"The young folk are all into that 'steam punk' thing these days, right?""Sir, I don't think..."
"Yeah, make it steam punk. Make it very steam punk."
And so, Lidl presents the Steam Brew range of beers, created by their go-to German macro Eichbaum, the cans plastered with cringey cartoonish graphics. I actually laughed when I noticed the words "German Craft Beer Resistance" in block capitals. It's no sillier than what BrewDog comes out with, but it being Eichbaum adds that extra Yer Da element.
I have two from the range for you today. There are a couple more but I haven't seen them in the flesh so they'll have to wait. Steam Brew Imperial IPA is the weaker of this pair by a hair's breadth at 7.8% ABV. It looks like a first-generation American double IPA, being a rich hazy orange colour. The aroma offers little -- crisp lagery malts and no more than pinch of citrus. Shouldn't it be roaring with hops and booze? The lager thing sticks in my head on tasting it. It's clean and smooth, though as boozy as you'd expect, reminding me more than anything of a strong pale bock. As in the aroma, the hops are present but muted; a tangy sort of satsuma bitterness that doesn't really show up until late on. The aftertaste is sharp and metallic: seriously Teutonic rather than anything new-world. It's not a bad beer. I like the satisfying heat and heft, and how clean it managed to keep things. If you were after an American hop explosion, however, you will be disappointed.
Stepping up to 7.9% ABV and turning darker, let's see if Steam Brew German Red is any more exciting. It's barely red, for starters: more a deep brown. Again, malt is the main focus of the aroma, this time with a little extra toast. Unsurprisingly, caramel is the predominant flavour, with a slightly unpleasant sweaty tang in the finish. Letting it warm, I get a little jammy strawberry, some chocolate and a smattering of headachey esters, lending it an almost Belgian-brown vibe. It's still pretty clean, though, and quite inoffensive. Hurrah, I guess.
Reviews for these have been quite excoriating, and I think undeservedly so. Perhaps beer aficionados have been judging them at face value, like there really would be top-end American-style strong beer on sale in Lidl for pocket change. That's not going to happen. I found these quite decent and even enjoyable. Eichbaum's expertise in making beers clean and accessible, even at a high strength, really shines through. Adjust your expectations accordingly and you'll have a fine time.
Stepping up to 7.9% ABV and turning darker, let's see if Steam Brew German Red is any more exciting. It's barely red, for starters: more a deep brown. Again, malt is the main focus of the aroma, this time with a little extra toast. Unsurprisingly, caramel is the predominant flavour, with a slightly unpleasant sweaty tang in the finish. Letting it warm, I get a little jammy strawberry, some chocolate and a smattering of headachey esters, lending it an almost Belgian-brown vibe. It's still pretty clean, though, and quite inoffensive. Hurrah, I guess.Reviews for these have been quite excoriating, and I think undeservedly so. Perhaps beer aficionados have been judging them at face value, like there really would be top-end American-style strong beer on sale in Lidl for pocket change. That's not going to happen. I found these quite decent and even enjoyable. Eichbaum's expertise in making beers clean and accessible, even at a high strength, really shines through. Adjust your expectations accordingly and you'll have a fine time.
If Fritz Maytag was still running Anchor Brwg., the "cease-and-desist" letter demanding the removal of the word "steam" from the beer names would have already been sent.
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