Fici draft beer by Tuborg is an unusual beer that gets a little confusing. The unusual part is the bottle shape and ring pull top. The confusing part is where the hell it is actually brewed, but more about these later. Let me first address the question, what is Fici draft beer by Tuborg like?
Fici draft beer is pretty good and better than I expected. It pours a mid gold with a decent foamy white head. On the nose it has a subtle malt aroma with notes of lemon like citrus. It tastes just like it smells with a good malt base and a little citrus kick in the background. A good carbonation in the mouth leads to a slight bitter finish. It’s crisp, refreshing and gets a score of 4.2 out of 5.0.
A pretty well balanced lager that delivers just what a lager should, crisp, refreshing with a decent body.
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Fici Draft Beer Review
The first thing that is striking about this beer is the bottle with its barrel shaped dimple affect. Then there is the ring pull top, which you don’t see that often.
Fici though means barrel in Turkish, so that explains the barrel shaped bottle. And the ring pull is just pretty cool and easy to open.
There is a little confusion about where Fici draft is brewed. Some say it is in Copenhagen, Denmark at the Tuborg Brewery, while some say it is brewed in Turkey by the Turk Tuborg Brewery.
Going on what is on the bottle and roughly translating the writing on the label. It says manufactured in Turkey by Turk Tuborg, while also having the Turk Tuborg website address.
So my bottle I think comes from Turkey and is imported by Anatolian Foods Ltd a Company based in London, England.
Turk Tuborg in Turkey and Tuborg in Denmark have both been associated with Carlsberg for many years. However Carlsberg sold its shares in Turk Tuborg in 2008.
Tuborg, Denmark brews the Tuborg Green, a well known popular beer for many years.
There are some that say Fici is brewed in Copenhagen and has been since 1895, maybe it is, but my bottle says produced by Turk Tuborg in Turkey.
I told you it is confusing, so lets get on with the beer itself.
Drinking Fici Draft Beer
Once you open this cool bottle and pour the beer it stands in the glass a mid gold, just slightly lighter than the empty bottle.
The foamy white head is generous, but does fade to a thin cover. You can pull it back a little by swirling the beer in the glass.
The nose is delicate with a subtle malt aroma and a fresh lemon like citrus on top.
It tastes just like it smells with a good malty base and a citrus kick in the background, then a little bitterness comes in to finish.
A good carbonation in the mouth makes it feel crisp and refreshing. It’s a well balanced lager with a medium body and weighs in at 5.0% ABV. I like it and would definitely drink it again, it gets a rate my beer score of 4.2 out of 5.0.
M’Lady has similar thoughts, saying “A fresh crisp lager with a hint of citrus and slight bitter finish.” Lou scores it a straight 4.0 out of 5.0.
Turk Tuborg Brewery
Turk Tuborg was founded in 1967 and produces beer and malt products, it also imports other beers too.
The brewery has had a long relationship with Carlsberg and was part of the Carlsberg/Tuborg group. This is how it is connected to the Danish Tuborg which was founded in 1873.
However Carlsberg sold it shares in Turk Tuborg to the Israeli Central Bottling Company in 2008. Which it also had shares in, but has sold them also.
The Central Bottling Company make Carlsberg and Tuborg products under license.
So Turk Tuborg as far as I can tell still brews the Fici draft beer. Whether it is also brewed at Tuborg Denmark, I am not sure, the trail is vague.
Turk Tuborg Beer Range
They obviously do make other beers, however it is hard to find any of them on the website. It is the same on the Tuborg Danish website too, which only shows Tuborg Green.
Turk Tuborg brew to the German Purity Law and what is on their website shows certificates for Tuborg Gold, Tuborg Amber, Tuborg Special, Tuborg Shot Special and Carlsberg. All the certificates have the Turkish brewery address on them.
So here are a few of these beers.
Tuborg Gold
Tuborg Gold is another 100% malt lager like Fici, which I forgot to mention earlier. Said to have aromas of fruit with notes of fennel.
It has a slight sweetness and a mild bitter finish. It weighs in at 5.0% ABV just like Fici.
In fact it all sounds very similar, I am not sure how different this beer will be to its sibling Fici.
Tuborg Amber
This amber beer is light brown in appearance with an off white head. Again a 100% malt dark lager beer with a sweet roasted malt flavour. Reports of some herbs and a slight vanilla taste with a light bitterness in the background.
It weighs in at 5.2% ABV, so slightly stronger than the Fici or Gold. Sounds like a decent beer and one I will look out for.
Tuborg Special
The Special is special in terms of strength, this European style lager is a whopping 8.0% ABV. So not one to gulp down on a hot day, go carefully.
It is described as lively and fresh with malt and fruit aromas and a roasted malt flavour and bitter aftertaste. Sounds good, but maybe a little too strong, okay as a one off though.
Final Thoughts
If you can forget what brewery makes what beer or who owns what brewery and just focus on the beer. Then Fici Draft is a pretty decent beer.
It has a good body, good flavour and is crisp and refreshing. The bottle is cool too, which has made the shelf in the Welsh Cockney pub shed as an ornament.
At the moment Fici is available in Home Bargains a popular discount store in the UK. I might pop back and get a few more bottles.
If you have tried Fici draft then do share your thoughts below, let me know what you think of it.
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Rob is a passionate home bar and pub shed enthusiast with a passion for craft beer. With hands-on experience in designing and building his own home bar, Rob shares his knowledge, tips, and inspiration to help fellow enthusiasts create their own perfect space. Alongside the world of home bars and pub sheds, Rob also explores the diverse and exciting realm of craft beer, providing honest reviews to help you discover your next favorite brew. Join Rob on a journey of flavor, design, and craftsmanship right here on Home Bar Kit.
I came across Fici at my Home Bargains store here in Hereford. I was actually looking for Efes and Home Bargains in the only retailer I have found to supply this beer.
I was interested in the bottle as it displayed a Turkish name and importer and decided to try it for myself having been an admirer of Turkish Beers over the years.
My initial observations was how nice to have a pull top on the bottle and on pouring to be greeted with a light amber colour and not overpowering head. The aroma was very pleasant and fresh and the taste was that of a quite young and refreshing drink. I am no expert when it comes to beer drinking, but this was certainly very enjoyable and highly recommended.
It is a pretty good beer and great value too. I think I picked this up from a B&M store, so quite cheap. It is crisp, refreshing and quite well balanced.
Cheers