Welcome to Take 5, your place to take 5 minutes (or less) and learn more about a new beer. This edition comes features a beer from Spain.
By Coquo, coquo@wlrcreative.com
Take 5 is spending the next couple of months sampling the best (and worst) that Europe has to offer. We will be exploring Spain, France, and Italy, seeing what the average tourist can expect out of Europe’s beer culture.
The Beer:
Estrella Damm is a pilsner beer, brewed by S.A. Damm out of Barcelona, Spain. On top of being the oldest beer brand in Spain, it is said that the recipe has gone unchanged since it was created in 1876. Estrella can be found at a good portion of tapas restaurants and outdoor cafeterias around Spain. It not a guarantee, but it can usually be spotted by the restaurant sporting some of Estrellas’ white umbrellas emblazoned with their logo on the patio.
The Smell:
Estrella doesn’t have much of a smell at all. With your nose buried in the neck of a bottle you can make out a slight, hoppy scent, but above that nothing else. Furthermore, as soon as the beer is poured into a glass, any aroma quickly dissipates.
The Taste:
True to its American adjunct lager category, Estrella Damm has a slightly bready taste, with a noticeable sweetness to it. Above that, however, there is not much more. However, the beer’s light flavors and distinct lack of bitterness make it very drinkable, especially outside on a hot summer day.
The Feel:
The beer is by no means heavy, which contributes to its likability as a summer drink. The carbonation is on par with most other average beers, present but nothing special. Estrella pours with a relatively weak head, that dissipates very quickly. So quick, in fact, that I wasn’t even able to snag a picture before it was gone.
In your travels around Spain, it will be inevitable that you will come across an Estrella Damm. While you certainly should not expect wonderful flavors and bodies out of such a cheap drink, you might be pleasantly surprised that it isn’t as bad as you think it is. There are certainly other beers on most menus that don’t offer the refreshing body, and hint at flavors that this does. So if you’re on a budget, give it a chance. You might be surprised by Spain’s oldest beer.
Consider writing your own Take 5 Column. Feel free to copy this format and submit your review (with a picture) to coquo@wlrcreative.com.