Beer! The world’s most widely consumed and oldest alcoholic beverage.
Such is the importance of beer in modern society that beer is the third most popular drink in the world, behind water and tea. As such, beer is produced in many of the world’s countries, with little variation on the ingredients used; water, malted barley, hops and yeast. Despite the simplicity of just four ingredients, there are huge variations in the taste of beer.
Whilst it’s true that many countries produce many beers, it is a rather more difficult challenge to consume a beer from every country that produces the stuff. The beer must be brewed in the country of origin and not brewed under license overseas.
This challenge started on 6th March 2011. Each country has it’s own blog post. You will often see multiple beer entries in each country. This is because either 1) the original beer was so horrible the country deserves a second chance 2) I picked up a very obscure beer and it deserves to be listed 3) I wanted to review a spectrum of beers over the course. If you have access to a beer from a country that I have not been able to drink yet, drop me a line at william@wkadams.com and we’ll sort out a reward in exchange!
Progress
Dependent Countries / Territories are places with their own flag, culture and geographic land, but depend on a sovereign county for international relations; e.g. England (UK), Guadeloupe (FR) or Hong Kong (SAR).
- 120 Sovereign Countries
- 10 Dependent Countries / Territories
Recent Posts
- San Marino
Date Consumed: 2nd April 2025
Beer: Speak Easy
Brewed: Birrificio Abusivo, Domagnano, San Marino
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: Suitcase by Jim Cook (thanks Jim!)
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Quite hoppy for an Italian pilsner, otherwise a pretty thin mouthfeel. Not bad, maybe better in a warmer climate.
Speak Easy, San Marino - Jordan
Date Consumed: 4th March 2023
Beer: Dead Sea-rious
Brewed: Carakale, Fuheis, Al Balqa Jordan
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Suitcase by Jim Cook (thanks Jim!)
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Strong grapefruit flavour coming through; noticeable salt. A well made gose, definitely inspired by US brewed recipes.
Dead Sea-rious, Jordan - Bhutan
Date Consumed: 16th May, 2020
Beer: Druk Traffic Lights
Brewed: Namgay Artisanal Brewery, Paro, Bhutan
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: Suitcase by Jim Cook (thanks Jim!)
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: A mini break from the Covid-19 lockdown with a virtual trip to Bhutan! I did not expect to have this country ticked off. Pineapple and salt go surprisingly well together in a sharp but sweet gose.
Druk Traffic Lights, Bhutan - Republic of the Congo
Date Consumed: 5th October 2019
Beer: Ngok
Brewed: Brasserie du Congo, Brazzaville, Congo
Size: 650mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Les Terroirs du Congo, Rue Labat, Paris, France
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Brewed by Heineken Congo and tastes a lot like Heineken. Not great, a bland lager with all the hallmarks of an African beer brewed for a hot market.
Ngok, Republic of the Congo - Botswana
Date Consumed: 28th August 2019
Beer: St Louis Export
Brewed: Kgalagadi Breweries, Gaborone, Botswana
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: Suitcase from Botswana. Thanks to Jonathan Rudd!
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Brewed for the export market. Nice carbonation, refreshing. Not bad at all. Very similar to Carlsberg.
St Louis Lager, Botswana
Date Consumed: 28th August 2019
Beer: St Louis Lager
Brewed: Kgalagadi Breweries, Gaborone, Botswana
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 3.5%
Sourced: Suitcase from Botswana. Thanks to Jonathan Rudd!
World Beer Rating: 3/10
Notes: Not as good as the Export version by a long way. Bland, low carbonation, lacks flavour. Lower alcohol, which may contribute to the poor effort.
St Louis Lager, Botswana - Azerbaijan
Date Consumed: 9th January 2019
Beer: Xirdalan Export
Brewed: Carlsberg Azerbaijan, Xırdalan, Baku, Azerbaijan
Size: 440mL
Alcohol Content: 3.6%
Sourced: Suitcase beer from Baku Azerbaijan (thanks James Cook)
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: It’s brewed by Carlsberg and it tastes of Carlsberg. Surprising hop flavour, more like a Polish lager. A difficult country tick!
Xirdalan Export, Azerbaijan - Faroe Islands (DE)
Date Consumed: 8th January 2019
Beer: Föroya Bjór Classic
Brewed: Föroya Bjór, Klaksvik, Faroe Islands
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.6%
Sourced: Keflavík International Airport, Reykjavík, Iceland
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: A true to style dark lager; slightly sweet, not bad at all. I’d enjoy a couple but its not a style I enjoy.
Föroya Bjór Classic, Iceland - Egypt
Date Consumed: 12th November 2018
Beer: Stella Lager
Brewed: Al Ahram, Giza, Egypt
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Bekya Middle Eastern Kitchen, Harold Park, Sydney NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: African lager is African lager. Suprised continued use of the word Stella hasn’t got some Belgian lawyers up in arms. Wasn’t expecting much, did not deliver.
Stella Lager, Egypt
Date Consumed: 12th November 2018
Beer: Meister Max
Brewed: Al Ahram, Giza, Egypt
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 8.0%
Sourced: Bekya Middle Eastern Kitchen, Harold Park, Sydney NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Wasn’t expecting much as before, but this high alcohol beer wasn’t bad! Oh, its warming up. It’s not as good.
Meister Max, Egypt - Antigua & Barbuda
Date Consumed: 29th October 2018
Beer: Wadadli
Brewed: Antigua Brewery (Royal Unibrew), St. Johns, Antigua & Barbuda
Size: 250mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: Suitcase beer from a supermarket in Antigua & Barbuda (thanks Jim Marlow!)
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Caribbean lager, served in a smaller 250mL for quick drinking and many of them in the heat! Nothing too exciting but not unpleasant either.
Wadadli, Antigua & Barbuda - Belarus
Date Consumed: 28th March 2018
Beer: Lidskoe Pilsner
Brewed: Lidskoe Pivo, Grodnenskaya Oblast, Lida, Belarus
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.2%
Sourced: A Belarusian Deli on Ulitsa Vosstaniya near Обелиск Городу-Герою Ленинграду
World Beer Rating: 3/10
Notes: Absolutely nothing to report on this one. Pilsner, bland, slight cereal taste, mildly bitter.
Lidskoe Pilsner, Belarus - Georgia
Date Consumed: 26th March 2018
Beer: Kazbegi Tbilisi Beer
Brewed: Kazbegi, Rustavi, Georgia
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: Garcon Bistro, Nevsky Avenue, 95, Sankt-Peterburg, Russia
World Beer Rating: 4/10.
Notes: It is quite literally identical to every other lager in the former Soviet Union. that is to say, pretty basic.
Kazbegi Tbilisi Beer, Georgia
Date Consumed: 26th March 2018
Beer: Kazbegi Porter
Brewed: Kazbegi, Rustavi, Georgia
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.8%
Sourced: Garcon Bistro, Nevsky Avenue, 95, Sankt-Peterburg, Russia
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: A touch watery but has a definite slightly smokey porter taste which I would describe as Soviet… if that’s a fair way of describing it?
Kazbegi Porter, Georgia - Mongolia
Date Consumed: 28th September 2016
Beer: Jalam Khar
Brewed: MCS Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Size: 450mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: A shop in Ulaanbaatar, sold by Ghengis himself? Suitcased to Sydney (thanks to Jim Cook)
World Beer Rating: 3/10.
Notes: Mongolian Heinken is the best at a descriptive flavour; it wouldn’t be out of place on draft with Carling and Carlsberg. I feel the need to lead a new Mongol Empire!
Jalam Khar, Mongolia - Martinique
Date Consumed: 7th August 2015
Beer: Bière Lorraine Blonde
Brewed: Brasserie Lorraine, Le Lamentin, Martinique
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: A shop in Paris, no idea where… (thanks to Jim Cook)
World Beer Rating: 1/10
Notes: This beer is devoid of all flavour save the presence of chemicals. The legend goes ‘it tastes better in the climate of which it’s brewed’. However in this case, there is no climate on Earth excusable for it.
Bière Lorraine Blonde, Martinique - Andorra
Date Consumed: 7th August 2015
Beer: Alpha Sant Cornelli
Brewed: Cerveses Alpha, La Cortinada Ordino, Andorra
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 6.4%
Sourced: A tourist shop in Andorra La Vella (thanks to Jim Cook)
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Very, very carbonated. Some citrus, little light on the hops. The beer label was inkjet printed but this is from the only (micro) brewery in the whole country!
Alpha Sant Cornelli, Andorra - Kingdom of Tonga
Date Consumed: 20th April 2015
Beer: Outrigger Popao Premium Ale
Brewed: Outrigger Brewery, Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu Tonga
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: A bottle shop in Tonga (Thanks to Laura’s friend Gemma for bringing this back with her)
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Malt profile, medium carbonation. Smidgen of hops coming through. For a microbrewery in Tonga this isn’t too bad. Very similar to Heineken.
Outrigger Popao Premium Ale, Tonga - Myanmar (Burma)
Date Consumed: 17th September 2014
Beer: Beer Myanmar
Brewed: Myanmar Brewery and Distillery, Mingaladon Township, Yangon, Myanmar
Size: 640mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Peninsula Plaza, Singapore (Thanks Serdal Dik!)
World Beer Rating: 5/10.
Notes: I chilled this down and drank it from a small glass; it’s very light, very fizzy, slightly chemically but not much else going on.
Beer Myanmar, Myanmar - Vanuatu
Date Consumed: 4th September 2014
Beer: Vanuatu Tusker OP Lager
Brewed: Vanuatu Brewing Limited, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 7.0%
Sourced: Port Vila, Vanuatu (Thanks to Keith Gilsenan)
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Lets be honest; Vanuatu isn’t a world class destination for beer and it’s my fault the beer had spent a good deal of time waiting for me to pick it up. Despite that the beer itself isn’t too bad; the 7.0% ABV helps mask a slight chemically malty flavour. In humid climates, a fresher version would hit the spot nicely.
Vanuatu Tusker OP Lager, Vanuatu - Hong Kong (SAR)
Date Consumed: 15th August 2014
Beer: Hong Kong Sevens Stout
Brewed: Hong Kong Beer Co., Chai Wan, Hong Kong
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 6.0%
Sourced: Hong Kong (thanks to Jim Cook)
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: 7/10. A good stout, albeit slightly watery. Dark chocolate and coffee flavours, without a doubt a surprise to drink a craft beer from Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Sevens Stout, Hong Kong - Macau (SAR)
Date Consumed: 15th August 2014
Beer: Macau Beer
Brewed: Companhia de Cervejas de Macau, Avenida Venceslau Morais No. 209, Macau
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Macau (thanks to Jim Cook)
World Beer Rating: 4/10.
Notes: Typical macro brewed beer, plenty of malt and hops. Flavour not unlike a Peroni, but with a chemically aftertaste.
Macau Beer, Macau - Cook Islands (NZ)
Date Consumed: 22nd January 2014
Beer: Matutu Mai Lager
Brewed: Titikaveka, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Matutu Brewery, Titikaveka, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: This bottle of beer was fresh filled from the brewery itself, so fresh it wasn’t even capped! A lovely beer from a hot and humid island. Slightly citrus, a tiny bit malty. Very drinkable, I would pick a few bottles of this up if exported to Australia!
Matutu Mai Lager, Cook Islands (NZ)
Date Consumed: 21nd January 2014
Beer: Matutu Kiva Pale Ale
Brewed: Titikaveka, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Sunset Resort, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Not particularly good. Very malty, bready, not really a Pale Ale. Only had one of these, that was enough for me.
Matutu Kiva Pale Ale, Cook Islands (NZ) - Togo
Date Consumed: 27th June 2013
Beer: Flag Spéciale
Brewed: Brasserie BB Lomé, Lomé, Togo
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: Saveur Biere (www.saveur-biere.com)
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Remarkable; African beers are typically weak with no particular flavour. This one is excellent, actually a little sweet and tastes a little of cereal. Good colour and a head that lasts longer than one would expect.
Flag Spéciale, Togo
Date Consumed: 5th October 2019
Beer: Awooyo Spéciale
Brewed: Agoènyivé, Lomé, Togo
Size: 650mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: Togo Exotique, Rue Dejean, Paris, France
World Beer Rating: 2/10
Notes: It was past its sell by date and is a brown ale from Togo. Vague caramel notes and poor carbonation. Not undrinkable but a long way from being average.
Awooyo Spéciale, Togo - Northern Ireland (UK)
Date Consumed: 28th May 2013
Beer: Whitewater Belfast Lager
Brewed: Whitewater, Saintfield, Northern Ireland
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Celtic Whisky Shop
World Beer Rating: 2/10
Notes: This beer is awful. Terrible. Could be due to it being slightly out of date, but there is no head whatsoever. Nice colour, but thats about it.
Whitewater Belfast Lager, Northern Ireland
Date Consumed: 2nd June 2013
Beer: Whitewater Belfast Ale
Brewed: Whitewater, Saintfield, Northern Ireland
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Celtic Whisky Shop
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Lovely ale, caramel and citrusy notes.
Whitewater Belfast Ale, Northern Ireland - Tunisia
Date Consumed: 26th May 2013
Beer: Celtia
Brewed: Société Frigorifique et Brasserie de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: www.alloceltia.com
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: What an unexpected delight, a good quality African beer! Flavours in line with Heineken and Grolsch, easy drinking. Well carbonated but very enjoyable.
Celtia, Tunisia - Madagascar
Date Consumed: 21st May 2013
Beer: Star Three Horses Beer Pilsener
Brewed: Brasseries Star, Antananarivo, Madagascar
Size: 650mL
Alcohol Content: 5.4%
Sourced: Chateau Rouge Market
World Beer Rating: 2/10
Notes: Madagascar, this is not a good beer. This is only just a beer. Tastes of corn and bitterness with an unwelcome metallic aftertaste. Foul.
Star Three Horses Beer Pilsener, Madagascar - Réunion (FR)
Date Consumed: May 2013
Beer: Bourbon Metiss
Brewed: Brasserie de Bourbon, Saint-Denis, Réunion
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 3.5%
Sourced: Chateau Rouge Market
World Beer Rating: 3/10
Notes: This is marketed as a fruity beer, only it has almost no carbonation and tastes like sugary water mixed with tropical fruit squash. Réunion is so small I’m impressed they even have a brewery. Probably one for the ladies on a tropical beach in Réunion…
Bourbon Metiss, Réunion - Guadeloupe (FR)
Date Consumed: 17th May 2013
Beer: Corsaire Biere Caribeenne
Brewed: Brasserie du Corsaire, Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Chateau Rouge Market.
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Light, well carbonated, quite like a light version of Budweiser Budvar. Slight taste of chemicals; I bet this would go down like a treat in the heat of the Caribbean!
Corsaire Biere Caribeenne, Guadeloupe - Wales (UK)
Date Consumed: 17th May 2013
Beer: Otley O-Garden
Brewed: Otley, Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: Noble Green Wines, Hampton Hill, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Slightly floral and tastes a little of grass. Low bitterness, easy to drink. Pretty good.
Otley O-Garden, Wales - Leichtenstein
Date Consumed: 29th April 2013
Beer: Liechtensteiner Brauhaus Hells
Brewed: Liechtensteiner Brauhaus, Schaan, Liechtenstein
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: bierpost.com
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: I expected more since Lichtenstein is sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria with Germany to the north, but this tastes like burnt caramel with a metallic aftertaste. I have a couple more from this brewery, lets hope they get better!
Liechtensteiner Brauhaus Hells, Liechtenstein
Date Consumed: 29th April 2013
Beer: Liechtensteiner Brauhaus Krona
Brewed: Liechtensteiner Brauhaus, Schaan, Liechtenstein
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: bierpost.com
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Nothing special here either except it’s got a strange metallic flavour.
Liechtensteiner Brauhaus Krona, Liechtenstein - Suriname
Date Consumed: 23rd April 2013
Beer: Parbo Bier
Brewed: Surinaamse Bierbrouwerij, Paramaribo, Suriname
Size: 1000mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: ServiceNow colleague in the Netherlands who posted a couple of bottles over from Amsterdam (thanks to Micha Schraven)
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Definitely suited to a tropical environment as the beer itself has no strong flavour. Bonus points for boldly shunning a 330mL bottle in favour of a gigantic 1000mL bottle, why can’t more beers come in this size?
Parbo Bier, Suriname - Moldova
Date Consumed: 23rd April 2013
Beer: Chisnau Blonda
Brewed: Efes Vitanta Moldova Brewery, Chisinau, Moldova
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: www.piwazdusza.pl
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Classic Eastern European lager with no particularly good points other than I could happily drink a few on a hot day.
Chisnau Blonda, Moldova - England (UK)
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Fullers London Pride
Brewed: Fullers Brewery, London, England
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: Randwick Cellars, Randwick, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 5/10.
Notes: Hate to rate my home country with anything less than 10, but London Pride is not the best tasting (ale) out there
London Pride, England
Date Consumed: 16th April 2013
Beer: Beavertown Dishoom India Pale Ale
Brewed: Beavertown, London, England
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: Dishoom, Shoreditch, London, UK
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: What a fantastic IPA. Bursting with flavour, especially citrus. I’d absolutely have this beer on a regular basis if more widely distributed. Great with spicy food.
Beavertown Dishoom India Pale Ale, England - Scotland (UK)
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Innis & Gunn Rum Finish
Brewed: Belhaven (Greene King), Edinburgh, Scotland
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 7.4%
Sourced: Leura Cellars, Leura, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: A 9 for Innis & Gunn, who make incredibly good beer, this one with the wonderful sweetness of rum – the dark colour of the beer is gorgeous. This beer is brilliant!
Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer, Scotland
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Brewdog Cocoa Psycho
Brewed: BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 10.0%
Sourced: Kris Wines, Greater London, UK
World Beer Rating: 10/10
Notes: Absolutely stunning. Chocolate, coffee, insanity. 10% ABV to match a 10/10 score. This is one of the greatest stouts ever made. God damn.
Brewdog Cocoa Psycho, Scotland
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Never Mind The Anabolics
Brewed: BrewDog, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 6.5%
Sourced: Kris Wines, Greater London, UK
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Another great beer from Brewdog. Intense fruit and hoppy flavour from just the smell! Goes down great, a little bitterness to finish off.
Brewdog Never Mind The Anabolics, Scotland - Venezuela
Date Consumed: 10th April 2013
Beer: Polar Pilsen
Brewed: Empresas Polar, Caracas, Venezuela
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Pronto Brazil and Latino Importers via www.amazon.de
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: This beer is light, refreshing and I suspect excellent on a hot summers day in Caracas. Slight citrus with light hops, definitely easy going. It’s number 100!
Polar Pilsen, Venezuela - Ecuador
Date Consumed: 1st April 2013
Beer: Club Premium
Brewed: Cerveceria Nacional Ecuador, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.4%
Sourced: Brought back from Ecuador from one of my sister’s friends who was on holiday (thanks to Susie Adams!)
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: This beer tastes very much like a Czech beer; hoppy and full of flavour, not like the usual South American pilsner. Mark me impressed!
Club Premium, Ecuador
Date Consumed: 5th April 2013
Beer: Club Premium Roja
Brewed: Cerveceria Nacional Ecuador, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: Brought back from Ecuador from one of my sister’s friends who was on holiday (thanks to Susie Adams)
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: What went wrong? The Premium was a great beer! Not one to write home about, off-flavour caramel and a little bitter.
Club Premium Roja, Ecuador - Taiwan
Date Consumed: 12th October 2012
Beer: Taiwan Beer
Brewed: Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp, Taipei, Taiwan
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Quite surprising how different this one is to other Chinese style lagers, a little grainy with a smooth finish. I probably wouldn’t drink this in a pub, but as a beer accompanying spicy food, it’s perfect.
Taiwan Beer, Taiwan - Bolivia
Date Consumed: 10th October 2012
Beer: Paceña Centenario
Brewed: Cervecería Boliviana Nacional, La Paz, Bolivia
Size: 350mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: This is rather good! Tiny bit of citrus, well carbonated, clean, fresh. I’d drink this again!
Paceña Centenario, Bolivia - French Polynesia (FR)
Date Consumed: 27th September 2012
Beer: Hinano
Brewed: La Brasserie de Tahiti, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: The Beer Cellar, Hamilton, New Zealand.
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Yes I am fully aware that French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France. Tahiti was once however a sovereign nation (until it’s 1880 annexation by France) so I’m including this as a special entry. The beer itself is pale, well carbonated and is quite watery. Nothing particular to touch on, other than being easy to drink and having an aesthetically pleasing logo.
Hinano, French Polynesia - Honduras
Date Consumed: 9th September 2012
Beer: Cerveza Barena
Brewed: Cerveceria Hondureña, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 4.6%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Skunky malt taste. Doesn’t have any highlights, just a bland Central American lager. Probably a better drop when consumed in Honduras.
Cerveza Barena, Honduras
Date Consumed: 13th October 2012
Beer: Cerveza Salva Vida
Brewed: Cerveceria Hondureña, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: A bit crap for anything that isn’t an ice cold beer drank after a long lazy day on a tropical beach.
Cerveza Salva Vida, Honduras - Bahamas
Date Consumed: 7th August 2012
Beer: Kalik
Brewed: Commonwealth Brewery, Nassau, Bahamas
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Luekens Liquors, Dunedin, Florida, United States
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: Fantastic beer from the Bahamas! Refreshing, tropical and slightly sweeter than Corona. Could add lemon or lime, but tastes wonderful just as is. It’s a real shame this beer isn’t exported to more locations.
Kalik, Bahamas - Haiti
Date Consumed: 8th June 2012
Beer: Prestige Lager
Brewed: Brasserie Nationale d’Haiti, Port au Prince, Haiti
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 5.6%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: From a country more noticed for poverty and earthquakes, a rather lovely beer emerges! Not exactly bursting with flavour but a well balanced beer with a slight hoppy taste and a little bit of corn.
Prestige Lager, Haiti - Barbados
Date Consumed: 8th June 2012
Beer: Banks Beer
Brewed: Banks Barbados Brewery, St. Michael, Barbados
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Tastes rather like Old Speckled Hen. Little bit of caramel, little bit of charcoal. Nothing particularly good about it.
Banks Beer, Barbados - Nicaragua
Date Consumed: 5th June 2012
Beer: Toña
Brewed: Compañía Cevercera de Nicaragua, Managua, Nicaragua
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.6%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
World Beer Rating: 3/10
Notes: At first taste it tastes of nothing at all, then the more you drink the more it grows on you. Nothing special but I can imagine it tastes great in the heat of Nicaragua!
Toña, Nicaragua - Uruguay
Date Consumed: 5th June 2012
Beer: FNC Pilsen
Brewed: FNC S.A., Montevideo, Uruguay
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.1%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Not particularly good to be honest. Hoppy and lacking quality.
FNC Pilsen, Uruguay - Guatemala
Date Consumed: 4th June 2012
Beer: Gallo (Famosa), Guatemala
Brewed: Cerveceria Centro Americana, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: What a refreshing beer! Lightly carbonated and a mild fruity finish. Barely noticable hop flavour. I would love this to be available in Australia!
Gallo (Famosa), Guatemala - Dominican Republic
Date Consumed: 4th June 2012
Beer: Presidente
Brewed: Cervecería Nacionál Dominicana, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Quite bitter with plenty of hops. Tastes very like Victoria Bitter in Australia. Not unpleasant but I would pass on this one if offered in any other climate then tropical!
Presidente, Dominican Republic - Bosnia and Herzegovina
Date Consumed: 29th May 2012
Beer: Nektar Pivo
Brewed: Banjalučka Pivara, Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Food Society, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Clean crisp taste, very similar to Polish or Czech beers. Surprisingly amber in colour and pours with a lovely long lasting head.
Nektar Pivo, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Nepal
Date Consumed: 19th May 2012
Beer: Mustang Premium Lager Beer
Brewed: Sungold Brewery, Kathmandu, Nepal
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Muglan Nepalese Restuarant, Sydney, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: What a fantastic beer! Well balanced, great tasting beer from Nepal. Aromatic with light carbonation. This stuff needs to be imported more!
Mustang Premium Lager Beer, Nepal
Date Consumed: 19th May 2012
Beer: Ghorka Beer
Brewed: Gorkha Brewery, Kathmandu, Nepal
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.5%
Sourced: Muglan Nepalese Restuarant, Sydney, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Bland, inoffensive but not a lot going for it. Good with spicy food but that’s about it.
Ghorka Beer, Nepal - Armenia
Date Consumed: 12th May 2012
Beer: Kilikia Jubilee
Brewed: Yerevan Brewery, Yerevan, Armenia
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.1%
Sourced: Yerevan, Armenia (thanks to Arkady Gundroff!)
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Light bodied, well carbonated. Extremely metallic flavour, very like Obolon Lager from the Ukraine. Slight corn flavour. Not bad at all, I reckon this would be much better on tap instead of a bottle.
Kilikia Jubilee, Armenia - Ghana
Date Consumed: 28th February 2012
Beer: Gulder Lager
Brewed: Ghana Breweries Limited, Kumasi, Ghana
Size: 650mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: African Food Market on Electric Avenue, Brixton, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: I’m not sure if I was expecting something more, but luckily I didn’t have high expectations. Bland but not tasteless, Gulder has hops in the aftertaste that lingers. Definitely better drunk in Ghana than a cold United Kingdom, but lets move on.
Gulder Lager, Ghana - Luxembourg
Date Consumed: 26th February 2012
Beer: Bofferding Lager Pils
Brewed: Bofferding, Bascharage, Luxembourg
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.8%
Sourced: Beers Of Europe Warehouse, Kings Lynn, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: It’s got a European hoppy flavour with a lingering slightly metallic aftertaste. Not unpleasant, but not particularly nice either.
Bofferding Lager Pils, Luxembourg - Cambodia
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Angkor Beer
Brewed: Cambrew, Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Pub Street, Siem Reap, Cambodia (thanks to Ashna Hussein)
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Mildly bitter, metallic flavour finish. I suspect this beer, like many other Asian beers, would be better enjoyed in the Asian climate. Still, I would buy this in a case for a BBQ – a session beer but not a craft beer.
Angkor Beer, Cambodia - Papua New Guinea
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: South Pacific SP Lager
Brewed: South Pacific Brewery, Hohola NCD, Papua New Guinea
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Spiros Bottle Shop Online, QLD, Australia
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Strong carbonation, mildly sweet but not unpleasant. Taste of hops present but not overpowering – it’s quite like the domestic beers of Australia – clean but nothing to write home about.
South Pacific SP Lager, Papua New Guinea - Columbia
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Club Colombia
Brewed: Grupo Empresarial Bavaria, Bogota, Colombia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: La Cita, Darling Harbour, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Pretty weak, very dry, mild hops. Seems to be in line with other South American lagers.
Club Colombia, Colombia
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Cerveza Aguila
Brewed: Grupo Empresarial Bavaria, Bogota, Colombia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.0%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Not bad, although this beer feels mass produced and lacks any real flavour. Little bit of corn and hops.
Cerveza Aguila, Columbia - Tanzania
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Kilimanjaro Premium Lager
Brewed: Tanzanian Breweries, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Size: 375mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Stone Town, Zanzibar Town, Tanzania (thanks to Lachlan and Liz Ralph)
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Well carbonated with light cereal and hoppy notes. Gets better the more you drink. Definitely would be more refreshing after a hot day in Africa then Australia!
Kilimanjaro Premium Lager, Tanzania
Date Consumed: 27th June 2013
Beer: Serengeti Premium Lager
Brewed: Serengeti Breweries, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.5%
Sourced: Beers of Europe, Kings Lynn, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 3/10
Notes: Tastes of charcoal and bitterness. Not one I would drink again.
Serengeti Premium Lager, Tanzania - Samoa
Date Consumed: 23rd April 2013
Beer: Vailima
Brewed: Samoa Breweries, Apia, Samoa
Size: 750mL
Alcohol Content: 4.9%
Sourced: MH Supermarkets, Nadi, Fiji
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Watery and weak with light citrus flavour, although it had a mild chemical flavour. Very odd aftertaste, like I’d had a McChicken Sandwich from McDonalds (sesame seeds and chicken?)
Vailima, Samoa - Costa Rica
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Cerveza Imperial (Costa Rica)
Brewed: Florida Bebidas, La Ribera de Belén, Heredia, Costa Rica
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.6%
Sourced: The Beer Store NZ (thanks to Julia Nixon!)
World Beer Rating: 3/10
Notes: Unimpressive beer, no real flavour. Would be very welcome in a hot and humid environment, but not a beer that you’d go for over other mass produced beers. Excellent logo though!
Cerveza Imperial, Costa Rica - Chile
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Kross Golden Ale
Brewed: Kross Microbrew Beers, Curacaví, Chile
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Wines2Buy Pty Ltd, eBay Australia, Australia
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Golden ale with lemon and honey notes. Well carbonated, very clean, much like a Coopers Green beer but sweeter and more fruity. I will enjoy many more of these!
Kross Golden Ale, Chile
Date Consumed: 22nd June 2012
Beer: Kunstmann Torobayo Pale Ale
Brewed: Cerveceria Valdivia S.A. (CCU), Valdivia, Chile
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Churrasco Brazilian Style BBQ, Woolloomooloo, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: This is an exceptionally good beer from Chile. Clean, refreshing and well crafted, this beer is definitely one of my favourites from South America so far.
Kunstmann Torobayo Pale Ale, Chile
Date Consumed: 3rd June 2013
Beer: Austral Calafate Ale
Brewed: Cerveceria Austral S.A., Punta Arenas, Chile
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: monfavori.com
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Maybe it’s been a while since this beer was brewed, affecting it’s flavour, but nothing special going on here.
Austral Calafate Ale, Chile - Iran
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Istak Halal Beer
Brewed: Khorshid Zareewar Co, Sanandaj, Iran
Size: 320mL
Alcohol Content: 0.0%
Sourced: Naab, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
World Beer Rating: 2/10
Notes: As far as non-alcoholic lime flavoured Iranian halal beers go, this one is quite drinkable. On the beer scale however, it’s not comparable. 2 points because it tastes of lime and not malt.
Istak Halal Beer, Iran - Saudi Arabia
Date Consumed: 20th September 2011
Beer: Rich Beer
Brewed: Al-Moudi Beverage Ind, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Size: 340mL
Alcohol Content: 0.0%
Sourced: Marakesh Restaurant, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
World Beer Rating: 1/10
Notes: Malty horribleness. How do people even consider this a beer? Still, it’s an unexpected Saudi Arabian achievement!
Rich Beer, Saudi Arabia - Malaysia
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Anchor Smooth
Brewed: Guinness Anchor Berhad, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Size: 325mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Cool Storage Supermarket, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Not particularly good. Tastes of cereal and hops. Lightly carbonated.
Anchor Smooth, Malaysia - Switzerland
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Locher Appenzeller Balik Beer
Brewed: Breuerei Locher, Appenzell, Switzerland
Size: 11.0%
Alcohol Content: 330mL
Sourced: Caviar House & Prunier, Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (International Terminal), Sydney, NSW Australia
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: My God this beer is strong. Fruity, almost like wine with medium carbonation. Sweet flavour, dominated by alcohol. I love this beer, but only because I had one (A six pack would happily knock you out) and felt quite jolly afterwards!
Locher Appenzeller Balik Beer, Switzerland - Albania
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Korça Pils Bjonde
Brewed: Birra Korça, Korça, Albania
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: A local supermarket, Albania (thanks to Candace Richards!)
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: This beer is pretty good. Strong metallic flavour leading to a hoppy finish. Typically European in bottle size and carbonation, I would happily buy this in a six pack.
Korça Pils Bjonde, Albania - Fiji
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Fiji Bitter
Brewed: Fosters Group Pacific, Walu Bay, Suva, Fiji Islands
Size: 375mL
Alcohol Content: 4.6%
Sourced: Food4Less, Nadi, Fiji (thanks to Desmond Singh!)
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Surprisingly good, tastes similar to domestic Fosters brewed in the United Kingdom except a slightly fruity aftertaste. Lovely refreshing beer in the 32 degree heat of Fiji.
Fiji Bitter, Fiji
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Vonu Pure Lager
Brewed: Island Brewing Company, Nadi, Fiji Islands
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content:
Sourced: Prouds, Nadi, Fiji
World Beer Rating: 10/10
Notes: I was absolutely blown away by this beer, it’s simply wonderful. Light floral and citrus notes, lightly carbonated. A world class craft beer brewed in Fiji? Indeed it is. I would love this to be eventually exported worldwide.
Vonu Pure Lager, Fiji
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Fiji Taki Beer
Brewed: Fosters Group Pacific, Walu Bay, Suva, Fiji Islands
Size: 750mL
Alcohol Content: 4.6%
Sourced: Prouds, Nadi, Fiji
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Boring “Clean Crisp Taste” translates to “Nothing to write home about”. Tasted like Tooheys New. Typically mass produced Fijian beer and served cold for thirsty tourists.
Fiji Taki Beer, Fiji - Philippines
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: San Miguel Pale Pilsen
Brewed: San Miguel, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Harry’s Bar, Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: Lovely citrus notes and a mild carbonation. No wonder it’s the Philippines’ flagship brand, it’s really good!
San Miguel Pale Pilsen, Philippines
Date Consumed: 2nd October 2012
Beer: Red Horse Extra Strong
Brewed: San Miguel, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 7.0%
Sourced: The Beer Cellar, Hamilton, New Zealand.
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: My god this beer has malt and alcohol stamped on the flavour like a steel toe-capped boot. It’s supposed to be a Philippine favourite, but I don’t rate it that highly.
Red Horse Extra Strong, Philippines - Nigeria
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Star Lager
Brewed: Nigerian Breweries PLC, Lagos, Nigeria
Size: 600mL
Alcohol Content: 5.1%
Sourced: Falcon Foods and Wines, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Nigeria’s #1 Beer apparently, but it’s not exactly #1 in my book. Minerally flavours, especially iron. Very carbonated, aftertaste fades fast. Not unpleasant, but pretty average.
Star Lager, Nigeria - Bulgaria
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Kamenitza
Brewed: Pivovaren Zavod Kamenitza (StarBev), Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.4%
Sourced: Rosova Dolina, Tottenham Hale, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Not unpleasant, but nothing that grabs you. Little carbonation; it tells you to drink at 3°C, which is probably to hide the lack of flavour. Still, you’d drink this without complaining if served on tap at a pub
Kamenitza, Bulgaria - Uganda
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Bell Lager
Brewed: Uganda Breweries, Port Bell, Kampala, Uganda
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.0%
Sourced: beersofeurope.co.uk
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Surprisingly refreshing beer, watery but with a pleasantly light hoppy flavour. Like most other African beers I’ve tried, this is not bursting with citrus, floral or complex layers, but this is a very good beer from Uganda.
Bell Lager, Uganda - Malta
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Cisk Export Premium Lager
Brewed: Simonds Farsons Cisk, Mriehel, Malta
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: www.beersofeurope.co.uk
World Beer Rating: 3/10
Notes: Foul tasting beer. Maybe the hops and water of Malta is not quite up to the task. Tasted bland with a mineral aftertaste.
Cisk Export Premium Lager, Malta - Cuba
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Cubanero Fuerte (Bucanero Fuerte)
Brewed: Cerveceria Bucanero, Holguín, Cuba
Size: 350mL
Alcohol Content: 5.4%
Sourced: www.beersofeurope.co.uk
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Pretty average beer, I suspect it’s good in the sweltering heat of Cuba, not South West London. Strong aftertaste of communism and malt.
Cubanero Fuerte (Bucanero Fuerte), Cuba
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Cerveza Cristal
Brewed: Cerveceria Bucanero, Holguín, Cuba
Size: 350mL
Alcohol Content:
Sourced: Premier Wines, Strawberry Hill, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Wow, this is a remarkable recovery from the previous Cubanero. Light, refreshing beer with a subtle aftertaste of hops. This is delicious and I would most certainly recommend this for either drinking with spicy foods or just enjoying after a long day!
Cerveza Cristal, Cuba - Romania
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Bere Timisoreana
Brewed: Ursus Breweries, Cluj Napoca, Romania
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Romanian Food Centre, Edgeware, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Much like the other Eastern European beers, this one is very hoppy, full of flavour with a bitter aftertaste. Very carbonated, which is a slight downfall to an otherwise quite surprisingly good beer.
Bere Timisoreana, Romania - United Arab Emirates
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Barbican Premium Malt
Brewed: Brewed by Aujan Industries Co., Dammam, United Arab Emirates
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content:
Sourced: Electric Avenue Wholesalers, Brixton, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 2/10
Notes: Wow, I didn’t expect to find a beer brewed in the United Arab Emirates. Barbican Premium Malt is classified as a beer, containing the ingredients of beer without the alcohol. I got the strawberry flavour (in hindsight, what kind of beer is not brewed with anything strawberry but tastes of it?), and this beer tasted entirely of artificially flavoured strawberry. Actually quite drinkable as a strawberry soda beverage, not as a beer.
Barbican Premium Malt, United Arab Emirates - Ireland
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Brewed: St. James’s Gate Brewery, Dublin, Ireland
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 7.5%
Sourced: Noble Green Wines, Hampton Hill, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: It’s the world famous Guinness and it’s a high alcohol export version from Ireland itself. Should be enough to score high marks and it does… just. Wonderful strong oaky stout flavour, complex but not too overwhelming. Not the best Guinness can produce but I understand the requirement that this beer might remain in the bottle for quite a time and needs to remain drinkable. I would rate the draft version higher, only because it’s fresher.
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Ireland
Date Consumed: 2014
Beer: Harp Lager
Brewed: Dundalk, Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 4.3%
Sourced: The Beer Cellar Website, Hamilton, New Zealand
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Pretty average beer.
Harp Lager, Ireland - Lithuania
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Svyturys Ekstra Premium
Brewed: Svyturys, Klaipeda, Lithuania
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: Russkiy Bazar, Cambridge Heath, London, United Kingdom.
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Strong malty flavour, quite unlike it’s neighbouring countries. I feel generous giving this a 7, but the beer has a good aftertaste and perfectly carbonated – two important factors of drinking a good beer.
Svyturys Ekstra Premium, Lithuania - Latvia
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Cesu Premium Alus
Brewed: Cesu Alus Daritava (Olvi), Cesis, Latvia
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: Russkiy Bazar, Cambridge Heath, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Hoppy flavour, much like the famous pilsners that the Czech Republic produces. Not quite as good but I have to admit I would definitely drink a pint of this if this were on tap in a local pub sometime in the future.
Cesu Premium Alus, Latvia - Ethiopia
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: St George Beer
Brewed: Kombolcha Brewery (BGI Ethiopia), Kombolcha, Ethiopia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Addis Restaurant and Bar, Kings Cross, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: I expected this country to be in the list of Islamic and/or war-torn countries that doesn’t produce a beer, but here is one of the three brands that they brew! Sadly it’s a dull affair, very light on the hops and a distinct lack of any real taste. Quite carbonated, which makes that the only memorable point, other that the novelty of drinking Ethiopian beer.
St George Beer, Ethiopia - Estonia
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Viru Beer
Brewed: Tartu Õlletehas (Olvi), Tartu, Estonia
Size: 300mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: The Bottle, York, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Inoffensive, but definitely drinkable at a pub or bar. Doesn’t have much flavour, aftertaste or anything of note apart from the clearly Soviet inspired octahedral bottle, which is brilliant. Onwards!
Viru Beer, Estonia - Trinidad and Tobago
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Carib Lager
Brewed: Carib Brewery, Champs-Fleurs, Trinidad & Tobago
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: Costcutter, Southwark, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Not sure why I rated this beer so high, but I think it’s because I like floral and fruity tasting beers that remind me of topical soft drinks and I was drunk. This beer is exactly what I like in such a soft drink, and it’s alcoholic! Mind you, I wouldn’t have too many of them.
Carib Lager, Trinidad & Tobago - Finland
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Lapin Kulta
Brewed: Hartwall Brewery, Helsinki, Finland
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Noble Green Wines, Hampton Hill, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Very carbonated, although some flavour pushing through. Nothing really stood out other than a mild hoppy bitterness.
Lapin Kulta, Finland - Jamaica
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Dragon Stout
Brewed: Desnoes and Geddes, Kingston, Jamaica
Size: 284mL
Alcohol Content: 7.5%
Sourced: Bubbles Off Licence, Twickenham, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Hello Dragon Stout, where have you been hiding? Lovely stout from Jamaica with caramel and malt flavours ending in a smooth satisfying aftertaste. Was quite thin for a stout, if this was of a slightly thicker consistency then you’re looking at a 9.
Dragon Stout, Jamaica
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Red Stripe Lager
Brewed: Desnoes and Geddes, Kingston, Jamaica
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.7%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: It’s almost sacrilegious, but I prefer the brewed under licence version made in the United Kingdom. This beer has nothing inoffensive about it, but it’s bland with a slight corn flavour.
Red Stripe Lager, Jamaica - Sweden
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Crocodile Original Export Lager
Brewed: Krönleins Bryggeri, Halmstad, Sweden
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: Noble Green Wines, Hampton Hill, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: This beer is pretty average. No distinct flavours and no aftertaste to speak of. Tasted like a mass produced beer from the domestic Australian market.
Crocodile Original Export Lager, Sweden - Morocco
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Casablanca Casa Beer
Brewed: Société des Brasseries du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: The Bottle, York, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: This beer is intensely weird. The initial flavour is quite average, even slightly unpleasant, however suddenly from nowhere there is a lovely citrus aftertaste that makes up for it’s previous sins. Not enough to make up for the actual flavour however.
Casablanca Casa Beer, Morocco - Cyprus
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Keo Premium Beer
Brewed: Keo Breweries, Lemesos, Cyprus
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Bethnal Green Food Centre, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom.
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Refreshing flavour but quite a sharp, mineral aftertaste which limits its rating.
Keo Premium Beer, Cyprus - Peru
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Cusquena
Brewed: Cervecera del sur del Peru (Grupo Empresarial Bavaria), Arequipa, Peru
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Revolution Vodka Bar, York, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 4/10
Notes: Was looking forward to this beer, since the beer claims the water is sourced from the Andes and contains all the flavours of Latin America. Sadly, it’s generically plain, bitter but not offensively bad.
Cusquena, Peru
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Premium Cristal
Brewed: Backus y Johnston, Lima, Peru
Size: 355mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Half Time Beverage, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Does not warrant the ‘Premium’ prefix, but not too bad at all. Clean and refreshing, this beer has potential.
Premium Cristal, Peru - Slovenia
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Lasko Club
Brewed: Pivovarna Lasko, Lasko, Slovenia
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 4.9%
Sourced: International Beer Shop (thanks Jim Cook)
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Very drinkable beer with a smooth aftertaste, although not drunk at the same time as eating those lemon and thyme roast chickens in the picture on Good Friday!
Lasko Club, Slovenia - Serbia
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Lav
Brewed: Carlsberg Srbija D.O.O. Pivara, Celarevo, Serbia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Liquor Stax, Bonnyrigg, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: This beer doesn’t go on the offensive (in terms of flavour). Very drinkable, I would definitely enjoy a six pack of these on a hot/cold/warm/any day.
Lav, Serbia - Macedonia
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Zlaten Dab Svetlo Pivo
Brewed: Prilepska Pivarnica, Prilep, Macedonia
Size: 4.5%
Alcohol Content: 330mL
Sourced: Liquor Stax, Bonnyrigg, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 1/10
Notes: No real flavours, too much carbonation, aftertaste left a ‘toilet smell’ in your mouth. You were lucky to score 1 because you were just a thirst quencher after work.
Zlaten Dab Svetlo Pivo, Macedonia - Kenya
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Tusker Lager
Brewed: Kenya Breweries, Nairobi, Kenya
Size: 4.2%
Alcohol Content: 500mL
Sourced: International Beer Shop, Australia
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Great flavours and a lovely aftertaste. Kenya, you should export your beers more!
Tusker Lager, Kenya - Denmark
Date Consumed:
Beer: Carlsberg Elephant (Imported)
Brewed: Carlsberg Brewery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 7.2%
Sourced: Liquor Stax, Bonnyrigg, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 9/10
Notes: Harder to find as this one was imported from Denmark as opposed to being brewed under license. Really great tasting beer, although at 7.2% you need to be careful!
Carlsberg Elephant, Denmark - Montenegro
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Niksicko Pivo
Brewed: Trebjesa Brewery, Niksic, Montenegro
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Petersham Liquor Mart, Petersham, NSW,Australia
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Smoother, less hoppy taste than the Czech beers of Eastern Europe. Definitely a summer BBQ beer.
Niksicko Pivo, Montenegro - Israel
Date Consumed: 23rd May 2012
Beer: Maccabee Lager Beer
Brewed: Tempo Beer Industries, Netanya, Israel
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: thebeerstore.com.au
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Surprisingly good. Metallically aftertaste but good flavour and very drinkable!
Maccabee Lager Beer, Israel
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Goldstar
Brewed: Tempo Beer Industries, Netanya, Israel
Size: 55mL
Alcohol Content: 4.9%
Sourced: The Beer Cellar, Hamilton, New Zealand
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: Not bad, a little heavy for a hot dry climate but overall it’s pretty good.
Goldstar, Israel - Hungary
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Dreher Classic
Brewed: Dreher Brewery, Budapest, Hungary
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: Kemenys Supermarket, Bondi, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: I really liked this beer. Very hoppy flavour but with that lovely Czech-style aftertaste.
Dreher Classic, Hungary - Russia
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Baltika 4 Orginaloe
Brewed: Baltika Brewery, St. Petersburg, Russia
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.6%
Sourced: 1st Choice Liquor, Naremburn, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Not at all bad, although the flavour is very bland. Lovely aftertaste brings it into the 7 category.
Baltika 4 Orginaloe, Russia
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Baltika 7 Eksportnoe
Brewed: Baltika Brewery, St. Petersburg, Russia
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.4%
Sourced: Russkiy Bazar, Cambridge Heath, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: A different style Baltika to compare with the above dark lager. Minerally with short aftertaste. Drinkable on a hot day, but not a beer you’d want to have in place of a superior European lager.
Baltika 7 Eksportnoe, Russia - Sri Lanka
Date Consumed: 2011
Beer: Sinha Stout
Brewed: Ceylon Brewery, Nuwara Eliya & Biyagama, Sri Lanka
Size: 330m
Alcohol Content: 8.0%
Sourced: Glebe Cellars, Glebe, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 10/10
Notes: This is absolute gold, what an amazing stout. Full of flavours and immensely strong to boot. A six pack of these would put you under the table in a pleasure and alcohol induced coma!
Sinha Stout, Sri Lanka - Lebanon
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Almaza Pilsner
Brewed: Brasserie Almaza, Beirut, Lebanon
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.1%
Sourced: Liquor Paradise, Geenacre, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: I’m impressed by its flavour and despite being supremely hard to get hold of (it was in a gift pack of four beers, so I bought the pack just for this) I would definitely drink again.
Almaza Pilsner, Lebanon - Namibia
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Nambia Tafel Lager
Brewed: Namibia Breweries, Windhoek, Namibia
Size: 340mL
Alcohol Content: 4.0%
Sourced: Springbok Delights, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Surprising entry into the 8 range with a lovely strong flavour. I could easily breeze through a six pack of Tafel Lager on a sunny day at a BBQ get together.
Nambia Tafel Lager, Namibia
Date Consumed: 2013
Beer: Windhoek Lager
Brewed: Namibia Breweries, Windhoek, Namibia
Size: 340mL
Alcohol Content: 4.0%
Sourced: Noble Green Wines, Hampton Hill, London, United Kingdom
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: Looking forward to trying another Namibian lager, however Windhoek is not as nice to drink as it’s brother from the same brewery, Tafel. Bitter and hoppy flavour that doesn’t last.
Windhoek Lager, Namibia - Laos
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Beerlao
Brewed: Lao Brewery Co, Vientiane, Laos
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Dan Murphys, Burwood, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: It’s adequate, from a country that isn’t famous for anything in particular, especially in the beer world. Tricky to get hold of but does have a very unique rice flavour I quite enjoyed that raises the score into the top half.
Beerlao, Laos - South Africa
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Hansa Pilsner
Brewed: South African Breweries, Sandton, South Africa
Size: 340mL
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Sourced: Springbok Delights, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 5/10
Notes: I was expecting more from this one, but alas.
Hansa Pilsner, South Africa - Croatia
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Karlovacko Pivo
Brewed: Karlovačka Pivovara, Karlovac, Croatia
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.2%
Sourced: 1st Choice Liquor, Sylvania, NSW, Australia (thanks to Stuart McTaggart!)
World Beer Rating: 6/10
Notes: Typical Eastern European taste much like a Czech pilsner, but lacks the pedigree of established beer nations which is evident in the flavour.
Karlovacko Pivo, Croatia - Slovakia
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Pivovar Zlaty Bazant
Brewed: Heineken Slovensko, Hurbanovo, Slovak Republic
Size: 500mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Kemenys, Bondi, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 8/10
Notes: Very typical European style lager but it has a rather lovely lingering hoppy taste that the neighbouring Czech Republic doesn’t have.
Pivovar Zlaty Bazant, Slovakia - Singapore
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Archipelago Samui
Brewed: Archipelago Brewery Company, Singapore, Singapore
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 4.6%
Sourced: Amatos Liquormart, Leichhardt, NSW, Australia
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: I really enjoyed this beer (as I do all wheat beers) however as it started to warm outside of the fridge, the citrus notes faded. Drink cold (and quick) to enjoy it best.
Archipelago Samui, Singapore
Date Consumed: 2012
Beer: Archipelago Explorer
Brewed: Archipelago Brewery Company, Singapore, Singapore
Size: 330mL
Alcohol Content: 5.0%
Sourced: Changi International Airport, Singapore, Singapore
World Beer Rating: 7/10
Notes: This beer is very refreshing, with citrus and some mild spices. Has a distinct tea like flavour, which is slightly off-putting.
Archipelago Explorer, Singapore
