Beer Review - Goldstar Lager from Israel

I saw a mention of this beer over at BROG, a fellow Philly beer & food blogger, in his review of Zahav, the Israeli mezze restaurant in Old City. The waiter suggested it to him, explaining "It's like Yuengling, but it doesn't totally suck."

Imagine my delight when I saw this little beauty sitting on the shelf at the Foodery over on 10th & Pine. The guy at the counter mentioned it might be a new arrival when I asked for his opinion of it.

Elizabeth & I have upcoming reservations at Zahav next week, so I wanted to try this beer out ASAP to see if (1) the waiters know thier stuff and (2) I can enjoy a beer at dinner that doesn't 'totally suck' and is a good match for the spicier dishes they serve.

It pours a little foamy, but settles down quick...left plenty of lace going down. The golden honey color hinted at the slight sweetness of the first few sips. I don't know if I've been too long at the hop-heavy beers or if the lack of any strong hoppiness is what's letting this tinge of malty sweetness peek through.

Decent mouthfeel, no assertive flavoring, and a smooth finish all tell me that Goldstar definitely would be a decent choice to pair with something strong like the spicy Lamb Merguez at Zahav. Stay tuned for more details on this.