EuroBillTracker

No points for guessing my favourite beer - it's just about the biggest export Ireland has, and it's black with a white head.

A few weeks ago in the pub we had an interesting conversation. We came to the conclusion that the better a country's wines, the worse it's beer. Countries like Italy, France, Spain, Australia and USA all have excellent wine, but pretty boring beer. Countries like Germany, Belgium, Holland (I'm not even sure if Holland or Belgium make wine) all have excellent beer, but pretty poor wine. (I bet I am going to get a few remarks from the Germans for that one )

fjon wrote:A few weeks ago in the pub we had an interesting conversation. We came to the conclusion that the better a country's wines, the worse it's beer.

Sorry to contradict you, but we have Port and Super Bock Does Ireland has any good wines? (I hate Guiness )

Sorry, didn't mean to offend anyone!
Super Bock is an OK beer in my opinion, but nothing special. I have never tried Port - maybe it is nice. They had a big Super Bock promotion in Ireland during Euro 2004, and a lot of my friends quite enjoy it!

If global warming continues the way it is going maybe in 50 years Ireland will have climate in which we can grow grapes, but until then I think we're stuck growing potatoes and apples

fjon wrote:A few weeks ago in the pub we had an interesting conversation. We came to the conclusion that the better a country's wines, the worse it's beer. Countries like Italy, France, Spain, Australia and USA all have excellent wine, but pretty boring beer. Countries like Germany, Belgium, Holland (I'm not even sure if Holland or Belgium make wine) all have excellent beer, but pretty poor wine. (I bet I am going to get a few remarks from the Germans for that one )

You can add Finland to the list. Wine made in Finland (small country farms, very little production) tastes simply gross!!! I have tasted three or four Finnish wines and I know what I am talking about. Yet our beers are just as good as Carlsberg. I know some Finns won't agree with me on that one...

BogPoet wrote:

fjon wrote:A few weeks ago in the pub we had an interesting conversation. We came to the conclusion that the better a country's wines, the worse it's beer.

Sorry to contradict you, but we have Port and Super Bock Does Ireland has any good wines? (I hate Guiness )

But Port is not "real" wine - it is a blend of wine and brandy.

JUPILER

fjon wrote: Countries like Germany, Belgium, Holland (I'm not even sure if Holland or Belgium make wine) all have excellent beer, but pretty poor wine. (I bet I am going to get a few remarks from the Germans for that one )

Yes, you could - my family has its own wine - but I desist from commenting. The thread is about beer and I do not want to turn in into a wine discussion. But do not worry, I am not offended. From my private and business trips to European and Asian countries I know that German wines are not standard in the restaurants or bars.

Hi Dakkus, your question might seem right and at the same time I thank you for the hints like "beer with Jaffa" etc. - something new to try for me.

Yes, it might seem odd: We have such a wide range of beers from very local to quite global, hundreds of breweries with thousands of beers. I cannot tell you why on earth we mix beer with that other stuff. There are enough people here who comment on "dirty beer" & Co. like "Who drinks that should be prohibited to drink beer for a lifetime."

To your question how it comes that we do these mixeries, I can reply to you with regard to the beer with Sprite:

In the 1920ies the owner of a small restaurant on a mountain in the Bavarian Alps (southern tip of Germany) faced the problem that a large group of bicycle drivers from Munich came to his place. These guys were very thirsty. Cycling or not, these guys wanted - of course - drink beer. The owner of the restaurant did not have enough beer to feed all these thirsty cyclers and he "stretched" the beer with citrus lemonade. Surprisingly, his guests liked this stuff very much. So, the "Radler" (beer with citrus lemonade / Sprite") was born. And "Radler" is Bavarian and means "cycler" or "bicycle driver".

Maes Pils and Duvel are my favorites!

Stella Artois is the beer of Leuven, but I'm not really into pils. I like Hoegaarden, Rochefort 8°, Westmalle Dubbel, and when I meet some Brussels students, a gueuze isn't too bad. And Bosbier, a beer flavoured with berries is good, too.
I don't like Duvel, Orval (sorry ), Jupiler, Cristal Alken, Kriek Mort Subite or Heineken.
In Flanders, we say 'santé', or translated into Dutch 'Gezondheid'. It means 'health'.

I just tasted

for the first time in about two years and I must say it tasted very good! Heading for a nice saturday night here...

francky wrote:I like :

Specially the White

I tried


this one, on the right. It was drinkable but maybe it didn't fit right away to my Finnish taste.

BTW. that Urio was awful

I still prefer something like

Heineken! And also Bacardi Breezer

Best beer in the world is Budvar (Czech Republic), though I love Molson and Labatts (Canada) as well. From the finnish ones I prefer KOFF