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Ever since my 3rd Trip to Europe (2004) I always thought that German beer was better than Belgian For some reason...mainly because I never had Belgian Beer and the Germans aren't going to go around saying that the Belgian's make a better beer. Boy was I wrong... For Beer, always go with something made in Belgium... when you're in Germany drink Ale.
Beers I have drunk travelling in Europe.
[i] Portugal: Super Bock, nice very cold, horrible otherwise, but strong. Imperial, Not quite as strong a Super Bock, but a much cleaner taste.
[ii]Greece: Alpha, nice beer but a bit malty for my taste. Mythos, one of my favourite beers ever. Nice clean taste and very, very drinkable.
[iii]Italy: Peroni, :embarassed: ubiquitous beer that everyone can get anywhere. (Unfortunately I did a lot of driving in Italy so my beer consumption was very low. Anyway the wines much better).
[iv]France: see Italy...
[v]Belgium: Leffe A classic in my book, but be careful this one is as strong as some wines. Stella Artois I've drunk this on countless occasions in the UK but it tastes sooo much better when brewed in Belgium.
[vi]The Nederlands: Heineken again drunk this on many occasions in the UK but as in Belgium much, much better than what I was used to. Must be the water they use brewing it. Grolsch see Heineken. Tended not to drink too much beer in The Nederlands as I ensconced myself in their excellent cafes checking out the herbs.
[vii]UK: If you want a good beer, go for the real ales, Timothy Taylors, Theakstons, Samuel (not John) Smiths. Do remember that ale unlike beer must be drunk at room temperature.
Well roger me sideways, I never knew ale was available in Germany. The only country in western Europe that I havn't visited (yet). Note to self: must go and visit our German cousins.Quote:
when you're in Germany drink Ale.
On a serious note, I dare say it was tongue in cheek but do NOT sleep out in London. If you can't get into a hostel (which would surprise me) cheapy cheapy hotels (ie travelodge etc) are actually not that expensive for a night or two.
5-6 weeks seems like a reasonable amount of time to see England...oh, wait, you want to see that funny lot across the channel too? Realistically then you are going to see London, Oxford, Canterbury, and Faversham aren't you? Faversham, I hear you cry? Why yes, home of the greatest beers on the planet...http://www.shepherd-neame.co.uk/index.html
Seriously folks, we should all nominate one (marginally) off the beaten track attraction in our countries that a drunken Texan who is getting about by train would enjoy. My recommendation is HMS Victory http://www.hms-victory.com/ She's sort of a floating Alamo, after all...
I've never seen ale in this country(except for Killkenny).Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
Weissbier is good both dark and light colours. The pils is pretty standard, starting to fall out with the local stuff and I've come to appreciate Polish beer which tastes great and is strong as hell.
There are so many fests here, it'd drive you to drink.
Note for any Americans who are disgusted by the thought of drinking warm beer: ale, unlike lager, has flavour. Tastebuds are numbed by low temperatures, defeating the point of drinking ale instead of lager. Also, make sure the ale has low head - the foamy bit at the top. Head consists mostly of air, and has little or no flavour. What air there is should have been the result of fermentation, not carbonation. The ale is wrong if it pops at you like a fizzy drink.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
Recommended beers (brewery in brackets):
Abbot Ale (Greene King)
Old Peculier (Theakstons)
Urgh, I used to drink Old Peculier at Uni, then one day I realised it was truly disgusting, horrible stale stuff, and no one was being impressed.
Abbot is good though.
Can we sort out the warm beer myth? What it means is bitter should be served at cellar temprature, which is to say cool rather than cold. "Room temperature" is a bit of a misnomer, what we mean is it should not be refrigerated. And of course its never warmed.
Used to hate it, but I am now slowly warming towards it. I guess taste changes with age, it's a pity Guiness is a luxory beer here.Quote:
Originally Posted by IrishArmenian
And listen to the belgium guys when it comes to beer STFS, that is where the best are from, unless you are more into 'pils', then the Czech republic is where it's at. If you have questions about amsterdam, like why on earth should I visit that hellhole (hey I am a farmboy), try www.channels.nl, mucho info.
The Nederlands: Heineken again drunk this on many occasions in the UK but as in Belgium much, much better than what I was used to. Must be the water they use brewing it
It isn't the same Heineken we drink here, it's Heineken export. I have no idea why it's so popular abroad, it's a pretty poor beer. The 'real' heineken is much better, very natural taste.
Beer? Be a man and drink Vodka, oh, and go to Scotland preferably Glasgow.
Apart from that, watch Hostel before you go:skull:
What did you have with it? The usual crisps, pork crackling and everything salty don't go well with it, while meat meals are somewhat better. Drinking OP by itself is a no-no, as it's definitely not a session beer like Abbott or Spitfire.Quote:
Originally Posted by English assassin
It shouldn't be so cold as to numb the tastebuds, but it shouldn't actually feel warm.Quote:
Abbot is good though.
Can we sort out the warm beer myth? What it means is bitter should be served at cellar temprature, which is to say cool rather than cold. "Room temperature" is a bit of a misnomer, what we mean is it should not be refrigerated. And of course its never warmed.
If I'm not mistaken, the style is called Altbier (Old beer, since ale yeast used to be the only kind available). Here's a link to a site with some brands:Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
http://www.germanbeerguide.co.uk/altbier.html
What did I have with it? Well, this was the bar of the Oxford Union, so about 2000 self important empty headed prats discussing Camus....or was that just me ;-)Quote:
What did you have with it? The usual crisps, pork crackling and everything salty don't go well with it, while meat meals are somewhat better. Drinking OP by itself is a no-no, as it's definitely not a session beer like Abbott or Spitfire.
Fair enough I can imagine with a meal it would hold its own. Necking as many pints as possible probably wasn't the best idea.
What am I saying? Necking as many pints as possible is ALWAYS the best idea.
Cheers (sic) for the link Drone, :2thumbsup: I shall keep an eye out for Altbier, (now there's a thing, that's how it would be pronounced in this part of Yorkshire if it was called Oldbeer).
I was actually referring to export, not that piss poor stuff they sell in Wetherspoons et al.Quote:
It isn't the same Heineken we drink here, it's Heineken export. I have no idea why it's so popular abroad, it's a pretty poor beer. The 'real' heineken is much better, very natural taste.
Have a pint on me. ~:cheers:
As long as it's not export, because that was the pint I meant in my post:laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
honestly, the 'dutch' heineken is way better, not as good as Grolsch though.
:laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
How's about some nice Romanian "palinca"? Just 60 degrees. ~D
One small teaspoon, and you'll be off to bed. :sweatdrop:
Huzzah!Quote:
Originally Posted by English assassin
Wakizashi, Germany still takes the title, even though I've had some impossibly delicious Belgian beers, because of the Schlenkerla line of beers. I'm also very partial to Holsten Festbock, but it seems wrong somehow to drink it when it's not snowing outside.
I honestly didn't like the Dutch Heineken to much. I toured the plant in Amsterdam and honestly wasn't to much impressed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fragony
Sorry, GoreBag, I wish I could pass that info on - but I just don't have it. Most of my South American beer drinking experiences date from days when I was much younger - now that I'm in the beginnings of my dotage, I'm pretty much a teetotaler. I do have fond memories, however... :laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by GoreBag
Sigh. Oh well.
you could always have a Labatts.....:sweatdrop: :wall:
Personally, my taste fluctuates between British ales and German and Czech pilsners. I'm especially fond of Spitfire, Samuel Smith's, the proper Czech Budweiser, Pilsner Urquell and, being from Cardiff, Brains S.A. (The brewery is just down the road)
I implore other posters to try the Brains, it's a really good beer but it doesn't seem to get a lot of press.
Have you tried the dark version? It's even better than the blond.Quote:
Originally Posted by Big King Sanctaphrax
It's far from my favorite either, just better then the export. The best dutch beers are Hertog Jan and Brand in my humble opinion.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ice
ha, the gospel of Spitfire is spreading.Quote:
I'm especially fond of Spitfire, Samuel Smith's, the proper Czech Budweiser, Pilsner Urquell and, being from Cardiff, Brains S.A. (The brewery is just down the road)
I drink Brains S.A when I am in Wales but in my experience its called Skull Attack (or Sorry After) for a reason...