Admittedly, the Russians are not a people known for
their beer. When it comes to associating an alcoholic beverage with a
particular nation, one would immediately think of beer if you mention
Germany or England, wine when talking about Italy or France, but when you
bring up Russia, the drink that comes to mind is usually (and unequivocally)
vodka. Could that be changing? Unlikely, I think, but if you are so lucky as
to tip a glass of Afanasy beer, you may begin to wonder.
Russian beers are no stranger to American shelves, and chances are you can
find at least a brand or two if you look hard enough. But finding good
Russian beer, now that’s another matter entirely. Most of the Russian beers
I have come across in my beer hunting expeditions have been boring, bland,
and usually stale. That is until I came across Afanasy Dark.
Afanasy beers are brewed in the Tver region of Russia, just northwest of
Moscow. The beer is made in a Soviet-era brewhouse constructed during the
mid-seventies. Today, full of newfound capitalist zeal, Afanasy Pivo
is a private company looking to increase sales both in the domestic market
and abroad. If Afanasy Dark is any indication of the overall quality of the
company’s brands, then they should succeed nicely.
Afanasy beers are named after Afanasy Nikitin, a celebrated Russian
explorer. You can see his picture on the label of every bottle of Afanasy
Dark. You will also find a sort of built-in thermometer on the label that
turns blue when the beer gets cold. To my taste, the flavors of Afanasy Dark
improve when the beer is allowed to warm slightly. I don’t recommend
drinking it as cold as the brewery seems to.
The bottle the beer is packaged in is also interesting. At the bottom
cylindrical for about two inches, it soon becomes conical and multi-faceted,
in a sense recalling the onion-shaped domes that sit atop so many Russian
Orthodox churches. The brewery name in Cyrillic characters and logo are
stamped into the 11.2-ounce bottles. The glass itself is very thick indeed;
these bottles would be perfect for use by homebrewers.
Afanasy Dark pours to a deep chestnut amber color with a very thick
and creamy head formation and a sweet nutty malt nose. The mouthfeel here is
rich and luxuriant, smooth and creamy as it flows across the tongue. The
palate is chocolaty, nutty, toasty, and slightly roasty with hints of
caramel and a long spicy, grassy hop finish. There’s a touch of alcohol
warmth and black malt character too.
I am very, very impressed with this beer. Sort of a souped up German-style
Dunkels, I think, that is wonderfully drinkable and bursting with flavor.
Afanasy Dark will definitely change the way you look at Russian beer.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For
reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.