Here it is, my very first beer review featuring Coopers Vintage Ale .  Let me preface this by saying that much like my movie reviews, I like to keep things simple here as well.  I’ll keep the "beer jargon" to a minimum here, and just tell you if the beer is worth your time. Additionally,  I’m not going to go on a scale of 1 - 10 like the movie reviews, but rather have word ratings.   I’d also like to add that many Australian members of some message boards I post on claim that Australian beer is superior to American beer.  Well if you want to find out if these guys are blowing smoke up my ass, read on!

One thing I noticed that as soon I poured this beer, I got some pretty good head on it (hey, calm yourself down you perverts) but it soon vanished fairly quickly.  There are also a good bit of thin bubbles that anxiously make their way to the top which always adds character.  In appearance its a dark brown beer, perhaps a bit darker and muddier than a New Castle Brown Ale.  As far as smell goes, the first thing you’ll notice is the appearance of alcohol in this brew. This is to be expected however, as this Coopers Vintage Ale has a robust 7.5% alcohol by volume (ABV).   In comparison, Miller Lite has measly 4.2% ABV. 

Upon first inspection, you might think you’re into a trappist beer from the aroma, but unfortunately this is not the case (you’ll have to pardon my love of trappist beers, I still haven’t tasted one I didn’t like). In the flavor department, you’ll get a malty-type taste, with a reasonable amount of fruitiness, and a dry finish.  Here’s my breakdown of Coopers Vintage Ale:

Taste: Average.

Smell: Average

Drinkability: Slightly Above Average

Final Words:

Not a bad beer by any stretch of the imagination, but not one to write home about either.  I’d try this one again, but I wouldn’t make a habit of picking it up every time I visit a six pack shop.  The high ABV will be sure to knock you on your ass, so tread with caution.  So are those Aussies accurate in their claim of beer superiority?  Not quite yet fellas, we’ll see what you have guys have cooked up next time!

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