KB Lager, The Beer Meant to be Drank Warm

KB Lager settles quite quickly when served and is very drinkable while warm. It's flavour maintains a strong profile of roasted grain.

In Nairobi, beers are usually served cold, or sometimes warm depending on the mood of who’s serving you.

Outside Nairobi, warm beers may come as a standard and you may have to specify that you indeed would prefer a cold beer, as I once found in Naivasha.

I was at an infamous bar next to the Nairobi - Nakuru highway and this was my first time ordering a KB Lager. By the time I realised I had been served a warm beer, it had already been opened and the only option was a second bottle of cold beer then I could mix half-and half.

It did not escape my attention that the waitress serving me slightly hesitated when I asked for a cold beer. I got the impression that it was taboo to order a cold KB Lager.
Indeed, there seemed to be a difference in flavour, but this would only become distinct about three months later when I had an entire crate to myself.

KB Lager’s character is defined by a bold “roast” or roasted flavour profile, which hits the front and mid palate (the tip and middle of the tongue).

Its ingredients include both barley(malted) and cereals as tends to be the case with other mainstream Kenyan beers. The roasting of the grains are probably what lend to KB's character.

While I initially had my KB cold, I realised it did not set off the right notes as when I first tried. I then remembered the waitress’ hesitation at serving a cold beer, and so I tried it warm.

Interesting enough, I found the beer more palatable when taken warm rather than cold, and that’s how I proceeded to enjoy it henceforth.

Thus, I would describe KB Lager as a beer designed to be drunk warm, appropriate if you do not have a fridge or for occasions where you may not have enough cooling capacity.

It comes in as a medium beer at about 5.5% alcohol volume that also prides itself as "sugar free" and is packed in a 500 ml bottle. While this may vary from person to person, it is a comfortable drink that doesn’t give a strong punch and which can be drunk over a more relaxed session. It should also be tolerable the morning after without much of a hangover.

Keroche Brewery who are the brewers (and perhaps lending the name KB also) define KB Lager as an “affordably priced” beer meaning it’s cost comes in on the lower side. The beer is available at select bars and supermarkets and also online at SkyGarden at about KSh. 150 a bottle.

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