Alhambra Negra - Grupo Cervezas Alhambra, SL

Radome

Spain

3.1/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured froma 33 cl can into a goblet.

A - Very dark brown to black color but some light gets through and shows mahogany highlights. The head starts out tan and thick with large bubbles, but it fades quickly.

S - The aroma is noble hops (though they seem stale, somehow) and a bit of burnt sugar and chocolate. It smells mostly like a cheap pilsner but with some burnt notes that make it more interesting.

T - The taste is very bitter and acrid, seemingly from roasted grain additions, rather than hops. It has some bitter coffee flavors and a dry graininess that gives a "powdery" feel in the mouth. Malt and hops are lost behind the burnt notes. As it warmed and breathed it became less acrid and some malt roundness emerged in mid-palate.

M - Very light body. Some stinging carbonation. Dry finish.

O - This is more interesting than the vast majority of Spanish mass-market beers, however, it's a bit disappointing.

Serving type: can

10-22-2011 20:30:25 | More by Radome

chinchill

South Carolina

2.73/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

33 cl bottle, dated "Best By HLH12086"?, served in an American lager glass. Pours a very deep brown color with a nearly opaque body, but when held to a light a faint red hue shows. The tan head is medium size and resembles that of a root beer float. It is moderately durable and leaves plenty of sticky lacing. Purchased today {although best by date may be 8/12}, yet this is a bit skunky; the only skunky black beer I can remember. This is a problem in both the aroma and the flavor. There’s a suggestion of hops in the nose with little in the flavor, and only a suggestion of medium malt in the nose with, thankfully, more in the flavor. More sweet than bitter; a tad too sweet. Some smoke in both the nose and mouth. Alcohol is surprisingly prominent in the nose.

M: Medium body; medium carbonation.

O: needs to be revisited with a sample that is definitively fresh. Reason #1345 for a trip to Spain.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 02:12:26 | More by chinchill

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.79/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

330ml Bottle from Lupe Pinto Deli, Glasgow (£1.49):
Dark mahogany colour with red tinges and a bubbly looking, thin head that is a brownish white and settles about half a centimetre tall. There is a touch of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Rich, roasted malts aroma with a touch of sweetness and quite a bit of chocolate. There are a few hops but these are light and subtle. I could detect a touch of alcohol, some mild coffee and more sweetness with syrup as the drink settles.

Sweet with nice roasted malts and a solid chocolate flavour. There is some light caramel and coffee with a nice earthy taste too.

Light medium & sweet with a good balance and a smooth, dry finish.

A definite step up from the other Alhambra beers I've tried. There was a great balance to the beer and the roasted malts are complimented beautifully by the sweetness and the touches of chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 22:46:38 | More by flyingpig

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thin, almost tan head. Black body.
Pure rich roasted malt smell.
A nice roasted malt taste too. Mild bitterness a little nutty.
Crisp with a medium body. Holds the flavor well.
Really a solid dark lager. Great taste and smell with that lager "lightness" to it.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 02:22:56 | More by Fatehunter

mikeg67

New Jersey

2.7/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

11.2 oz bottle at Rodega in Washington, DC. Pours brown with off-white, medium lasting, thin head. Aroma is of bready malt and buckwheat. Body is medium and crisp. Taste is toffee, caramel and hint of herbal hops. Finish is medium and dry. Drinkable brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 15:18:18 | More by mikeg67

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

3.1/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

330ml bottle. Lager glass. From my notes. Dark brown color, deep ruby to the light. Brownish beige crown presents acceptable retention & short lacing. Roasted malt aroma, sweet touch & candy hues. Flavor profile shows roasted malts, sweet –no annoying- character , hints of licorice, anise & subtle chocolate. Light to medium body. Moderate carbonation. Watery texture. ABV is well hidden so drinkability is ok. Pretty decent Euro Dark Lager.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 14:42:33 | More by GONZALOYANNA

greybeardloon

Rhode Island

3.48/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Best before ALH1 1328. Helpful...

A: Dark brown, some retention, nice lacing.

S: Slightly sweet. Lager yeast. Faint hops. Not much going on.

T: Slight sourness at first, which comes thru again on the finish. Sweetness and a touch of vanilla. Mild hop bitterness. A hint of corn.

M: Full for a lager, but still "crisp" on the finish.

O: Drinkable, but. Fairly unremarkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 01:09:43 | More by greybeardloon

AtrumAnimus

Texas

3.85/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Started trying this one with no expectations or anything to cause me to prejudice this beer in anyway.

The pour is almost black with a thin head that is almost white. The lacing is adequate. The appearance is good and dark. A very appealing glass of beer to look at.

The smell is of a sweet malt with subtle hops.

The taste is very good and satisfying. It is a nice balance of smoky bitterness and not to dry malt. There are very complex flavors here with some hints of dark chocolate and coffee.

The mouth feel is surpassingly effervescent for how dark this beer is. And the texture is bit more watery than I expected, but not is a bad way. For such a dark beer it is rather a refreshing beer.

Overall a very descent beer that I would definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 14:19:46 | More by AtrumAnimus

matjack85

Illinois

4/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I saw this on the beer list at La Tasca Spanish Taoas Restaurant in Arlington Heights, IL., so I decided to give it a try. 12oz brown bottle with a best before date on the back label, but the printing was so faint I couldn't make out the date. $5 per bottle.

The beer poured out a deep dark brown color and made 2 finger's worth of light brown head. Retention was good and lacing was decent.

The beer smelled like roasted malts and chocolate.

This is a simple, but tasty beer. Nice roasted malt flavor with caramel sweetness and a touch of chocolate. Hop bitterness is very mild.

Smooth mouthfeel. Light to medium body with moderate carbonation.

This is a decent dark lager. Very drinkable with well hidden alcohol. I've never seen this on a store shelf, so if you're in the downtown Arlington Heights area, stop in and give it a try. Just a 2 block walk from the Metropolis Performing Arts Center, so a convenient stop for a before or after theater drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 16:10:55 | More by matjack85

metter98

New York

3.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear very dark amber (near black) in color. It poured with a ½-finger high dark beige head that slowly died down and left a bit of lacing on the surface, a thick ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass and some lacing running down the sides.
S: There are light aromas of dark malts and cola in the nose along with hints of molasses and roasted malts.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell and has flavors of dark malts and cola along with notes of molasses and roasted malts. There are also some notes of artificial sweetness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and a bit thin on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is extremely easy to drink and almost goes down like water.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 22:47:22 | More by metter98

ZenAgnostic

Texas

2.1/5  rDev -36.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

11.15 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Bottom of back label says "Best by" but there's no date stamped. (edit: I take that back. The date ALH10274 is stamped at the top of the back label, far from where it should be stamped)

Appearance - Super dark brown/black body. Huge loose offwhite head with low stick and decent to good retention.

Smell - Strong corn. Coffee. Some malty sweetness and noticeable alcohol.

Taste - Stale coffee water. Some metal in the finish. Acidic.

Mouthfeel - Pretty flat and stale. Very weird acidic/astringent aftertaste.

Overall Drinkability - The metallic, astringent, stale, and acidic off-characters are so prominent that this beer has almost no redeeming qualities.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 03:39:11 | More by ZenAgnostic

GRPunk

Michigan

3.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into a tumbler.

A- Looked a lot like a Coke. Dark-brown body. Any head that developed dropped quite quickly.

S- Very roasty aroma with a hint of chocolate.

T- Much as the aroma would lead you to believe. Lots of roasty notes. Still picked up a touch of chocolate.

M- Quite spritzy. Clean, though a little thin.

O- Not a bad beer really. Made for a nice drink to go along with some really good tapas during a recent visit to Chicago.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 00:53:31 | More by GRPunk

mactrail

California

3.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Black color in the wine glass with just a touch of beige head. Big bubbles and a coarse mouthfeel. Nice caramel flavor with an overlay of burnt sugar. Hops are pretty much missing, but it has a decent tanginess. Somewhat perfumey flavor. Nose is just a touch of malt and dried fruit. Surprisingly not bad and good with warm tortillas.

Bottle at a South American restaurant in Old Town, San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 06:09:23 | More by mactrail

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours an almost opaque dark brown with a 1 inch tan head that fades to a thin film on the top of the beer. Random dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of roasted malt and caramel notes. Taste is very much the same with a roasted malt/grain taste and a sweet caramel presence. A very slight roast bitterness on the tongue after each sip that quickly fades. A good level of carbonation makes for a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is very easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 04:40:58 | More by UCLABrewN84

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.9/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big tan head rests atop a clear dark burnt red almost brown colored lager.

A light syrupy almost roasted molasses aroma.

Roasted almost burnt caramel taste, quite interesting, don't know if this would get worse or grow on you if you were to drink a bunch of these.

Finishes with a light dry roasted aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 22:40:14 | More by LXIXME

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer to me was a bit surprising. I picked up a bottle years ago at my local shop and gave it a try. It poured out as a deep brown color, the head was pretty good looking and tan in color. The smell of the beer has some aromas of sweet roasted nuts and some burnt caramel. The taste was a little sweet upfront and slowly faded into a more bitter toasted aftertaste. The mouthfeel was a little watery but still had enough body to hold my interest. Overall I found this beer to be much better than I expected it to be.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 02:45:14 | More by Knapp85

treque

Mexico

3.2/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: a deep brown, almoust black with some dark brown hues if you see against light. a small off-white head, wich dissipates kind of quickly, but a tiny layer remains.

S: some toast and carmel but there is no a strenght smell at all

T: a sweet notes appear at the beggining, crisp on tongue and the toast notes appear at the very end, all flavours are very smooth, chewy end lacking of flavour

medium-light body, its just like a premium version of an industrial beer

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 21:47:47 | More by treque

Beejay

Virginia

2.73/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Deep brown, with ruby hues when held tot he light. Nice tan head on top.

S: Very sweet and syrupy, with a touch of roasty malt. Definitely a corn syrup thing here.

T: Slightly roasty, but it really has a club soda thing going on. Very weird... The finish is a bit roasty and bready.

M: Thin mouthfeel, and very high carbonation.

D: Meh.. I don't think I will need to get this again.. definitely a little thin and odd ball.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 03:25:29 | More by Beejay

Gobzilla

California

4/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a dark brown in color with brown highlights that had a thinhead and left almost no lacing sticking to the glass. The aroma had toffee roastiness upfront with coffee bean and faint vanilla notes. The toffee was more potent on the palate with, nutty, caramel, malts, and vanilla accents. The brew was light in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a sweet, malty, nutty, and crisp finish. It drank good and was surprisingly good coming from spain.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 17:51:23 | More by Gobzilla

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown color with a ruby tint in the shallow part of the glass. Clear and a little watery in the edge of the glass. Big carbonated bubbles hug the side of the glass, and a small off-white head forms but fades quite rapidly and leaves no lace on the glass.

Smell: Slightly metallic caramel and roasted malt aroma.

Taste: It starts with a light molasses sweetness, but there is a contrived, manufactured, extract flavor to the taste. Slightly roasted coffee, and a bit of chocolate malt.

Mouthfeel: Hmm, could have been crisper. Just comes across with a medium carbonation and a little bit watery.

Drinkability: After a few moments of deliberation, I cannot think of any reason to go out and buy this. Any bar or store that has this will have better beers available.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 00:00:09 | More by KickInTheChalice

darkmartin

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours to an opaque, dark-brown, with a tiny, off-white head that doesn't last.

Smell: Smells quite sweet with some strong caramel and dark fruits. Also some not-so subtle hops going on.

Taste: Kind of a dull flavor here, subtle caramel and fruit to start off. However, those advertised hops don't seem to come into play. Boring.

Mouthfeel: Much lighter than expected, also quite a bit of carbonation.

Drinkability: Really quite uninteresting, don't think I'd buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 06:47:08 | More by darkmartin

flagmantho

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 330mL bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: basic black with plenty of ruby color when held up to the light. Head is a thick finger of frothy tan foam; pretty attractive.

Smell: pleasant caramel aroma with a little bit of earthy hops. Not terribly complex, but pretty nice.

Taste: somewhat light malt flavor but with a pretty rich complexity. Caramel with some very light fruity hints, backed up by a dry breadiness which works rather well. Hops are light and, as in the aroma, earthy in character. I quite like this.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a pretty good level of carbonation. Body is a little bit light to really call this creamy, but it's got a bit of a bite to it which really works here.

Drinkability: this is a very quaffable, approachable lager. Dark in color but light in intensity, the subtle complexities make up for its lack of boldness. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2010 04:33:54 | More by flagmantho

eggland

California

3.4/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beverage Warehouse, culver city, CA

a - dark dark, smooth, kinda flat head

s - roasted, simple, not much going on

t - smooth, med co2, sweet, subtle nuttiness, not very dynamic, just sweet and simple

m - smooth and dark, medium of the darks

d - easy going down

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 23:46:57 | More by eggland

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.13/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours almost completely black. 2 finger sparkling tan head.

S - Roasted malt. An old woody aroma, almost like an old church smell. Strange. Raisin and fig come out.

T - Follows the nose. Roasted malt that has somewhat of a stale character. Tart yeast bite with smoky caramel, sweet corn, turns kind of chalky in the middle before a subtly sharp finish. Mouthfeel is thin to medium.

I'm not sure I would qualify this as a session brew. It has some strange aromas going on, which is welcomed sometimes. I would recommend it if you come across it. Glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 22:41:37 | More by StaveHooks

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Budweiser pokal.

My first Iberian brew. It pours a translucent garnet, nearly clear when light is added, with nice black highlights (as though Klaus Jansen inked it) topped by over a finger of fluffy ecru foam. The nose comprises dark wheat, that awesome soapy smell that seems to hang around all sorts o' brews, and the slimmest possible slice o' chocolate. The taste holds notes of light chocolate, even lighter coffee, dark wheat, and a hint of hoppy florals and greenery. The body is a heavy light, with light carbonation and a fairly dry finish. Not bad for a Euro dark...if I needed a fairly inexpensive darker, lighter brew, I might definitely lean this bottle's way.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 05:27:20 | More by TMoney2591