This'll knock yer socks off! (Carlsberg Special Brew)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Carlsberg Special Brew
Date:	20/10/08 (176 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Potentially cheap night out

Disadvantages: Taste masked by strength, too much for me

Carlsberg as a Danish company carries with it the logo and signature catchphrase of being '.....probably the best lager in the World.' It has been brewed since the mid-19th Century, and in 1950, as testament to the heroic war efforts of Winston Churchill, the Danes created a newer, special brew of their lager, making it much stronger at 9%. This was coordinated with Churchill's visit to their country.

The brand has stuck, and, for want of a better name for it, they called it Carlsberg Special Brew. The drink has the prize of being considered the first super-strength lager to make a big success on the market, but at 9% ABV (alcohol by volume) you won't find that it is the most popular lager out there. I find the strength detracts completely from the taste, and this is definitely not a drink you would have if you plan on making it a long night. One can is enough to make you really feel the effects, and at over twice the strength of a regular pint of Carlsberg at 3.8% it's hard to find a situation to actually want to drink it.

I do know someone who drinks it on a regular basis, but only has a can or two at the most, and even then they say it's taken its effect on them. The dangerous worry is that it is readily available to people who could possibly abuse this. With other lagers, the strength is considerably less, and drinking cans and cans can often fill you up before you get out of control. Obviously, it's not as strong as a bottle of wine or even spirits, but the fact that it's lager and it's this strong worries me and is definitely not my scene.

The strength does take away from the taste, and the aftertaste is powerful. I feel the taste would actually be quite nice if it wasn't hidden so much by the strength, so it's not all bad. Carlsberg Special Brew is a drink I have had on a couple occasions, but am sadly not a fan. I like my lager to be a drink I can enjoy sociably, and not feel like I'm drinking rocket fuel every time I take a sip.

A word of warning: enjoy sensibly, and know that each sip will be a powerful experience. Don't have more than a few of cans unless you want to lose some hours out of your memory and wake up wondering what on earth happened!

Carlsberg Special Brew is available more in shops than in pubs. Most pubs will not stock it especially since the Government has been pushing the drive against binge drinking and responsibility from licence holders - it's not a drink I'd have felt comfortable selling, either, and would probably have had to keep an eye on people drinking it. 4 x 500ml cans of Special Brew as a guideline will cost you £5.65 from Tesco, a single can coming in at £1.35, so it's not cheap either - not surprising given its alcohol content. Drink it sensibly if you are going to give it a go, but this is not one for me.

Summary: Not a fan, but each to their own