06-28-2004, 07:18 AM
Hail Munkay,
I must say I don't really have a favourite beer, lots of them are so good! As with wine, I like different beers for different occasions.
For example, the best beers for a barbecue are either an ice beer (for example the aforementioned Labbat's) or a nice Koelsch. Koelsch (which you will probably only be able to get near Cologne) is an extremely smooth beer, with a light taste. It doesn't ruin the food with a too strong taste, but rather works on your thirst. Pilsner beers or good exports should also work fine here. These are what I would call "summer beers". And if you happen to like this taste, give Japanese beers a shot. They aren't bad, my favourite here being Asahi, especially out of a can.
In winter, when you don't want to drink very cold beer, I rather like beers that have a stronger taste. During that time, I like to go to an Irish Pub to hoist a Guiness or three, and Alt Beer also comes to mind. This is a darker beer with a stronger taste and a little more "oily" than a Pilsner. Again, this beer originally comes from the Lower Rhine Area in Germany, so good luck on finding any outside Germany. Also, a local brewery has a special version of Alt Beer, called "Ur-Alt", which roughly means "very old". It is an unfiltered version of Alt, and is, in my opinion, even better, if a little more expensive. Also, Schwarzbier (Black Beer) is very nice during that time. It has been described as "A black beer with a blonde soul" and the taste is somewhere between a Guiness and a Pilsner, I'd say. Tastes a bit similar to A "Tall Ship Ale" I remember having had in Vancouver, once upon a time.
Other beers one can always give a shot:
- Weizenbier (a Bavarian beer, rather strong, but after two, I feel like having eaten a whole cow, it fills me up too much, but to each his own)
- Newcastle Brown Ale (also a rather local speciality, with a rather unique taste)
- Foster's (also a nice summer beer, comes pretty close to Koelsch)
- Heineken (it don't like it that much, but it's almost anywhere in the world, so at least you know what you're getting)
- Malzbier (a non-alcoholic beverage, like Root Beer, rather sweet, but a nice thirst-quencher)
And as a bonus, a short list of beers you should steer clear off in Germany: Traugott Simon, Ãttinger, Wicküler Pilsner, Küppers Kölsch (avoid it like the Plague!) and Hansa Pils.
Well, hope that helps!
Take care,
Lord_Olf
PS: I'm off to buy a case of Koelsch, this writing made me thirsty!
I must say I don't really have a favourite beer, lots of them are so good! As with wine, I like different beers for different occasions.
For example, the best beers for a barbecue are either an ice beer (for example the aforementioned Labbat's) or a nice Koelsch. Koelsch (which you will probably only be able to get near Cologne) is an extremely smooth beer, with a light taste. It doesn't ruin the food with a too strong taste, but rather works on your thirst. Pilsner beers or good exports should also work fine here. These are what I would call "summer beers". And if you happen to like this taste, give Japanese beers a shot. They aren't bad, my favourite here being Asahi, especially out of a can.
In winter, when you don't want to drink very cold beer, I rather like beers that have a stronger taste. During that time, I like to go to an Irish Pub to hoist a Guiness or three, and Alt Beer also comes to mind. This is a darker beer with a stronger taste and a little more "oily" than a Pilsner. Again, this beer originally comes from the Lower Rhine Area in Germany, so good luck on finding any outside Germany. Also, a local brewery has a special version of Alt Beer, called "Ur-Alt", which roughly means "very old". It is an unfiltered version of Alt, and is, in my opinion, even better, if a little more expensive. Also, Schwarzbier (Black Beer) is very nice during that time. It has been described as "A black beer with a blonde soul" and the taste is somewhere between a Guiness and a Pilsner, I'd say. Tastes a bit similar to A "Tall Ship Ale" I remember having had in Vancouver, once upon a time.
Other beers one can always give a shot:
- Weizenbier (a Bavarian beer, rather strong, but after two, I feel like having eaten a whole cow, it fills me up too much, but to each his own)
- Newcastle Brown Ale (also a rather local speciality, with a rather unique taste)
- Foster's (also a nice summer beer, comes pretty close to Koelsch)
- Heineken (it don't like it that much, but it's almost anywhere in the world, so at least you know what you're getting)
- Malzbier (a non-alcoholic beverage, like Root Beer, rather sweet, but a nice thirst-quencher)
And as a bonus, a short list of beers you should steer clear off in Germany: Traugott Simon, Ãttinger, Wicküler Pilsner, Küppers Kölsch (avoid it like the Plague!) and Hansa Pils.
Well, hope that helps!
Take care,
Lord_Olf
PS: I'm off to buy a case of Koelsch, this writing made me thirsty!
"I don't like to brag, I don't like to boast, but I like hot butter on my breakfast toast!" - Flea