Monday 13 October 2008

Xingu Black Beer - Have a Brazilian. Go on...

Black beers are always a surprise to me as I never know what to expect from them. Will they be sooty or smokey? Will they be bitter? Will they be smooth or sharp?
More importantly, will I like them?

This did not taste how I expected. It didn't really taste like beer, more like a soft drink. It reminded me of cola with a touch of treacle to give it a syrupy quality. It's lightly carbonated and very smooth so it lacks the throat cutting effect of a soft drink.
I guess it's just a very, very mild beer.

One thing that worried me were the E-numbers E224 and E316 with E405 thrown in for good measure. Now call me old fashioned but do E-numbers really have a place in beer? I have to say i don't get to worried about them in general but there's a place for them and IT'S NOT IN MY BEER!

E405 seems to be giving it the syrupy quality if not the taste and E224 is a bit bizarre as it says:

"Side effects: Due to its oxidising effect, it may reduce the vitamin content in products. It is reduced in the liver to harmless sulphate and excreted in the urine.
People who are intolerant towards natural sulphites should also avoid added sulphites (E221-228). It alleviates the effect of a hangover."

Is this the world's first beer with a built in hangover cure? Wow!

The Verdict.
Even with the E-numbers I kind of liked this. It's an easy drinking laid back kind of beer. Anyway, I need to test my theory....

Xingu - 12fl.oz.! - 4.6% alcohol - Brazil

2 comments:

Thomas said...

I don't like to see E numbers in my beer either. I suppose it's hard not appear a snob, but it's a sign of poor brewing or plain laziness to my mind. Let's face it, the best beers in the world just don't have any E numbers in them. Those that have as many as this Brazilian concoction should be given a wide birth.

Liam said...

Hi Thom,
It does seem a bit crazy that they would add them and I'm not sure why they would. It seems to me that they were unhappy with the finished product and tried to re-engineer it and improve the shelf life with E numbers.
Mind you, it didn't taste too bad as long as you accepted it for what it was.
Mind you I can't say I avoid Es in my eating habits so....