Lhasa Beer by Tibet Lhasa brewery LTD

I am usually a real fan of Asian style beers like Sapporo, Kirin and Tsingtao. However, this is not the case with the Lhasa. The beer does start out crisp and refreshing followed by a swift and bitter finish, the likes of which linger on the back of the tong well after the beer is finished. The beer is touted as " capturing the elemental essence of Tibet and the high Himalayas." Apparently according to Lhasa’ s web page barley is farmed extensively in the region with approximately 3395 different genetic variants of the brewing ingredient used in farming there. However due to the climate and pests, farmers tend to grow many different types of barley in an effort to stack the deck in their favor. If pest destroys one strand then another will have survived the attack leaving the farmer with something to harvest. The bottle also boasts that the "all-malt beer is made from the worlds finest ingredients" including among other things, pure Himalayan spring water of which is not just life’s most important liquid, but beers as well. The majority of beer is water and if the water doesn’t taste right then neither will the beer. This along with some of the other challenges of brewing a beer in the Himalayas such as having so many different strands of barley in the brew makes for an overall mediocre taste profile. Which is hindered the most by the Saaz hops which according to the beers web page is the "gold standard of hops" and is among the most expensive around. Just because something is expensive, like a Mont Blanc pen does not mean it is worth the price, I fear that this is the case with this beer. The overall taste profile is of bitter jasmine flower, the likes of which you find at most Asian restaurants floating around in the teapots. The beer is a Lager with a 4.6% Alcohol content, moderately priced at about seven dollars I found this beer at Whole Foods Market, however on the web page under the distribution tab you can find other places to get the beer. In conclusion I feel that the Lhasa needs lhasa improvement, however the fact that 10% of the profit goes to helping Tibet makes spending money on a beer that I did not particularly care for a little less disappointing. After spending any amount of time on the web page you will see that the Lhasa brewery LTD is an all-round good-natured company, one that I would want to work for, I only wish I liked the beer more. So buy some beer, save Tibet. If you’re into bitterness this is a safe bet.

http://www.lhasabeerusa.com/