Hansa Beer

Upon my first healthy swig of Hansa I was entirely unimpressed. The hefty bottles proudly declare themselves "Imported Dortmunder" and boast of "Pure Quality" that I have yet to discover.

I generally hold German brau, especially those adherent to German Purity Law, to a higher standard than most beers. With great expectations inherently come disappointments, which is entirely apt for Hansa beer. It is never much more than disappointing.

The pour of this beer is very thin. Unmasked it is revealed to be pale yellow, watery, and with very little head (all of which quickly disappears). The best analogs that come to mind instantly are cheap American light beers. The mouthfeel is poor, thin, almost non-existant. The taste is decent, slightly bready, but the first two bottles I tried had a distinctly metallic hint behind the initial flavor. I appreciate modern brewing methods, but I don't want to taste the brite tank in the final product. The subsequent bottles (on subsequent nights) tasted much less metallic, leading me to think the Dortmunder-Hansa Brauerei is hit-or-miss bottle to bottle. Without the metallic finish the beer is smooth. There's no unpleasant bitterness, and the very mild taste of hops is pleasing.

Aside from being mild and smooth at best, I can't say much else in favor of Hansa's drinkability. What makes this beer more drinkable is it's price. At $6-$7 for a 6-pack of 500mL (just over a pint) bottles, it's among the cheapest of imported beers. Unfortunately it lacks the quality many of it's German bretheren possess. Much like the dainty carbonation of the beverage itself, this beer is nothing more than tremendously flat.
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The skinny:
Pros: light, smooth, cheapish
Cons: watery, hit-or-miss, metallic (sometimes)

Make an Assessment:
Giving Hansa repeated trial runs, I'd say that it's growing on me. It goes well with a meal, and could be a good game-day thirst-quencher. While I'm unlikely to purchase it regularly, I'll admit that it's drinkable. In other words, I've had much worse beers, but I've also certainly had much better. In my book it was worth a try for the sake of trying, but I'll refrain from recommending it anytime soon. Better overall value can be found in classics like the Champagne of Beers and PBR.

Overall Review Scores:
Grade: D
Score: 60%
If it were a movie: ★★
My Feelings: meh.