Beer 132: Estrella Damm, Chicken and Malt Liquor

Today I flirted with my maximum caffeine and sugar intake limit.  My heart is not happy.  I've also been rapping to myself, "I live a life filled with awards and caffeine" a la Ludacris.  It would probably be less stressful if it were Luda's life filled with chicken and malt liquor.  He seems pretty chill.  Plus he has rims on his skates.

Oh, Ludacris. There is none better.

And now onto the beer.  Tonight I shall tell you about Estrella Damm.  Damm is right.  I poured it, went to take a photo and then forgot it on the shelf.  Then I remembered it, moved it to the kitchen and forgot it again.  After remembering it a second time, I took a sip and all it elicited was a hearty, "That's ok."  Perhaps my subconscious was telling me not to bother. 

The Estrella Damm is brewed in Spain.  The color was golden. The head off-white.  It is low on hop flavor and definitely has lots of malt smoothness.  Kind of grain flavored.  But it also has a strange metallic taste.  No distinct smell.  For a beer recipe as old as this one, I expected a lot more.  Instead I got nothing but disappointment. 

After writing this, I checked out what beeradvocate.com had to say about it.  The masses agree with me.  I'm off to Paramour to check out their offerings for the evening.  Hopefully I'll have something good to report tomorrow.

Cheers.

Take All the Damm Pictures You Want

Beer #129 Estrella Damm / Damm S.A., Barcelona, Spain

It's late, you don't really care what I have to say about things, and I'm tired.  But not too tired to read out on today's beer/brewery.  I'm drinking an Estrella Damm, from Damm S.A., a brewery in Spain.  It pours a clear pale gold in the glass with a wispy white head.  It gives off aromas of grain and grass, and has a clean, somewhat sweet but uncomplicated flavor.  It tastes like beer, which I guess a good thing when drinking a pilsner.  Grains, barley.  Really, I wish I had more for you, but this beer is what it is.  If you're looking for something other than a Miller Lite, grab an Estrella Damm.

Okay, pause for a Damm second.  I can't talk about the Damm beer any longer without referencing this amazing scene from National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBQ-vW6rz_Y

This brewery dates back to 1872, when August Kuentzman Damm emigrated to Spain and started brewing beer.  If you didn't know, estrella translates to star.  Another interesting fact about this brewery is they've partnered with Ferran Adrià, the head chef at El Bulli, to collaborate on a special brew.  This is a big deal, as El Bulli is universally regarded as one of the (if not THE) best restaurants in the world.

Thing to Think About Today:
I've already got you thinking about some classic 80's movies (and no, Vegas Vacation isn't one, but the first two Vacation movies are legendary).  So I'll change course completely and get you thinking about the other thing going through my head when I think about this beer (besides the dam tour).  Onyx.  Onyx?  Yes, those angry early 90's rappers and their quasi-hit song, Slam.  Rhymes with Damm?  Don't act like you don't remember this one....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ADgCeYJMN4&ob=av2e

DAMM!  (doo doo do, doo doo do)

Now, are there any dam questions?