amazing beer to enjoy in India, but not one I'd ever choose back home.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 02:24:13 | More by hopsolutely

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

2.7/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Single bottle picked up from the LCBO's leftover bin. I've been meaning to finally try Kingfisher for some time now - a somewhat favorable response from a friend who recently visited India (finding this was to be literally the only thing to drink) pushed me over the edge.

Poured into a pilsner glass. The palest of pale yellows, it's if the beer were passed through by another beer like a ghost, leaving only the finest imprint of colour behind. Spotty foam, some lacing, I guess...Looks pretty pathetic.

The nose is the typical skunk that comes from any green-bottle, but for some reason I don't mind it. For the longest time, that particular taste was what beer tasted like to me, so it connotes enough fine memories for me to not completely hate it. Adjunct notes, a bit of bread. Pretty faint.

Meh. There's some flavor here, a good bready character, but other than that this is humidity-crushing beer and not much else. Still, I can think of much worse beers that are good for beating the heat than this one. I would have gladly spent a week drinking nothing than this than some of the other brews I was forced to drink in the tropics. I could drink a sixer of this no problem. If it were cheaper, I would.

Bubbly at first, then not so much. Thin.

I went in with low expectations and the beer lived up to them, exceeding them slightly. This is chugging beer, plain and simple, not much different from any other pale lager, but good enough to be drinkable. I actually preferred it from the bottle - pouring it into the glass made things worse.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 04:43:36 | More by JohnnyBarman

richkrull

Wisconsin

2.93/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Picked this up at Trader Joe's in Madison, WI.

Poured a slightly cloudy golden straw color with a little bit of head. Green bottle causes that skunky aroma that I can't get past. Taste is about the same, although slightly better than the smell. This beer has a smooth mouthfeel although I personally don't find it really drinkable. It's not bad, but I don't really like the taste that much.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 18:43:57 | More by richkrull

CuriousMonk

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

From notes from Old Chicago (2001) poured into pint glass. Poured pale yellow body with big head going down quite fastly. Well, aroma is pretty repulsive, dusty and malty. Flavor isn't that bad though, somewhat spiced, let's say interesting, but quite empty bodied. Finish is again worsen as flavor turns into something bland, fortunately short.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 19:00:18 | More by CuriousMonk

ronniebruner

Arizona

1.95/5  rDev -29.6%
look: 1 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

If poured into a glass, you will be able to see straight throught this beer! I have never seen a beer so light in color before. It has the appearance of stale dishwater. As for the taste, it is watery and unappealing. The aroma is non existent except for a pungent odor that I have never encountered in a beer before. It has loads of carbonation and pours a very light color with a head that does not dissipate over time. This is a beer I would not recommend.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 20:00:28 | More by ronniebruner

leastsquares

Australia

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

A - A golden straw colour. A centimetre of head which slowly collapses into a thin foamy film which persists for quite some time. A handful of thin streams of carbonation, some large bubbles adhere to the side of the glass. If you wipe the condensation off the glass, you can look right through it and see objects clearly.

S - It smells of blah. Soggy tortillas with ever so slight notes of acetone. Blah.

T - The taste is even more blah. Some bitter hoppiness at the very back of the mouth. Absolutely nothing else I can think to write.

M - A slight creaminess mid-palate. Moderately carbonated. Nothing particularly offensive in this department.

D - Not terribly drinkable. The insipid blandness is only partially relieved by the hoppy bitterness. An inoffensive body and unchallenging flavours would probably make this brew bearable on a stinking hot afternoon.

P.S.: It should be noted that the example I'm reviewing is brewed under licence here in Australia. A sample from India may have elicited a different review.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 13:05:09 | More by leastsquares

ferrari29

Illinois

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

Beer poured from bottle into Wine glass

A - Beer poured with a deep gold color; small amount of head (which dissipated very quickly); moderate amount of lacing and carbonation

S - Beer had a deep grainy smell; had the clean airiness of a lager, with moderate amount of barley, wheat, and malts

T - Barley malt tastes come up immediately; follows up with a subtle amount of hop bitterness that lingers for sometime; solid body of flavor for a macro lager; spicy tones

M - The beer had a creamy and effervescent feel to it; some tart tingly feelings over the sides of the tongue; smooth but heavy body

D - This beer is definitely drinkable and has some more flavor than the traditional macro lager beers on the market; I would probably choose one of these over the other beers on a menu that had a a lot of macros to choose from

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 04:18:32 | More by ferrari29

BucBasil

South Carolina

3.1/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the 12oz bottle into a pilsner glass at Clay Oven Indian Restaurant in LA. Drank with a spicy lamb curry over rice.

A: The beer is a typical light golden color with a quickly dissipating pure white head of 2 fingers.

S: Faintly crackery/light bready with a bit of hop and a metallic twinge in there.

T: Actually surprisingly nice and refreshing. A sort of sweetness balances out a hop presence and grains. Nothing particularly special, but not bad at all. Washed down the spicy food just fine without getting in the way.

I'd have this again I guess.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 19:33:03 | More by BucBasil

AgingWarrior

Florida

2.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Drank this one at a friends house, he had received it in a Beers of the World gift set. Pours a murky orange cold color into my pint glass. The nose is malty with just a hint of citrus. Tastes okay, but nothing special. It's a beer, but not one that I want to drink again. Mouthfeel is light body and low carbonation. It's drinkable, but not desireable.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 17:43:37 | More by AgingWarrior

bigfurrynutz

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +48%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I am in India on business and this is one of the local beers. I have had this in the US at a few indian restaurants but these here far surpass the quality I have had at home. Incredibly smooth and refreshing and a superior lager. I am here for another week and am thinking this will be my mainstay.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 11:15:21 | More by bigfurrynutz

tozz8

South Carolina

1.85/5  rDev -33.2%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

A--Slightly cloudy noticeable bits of unrecognizable "stuff" floating in suspension. small, quickly disappearing head.

S--Not very pronounced. faintly smells of malt

T--Overall sweet and slightly malty. Alcohol is very present for such a low ABV brew.

M--Thin with a little fizzy carbonation

D-A drain-pour for me. The bits of unrecognizable "stuff" in the beer was too much for me. If it wasn't for that, i would have had trouble finishing it with the overpowering alcohol flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 22:32:21 | More by tozz8

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz.

Pours an ever so slightly hazy light gold medium fine white head retains okay as a lacing.

Smells of fresh malty lager grains and a bit of mild dry hops.

Tastes like lagery grains with a hint of citrus sweetness. Smooth.

On the thinner side with tingly carbonation.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised. This is a good sessionable lager that pairs well with food. Nothing stellar but better than I've come to expect from this style.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2010 02:56:53 | More by Cylinsier

MisterE

Florida

3.35/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle brewed in Saratoga Springs NY, bought at Ward's Supermarket for $2.99

A: pours a clear pale yellow with a two finger head of fine bubbles

S: sweet, clean, herbal aroma - light citrus hops and faint whiff of roasted barley

T: subtle with nice balance - finishes with a dry, mild bitterness

M: gentle carbonation and a surprisingly full mouthfeel for a light lager

D: this one can go the distance

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 00:27:00 | More by MisterE

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had this on 2010-12-06 from a ~22 oz bottle at the Milan Indian Restaurant in Lynchburg, VA

A - Very clear gold with a big white head. Lot of bubbles

M - Not much. Maybe a little mild grain.

T - Surprisingly good. It had a light grain taste that was a little tart and sweet with a noticeable amount of hops to round it off. It dried very quickly. Tasted fresh.

M - Light body and high carbonation with a very crisp feel.

D - Perhaps I'm prejudiced due to my travels to India but this brew certainly complimented my spicy Indian meal. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 17:22:51 | More by Tucquan

DaveBlack

Virginia

3.08/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Looks light a standard light lager. There's nothing really to say about it: it's light, straw colored, medium head with little retention and no lacing to speak of.

S: Cereal grains, and not much else.

T: Actually beats out a lot of American light lagers that I've had. It has a slight hop finish, making it a little more interesting. Still not very complex, but refreshing and certainly easy to drink.

M: Light, medium-high carbonation.

D: I would certainly never seek this beer out, but I would certainly drink it if it was offered for free. Pretty standard light lager, though the slight bittering hoppiness on the finish adds an unexpected twist.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2010 03:31:28 | More by DaveBlack

bastardface

Texas

3.23/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Kingfisher is a beer I just randomly chose to try at a local bar. I have never had it before. Needless to say it wasn't anything impressive but it wasn't terrible either. The color of it was a light yellowish. The taste was a little harsh but still easy to drink. It tasted like a light beer with a bitter after taste. There really was no smell. Like I said the drinkability was surprisingly easy. If I had a chance to get it again I think I would.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2010 22:02:39 | More by bastardface

beerprovedwright

Georgia

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

Pale is about right, rates a 4 on the SRM Chart. Initial head was about 1 finger and it went south in less than 20 seconds, leaving a light cover in the middle and broken, non clinging lace. Smells like light wheat bread, barley, and yeast. Intense flavor of clover grass, and roasted wheat. The hop finish just sort of hangs in the back of my throat on the soft palate. Good bite in my mouth but too heavy on the carbonation. I did not like this enough to really want to buy more, but I would drink one at a party if it was part of the free bar selection.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 17:28:55 | More by beerprovedwright

CrazyDavros

Australia

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

Pours pale yellow, small suddy head.
Nose is grassy but also shows sweet, bready, grainy malt. Inoffensive.
The same sweet light bready malts transfers through as a flavour with little else following.
Moderate carbonation should be higher.
Overall, a very light summer thirst quencher.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 10:17:27 | More by CrazyDavros

JohnnyP3

Alaska

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

Poured from a bottle into a pilsner glass at Mogul India in Stavanger, Norway. Poured a golden yellow with a small white head that vanished rather quickly. Beer appears to be well carbonated. Clear in appearance.

Nothing remarkable about the smell...somewhat of an adjunct lager smell, but overall, not bad for the style. Smelled relatively fresh...mainly a malt aroma with a grassy/hay smell indicating the presence of hops.

Taste was respectable. Very standard pale lager taste--somewhat fizzy, refreshing, mild malt character balanced out by some hop presence.

Mouthfeel was fine--carbonated, but fairly smooth going down. Certainly put out the fire in my mouth from the hot Indian food I was eating. For that it had my gratitude.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2010 10:58:26 | More by JohnnyP3

MTNboy

Missouri

2.98/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It has very plain aroma with more of a grassy smell if anything. The body was a golden color that was pretty flat as far as carbonation is concerned. There virtually no head but there was a nice tight white lace. The taste has a little bit of an odd bitterness at first but it mellows out to be very grassy. To me this beer wasn't bad but it was run of the mill. It has a light mouthfeel that makes it easy to drink on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2010 06:49:32 | More by MTNboy

TMoney2591

Illinois

1.55/5  rDev -44%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Served in a Chicago Bears shaker pint glass.

Lucky number seven during Swill Tour 2010. The pour results in a pool of clear jaundice topped by some healthy white suds. The nose is like my brother's crappy incense, with some corn syrup and patchouli in the background. What incense, you ask? One of those bad combinations, like Jamaican Dread Sweat or Caribbean Jerked Taint. It is that bad. The taste is rotten wheat. Hookers fresh out of the tattoo chair. Vinyl and rubber burning alive, the victims of some crazed Saw-like serial killer's maniacal machinations. Terrible. I prefer the Olde English. The body is, natch, very light, with a light carbonation and a feel not unlike the forces amassed against Clive at Plassey (look it up...I'm pretty sure they were vicious). India ought to taste better. Seriously, even a lot of curry would make this taste better. Maybe this beer was aged to zombified perfection.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 21:17:07 | More by TMoney2591

Vdubb86

Illinois

1.5/5  rDev -45.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Served in a pint glass

This is beer #8 for Swill Fest 2010

The appearance is of a pale golden swill lager. Clear and no head to speak of. The aroma is a mix of dirty weed and body odor. I'm not sure of where the sugars come from, but it scares the hell out of me. The taste is of hints of spice mixed with human excrement. This is swill in the highest regards. There is so much unnecessary bitterness that it's hard to consume. Essential the taste is of unlaundered gym socks. The mouthfeel goes to the wayside due to the nastiness. It is undrinkable for me, period!

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 21:32:35 | More by Vdubb86