SKOL SUPER
Carlsberg UK
Denmark, 9% ABV
I know of a man who complains that, ‘Skol Super is just not the same as it used to be. They’ve ripped the heart and soul out it, basically, and totally watered it down.’ Skol Super used to have an alcohol by volume percentage of 9.2%. It is now down to 9%. The man with the grievance is named Duggie, and he can usually be found sitting on a park bench in a bomber jacket shouting at clouds. Yep, Skol Super is not so called because of its super choice of barley, super blend of hops or for its super filtering methods. No; it enjoys the ‘super’ moniker because it is – along with the likes of Carlsberg Special Brew and Tennent’s Super – one of the most potent super strength lagers around, with enough alcohol content to knock out a horse. Taste-wise? If I was being charitable I’d describe it as a robust or maybe full-bodied drink, with a slightly sweeter taste than you’d usually find in strong lagers, with a distinct fruity/floral character. If I was being accurate I’d nail it as the equivalent of drinking the contents of a flower vase that has been spiced up with some barley wine which has hitherto lain hidden at the back of someone’s drinks cupboard for 20-odd years. In short: keep very much at arm’s-length and once opened do not return to it. It may look harmless enough but it has the potential to take your face off. TJ
