Maccabee: Israel’s Number One Beer (It’s better than Bud)
Jul 07 '01
The Bottom Line An award-winning pilsner style beer from Israel. Nothing more than a thirst-quencher, lacking in complexity and flavor. A hoppy bitter finish just creates a little interest.
Maccabee Premium Beer, Tempo Beer Industries, Netanya, Israel
As well as always being on the lookout for interesting new beer styles, and the best beers in the world, I also like to try beers from different countries around the world. Outside of the major brewing nations most countries only brew thirst-quenching imitations, usually cheap ones, of the pilsner style. I still find much interest in visiting beers from new countries, and this is probably some kind of worldwide tour while straying no further than the local grocery store.
Maccabee is Israel’s national beer, and true to the generalization above is a pilsner style. It’s the flagship brew of Tempo Beer Industries who pretty much monopolize the Israeli beer market. Brewed since 1968, this beer has won “International Gold Medals”, the last being in 1991. The alcohol is 4.9% ABV (about the same as Budweiser) and as you’d guess the beer is kosher-certified.
Tasting Notes
The beer pours out to a hazy pale amber color. A nice white foam quickly forms but disappears almost as quickly, while there’s little sign of carbonation. The nose is pretty faint, with some malt and noticeable hops, but nothing too interesting. It’s soft and light bodied on the palate, and while there is some carbonation it could certainly use a little more. The flavor is pretty clean, sweet at first but nothing really jumps out. At least the finish is better, with a hoppy bitterness and some graininess.
Verdict
If you’re just looking for something to quench your thirst on hot summer’s afternoon, Maccabee will do the job as well as any lager. I’d certainly recommend it above the US “big 3” as well as several other lagers I have reviewed lately.
At the same time, it offers very little for the beer lover, no complexity and very little in flavor and character. There’s nothing unpleasant or dislikable about it, no bad tastes, just very little to get excited about.
Serving Suggestions
This beer would be best served ice cold, while it would work as well from the bottle as it would from a glass. In terms of food, I like to pair these low character thirst-quenchers with hot spicy food; a bowl of chili would be perfect.
Availability
I got this one from Trader Joe’s in California. The importer is Kent Beer Corp in Brooklyn, NY.
Ratings
Appearance: 1/5 Nose: 4/10 Palate: 2/5 Flavor: 5/10 Overall: 9/20
Score: 2.1
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
andaryl
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Member: Andrew Smith
Location: The Desert, So Cal
Reviews written: 219
Trusted by: 175 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2008 Shopping.com, Inc.