Belgium - nice light Hommel bier to start, move onto Chimay Blauw and finish the night off with Westmalle tripel. As they say in Geordie Shore "let's get fooking mortalled"
Pilsner Urquell has, I believe, been sold to someone like InBev (or perhaps that's Staropramen) but Budweiser Budvar is still Czech owned so that's the one to go for. They do a dark beer, too, so that's two beers. Have a look here for your third choice:
Alhambra Reserva 1925 is very nice. Comes in a green bottle, think they sell it in Lewisham (and presumably other) Tescos. 6.4% but doesn't taste that strong, stop at 2 though.
If you happen to go past Shepherds Off Licence opposite Blackheath Station, or Lee Off Licence, they both have a decent selection of random foreign beers.
Our local Wetherspoons in Forest Hill now has a craft beer take-away service so if yours is doing the same, and I suspect it's in all of them, you should be able to source some interesting beers.
Poland - have been there a lot as Mr Tatters' mum is Polish. Totally recommend Zywiec. Or for something stronger - Okocim Mocny (all seems fine until you stand up to go to the bog)
Heres a few off the top of my head, the Croatian ones are what I remember drinking in Dubrovnik whilst Sweden I only really remember cider.
Croatia: Karlovacko, Ozujsko
Sweden: Rekorderlig, Kopperburg
Belgium: Duvel, Frülli, Leffe
Czech: Staropramen
Wales: I think there's some nice Welsh ciders that may be worth a go.
Northern Ireland: not a clue, other than Bushmills Whiskey
Sounds like a brilliant game!
Those Swedish ciders are overly sweet kids' drinks.
I agree, but I have no idea about Swedish lagers to be honest. Similarly, the Croatian beers aren't too great as Prague says, but they're all I remember from there!
Sadly even my Belgian options are poor, the chap I was drinking with last week said Frülli was a girls drink and Leffe was nothing compared to proper Belgian beers..
Actually, all of my suggestions are a bit shit really
@North Lower Neil depending on where you're based, there is the excellent 'Bottle Dog' shop on Grays Inn Rd that has a good selection of beers, as does Mother Kelly's in Hackney...neither of them cheap tho... The cage in Borough Market is also excellent, as someone else said...
A lot of these countries are dominated by so so euro lager, the sort of stuff which is perfectly drinkable, but which tastes much the same as any other lager.
Albania - Austria - Belgium - Rochefort 10 is heaven, a few places over here sell it. Many bars in London stock a massive range of Belgian beer Croatia - Czech Republic - Bottled Budvar is MUCH better than Pilsner Urquell which is produced all over the place these days England - France - Biere de Gardes are quite nice, they seem rarer these days over here Germany - Go to one of the German style bars in London for a big selection Hungary - Iceland - Italy - Amarcord Gradisca is one of few interesting Italian beers I've drunk, I doubt you could find it over here Northern Ireland - Poland - Portugal - Republic of Ireland - Romania - Russia - Slovakia - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - Turkey - Ukraine - Wales - Aldi have a nice Felinfoel beer for £1.25 at the moment! Purple Moose do some very nice ales also, also Brains
Guys, some misinformation about Pilsner Urquell coming out in this thread.
The PU you buy in bottles in the UK is brewed and bottled in Plzen. They did brew it in Poland for while, but stopped because they could not replicate the quality expected.
Plzensky Prazdroj was bought by South African Breweries about 15 years ago. SAB have of all the big boys the best commitment to quality. "Tankovany" PU is a major quality innovation, even if it happened by accident. Try it at the Soho place I mentioned.
SAB has unfortunately just been bought by ABinBev. However that won't be PU's owner, as the European Commission have told ABInBev to sell the European assets of SAB for antitrust reasons. We are all holding our breath.
Staropramen is now owned by Molson Coors, although it has previously been under ABInbev rule, and it wasn't a happy one. Many Czechs feel uncomfortable about the source of the water. The Vltava River, in Prague, they ask, sceptically. How can you make good beer from that? (My client, the new CEO who started as a brewmaster there 20 years ago, would kill me for writing that, but he has heard it many times.)
Whether you prefer Budvar beers over PU will be a matter of your bitter vs sweet preference. Czechs do not regard Budvar as a superior beer at all. Indeed it is considered a regional beer. It is actually still owned by the State. Of all the national beer brands, Czechs will generally tell you that the only one that has been really damaged over the years is Krusovice, now owned by Heineken. Avoid.
The Czechs are world class brewers. I have great respect for German beer, but I prefer Czech beer. I never found a German beer I preferred although I like the distinctive herby taste of Jever.
I live in France and the beer here is not so great, mostly Kronenbourg (1664 is OK) Otherwise we have Leffe or Grimbergen. Spanish best bet is San Miguel in my opinion.
Think there is a risk you could end of with the most popular beers of each country, which can often be mass produced similar tasting lagers. London's finer beer sellers should be able to help you avoid this. In the interests of variety one of your Belgian beers should be a lambic beer. And the Ukrainians do some decent wheat beers.
Guys, some misinformation about Pilsner Urquell coming out in this thread.
The PU you buy in bottles in the UK is brewed and bottled in Plzen. They did brew it in Poland for while, but stopped because they could not replicate the quality expected.
Plzensky Prazdroj was bought by South African Breweries about 15 years ago. SAB have of all the big boys the best commitment to quality. "Tankovany" PU is a major quality innovation, even if it happened by accident. Try it at the Soho place I mentioned.
SAB has unfortunately just been bought by ABinBev. However that won't be PU's owner, as the European Commission have told ABInBev to sell the European assets of SAB for antitrust reasons. We are all holding our breath.
Staropramen is now owned by Molson Coors, although it has previously been under ABInbev rule, and it wasn't a happy one. Many Czechs feel uncomfortable about the source of the water. The Vltava River, in Prague, they ask, sceptically. How can you make good beer from that? (My client, the new CEO who started as a brewmaster there 20 years ago, would kill me for writing that, but he has heard it many times.)
Whether you prefer Budvar beers over PU will be a matter of your bitter vs sweet preference. Czechs do not regard Budvar as a superior beer at all. Indeed it is considered a regional beer. It is actually still owned by the State. Of all the national beer brands, Czechs will generally tell you that the only one that has been really damaged over the years is Krusovice, now owned by Heineken. Avoid.
The Czechs are world class brewers. I have great respect for German beer, but I prefer Czech beer. I never found a German beer I preferred although I like the distinctive herby taste of Jever.
PU for Euro 2016 ! :-)
Thanks, I'm glad they're no longer brewing it in Poland, which completely devalued the product. I've never managed to drink the unfiltered/unpasteurised PU but will look out for it!
Comments
St Bernardus 12 amongst them!
Albania and Croatia will be the awkward ones by the looks of it.
http://www.ratebeer.com/country/albania/2/
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/country/croatia/53/
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/country/switzerland/191/
Albania -
Austria - Schremser Roggen Bio Bier
Belgium - St Bernardus 12
Croatia -
Czech Republic -
England -
France -
Germany -
Hungary - Rothbeer Pyromania
Iceland - Einstok Toasted Porter
Italy -
Northern Ireland -
Poland -
Portugal - Sagres
Republic of Ireland -
Romania -
Russia - Baltika 7
Slovakia - Zlaty Bazant
Spain - Alhambra-Reserva
Sweden -
Switzerland -
Turkey -
Ukraine - Obolon lager
Wales -
http://www.ratebeer.com/country/czech-republic/56/
Actually, you could use the site for all your choices from all twent-four countries.
Tuborg Gold -enjoy
Anything by Perge would be my choice
Wales - Brains
Sadly even my Belgian options are poor, the chap I was drinking with last week said Frülli was a girls drink and Leffe was nothing compared to proper Belgian beers..
Actually, all of my suggestions are a bit shit really
Austria - Zipfer
Belgium - Pauwel Kwak, Tripel Karmeliet, Straffe Hendrik (bruin), Westmalle Dubbel
Croatia -
Czech Republic - Pilsner Urquell, Budvar, Staropramen
England -
France -
Germany - DAB, Flensburger Pilsener
Hungary -
Iceland - Viking
Italy - Ichnusa, Menabrea, Messina, Peroni (red)
Northern Ireland -
Poland - Tyskie
Portugal -
Republic of Ireland - Guinness, Smithwicks
Romania -
Russia - Baltika
Slovakia -
Spain - Moritz, Estrella Damm
Sweden -
Switzerland -
Turkey - Efes
Ukraine -
Wales -
Albania -
Austria -
Belgium - Rochefort 10 is heaven, a few places over here sell it. Many bars in London stock a massive range of Belgian beer
Croatia -
Czech Republic - Bottled Budvar is MUCH better than Pilsner Urquell which is produced all over the place these days
England -
France - Biere de Gardes are quite nice, they seem rarer these days over here
Germany - Go to one of the German style bars in London for a big selection
Hungary -
Iceland -
Italy - Amarcord Gradisca is one of few interesting Italian beers I've drunk, I doubt you could find it over here
Northern Ireland -
Poland -
Portugal -
Republic of Ireland -
Romania -
Russia -
Slovakia -
Spain -
Sweden -
Switzerland -
Turkey -
Ukraine -
Wales - Aldi have a nice Felinfoel beer for £1.25 at the moment! Purple Moose do some very nice ales also, also Brains
The PU you buy in bottles in the UK is brewed and bottled in Plzen. They did brew it in Poland for while, but stopped because they could not replicate the quality expected.
Plzensky Prazdroj was bought by South African Breweries about 15 years ago. SAB have of all the big boys the best commitment to quality. "Tankovany" PU is a major quality innovation, even if it happened by accident. Try it at the Soho place I mentioned.
SAB has unfortunately just been bought by ABinBev. However that won't be PU's owner, as the European Commission have told ABInBev to sell the European assets of SAB for antitrust reasons. We are all holding our breath.
Staropramen is now owned by Molson Coors, although it has previously been under ABInbev rule, and it wasn't a happy one. Many Czechs feel uncomfortable about the source of the water. The Vltava River, in Prague, they ask, sceptically. How can you make good beer from that? (My client, the new CEO who started as a brewmaster there 20 years ago, would kill me for writing that, but he has heard it many times.)
Whether you prefer Budvar beers over PU will be a matter of your bitter vs sweet preference. Czechs do not regard Budvar as a superior beer at all. Indeed it is considered a regional beer. It is actually still owned by the State. Of all the national beer brands, Czechs will generally tell you that the only one that has been really damaged over the years is Krusovice, now owned by Heineken. Avoid.
The Czechs are world class brewers. I have great respect for German beer, but I prefer Czech beer. I never found a German beer I preferred although I like the distinctive herby taste of Jever.
PU for Euro 2016 ! :-)
Think most countries look ok to find except for Albania, Croatia, Sweden and Switzerland.
They're the challenge!
Think there is a risk you could end of with the most popular beers of each country, which can often be mass produced similar tasting lagers. London's finer beer sellers should be able to help you avoid this. In the interests of variety one of your Belgian beers should be a lambic beer. And the Ukrainians do some decent wheat beers.
Switzerland and Albania look like the troublesome ones!
Albania -
Austria - Schremser Roggen Bio Bier
Belgium - St Bernardus 12
Croatia - Zmajska Pivovara Porter
Czech Republic - Pivovar Herold Black Lager (something a bit different!)
England -
France -
Germany -
Hungary - Rothbeer Pyromania
Iceland - Einstok Toasted Porter
Italy -
Northern Ireland -
Poland -
Portugal - Sagres
Republic of Ireland -
Romania -
Russia - Baltika 7
Slovakia -
Spain - Alhambra-Reserva
Sweden - Brutal Brewing Pistonhead Kustom Lager
Switzerland -
Turkey -
Ukraine - Obolon lager
Wales - Brains SA Gold