Tennent's Lager

     Whenever I review European beer, I become fascinated by the history behind the brewery or the beer itself. So many of Europe’s breweries are older than anything in Canada. The entire province of Alberta doesn’t go as far back as some of these breweries. Take Tennent Caledonian Breweries for example. H & R Tennent’s brewing was originally founded In Glasgow in 1740. The brewery passed from father to son, Tennent’s expanded its business in the 1790s purchasing the neighboring brewery.

Tennent’s originally produced stout and strong ale, and by the mid 19^th century was the world’s largest exporter of bottled beer. The company then completed construction of a lager brewery in 1891, and became the first brewery to produce a draught lager I 1924. Today, Tennent’s produces a variety of products with their lager accounting for 60% of the market In Scotland. Tennent’s Lager pours into my glass crystal clear, slightly deeper than the color of ripe hay. The lager throws a two finger, rocky, bone white head that’s in no hurry to go anywhere.

          On the nose, Tennent’s presents a pleasantly lagery aroma. Specifically, it starts off bready, sweet, and enticing, if maybe a little straightforward. Sweetness here is more sugars, and less adjunct oriented which in my opinion puts it ahead of most, more adjunct based lagers. Aromas build slightly towards the center, becoming more akin to fresh baked white bread with just the faintest whiff of something sulfury. All these aromas blend together well enough before dropping into a clean, crisp finish.

          Taking my first sip, I’m greeted by a soft, smooth, rounded mouthfeel. Flavors of sweetness and fresh baked bread much like what I found in the nose. Center builds a little, giving me a very rounded mouthfeel. Rounded center seems to add to the overall refreshing quality of the beer which is something I look for in a lager. Slight sulfur quality seems more prominent on the tongue, skewing the overall flavor profile in a direction I like less than I did when discussing the beer’s aroma. Either way, it drops into a rounded finish that is overall at least decently satisfying.

          Overall, I’m giving Tennent’s a 6.5 out of 10. It’s a very decent lager in its own right. It’s smooth, refreshing, overall decently balanced. I think I’d like it more if that sulfur compound didn’t come out just a whiff to strong on the beer’s overall flavor profile.