Follow me:
Commonly Fine
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • results

Beer in China

8/23/2017

0 Comments

 
​So, I'm in Shanghai in August. That was my first mistake. Every time I step outside all of the fabric adorning my body instantly adheres to my skin, forming an unwanted friendship that hangs around for the rest of the day. There's no escape indoors, because apparently, turning on the a/c in any meaningful way is "bad for your health," or probably more likely, bad for the bottom line of the establishment, so any hope of temporary respite comes in the form of either food (I've consumed a year's worth of ice cream in the week that I've been here), or drink.

Since I've been working late into the evening most days on this trip, nothing seems more satisfying than collapsing on a couch at the AirBnB and throwing back a cold one. As luck would have it, there's a 7/11 knockoff on every street corner in this city...

and 
            they
                        sell
                                  cold
                                              beer.
 
Granted, that's nothing to brag about. Name a country where you can't find cold beer when you need one. I've been on indigenous land in an impoverished area of Panama and found entrepreneurs selling ice cold Atlas lager to the rare motorist who passes. And at fifty cents a crack, Cambodia brand beer is cheaper than water in, well, Cambodia (what did you expect?). Mexico may be the land of margaritas, but it's also the home of Corona, Tecate, Pacifica, and too many others to name. So having ice cold beer available is only par for the course, but it's still nice. Especially when you can get a 22oz bottle for 5.5 yuan (pronounced like "U.N."), or about $.88 in USD. But let's talk about what you get for your money. That's what you're here for right? A beer review. So let's go!

I've tried Tsingtao, Harbin and Tsingtao stout, and the stout is by far my favorite, but to be honest, all three are hard to digest. For me (and you? Leave a comment), sometimes drinking cheap beer, in particular, cheap lagers, leaves me feeling gross, like I'm not digesting well. Gross, right? It may be because many Chinese beers have departed from traditional German Reinheitsgebot law (which stipulated the only ingredients could be water, barley and hopes) and include rice, a less-expensive grain in the recipe.

Anyways...

If you're in China, I assume you'll be trying these beers, so here's some fun facts for the curious:
-Tsingtao was founded by an Hong Kong based English-German joint stock company in 1903. Capital was put up in Mexican silver dollars. It was later sold to the Japanese, and after Japan’s defeat in WW2, was turned over to the Chinese. Since then, it has been affiliated with companies like Anhauser-Busch and Asahi.

-Harbin is owned by Anheuser-Busch Inbev, which is responsible for bringing the beer to liquor stores near you. Harbin is the oldest brewery in China and was founded by a Polish German immigrant in 1900 who wanted to make beer for the Russian railway workers building the Trans-Manchurian Railway. In 1946 the Soviet Red Army captured Manchuria and took over the brewery until 1950, when Stalin returned all Chinese assets to China. During a famine in the late 1950s, Harbin then became the first beer to be brewed with corn instead of rice (because in a famine, you still need beer!).

-Snow beer is the noob on the scene, exploding onto the market in 1993 to become the biggest producer of beer in China.

​
Update: On my last night in Shanghai I found myself taking back streets, walking with crowds of working class locals under dripping bamboo scaffolds, dodging scooters and bicycles, wandering aimlessly. Seeing a small grocery store, I entered, and found the holy grail of Chinese beer: Snow. It was only 3 yuan for a 22oz bottle, and maybe that’s why it tasted so great, but I loved it. It was something between a Corona and a TJ’s knock-off of Corona.
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

In the Swiss Alps, Nothing Refreshes Like an Ice Cold Beer

7/4/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
High in the Alps above Interlaken, Switzerland sits the small, rustic village of Gimmelwald. Gimmelwald boasts a steady population of around 130 people, most of whom make their living by farming using the same tools and techniques of their ancestors. Walking the tiny streets and narrow pathways of this rural village, it is not uncommon to see Laird Hamilton lookalikes carrying scythe and pitchfork on their way to harvest hay from the steep incline of a mountain field, or perhaps driving cattle from a remote pasture to the dairy barn or butcher where Gimmelwald's cheese and jerky is produced. This way of life may seem archaic in a thriving European nation, but is necessitated by the stunning geography where modern farming implements are rendered useless.

Read More
0 Comments

This Lager is Irish, Canadian, and Oh So Bland!

5/5/2015

6 Comments

 
Whether it's music, dancing and drinking, literature, or the Catholicism and politics that merged in JFK, Irish exports have infiltrated just about every aspect of American society. And for the most part, we're better off because of them. 

There is, however, one exception. 

The Irish perfected the stout in Guinness, and Jameson is a reliable go-to when it comes to affordable whiskey. And based on positive experiences with these two, you might think that that a clearance sale on Harp Lager ($9.99 for a box of 12) would be worth the risk.
Picture

Read More
6 Comments

One Of These Jamaican Knockoffs Hits It Out Of The Park

4/25/2015

0 Comments

 
Great beer always comes with great stories. Usually, the stories are made while you're drinking... or afterwards when you're laughing about the memories made. But every once in a while, the story happens earlier.

This story takes place at my local grocery store. I was browsing for the perfect beer to kick off the weekend when Session lager caught my eye.  I had never tried it before, but the distinct bottle shape told me they were going for a Jamaican lager feel (Jamaican Red Stripe is probably the most popular beer to use the stubby 11oz bottle).

Locally, Session comes in Lager and Black (dark lager). In some areas an IPA is available too, but not in L.A. I wanted to try them side by side, so grabbing a bottle of each I walked up to the counter to check out. 

As soon as the woman at the counter saw what I was buying, she began bubbling with excitement. "My daughter LOVES this beer! I sent her to Jamaica for three weeks after she graduated, and she sent back SO many pictures of herself drinking this stuff."
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Beers of Mexico Series #3: Trader Jose's Dark Lager

4/18/2015

1 Comment

 
"Trader Joe's Premium Lager will remind you of those big names, at a fraction of the price." -TJ

Trader Jose is the budget house brand used to imitate Mexican imports like Corona and Dos Equis. And technically, that statement is true. Nobody picks up Trader Jose's premium lager thinking "I wonder what this will taste like?" The marketing makes it clear: This is supposed to taste like Corona. And at $4.99 for a 6-pack in California, it's 40% cheaper than the name brand. 
Picture
Price check: Trader Jose varies in price from state to state. CA is the cheapest, at $4.99. It tops out in FL at $7.99.
But what about Trader Jose Dark? While still a Mexican import ostensibly created to compete with the big two (two macrobreweries are responsible for the vast majority of all Mexican imports), Trader Jose Dark doesn't immediately remind me of anything. It's lacking the distinctive bottle of Negro Modela, so I'm not sure if they're trying for something like Tecate or Dos Equis Lager. As a consumer, this matters. If I'm buying a knock off label, it's because I want something that reminds me of the premium brand. If I can't tell what that premium brand is, I'm much less likely to buy it. 
What follows are my tasting notes for Trader Jose's Dark, but I'm tasting it blind. I have nothing to compare it to. You can help us out by leaving a comment and telling us what Trader Jose reminds you of. 

You have to play detective to discover where Trader Joe's brands are made. Google always comes back with a handful of different results, so you have to dig deeper. 

Contrary to popular opinion, TJ's is NOT brewed by Gordon Biersche. It's actually a product of Cervecería Mexicali in Tecate, Mexico. This is a brewery you've never heard of, that makes beers you've probably never tried, including Mexicali, Red Pig Ale, and Chili Beer (brewed with real chilies). Cervecería Mexicali was founded in 1923 by two Mexican entrepreneurs, who learned their craft from a German brewmaster. But before you get too excited about drinking Mexican microbrews, it's important to note that the original brewery was forced out of business by the big two, and was then purchased by Coors. 

Trader Jose Dark Premium Lager:
Nose: Heavy molasses notes. Light, sweet finish. Hay.
Taste: Reminds me of other brown ales. Woody molasses flavor, with a slightly sour finish.

Leave a note. What does TJ Dark lager remind you of?
1 Comment

Beers of Mexico #2: This lager has its roots in Germany

4/15/2015

0 Comments

 
Ready for the second installation in my Beers of Mexico series? Then quick! Name a Mexican lager whose roots trace all the way back to 1800s Germany. Give up? Before you cheat and scroll down further, think back through your memories. Have you ever tried a Mexican beer that reminded you of a pilsner (think Stella Artois)? 

Truth be told, I didn't know anything about this lager when I picked it up last weekend. I'm sure I've tried it before, but never really paid any attention to its distinct notes. Expecting a mellow lager, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a flavor profile that lands smack in the middle between a Stella and a Corona.

Ready for the big reveal?

One more clue...

"Stay thirsty my friend!"

Our mystery beer is Dos Equis lager. Dos Equis is Spanish for XX, as the beer was first produced in 1897 to celebrate the arrival of the twentieth century. This beer was first crafted by a German brewer named Wilhelm Hasse who emigrated to Mexico under the short-lived Second Mexican Empire of Maximilian I (for kicks, check out the wiki on this fascinating period), hence its similarity to European pilsners. Today, thanks to the most interesting man in the world, Dos Equis remains a popular Mexican import in the U.S., and throughout the world.

Dos Equis is brewed by Cuauhtemoc-Moctezuma Brewery (CMB), one of the two mega breweries in Mexico (the other is Modelo), but it is itself a subsidiary of Heineken. CMB has been in business since 1890, when a group of Austrian and Mexican businessmen joined forces to start a brewery. Other recognizable imports from CMB include Sol and Tecate, among others. 

Dos Equis Lager: 
Nose: Like a Stella, with a light, sweet finish
Taste: I'd put it right between Stella and Corona. A smooth oaky start, with the distinct limey notes of a Mexican lager, pilsner hints and a floral essence.

Recommendation: If you've been avoiding Dos Equis lager just because it's too mainstream, why not give it a try, then tell us what you think!
Picture
0 Comments

20. Simpler Times Lager

2/24/2015

0 Comments

 
It used to be that you could go out and buy a 6-pack of domestic lager for next to nothing. Back then, the big domestics like Coors, Bud, and Miller were the go-to cold beverages at every family reunion, ball game, and Sunday afternoon at the park. But those days are long gone. Today, a pack of Bud Light costs the same as many craft brews, and if I have to choose, I'm not going to go with the Bud.

Those were simpler times. But if you're hankering to take a trip back to when beer was uncomplicated, cheap and came in a can, there's no better time machine than Simpler Times Lager. 

Simpler Times is brewed by Minhas Craft Brewery in Wisconsin, using all natural ingredients. Minhas began in 1849, but despite their age, you probably won't recognize any of their other brews (Boxer, Mountain Crest Huber, just to name a few). That's why Simpler Times is such a steal. At $3.99 for a six pack, it simply can't be beat. And the flavor isn't bad either. I usually keep a can or two in the fridge just for those days when I'm craving a simple and balanced can of beer.

Simpler Times Lager
Nose: Sweet honey, pleasant nuttiness.

Taste: Crisp, creamy texture, sweet honey, caramel. Finishes with characteristic American lager feel.

Recommendation: It's $3.99 for a 6-pack! Drink it ice cold out of the can, and don't look back!

If you disagree with me on this one, what do you recommend in the same price range?

Picture
0 Comments

    Commonly Fine is a blog about great beers, wines and spirits... at great prices.

    Categories

    All
    21st Amendment
    Affordable
    Ale
    American
    Anderson Valley
    Article
    Asia
    Australia
    Australian
    Bastille Day
    Beer
    Beers Of Mexico
    Belgian
    Bevmo
    Bourbon
    Cabernet
    California
    Canada
    Canadian
    Champagne
    Cider
    Cocktail
    Comparison
    Cooking
    Costco
    Coupon
    Craft
    Craft Beer
    Dark
    Domestic
    Double Decker
    Europe
    Food
    Free
    French
    Fruit
    German
    Gin
    Gluten Free
    Heineken
    Hot Toddy
    Import
    Interview
    IPA
    Ireland
    Irish
    Jamaica
    Kentucky
    Kroger
    Kroger's
    Lager
    Marsh
    Martini
    Mendocino
    Merlot
    Mexican
    Mixed Drinks
    Mixology
    Murphy's
    Napa
    New Belgium
    Oatmeal Stout
    Organic
    Pairing
    Pilsner
    Pumpkin
    Ralphs
    Red
    Red Wine
    Root Beer
    Saison
    San Francisco
    Scotch
    Scotland
    Scottish
    Seasonal
    Shiraz
    Small Town Brewery
    Sonoma
    Spain
    Spirits
    Stout
    Sustainable
    Switzerland
    Table Wine
    Tasting
    Thomas Keller
    Trader Joe's
    Travel
    Tripel
    Umami
    Vodka
    Wente
    Wheat
    Whiskey
    Whisky
    White Wine
    WIne

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly