Reserva 1925 - Grupo Cervezas Alhambra, SL

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Alibi Room special import. Perfumy hops, then something off, or rotten later on in. Creamy head, creamy and also grainy mouthfeel. Above average carbonation. Drinkable and my rating is good for this one. Tigglmtl insists it is skunked and so could be.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 20:03:08 | More by northyorksammy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a ginger-ale color lager with large bubble and a medium head with average retention. Very strange looking beer. Aroma of malt and crisp hops is clearly identifiable and no trace of skunk even though green bottle had to travel 3000 miles. Taste is quite refreshing with very fresh and crisp hops. Easy to distinguish from a pale lager and quite refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2005 13:57:47 | More by Phyl21ca

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.2/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is another one of those import beers that I only seem to have when faced with the corresponding ethnic food, in this case, tapas always seems to match well with a '1925'. The stylish green bottle, with mucho raised type, informs us ahead of time that it's made with corn. Good to know, I guess...

This beer pours a medium golden hue, with lots of puffy white head, that leaves a consistent thin ring of lace around the glass. It smells of somewhat acrid white cracker grain, and floral hops. The taste is caramel malt, fairly skunky hops, and a moderately strong alcohol warming. Cool bottle aside, this prime candidate for being lightstruck seems to have had its ticket punched. The carbonation is average, the body pretty solid for the style, and it finishes with more skunkiness. Too bad, I remember liking this a lot more in the past, but maybe it was the heat and the paella...

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 02:44:46 | More by biboergosum

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.48/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The official blurb goes like this: Reserved for the most demanding palate. Alhambra Reserva 1925 is a high quality beer crafted to perfection. With its deep, exquisite taste and exclusive masterpiece in bottle design. Reserva 1925: Our vast brewing experience, to enchant the beer connoisseur.

My fancy bottle must hold something special: lets open it!

Poured @ home into a Duvel glass on 16 Nov 2012. Looked fine, in fact it looked good, a nice clear, clean, light amber body waith a full white head (at first).

The aroma was of malts and nuts, with a mini yeast presence in the smell as well.

The taste was more malts than hops with the alcohol content also being detectable in the mouth feel. Fairly thin for a 'super lager' and I'm sure three 33cl bottles would give almost anyone a hangover, even so I quite enjoyed the thing.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 16:56:14 | More by BlackHaddock

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.1/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle poured into a pint glass oct26 2009

A clear golden color with no real head or lace

S hops, some sweet grains and corn

T as it smells with a tiny bit of booze

M a little bite, but pretty watery with mild carbonation

D no real problems with this one, slightly higher marks for drinking like a light beer even though its 6.4%

this is the first time I've ever drank this beer with out a plate of nachos from Julios Burio here in Calgary. This is an average beer that's better with some spicy food then by itself

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2009 07:13:04 | More by wordemupg

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Found this in the main liquor store and they had 6 six packs that sat on a pallet near the back. Some restaurant ordered this and for some reason it ended up being sold at retail. I gave one to Malto on his trip to Vancouver and he had to add the brewery to BA. I would be interested if anyone else has had this beer.

This beer poured a nice dark gold and had a bready nose. I enjoyed the fullness of the body as I expected standard Eurolager.
The higher ABV makes this beer taste more like Singha than Becks. Cool find.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2004 05:32:12 | More by canucklehead

laituegonflable

Australia

3.18/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a deep urine colour with minimal bead but a pleasantly dense, frothy off-white head. Sinks fairly quickly but retains a moderate crown. Lacing is slippery and pretty thin, but doesn't diminish from an otherwise decent beer.

Nose is a rich lagery smell, almost pilsenery, with a buttery, biscuity malt balanced quite well by some tart, citrusy hops. Could be more complex, there's not much more than those two elements, but again, decent.

Taste is a rich, organic affair with a lot of sweet flavours dancing around the edge, hints of biscuity malt, corn and maybe a hint of diacetyl, while the middle has a decent funky twang. Hops are a little phenolic with a moderate alpha acid but certainly not overpowering. Alcohol at 6.4% is disappointingly prominent, however, with a slight burning pang of booze on the finish. It's not an immensely well-balanced beer but it's OK for what it is. Mouthfeel quite smooth apart from that intrusive alcohol at the back.

Has some good stuff here, but not the right stuff.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2009 23:29:21 | More by laituegonflable

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.03/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Managed to get a single of this at my local, recommended by the cashier who's opinion I trust. I like the embossed green bottle it comes in, no paper label on it whatsoever. Large frothy white head on the initial pour, with a fairly impressive head retention. Deep golden in colour with an amber tint to it, good carbonation seen through a clear body. Crisp grainy malt, almost bready, with herbal hops to round out the aroma. Sweet bready malt up front for the flavour, becoming more grainy in the middle, and finishing with a bitter, somewhat astringent hop character. A full mouthfeel for a lager, rolls over the palate and tongue, but has a bit of a caustic texture to it, making it more of a sipping beer than one to tip back and chug. More impressive than what I had been expecting, but still average all things considered.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2004 23:16:25 | More by IronDjinn

rarbring

Sweden

3.53/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A clear dark gold beer with an off-white head that leaves some lacing.

The smell has some earthy aromas from the malt, the hops adds some grass and spices.

There is sweetness upfront, brown sugar, but also bread and wood, a good balanced bitterness. Almost a vinous feeling.

Medium carbonation, smooth, rather complex, a small dryness at the end.

A bit sweet but rather well balanced, worked well with dark meat.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 19:12:36 | More by rarbring

thierrynantes

France

3.31/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Beer bottle (62 cl.) purchased in Grenada (Spain), and tasked in may 2013.

Appearance : dark golden color, with tan foamy head.
Smell : moderate malty aromas.
Taste & mouthfeel : mild holy and spicy flavors with dry malty finish.
Drinkability : an average beer in the style strong pale lager.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 17:25:29 | More by thierrynantes

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Green 330 ml bottle with no label and bar code on cap. Closer inspection is a very attractive embossed bottle with Reserva 1925 on front and Alhambra on shoulder, back lists alcohol content, ingredients, and brewer (in spanish). Received free logoed, gold rimmed glass with purchase of 6 pack. Poured dark yellow, with bright white moderate head that left nice lace, and good carbonation. Flowery sweet aroma with added smell of hops and malt. Slightly sweet malt flavor well balanced with taste of grains. Full mouthfeel with a dry, somewhat bitter, hop finish.

Note to Self: Rated #4 Euro Strong Lager

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2004 05:33:26 | More by BigBry

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

2.7/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A 330ml bottle with a BB of April 2013. The embossed green bottle is uncommonly fancy for a lager - it seems to imply higher quality (although the ingredient list mentions maize).

Poured into a straight pint glass. A deep amber colour with medium carbonation and some slight floating sediment. Forms a large head of creamy white foam with decent stability; this slowly subsides to a patchy surface layer. Aroma of light malt with notes of harsh stewed leaves, overdone veg, corn and a hint of sulphur in the background. Deteriorates as it warms.

Tastes of light malt with a dry finish. Notes of stewed leaves, overcooked veggies, solvent and corn. Rather harsh and astringent, with a hint of cardboard and slick, solventy booze in the background. A dry bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, oily and tingly, with decent body. Somewhat acrid; dries the palate. Aftertaste of stewed leaves/veg/corn and alcohol.

Not very nice. A crappy lager with lots of unpleasant off-flavours and excessive booze. It's strength doesn't improve anything. It gets worse as it warms, but it wasn't good to begin with. Don't let the classy bottle deceive you - this is best avoided.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 22:20:52 | More by jazzyjeff13

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

3.05/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Interesting 330ml bottle which has no paper labels. All information is "carved" directly in the glass. Served in a small chalice.

A: Pours a orange golden color. Clear. Forms a medium creamy fluffy and aired head leaving many spotty chunks of foam and some lacings in the glass

S: Sweet and biscuity. Notes of honey. Lager yeasts. Flowery hops

T: Sweet upfront. Notes of honey, caramel malts and bready Lager yeasts. End is slightly bitter

M: Light to medium body. Medium to high carbonation. Sweet malts aftertaste

O: Medium drinkability. Not a beer that I'll drink againr

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 12:32:11 | More by eduardolinhalis

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.1/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Dark amber colour with a foamy, bone white head on top that is about a centimetre tall and stays for a good few minutes and several drinks of the beer.

Some definite alcohol and grain notes, there is some corn and lager hops and malts. I was surprised at how light on the nose the beer was for a fairly strong beer in the alcohol department.

Subtle hops and some light lager malts along with a touch of grain and alcohol that gets stronger the longer you leave the beer. There is some corn and even some spice with the tiniest hint of some skunk right at the end.

Medium in carbonation and body. There is a touch of bitterness and the finish is crisp yet slightly wet with touches of alcohol and minimal grain too.

Nothing to exciting or really worth noting about this strong pale lager, it started off quite nice but gradually faded to an average beer about half way down. It was drinkable but a little basic and unimaginative for my liking with nothing grabbing my attention other than perhaps the nice look of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 20:30:00 | More by flyingpig

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

3.58/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

330ml engraved label bottle. Pokal glass. Review on jun´12 –enjoyed many times since Antonio, one of my best friends, bought it for me fifteen years ago. Bright golden color, crystal appearance. White, small bubbled, froth creates a close & creamy crown. Good retention. Sweet malty aroma & citric hop hues. Light body, moderate carbonation. Sweet maltiness & pleasant bitterness provide smooth & creamy palate. Very nice drinkability. Refreshing & flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 22:58:57 | More by GONZALOYANNA

Shadman

Alberta (Canada)

3.1/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Interesting sale presenation 6 beer in a plastic shrink wrap..last time it cost me $19.99...today...$13.49...

For an American Macro...interesting appearance...more of a copper/amber than the usual piss yellow/amber with a much richer, creamier head that showed much better retention. Lacing fans will be dissappointed though.

Sweet corn ( will give the brewer props as at least he has the gusto to admit it's one of the ingredients) and some floral, dare I say spicy hop.

Has the typical sweet macro corn taste, but with a lot more to bring it above the usual swill. Certainly some biscuit-like malt and some very euro lager-like hop. Even a hint of lime-like citrus in there. Slightly metallic as the aftertaste portion of the experence kicks in. As the beer warms it gets a tad on the caustic side, probably from the ramped up ABV, which probably brought it down at least 3/4 of a point IMO. Actual aftertaste was quite dry.

Certainly more full bodied than most macros it goes up against.

The three strikes I give it from totally destroying most American Macros are...almost overwelming corn sweetness as it warms, Alcoholic harshness when above occurs, and price...@ $13.49/six it's a bit on the pricey side, let's see what a $1.03 Cdn $$ vs the greenback does....if anything

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2007 01:49:16 | More by Shadman

FLima

Brazil

3.53/5  rDev +8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I tasted it 8 months ahead of expiration date. Interesting engraved bottle. Poured a 2 finger head that dissipated quickly. Golden color apperance.
Pleasant and mild aroma of hops. Good carbonnation, with a medium body. Taste of grains, with bitterness coming in the middle and fading. Alcohol of 6.4% was well hidden, and use of corn did not harm much. Above average lagers.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 13:44:34 | More by FLima

sfprint

Germany

2.73/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

exp 5/31/12

A: Foamy and healthy head with lots of rising carbonation. Medium gold and transparent.

S: Very weak in smell. Actually hints of lime. Bits of grass, but very very weak.

T: Metallic, but also a fairly weak flavor. Higher alcohol is detectable but not negative. Grassy. But fairly neutral, a hair sour.

M: Watery.

O: The taste is Ok, but the rest really doesn't stand up.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 02:53:48 | More by sfprint

janubio

Spain

3.24/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Deep golden colour with a creamy two fingers foam taht takes its time to fade and leaves some lace. Smell... well, you can detect both malts and hops. Corn, liquor and a bit of barnyard. Creamy and sticky palate, medium to full body. Taste of corn, some caramel and liquor.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 21:16:22 | More by janubio

JohnfromDublin

Ireland

3.53/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tasted this on 9th Oct 2006, a present from Spain.
This was presented in a green unlabelled 330ml bottle with embossed writing on the glass.
Poured a very nice darkish shade of amber with a good dense white head that lasted and left lacing on the glass. Smell was very strong, bursting forth before the brew was poured. Smelled of dense "grassy" hops.
Taste was subdued hops with some other undertones (couldn't put a finger on it). Alcohol well disguised and a nice mouthfeel made this a good well crafted brew and quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2006 08:38:05 | More by JohnfromDublin

DoktorZee

Alberta (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a 3/4 pint glass (Creemore Springs Lager Theme!). No best before date (just the custom bottle).

A - slight head that stays around less than a minute with very little lacing. Dark amber, clear and with very little obvious carbonation.

S - malty base with just a slight overtone of skunkiness (in a good way).

T - clear and tart with very subtle hops and an enduring subtle toasty malt. Strong flavors, but noting really stands out!

M - very nice sharp carbonation to offset the bitterness. Heavier than it looks.

D - extremely drinkable. Could (and have) had a number of these to great effect. Nice daily drinking beer.

Very satisfying drink with a knife's-edge balance of hoppy bitterness with toasted malt to great effect. Would love to have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 20:43:03 | More by DoktorZee

AlexLMS

Portugal

3.25/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: rich golden color. White, frothy head with moderate size and good retention, leaving a nice lacing when it fades. Very clear.
Aroma: sweet malts.
Taste: malty first impression followed by some floral hops.
Mouthfeel: smooth sensation, fair carbonation, good alcoholic strength, and medium body.
Finish: slightly bitter and lingering aftertaste.
Overall: balanced and interesting beer. Best Spanish pale lager I’ve ever tasted.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2007 09:57:32 | More by AlexLMS

nighthawk

Nova Scotia (Canada)

2.53/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

33 cL bottle with best-before stamped on glass poured into pokal.

Pours a deep yellow that nears amber, producing a good-sized fluffy white head that leaves great lacing on the glass.

Grains and honey nose, bare hints of earthy hops.

Taste brings a big dose of sweet malt; sometimes honey-like, more often a candy sweetness, followed by a mild burst of bittering hops that are quickly swallowed up. Doesn't feel particularly light in the mouth. There's a stickiness to it that just doesn't fit. Not quite carbonated enough for my tastes, combined with the sweet taste, this seems almost syrupy. I was surprised to taste some warming alcohol near the finish.

The drinkability takes a hit from the syrupy quality. Can't imagine myself drinking more than one or two at a sitting. There's just nothing to balance the sweetness.

The bottle is intriguing - raised text for the ingredients and logos - but is unfortunately green, which can cause problems (though this bottle does not seem to have been lightstruck).

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2009 19:22:58 | More by nighthawk

AWolfAtTheDoor

California

3.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Medium yellow color. A few shades darker than your typical urine lager color.

A vigorous pour results in a frothy white head that recedes to a mere after thought of a head. Said afterthought remains throughout the session.

Not much on the nose. A hint of malts, a whisper of hops, and some alcohol to boot.

On the taste one finds the malts that were hinted at on the nose, plus a nice warming from the alcohol.

Medium to heavy mouth feel. The feel of the beer lingers for a while.

This is probably one of the better Spanish beers available, and as the most expensive 6-pack for sale in my local supermarket (costing twice as much as a 6-pack of Heineken), it damn well better be a good beer. I will probably "splurge" on an other 6 pack of this, but I'm in no hurry to do so.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2008 09:45:23 | More by AWolfAtTheDoor

EwaldEichstaett

Jordan

3.33/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brought to me by a friend from Spain. Supposedly one of the best Spanish beers, (and he knows what he is talking about as he "studied" with me here in Germany). Thanks Alvaro!

A: Dark straw/brown color. Weak head which disappears quickly.

S: Big malts, some grass and a bit of wet cardboard... actually, the smell of this beer reminds me of Stella Artois... maybe a bit stronger smell but very similar.

T: Very similar to the smell: this beer really reminds me of Stella. The flavor is just much stronger in every aspect (not sure if that is good or bad) Big round flavor... tastes a bit earthy/full, not sure how to explain it... a bit like popcorn or a gram cracker... I cannot detect the alcohol and that counts for something.

M: very thick and rounded character, I believe this is because of the alcohol.

D: Good drink-ability, the alcohol content is not to terribly high. This beer makes me imagine what a high alcohol Stella would taste like. More flavor, bigger character...

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 04:01:30 | More by EwaldEichstaett