Carlsberg Special Brew

Available filtered and pasteurised in 500ml cans and 275ml bottles.

A very strong, dark lager. First brewed in 1950 to commemorate a visit to Denmark by Winston Churchill.

Previously 9% ABV

2.1

213 reviews

Northampton, England

Community reviews

1.1 Theres no way Carlsberg can ever fix this, the ABV has been reduced - Once again, it used to be 9% but it's only 7.5% now Special brew has officially been ruined, forever.

2.5 Probably the best beer Carlsberg make. Made for Winston Churchill but drank by the underclass. Not a bad drink though

1.6 ABV down again :( This last pack will be my last Bought from sainsburys newport only supermarket i have found this in lately

0.5 This isn't even special brew anymore, they are just cashing in on the name now, it used to be a good beer at a reasonable price, now it's just expensive and watered down, I can't believe people still buy this.

2.5 Now reduced again from 8% to 7.5% was 9% a few years ago, now not very special 😕

2.4 Should really be called not so special brew after change of can and reduced alcohol content again to 7.5 %. Obviously same price

2.3 Can, thanks Brad. Sweet aroma, some iron and apples but not horrific. Clear golden color with big sized quick dying white head. Taste is also apples and iron, plus boozy and sugary. Thin to medium body, high carbonation. I had worse.

3.6 This beer was made for Winston Churchill and if you have a day you have a lot of tension and stress, it is perfect! I guees it was the war effort. The Special Brew I used to drink in the 80's and 90s's was far higher strength. All of lives problems could be solved with this drink, albeit on a temporary basis. Lovely golden colour, nice head it does smell very repugnant though. But in moderation it is a lovely pint sweet, with a bitter undertone. That is the veyr nature of alcohol. Perfect with a Cheese and onion cob and

0.5 Earlier Rating: 1/27/2019 Total Score: 0.5

2.2 8/10/2018. Can from my local post office stores. Pours pale gold with a bubbly just off-white head. Aroma of sweet malt, grains, fruit, caramel, some alcohol and metal. Medium to heavy sweetness, moderate and developing bitterness. Medium body, sticky texture, average to soft carbonation. Grainy, biscuity finish. Better than expected, but couldn't drink the normal 6 can measure.

5.0 Currently drinking it now, so because of that I guess as I'm in that frame of mind this is the best drink of all time. I have the urge to take my top off and watch Match of the Day. Absolutely cracking. Hope the missus doesn't smell it on me later. Probably will.

3.1 Can 33cl. Imported by Carlsberg Hongkong, from 7 Eleven Soy Street, Kowloon, @hotel poured into a shaker. Clear medium golden, small frothy white head, mostly diminishing, minimal lacing; aroma toasted malts, grain, caramel, brown sugar, alcohol; taste light heavy sweet and slightly bitter, malty, caramel, toffee, boozy; full-bodied, oily texture, soft carbonation; quite strong and boozy, decent strong lager.

2.2 500ml can from Addington Stores, Reading. Gold colour with white head. Sweet bready malt, metallic, booze, industrial

3.0 Fgp

2.0 Do you want to look like a full time shop lifter or a benefit scrounger? Well look no further!

3.0 Birra discreta, gusto ben bilanciato tra i diversi cereali con un leggero retrogusto fruttato; consigliata. C.

1.8 Strong robust drink, great lubricant for any social gathering. Great to drink outdoors. Bus shelters, parks, phone boxes anywhere really.

1.7 500 ml can. 8% UK version. smells alcohol. taste alcohol and and some barley. aftertaste just alcohol. not impressed at all

0.7 very low quality ale with a strong ABV . Bitter taste and easily forgotten

0.7 'It takes a special man to appreciate a special brew.' I'm assuming they mean as in special education in this case. Im not even going to touch the 'Probably the best beer in the world' part. Tall can on the beach in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka.

3.4 Uma pilsen forte, com amargor marcante. Cor amarela e espuma branca. Aroma bem discreto.

5.0 Drank ice cold and poured into a chilled glass. Pleasing dark toffee colour with lightly foaming head. Robust lager aroma with hints of Christmas Cake. A couple of good swallows in and we have punchy hop flavours coming through and a pleasant bitterness which is instantly satisfying. The alcohol is there in the finish which is to be savoured. A thumping good brew for grown-ups and by far the best super strength lager on the shelves of Blighty.

5.0 Probably the best beer in the world, beyond any doubts. Even though it is a super strength lager, it is very easy on the palate, and very drinkable. Even after 3, it has left the taste to long for a 4. Not so with too many strong lagers.

1.9 Can. In a plastic glass at my hotel. I’m dreading this but just drinking it to get my last English county. Anyway, as it’s not served in a brown paper bag, it’s clear dark golden with a big white head. Aroma of metal, caramel, malt and alcohol. Flavour is moderate sweet and bitter. Light medium bodied with light carbonation.

2.5 Can. Clear pale yellow Aroma of flowers and hops. Taste sweet, slight beer bitter. Strange. No freshness at all. Alcoholic

1.9 Malaysian can at 8.8%. Pours amber with a white head. Malty sweet aroma. Heavy sweet and bitter, unbalanced with lots of alcohol.

2.7 From a 500ml can on 28/12/2016 (ABV listed as 9%, Xmas gift courtesy of Desmond, who apparently developed a fondness for this when OS). Pours a clear medium golden with little head. The nose is mainly sweet malt with a bit of grain. In the mouth, there’s biscuit malt, very sweet but indistinct fruitiness, and a mild bitterness at the back. Full bodied and slightly syrupy, with average carbonation. Probably a decent brew if you’re looking to get hammered, and a delight compared to standard Carlsberg. But a pretty pedestrian imperial lager.

2.9 Hong Kong - 500ml can at 8.8%. Very strong, can definitely taste the alcohol in it. Quite malty beer with a bit of caramel. Not bad.

2.2 Bottiglia. Il gusto al naso finisce sull’orzo. L’intensità olfattiva è normale e la persistenza olfattiva è sufficiente. Il cappello di schiuma ha una buona tenuta ed è persistente. La carbonazione è media. La consistenza del liquido è limpida. Sono presenti bollicine medio-fini spinte verso l’alto e bolle grandi che rimangono ferme, aderenti al vetro. La carbonazione è media. Il colore è giallo ambrato. Il corpo è medio. La struttura è sottile. L’amaro è moderato. L’intensità gustativa è leggera e la persistenza gustativa è sufficiente. Le sensazioni boccali finali sono di facile beva. Il finale è secco, pulito, dissetante e semplice. Il retrogusto è di media intensità. L’aroma in bocca riporta sentori di caramello, miele, cereali e frutta secca. L’alcol dichiarato come presente non si fa sentire.

2.7 Came back to try this, and drunk cold, it still has some interesting flavours for a lager. Not for everyday drinking, but better than many supermarket offerings