BEER

I've been purchasing 12-packs in order to limit the time spent at supermarkets, since there's a lockdown going on in NZ. It's reduced its severity in my region (i.e. not in Auckland), so it's easier to get to stuff; but not by much. And, I've been going the Red Beer route, or Michelada when drinking a beer in the afternoon. That tempers the review.

Upscaling Success


S.A. Damm is a Barcelona brewery putting out beer since 1876. They're distributed by Asahi in Oceania. They produce a fair lager named Estrella Damm having some bitterness that reminds this drinker of a 'Kiss of the Hops' found in Schlitz or the grain-fed mouth squeeze found in Tennent's Lager, but without the super-charged fizziness you come to love in American adjuncts. I liked it initially as a mixer to my michelada concoctions, but found it didn't have the bounce of a Sol, Pacifico, or even Corona to push the jugo de tomate up in the palate to make a good drink. However, alone it is decent.

Upscale Fail

Kingfisher is a brew most here who've been to an Indian restaurant have likely tried. My personal beer fave of the Indian restaurant game is Taj Mahal. Kingfisher Premium is alright. It works better alone or with food. it is not a beer to mix in to a michelada.

Really pleasant surprise. Very crisp, not heavy at all, with a nice undercurrent of spice from the chiles. I could easily crush a 6-pack in a sitting. I would say that despite being in the Voodoo Ranger line (New Belgium's IPA line), it doesn't taste like an IPA ... but since that's mostly what I drink my palate is so completely clobbered that I probably can't fairly judge.

"Here's to good friends..."


Löwenbräu has made its presence available in NZ via 500ml cans. Had to get this artefact of nostalgia when I spotted a pale blue can in the midst of the chiller. Its flavour, body, and colour did meet Reinheitsgebot. 

I'm about to feel bad for this, and I already have...but hear me out.

This would have been bought and paid for prior to Putin monkey-wrenching an already misshapen global economy machine, so make of it as you wish.

Sibirskaya Korona is a 5.3% ABV lager beer brewed in Omsk. I got it in a litre can. I drank half cold, most of the remaining liquid at variously unpleasant temperatures. Comes in a cool can that looks interesting because it isn't some craft beer can trying to be cool.

While in Quebec City I had Joufflue Belgian White at Microbrasserie Archibald which was delightful. Over the last couple of years I've kinda been losing my taste for beer, but it's still not completely gone since I can still appreciate something refreshing as this. Only went there because we got coupons for a free beer there from the nordic spa down the road which was the highlight of our trip (possibly unpopular opinion, Quebec City is vastly overrated. From previous trips to the Great White North we honestly vastly preferred both Montreal and Ottawa (which Canadians seem to rag on for some reason).

Three Hills Beer

Another litre job from Ruskya. Comes in a glass jug. Notable window dressing on the plastic label.

Pearl River Lager Beer

Not hailing from San Antonio, Texas, this adjunct delivers its funk from another city. Guangzhou, to be exact. Tidy green bottle filled with 600ml of acceptable lager. Exotic lawn beer.

Cass Fresh


Because I am a hip, young dude, I chose this American adjunct made in Seoul for its low, low price.

I'm more commonly a Hite or OB guy. But, sometimes you gotta go with something fresh.

On second beer, I will offer my personal rebuke of Monsuta Supreme. It's got a higher IBU, meaning there's "fancy" hops input into the wort. I much prefer the revved-up rice beer flavours of the Premium. 

I do get "fancy" beer when I'm out at restaurants. This one's a real low profile local beer called, Jerry Rig. It's a Helles beer. Amazing in its subtlety. Really nice. 

They even made it look nice on their website. Choice.

Guys, they got me. I done been got good. Yes, my parsimony was appealed to when I bought that group of cans that had lost their packaging for less than a sixer. Yes, it included a soda-like concoction using cider as its base alcohol. Yes, the makers of this cunning beverage chose to include a low amount of carbs and calories. And, the makers of this drink put the chef's kiss of a blackberry syrup into its admixture.

As I further regress into a fog of nostalgia tinted with hopes of a better future that looks like the present remembering the past, I will be drinking alcohol made for young drinkers. Occasionally, that can will be Rekorderling Ultra Berry. No more Scrumpy for me, Apple Jacks. Just smooth, low-cal, fruity, fizzy alcohol beverages.

Beer, I'm so sorry. I know we can still be friends.

Memes referring to Donald Sutherland's last frame in Invasion of the Body Snatchers will be accepted. 

Next item up will most likely be Kaiserdom's Kellerbier or some Sichuan beer that looks like an Ultraman/Anime advert on its crate/box.

I had forgot to mention my luck finding Saigon Export at a restaurant. It was a choice choice.

So there's increasing evidence that nonalcoholic beer could be good for you, especially in fighting inflammation and in immune response. It seems to be associated with the polyphenols, which are present in both alcoholic and nonalcoholic but the alcohol neutralizes the health benefits. So, good news as I've been dabbling in alcohol-free lately. My current favorite is this: