Memorable Moments Drinking Beer around the World
With summer just around the corner, we can’t think of a better time for the next installment of our popular series about memorable moments drinking beer around the world.
As lovers of beer and travel, we try our best to take a photo of every beer that we sample while on the road, making for an awesome photo collection with over 300 different types and brands of beer.
Because tastes and preferences are so subjective, our goal for this series is not to find the “best beer in the world”, but rather to reflect on memorable beer drinking moments from our travels. Keep in mind, we don’t consider ourselves professional beer connoisseurs and our beer reviews can easily be influenced by how many were consumed that day.
The beer-tastic series continues with its 12th edition, serving up ten more unforgettable moments from around the world.
Cheers!
Stone IPA – Palm Springs, California
We sampled this tasty beer at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway mountain station in Palm Springs, California. This photo was captured on our first family trip with Baby B, so it’s easy to see why this beer drinking moment is memorable for us. That, and the fact that this is one of our favourite pictures of Baby B. Seriously, how priceless is that expression?! It’s like he’s trying to use Jedi mind tricks to pull the beer closer to him.
The beer verdict – Hoppy and aromatic, light tasting yet solid body. We would definitely order again. We give it 8 out of 10
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Kapuziner Weissbier – Reil, Germany
We spent the 2009 Christmas holiday season in Europe, exploring Christmas Markets and visiting family in Reil (a small village in the Mosel River Valley of Western Germany). We found this bottle of Weissbier at the local corner store and enjoyed it with family by the warm fire, while playing bowling on the Nintendo Wii. Having spent 11 months on the road at that point, it was great to enjoy some downtime with family in the quaint German countryside.
The beer verdict – Sweet, citrus flavour with hint of banana. Full, cloudy body. Great beer – give it a try. We give it 9 out of 10
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Kirin Beer – Kyoto, Japan
After a full day of temple exploring and sightseeing in the ancient Japanese city, we found this fantastic restaurant that specializes in Yakitori. Cold pints of Kirin beer were on special during happy hour, so we took full advantage and indulged in a few. Not surprising, this lead to more Yakitori, followed by more pints of Kirin – it was a great day in Kyoto!
The beer verdict – Light and refreshing, but limited on flavour. It’s a popular beer worldwide, but it’s average. We give it 7 out of 10
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Montejo Cerveza – Tulum, Mexico
This refreshing cerveza was enjoyed on the private deck of our fantastic beachfront villa after exploring the ruins of Tulum. With unobstructed views of the sparkling Caribbean Sea, its no surprise that this unforgettable moment made the list. When we think of tropical paradise, images of bright sunshine, turquoise water and cold beer come to mind. This moment had it all!
The beer verdict – Light and refreshing, plenty of carbonation. Smooth, easy drinking. We give it 7 out of 10
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Kronenbourg 1664 – Lyon, France
Traveling around France via train during the Christmas holidays can be stressful. Especially when a massive snowstorm hits, paralyzing the rail network for two days. We had just finished a week of epic snowboarding in the French Alps and were trying to get back to Paris, but it just wasn’t happening. So, we decided to roll with the punches and spend the afternoon in Lyon, which meant lots of eating and drinking!
The beer verdict – Heavily carbonated, smooth and crisp. Good, but not great. We give it 6.5 out of 10
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Phillips Slipstream Cream Ale – Parksville, British Columbia
We try a lot of local craft beers in British Columbia, so it’s not easy narrowing down the field. In an effort to include more Canadian beer in this series, we’re going to start adding some of our BC favourites. This tasty beer was enjoyed while on a weekend getaway to Parksville, a popular beach community on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Sunny afternoon + large open patio = good times on Vancouver Island!
The beer verdict – Malty, earthy hops, flavourful, solid body with smooth finish. We give it 7.5 out of 10
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Andes Cerveza Blanca – Mendoza, Argentina
If you’ve been following this series, you’ll know that we’re not the biggest fans of South American beer. We’re not too picky when it comes to beer (as long as it’s served cold), but you won’t find us purchasing imported South American beer any time soon.
That said, we thoroughly enjoyed these large bottles of Andes at our hostel in Mendoza, Argentina. This moment stands out because we were traveling in Argentina with great friends from Toronto. Nothing beats cold beer on a rooftop patio with longtime friends while traveling in a foreign country!
The beer verdict – Light, crisp and refreshing. Like most beer in South America, it’s nothing special. We give it 6.5 out of 10
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John Smith’s Original Bitter – London, England
We sampled this can of beer on the last night of our 2009 around the world adventure. It was a surreal moment to know that the 12-month journey was coming to its end. We were happy to be going home to see family and friends, but sad that the life changing adventure was over. The ‘original bitter’ was appropriate for that ‘bitter sweet’ moment.
The beer verdict – Sweet and malty bitter, full body with great colour. Tasty. We would order it again. We give it 7.5 out of 10
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James Squire Golden Ale – Sydney, Australia
While exploring Sydney’s infamous Opera House and neighbouring Royal Botanic Gardens, we were caught in a torrential downpour. Seeking cover from the relentless rain, we found this cute waterfront bistro just outside the gardens. It was the perfect moment to try some Australian craft beer. Fortunately for us, this beer did not disappoint.
The beer verdict – Great amber colour, light malt and balanced floral hops. Delicious. One of the better beers we tried in Australia. We give it 8.5 out of 10
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Moza Bock – Tikal National Park, Guatemala
Our trip to Guatemala centered around the legendary Mayan Temples and Pyramids found in Tikal National Park. In order to catch both a sunrise and sunset over the pyramids, we decided to spend a couple nights directly in the park at the Jungle Lodge. To our surprise, we appeared to be the only guests in the lodge. As the photo illustrates, we had the entire restaurant (and lodge) to ourselves. Guatemala is not known for its selection of beer, so I was curious (and delighted) to see a beer other than a light lager.
The beer verdict – Dark in colour, but light on body and taste. Not bad. It’s better than its local competition, but I probably wouldn’t order it again. We give it 6 out of 10
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Do you have a memorable beer moment that you’d like to share?
Share your experience in the comments section below!
Check out the other beers in this collection – Memorable Moments Drinking Beer around the World
That’s one tasty looking compilation.
As a fellow British Columbian, I hope you have Granville Island’s Cypress Honey Lager somewhere on the master list! (Trad from Alberta’s Big Rock brewery is awesome, too).
Thanks for stopping by Micki!
I don’t actually have any photos of Granville Island beer, but I will change that soon! I’m a huge fan of all Granville Island beers, particularly the Amber Ale and Brockton IPA
Wow, I thought I was a beer lover, but I have only had one from your list… the John Squire’s one. I’m surprised that no Belgian beers made your list though!
Hey Jade! No Belgian beers on this list, but we’ve got a couple in previous editions.
I do love me some Belgian ale! 🙂
Reading this post definitely put me in the mood for an ice cold beer. I enjoyed an Irish Red Ale from Saranac. Highly recommend them. We’re headed to Tikal later this year, so we’ll have to give the Guatemala beer a try!
We really enjoyed Tikal. If you can, try to stay a night at one of the lodges just outside the park. This way you can catch a sunset and sunrise. The howler monkeys are so loud in the morning, it’s quite the experience!
The HopHead and Blue Buck from Phillips are even better! The beer that guy puts out are some of the best in the world! Glad you got to try them.
I enjoy the HopHead, not as big a fan of the Blue Buck but Phillips is certainly a great brewery. We’ll be back in Victoria next weekend, so we’ll try to sample a few more! 😉
Oops – I made a mistake (the horror!)…Tree Brewing out of Kelowna makes HopHead. Phillips makes Hop Circle which is fabulous! You’ve been to Canoe in Victoria? My fave pub. And make sure you line up for Red Fish, Blue Fish tuna tacones – have one for me!!
Will do! I’m a big fan of Tree Brewing, especially the Amber Ale. I was hooked on it during the Christmas holidays (that and Granville Island Winter Ale!)
Mmmmm. My pick from your choices would definitely be the golden ale in Australia. My favorite beer memory was Pilzner, The Czech Republic where I drank and then found a restaurant where I played chess with some local for several hours. Aaaaaah. Thanks for taking me back. 🙂
The golden ale was definitely enjoyable.
Those unexpected moments (like the one you described) are what I love most about traveling. Glad this post took you back to some great memories! 🙂
I don’t actually drink a lot of beers but sometimes I want to give this a try.. Anyway, thanks for the awesome post here!
Cheers Dhyan!
This is my very first time to now that there are many types of beers around the world. Thank for the information.
Stone IPA is one of my favorite beers! I just had one the other night. So glad you enjoyed it!
Cheers Jeremy!
Yes, I enjoyed the Stone IPA. I didn’t have high expectations for it because it was positioned in the fridge beside Bud Light, Corona and Coors Light, but I was pleasantly surprised – it’s quite flavourful
Wow, 6/10 for a beer you would probably never order again… you’re a generous beer judge indeed. 😉
Yep, we can be very generous at times (after all, it’s still beer!).
For this series, a beer has to be pretty terrible to get less than a 5. We want this series to be more about the travel moment/experience then the actual beer. But it helps to let people know what we actually think of the beer.
Most rankings are between 6 and 9 (we have yet to give out a 10 because we feel that no beer is perfect).
Oh goodness, that is the cutest photo ever.
Isn’t it? It’s definitely one for the baby book… 🙂
I’m at work right now which is too bad because I’m definitely in the mood for trying out some of these 😛
There’s always after work… what would you try first Samuel?
Haha, that’s an epic stare down with that Stone IPA. As usual, this post left me thirsty.
Isn’t it great? Indeed, leaving these comments is getting me thirsty too… 🙂
I’ve only tried three beers from that list, I am disappointed in myself! The Stone IPA and James Squire Golden Ale sound especially tempting… Now I just have to figure out a place to get them from 😉
You might be able to find some of these beers in an international liquor store… that’s the hard part about finding beers that we like… we often never get to try them again!
What’s your fav beer Jarmo?
That Stone IPA is pretty sweet, their Ruination is perhaps my favourite. I like that there were no duds on the list…even the Moza Bock looks good. have you ever had people give you strange looks when you order a Bock or Stout in tropical countries? I find they usually taste better than the lagers…but just aren’t popular.
The Moza Bock poured more like a Coke than a bock or stout. It was okay in the heat, but I think I’d go with the lager or pilsner next time around.
Glad you like the series Red! I’m piecing together numero 13 right now… 🙂
Whoa! What a blast! This must be a whole new level of fun!
Stone IPA is one of my favorites.
I enjoyed the Stone IPA as well. I love how the West Coast has really evolved with its beer options – great to see!
I’d definitely say you have done and gone to a hell lot of places and those bears are some hell of a stuff that i’d like to try out …
Cheers Wilium
Yay.. more beer. So glad you guys are keeping up with this even with the baby. Gotta teach him the good things of the world.
Was the Kirin in Japan like the stuff that gets exported around the world?
Hey Andrew – yes, gotta keep the series going! Already working on part 13…
If I recall correctly, the Kirin beer was fairly similar in Japan to what I’ve tasted in other parts of the world.
Great post!
I’ve got tons of memorable beer moments, and even more great beer moments I wish I could remember. 😉 One memorable moment was the first time I played “toss” at a pub in Wollongong, Australia and tried a Toohey’s for the firs time.
I ended up winning and getting the beer for free. And since I was used to drinking watered down American beers prior to this, it was definitely a turning point for me. I’ve been enjoying great beer ever since!
The way baby looks at the beer made me laugh for 15 minutes:D
While the beer reviews are great and I’m always happy to see a German beer get the highest score, what I really got from this post is that I’m doing this blogging thing all wrong. Forget funny travel stories–I need to be reviewing things. More specifically, alcoholic things. It’s not like I don’t have the necessary experience, although I will have to work on remembering more if it.
Thanks for the inspiration. I’m going to get started right away; just don’t expect many posts–I have a feeling I may never get past the research stage of this project.
I’ve tried a few of these, others have sparked my interest like Montejo. I’ve had a lot of beers when visiting Southern Texas and border towns in Mexico but never tried that one.
More than 300 types of beers? That’s quite a big score!
I also do beer-tasting wherever I go…
Some of the best beers I drank were Japanese beers!