Beer O'Clock: Viking!

A Beer O'Clock rejoinder today from the Real Beer boys to someone who sometimes prefers to remain nameless.

In one of the rare comments to the mighty 'Beer O’Clock' articles, we were accused by a valued reader’s teenagers of only talking about “old people’s beer”.

This presumably meant that Stu and I tended to drink and write about beers which are not advertised on television and actually taste of something. If so, guilty as charged.

However, we do care about our readers - particularly those that leave comments – so I put on the dark glasses and went for a walk on the dodgy side to review Viking Draught (which of course comes in cans).

Ah – the mighty Viking! Truly a staple of 'The Mill' liquor stores, and a true friend to all who won’t pay more than a tenner for a dozen beers.

Even the can looks sick. The message thereon challenges consumers to “conquer the taste.” I failed manfully to conquer an immediate sense of foreboding on reading this.

The feeling proved to be fully justified. Viking from the can pours a surprisingly warm brown with no evident head. There is a touch of malt in the nose which is not completely unpleasant. The beer itself offers up the standard syrupy sweet malt flavours with some burnt notes and a suggestion of cardboard.

It may meet the price challenge, but it doesn’t come close on the taste challenge. A real Viking would cut you in half if you served him this at a banquet.

At least craft beers give you some flavours to write about!

Cheers,
Neil

EDITORS NOTE: If you want to challenge Neil and Stu to walk on the less-than-dark side by reviewing your favourite beer, drop a note in the comments box and I'll see if their arms can be twisted. As for mine, in the absence of a recommendation it looks like it's the perfect martini for me tonight.

TAGS: Beer & Elsewhere