Haagen

Beer: Haagen

Type:  Lager
Produced: Australia
Bought: Independent Bottleshop, Clayton, Victoria

I initially thought I'd find a German beer I'd never tasted, only to flip over the bottle to find it made right here in Australia.While this was in no way offensive, I found it quite middle-of-the-road. It was refreshing on a hot day, but does little to stand out from the crowd. It's saving grace may well be the reasonable price, you could certainly do worse...

Haywards 5000

Beer: Haywards 5000

Type:  Strong Lager
Produced: India
Bought: Thirsty Camel, Springvale, Victoria.

Indian beer is something I'm still getting used to. Haywards 5000 apparently has the biggest market share in what will one day be the planet's most populous nation - that's nothing to sneeze at. This weighs in at around 7% alcohol content, so it packs a bit of a punch (in theory) and offers value for money for binge drinkers. The reality is something that tasted rather bland and flat. It was smooth enough, but I could think of much better things to drink with my butter chicken. 

Doss Blockos

Beer: Doss Blockos

Type:  Pale Lager
Produced: Melbourne, Victoria.
Bought: Half Moon, Brighton, Victoria.

With micro-breweries now seemingly outnumber the big boys, the market is now replete with unknown quantities. To stand out from the crowd, Doss Blockos markets itself on an arty basis. Drinks come in their own brown paper bag, which means I can now waste the Earth's resources and look homeless at the same time. Mercifully, the beer itself wasn't too bad - it's a pity the gimmick is such a turn-off. 

4 Pines

Beer: 4 Pines Brewing

Type:  Hefewizen
Produced: Sydney, Australia
Bought: Half Moon, Brighton, Victoria.

As a youngster, I remember seeing the same old beers everywhere. Now, wherever I look, I see a beer I've never seen before. This was such a beer. Although it was a bit wheaty for my taste, it wasn't too bad. Worth trying, but not something that I'll be reaching for again.

Antarctica Sub Zero

Beer: Antarctica Sub Zero

Type:  Pilsener
Produced: São Paulo.
Bought: Extra Supermarket, Bela Vista, São Paulo.

A relative newcomer to the big Brazilian market (released in 2009), Sub Zero is all about chilled filtration for a smooth taste - at least, that's what the marketers would have you believe. Actually pretty refreshing when ridiculously cold, but you better drink it quick...once it warms up slightly, it's worth tipping out and opening another. Pretty good for the price, but not the best thing I drank in Brazil.

Itaipava

Beer: Itaipava

Type:  Pilsener
Produced: Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro.
Bought: Extra Supermarket, Bela Vista, São Paulo.

Another solid Brazilian pilsener. This was good - not great - and went down well over summer. The big selling point the reasonably cheap price, for a product that isn't vastly inferior to the bigger Brazilian brands.

Cerpa

Beer: Cerpa

Type:  Pilsener
Produced: Belém, Para.
Bought: I didn't. Had this at my brother-in-law's place, who said he bought it locally in São Paulo.

This was not bad at all. It's not one of the big brands in Brazil and is relatively unknown outside the country, most likely as it comes from the northern state of Para, up in Amazon country. It's a fairly safe pilsener, that had no trouble going down the hatch.

Bohemia

Beer: Bohemia

Type:  Pilsener
Produced: Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro.
Bought: Pão de Açucar Supermarket, Paraiso, São Paulo, Brazil.

The best Brazilian beer I've had - a consensus shared by my Brazilian relatives and friends. Smooth, refreshing and purportedly the oldest beer in Brazil, dating all the way back to 1853. Goes down exceedingly well with barbecued meats.

Ready, Set, Go!

Beer.

I've never been a wine snob or particularly pretentious about what I drink, but I've decided to broaden my horizons. As a child, I collected stamps to feed my addiction to knowing more about the rest of the world, but as an adult, I've found something much more palatable!

My aim is simple - to try as many different beers as I can. Not all at once, of course, but whenever I decide to have a drink, I simply choose something I've never had.

The rules are simple:
1 - Drink it - no shop snapping!
2 - Photograph it.
3 - Post it.

My opinions about what I try are simply that: my opinions. Everyone has different tastes and preferences - that's the beauty of it really.

Wish me luck.