Brewery: Baltika Brewery, St. Petersburg, Russia

Brewery Description: A classic lager beer that has been produced in accordance with classic technology since 1992. The harmonious combination in this beer of “pure” hops aroma, pure hops bitterness and mild taste make No3 Classic inimitable.

Brew Style: Pale lager, 4.8% ABV

Recommended Glass: Dimpled mug, English pint, Lager, Shaker, Stein

The Ugly Truth: inimitable: defying imitation; matchless; “an inimitable style”. I had to go look that up, since I had no idea what it meant. Seriously, who uses that word? Okay, enough of the commentary on the art of language. So Baltika No3 was the last of the Baltika brews that my store carries, so that chapter in my life has ended and I have to tell you it has been a chapter full of ups and down but overall rewarding. Baltika No3 was a good one to end the journey on. It pours to a decent white head and has a straw color to it. The aroma was light and did smell of hops, but I’m not sure what they mean by “pure”. It smelled good. The taste was solid. Not outstanding or horrible, but solid. Hops were there, but not overly strong, so the taste was pretty mild and enjoyable. Finish was crisp, with a clean aftertaste to it. The taste did have this subtle sweetness to it that was enjoyable and added to the experience. Overall it was a good solid beer, but nothing that I would call fantastic. But it wasn’t bad, so I would drink it again. Give it a chance if you see it at your local beer store.

Verdict: When I was drinking this, the Domovoi of my house came to me and handed me six magic hops, so I’ll give this beer a 6 out of 10 bottlecaps.