Drinking alcohol is a better option than water when traveling. Not only can you make new friends and learn the local language much quicker, but in many countries it's the best option, since drinking the tap water will force you to schedule 2 hours of your daily precious travel time in the nearest bathroom (or hole.)
Drinking alcohol may also cause you to wake up the following morning in a dark Cambodian jail cell with a ladyboy for your bedmate, but you will look back on the incident with fond memories in the next 20 years. Assuming your country's embassy ever locates you.
This is a list of links by country to the various beers, wines, spirits and local cocktails I've drank in my travels. Basically every country has its own national beer and spirit, but wine availability depends on the countries' climate. I only included booze mentioned in this blog. If I wrote about everything I drank, that would require another blog. Updates when they come.
Costa Rica
Cerveza Imperial: When you're in Costa Rica you
will drink Imperial beer or Pilsen beer, and have to decide which one is better. I settled on Imperial. Look for bottles with a black mutant eagle on a yellow and red background.
http://www.enjoyimperial.com/
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| Toucan not included; prostitute more likely |
Cerveza Pilsen: Maybe you don't like Imperial. Hmmm... Try Pilsen beer. It really doesn't matter since they're both owned by the same giant drink conglomerate, Florida Ice & Farm.
http://www.florida.co.cr/
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| Tired of Imperial, well... |
Rock Ice: Also owned by Florida Ice & Farm. It's malty, cheap and quite popular in Costa Rica, but in the wider beer world it has ranked on several "Worst Beer In The World" lists. Try the "Golden Monkey." Seriously.
http://www.florida.co.cr/
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| They all suck equally |
Libertas: The "Tropical Ale" from Costa Rica Craft Brewing, the only majorly distributed craft brewer in Costa Rica. It's hard to find CRCB around Costa Rica, but after days of Imperial/Pilsen, you will be happy to have something with a little more flavor.
http://beer.cr/
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| Ah, my sweet Costa Rican dama |
Segua: Costa Rica Craft Brewing's hoppy red ale. It certainly doesn't hold up to any American IPAs, but it's the hoppiest beer in Costa Rica. My go-to brew when I could find it and great when on tap.
http://beer.cr/
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| La Segua has bite, according to the legend. |
Witch's Rock Pale Ale: From independent craft brewer and hotel, Volcano Brewing, located on Arenal Lake overlooking the volcano. They also offer various seasonals. Alcoholic alert: book a night at the hotel and you get an all-you-can-drink pass at their pub.
http://volcanobrewingcompany.com/
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| She's a mean witch |
Bri Bri Springs Brewing: The independent brewer located at Kaya's Place hotel on the Caribbean beach in Puerto Viejo where I worked for a month. They have a small supply, but they get very creative with Big Choco Chocolate Stout, Oso Honey Stout and various other beers using local fruits.
http://www.kayasplace.com/
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| My home for a month in Costa Rica |
Cacique: Costa Rica's commercial version of their national firewater, guaro. I hate this shit; it tastes horrible and it's not even strong. I inevitably shoot it though with Costa Ricans and visiting tourists in the name of "culture." Order it by placing 4 fingers on your forehead like a rooster. You'll look like an idiot and rightfully so.
http://www.fanal.co.cr/guaros
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| "De la cana se hace el guaro, que caramba..." |
Guaro Sour: A guaro-based cocktail that makes drinking this vile stuff bearable. Unfortunately it's usually served pink-colored so you look pretty fruity ordering it. Not a good thing in a
machismo Latin country.
http://www.beinglatino.us/lifestyle/food-2/friday-night-cocktail-guaro-sour-2/
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| I think only tourists drink this. |
Centenario Ron: Costa Rica's national rum. They start with a 4 year aged one and go up from there. I don't tell Costa Ricans this, but it doesn't compare to their neighbor Nicaragua's rum.
http://www.roncentenario.com/ Speaking of...
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| A solid, sweet Costa Rica rum |
Panama
Cerveza Panama: "Untap Your Pride!" Surprise, the principle beer in Panama is called, Panama! It tastes better than the other options, just be sure to buy it in cans. Stupid green bottles ruin everything:
http://www.cervezapanama.com.pa/
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| Beer tastes better with a little beach |
Cerveza Balboa: Just like with Costa Rica, if you don't like Panama beer, this is your other option. My rainy day beer at Palmar Lodge on Red Frog Beach:
http://www.cerveceria-nacional.com
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| The beer is on the right |
Abuelo Ron: Your Panamanian Grandpa's favorite rum. Their marketing consists of hot models with serious cameltoe, so I guess they're encouraging you to be a dirty old man. This rum with Coke and lime kept me liquored up throughout my trip in Boca Del Toro:
http://www.ronabuelopanama.com
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| No cameltoe in this picture |
Nicaragua
Cerveza Tona: Maybe I just got tired of drinking Imperial everyday, but I found Tona beer to be more delicious, and their volcano logo is cooler. Many backpacker douchebags agree and sleeveless Tona shirts on bearded, tattooed flashpacker hipsters is common in the Central America hostel scene. It's pretty much the only beer available in Nicaragua. The other brands I won't mention 'cause they suck like Rock Ice.
http://www.cervezatona.com/
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| Taste The Volcano |
Flor De Cana Ron: I love this smooth booze on the rocks or with coke and lime (Nica Libre.) Every time I go to Nicaragua I stockpile the 4, 5 and 7 year bottles since they're much cheaper than in Costa Rica. If you go to the Managua distillery you can arrange to get 18 and 21 year aged bottles -- if they answer the phone.
http://flordecana.com/
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| Mi ron preferido |
Austria
Gosser: Austria's standard Vienna-style pilsen. It drinks easy and it's easy to find. Beer purists would hate to put a lemon in it, but it works fine on a hot Vienna day.
http://www.goesser.at/start.html
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| Vienna Gosser Housser Party |
Samichlaus: Beer nerds get geeked over this one and write all kinds of ridiculous, eloquent shit about it. It's only brewed once a year and clocks in as one of the strongest beers in the world at 14%. It's a malty beast. I frequently found it at gas stations in Vienna. Schloss Eggenberg brewing does make some other awesome, strong stuff too.
http://www.schloss-eggenberg.at/de/
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| You can't cage a beast |
Slovakia
Corgon: Oh how I miss you. Even the crappy Czech/Slovak beers were still better than having a Miller Light. Corgon was always our standard Slovak party beer and comes in cheap, giant plastic liter bottles.
http://www.corgon.sk
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| Cups not needed for drinking |
Smädný Mních: The "Thirsty Monk" is not much different from Corgon or most other Slovak beers. It does however have an awesome, funny logo and invites a lot of dumb jokes. http://www.topvar.sk/chlapi-vedia-preco/
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| Drunk Monks |
Saris Dark: Saris has some quality, dark European Czech-style beers which I really enjoyed when I pretended to be a serious beer drinker, and not just get rip-roaring drunk at parties in Slovakia.
http://saristmavy.sk/
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| It's The Dark One. Don't Be Afraid To Mix. |
Zlatý Bažant: Slovakia's national beer tasted better before Heineken bought it out and made it taste like, well, Heineken. It's distributed worldwide as Golden Pheasant, but Slovaks will give you big cheers if you can pronounce its original name correct. Hint: say the Z's like you're drunk...zzzhhhzzz. http://www.zlatybazant.sk/
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| The Golden Heineken |
Slivovica, Hruskovica, Malinovica, etc.: Slavic Europe has a variety of "ica's" spirits made from various fruits. This is Slovakia's most famous "brandy." Some people swear by it for cold cures, happiness, virility, etc. I can barely stomach it, but you're always guaranteed a party when some has a homemade bottle. Dopice Kurva! http://www.spisoriginal.com
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| Spis HruskaTruck With Spis Girls |
Poland
Zubrowka: When my Krakow Couchsurfers first showed up at my door they presented to me -- a total stranger-- a bottle of green Zubrowka vodka wrapped in its own little hooded parka. Such is the beauty of Couchsurfing. This cinnamon vodka works best mixed with apple juice; it tastes like liquid apple pie!!
http://www.zubrowka.com/
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| Perfect Sleeping Bag For WOOT! Monkey |
Kozlak: Another gift from the Polish crew. It's basically a strong red ale that has more flavor and stands out from the usual slightly malty grocery store Polish brews. But it's harder to find too.
http://www.browar-amber.pl/
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| Gets Your Goat |
Okocim: You can find this in most Polish grocery stores in a few different varieties, including a dark porter. As with many Eurobeers, it's part of Carlsburg's multinational corporate beer distribution, but it's cheap and decent.
http://www.carlsbergpolska.pl
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| Piwo Piwo Piwo Piwo |
Lech: The last malty Polish beer that I had on tap that I can remember from the last Eurotrip. After that the night became a blur and magically I was on a train to Ukraine.
http://www.lech.pl/
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| It's Really Not So Premium |
Ukraine
Lvivske (
Львівське): After my insane, overnight Poland-Ukraine border crossing, this was the first Ukraine beer I had at a desolate, lonely train station before going to Lviv. Considering everything I had been through in the previous 24 hours, it tasted like heaven.
http://www.lvivske.com
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| Baguette+Cheese+Beer+Countryside = Ukraine Paradise |
Obolon (
Оболонь): Ukraine's big, readily available beer. Other than Lvivske, it was the easy choice for our Retro Hostel Beer Pong matches. Since you can't drink tap water here, Obolon also produces bottled water to keep yourself hydrated.
http://www.obolon.ua/
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| "We work everyday to be the first & not to leave thirsty ones on the planet" |
Vodka: Jesus Christ. Breakfast. Vodka. Lunch. Vodka. Dinner. Vodka. Ukraine. Vodka. Boze Moj. Boze Moj. Bozzzzeee. There are many vodkas here...
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| Some Of The Best Memories Are The Ones You Don't Remember |
Bulgaria
Burgasko: There were other beers with Roman characters which I could actually read, but I bought this one at a store on the simple principle that there was a pirate ship on the label. Also it's pretty cheap.
http://www.bulgarianbeer.com/burgasko.html
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| It's A Pirate Ship! |
Kamenitza: These are one of the big beer guys in Bulgaria. It's what I found in most of the bars during the failed pubcrawl through Sofia.
http://www.kamenitza.bg/
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| The Beer Bikes |
Serbia
Jelen: There's not much beer choice in Serbia, and you can probably go through an entire trip in Serbia without having anything other than "The Deer." Pronounced like "
yelling," which is what you usually do when you're drinking lots of this.
http://www.jelenpivo.com/
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| Jelen Gets You Yellin' |
LAV: Don't like Jelen? LAV is the other major Serbian beer available, but as with all mass-produced Eurobeers there's not much difference between the two other than marketing.
http://www.carlsberggroup.com/brands/Pages/lavpivo.aspx
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| Jelen? LAV? You Decide |
Apatinsko: If for some reason you can't afford Jelen or LAV, you can try Jelen's cheaper market product. It doesn't really matter with the amount you will be drinking if you spend any time with Serbians.
http://www.jelenpivo.com/
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| Makes Me Cringe |
Rakija: There's commercial and homemade rakija. I've been lucky enough to be gifted bottles of homemade rakija, which damn near killed me. Serbian guys will challenge your weak, foreign bitchass to many rakija shots. Be prepared.
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| Homemade Rakija Drank The Right Way |
Hungary
Dreher: One of Hungary's big mass-produced beers. Notice a theme here? Most of your European national beers are owned by either SABMiller, InBev, Carlsburg or Heineken. I won't bother listing this information anymore. Just drink the beer.
http://www.dreherrt.hu
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| Dark Is Better |
Palinka: This is the reason I passed out in Aboriginal Hostel's lobby and never made it to my bed. When the hostel owner is so generous with the liquor you can't help it. Palinka comes in a variety of fruit flavor and can be really smooth if it's good quality or downright undrinkable if it's not.
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| This Was The Good Kind Of Palinka |
Germany
Spital Helles: Of course there's hundreds of beers from Germany, but I'm only going to mention those from DULTfest in Regensburg, since it's my last entry. It's a classic light Bavarian beer that you can only find if you visit Regensburg. The great thing is you don't have to wait forever just to order one, unlike at Oktoberfest.
http://www.spital.de/brauerei/
Bischofshof Dunkel: Easy-drinking Dunkel dark from one of the smaller tents at the DULTfest. It's a solid beer for the style.
http://www.bischofshof.de/
More booze updates as they come.
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Haha enjoyed the journey, thanks!
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