I’m supposed to sing the praises of this ’Premium’ Beer, aren’t I? Or I’m supposed to stock my fridge with an endless supply of this staple diet for beer drinkers? No? Well you guessed right this time! Yes, the crowned King of party poopers is here to ruin your enjoyment of this American offering. I think that the main reason this stuff sells is the trendy marketing and the trendy bars that flog this stuff as their sponsor brand. In India it’s a case of it being an imported brand full stop that sells it. But this the only high-class lemonade, I know, that pretends to be a ’Premium’ Beer. It is rather a weak tasting fizzy liquid with a thin bitter after taste; rather like something you’d concoct in the school chemistry lab to poison your older siblings with. It’s ok as a thirst quencher at the All-American World Series Baseball game but I’d rather not drink it once I’ve left the stadium. Because once I’ve left the stadium, I do have a choice. You can drink a whole six-pack of this stuff and still drive your Harley in a straight line with no wobbles, past your local Law Enforcement Officer.
Recently I was invited to a party and was asked what beer I would like to drink, I replied ’Budweiser’. Once at the party I was offered a glass of pale liquid, the taste was insipid! I asked what this coloured tap water was and was told, ’’It’s Budweiser. You said Budweiser was your favourite!’’ Really, it wasn’t what I had in mind at all.
What I had in mind was a beer from Ceske Budejovice (strangely ’Budejovice’ is pronounced ’Budweiser’), a small town in Southern Bohemia, the Czech Republic. This is the home of the original Budweiser; Budweiser Budvar. It’s a beer of a completely different character. In fact it’s actually a beer and not lemonade dressed in a beer can! Budvar is full bodied, has a clean crisp after taste and has a malty-hoppy aroma. It’s a bit more expensive than it’s richer and tasteless American cousin, but you will be rewarded for paying the extra. It generally has an alcohol content of 5.0%, but I have had a version that was 10% Vol in Bratislava. Budvar is best consumed without accompaniment (no food or ’nibbles’); this is a serious stand alone drink.
As far as I am aware you can’t get this Czech version in India yet (generally). My advice is to lobby your local bar until they cave-in to demand and start importing the stuff in. This shouldn’t be an unreasonable demand; after all hasn’t India started getting the Czech originated Skoda Octavia recently?
Ps. OK the Skoda Octavia is being built in Aurangabad, Maharashtra!!