Beer #3- Slavutich Premium

Oh, the days when things were simple. I remember going to the ballpark with my dad, watching the guys in person that I watched in the World Series, wore the hats and shirts for. We were so close to the field, too, and it was a scrimmage game so the mood was laid back. I wanted to get closer. I walked all the way down to the railing by the dugout, hung my head over, and looked in awe at the dugout. I saw the faces that I had only seen on my baseball cards and on T.V. - right there. Legends. Superheroes. I even got a few autographs, and my favorite baseball player called me buddy. He touched my right hand, I still remember that vividly.

The beauty of simplicity. Of course, now, I can hardly watch baseball. The later years showed my team losing twice in the World Series. These defeats left me bruised and ridiculed by my classmates who all loved the opposite team. The beauty of simplicity started to fade. I started to demand more, I wanted more rules, faster paced action, and demanding showmanship- I started to love football.

I haven’t really watched baseball since 1997, and I try, every year. But that simplicity changed. And while I long to love that simplicity that I used to love in baseball, I find this beauty elsewhere. One of these places I find this simplicity and beauty is beer.

Slavutich Premium is brewed in the Ukraine. I couldn’t read the larger font on the bottle, and in the little English that was on the bottle, I was able to look more into it online. It’s brewed by the infamous Carlsberg (known to most folks from the UK, or stupid Liverpool Football Club fans), and this particular brew is a show of simplicity and perfection.

The beer looked simple and cold as I poured it into my glass. No special color, no special smell. Basic hop notes with a bit of light barley, and a perfect carbonation; all ready for me to drink. The mythology of foreign beers, particularly those labels who aren’t crafted for the American connoisseur, tickled my snobbish fancy as I gulped, albeit professionally, my first sip down.

Love. Perfection. Surprise. I pictured the folks in the pubs around the Ukraine, drinking this everyday on tap, not even knowing what they had, and found myself becoming jealous. I fought immediately putting this beer in my top 20 favorite beers after the first sip. I finished the beer. I pictured this act was an active participation in the noble craft of olde- brewing.

Simplicity is shown in many places. But in our culture, without the flashy lights or loud noises, it is hard to notice. It’s time to slow down. It’s time to sit back with the ones you love and just sit. Enjoy a beer.

Enjoy Slavutich Premium. The simple lager made with the perfection of the ancient.


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I give Slavutich Premium a most deservedly scored 93.


Look: Original bronze
Smell: Lightly hoppy, discretely sweet with a bitter malt underlay
Taste: Crisp and lightly hopped. The dance of artistic perfection on my tongue.


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Brett's ratings are out of 100.

As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection.

Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.