BREWER: Cobra Beer, Staffordshire, England

STYLE: Lager

ABV: 4.5%

VESSEL: 620ml brown bottle 

TWITTER: @cobrabeer

INSTAGRAM: #cobrabeer

DATE OF POST: 10th July 2020

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Cobra is synonymous with curry.  There’s no escaping it. And, as a curry lover, that’s a good thing.  However, there’s no curry to back it up here.  It’s being tested solo.  It’s alone.

And, I like it.  It has a refreshing lager nose.  It’s crisp to drink.  It’s refreshing.  And it’s light.

It might not be the go to lager for many a punter because of its strong association with the aforementioned meal.  But it should be considered.  I for one, would be happy to consume this as a product in its own right.

This has more going for it than you might think…

Sammy’s Rating: 72%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Back in the day , when I say that I’m referring to about 20 years ago when I once lived up to the very British stereotype of having some beers with the lads then heading for a curry. Not that I was ever much of a lad but this most certainly happened countless times during my youth. And to be fair, though way less regularly nowadays, it still does once in a while. Now going back to 20 years ago we would bowl into a restaurant and pints of Cobra would be ordered without a moment’s hesitation. I don’t necessarily remember ever sitting back and thinking, blimey that’s a good beer. But order it we always did, so it can’t have been a bad drop? Mind you. I was 18 and really couldn’t have given two hoots.

Fast forward to now (well, yesterday) and this grand embossed bottle of Cobra was sitting in front of me ready for review. Two questions popped into my head…

First. “What happened to the label? I remember it being pretty cool, aggressive even. Turns out the updating of the font has not done the look any favours”.

Secondly, the beer got me thinking as to whether I had ever had a Cobra outside of a curry consuming situation? I must have. Surely somewhere along the line someone must have offered up one at a BBQ or a party? But I honestly don’t remember if it has ever happened. However, I do know for sure that I have never bought Cobra as just a beer to consume in its own right until now.

So, I decided upon this…

I was going to buy two Cobras and I was going to cook a very basic lightly spiced but full of flavour curry. I was then going to crack, drink, makes notes and score the first Cobra as I have done with any other beer that we have tested in the ever growing list of REVIEWED BEERS. But then I was going to have the second one with the curry just to see if it made a difference at all. I doubted it would affect my scoring but it could well have changed my musings.

Cobra one: Well I have to say, it is rather flippin’ lovely! Yes it is a mass produced lager (which sends any beer lover running for the nearest bucket) but Cobra brings a delicate touch and smoothness that surprised me even though I was kind of expecting it. The nose is sensational for a lager and even though the carbonation in glass is high, as already mentioned this brew is breathtakingly smooth. There is a malty backdrop to the taste. However to really elevate it there could certainly be an added zing or punch somewhere but honestly this is a really, really nice lager.

Cobra two (with curry): Made no difference whatsoever!

Jymi’s Rating: 76%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 74%

 

MOB review next weekend: BLUE MOON by MOLSON COORS

THE MOB SQUAD LET US KNOW THEIR THOUGHTS ON BLUE MOON NEXT WEEK.

AND FROM TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT HAS COME IN SO FAR… IT IS GOING TO BE ONE HELL OF RIDE!!!