Beer? Cerveza? Bière? Know what kind of beer you’re ordering on holiday

You know the feeling: you’re on holiday, sitting on a beautiful terrace in a warm country, enjoying doing absolutely nothing and ordering a beer. A little later, a cold, yellow beauty is placed in front of you, but do you actually have any idea what kind of beer you’re drinking? Go on holiday well prepared! This is what you need to know about the beers in these five popular destinations.

Croatia

People in Croatia love beer, but when it comes to pilsner, there are three major players in the country. Karlovacko and Ozujsko in particular are impossible to imagine the Croatian streetscape without, and ten bottles of the latter beer are consumed every second. Cheers!
Fancy a little history? Then order Osjecko: first brewed in 1679, making it Croatia’s oldest beer.

It took a while, but Croatia has also embraced craft beer. For the first time with major international success in 2014; Zmajska Pivovara won many awards and received rave reviews, so it’s definitely worth trying. By now, they brew everything from Pale Ales to Porters.

“Živeli!”

Portugal

In Portugal, the choice is easy: there are two beers and they run the show: Super Bock and Sagres. Two simple, mediocre pilsners. You’ll notice that restaurants and cafés often sell one of the two beers. Sagres and Super Bock have quite a lot of influence in Portuguese football. Portugal’s two biggest clubs are sponsored by either Sagres or Superbock. And that determines your taste too. At least, that applies to the locals in Lisbon, where the two rival clubs come from. Do you drink Sagres? Then you support Benfica. Order Super Bock? Then you cheer for Sporting Lisbon. And that’s despite the fact that there’s hardly any difference in taste between the two beers.

“Saúde!”

Spain

What you get in Spain depends on where you order it. But generally speaking, it’s fair to say: they’re not particularly tasty. If you’re in the south of the country, you’re especially unlucky. Cruzcampo beer is the standard there, and when you get 1.91 stars on ratebeer out of 5, you know enough. In Madrid, you’ll mainly find Mahou Clasica, in the north Estrella Galicia, and in Barcelona you’ll be served Estrella Damm. All mediocre pilsners.

The positive thing about beers in Spain? They remain incredibly refreshing. Not only because it’s generally so hot, but also because the glasses are often kept in the freezer. What’s more, you’ll always get or order tapas with them, because drinking without eating is just boring. If you’re really in the mood for something different, the craft beer scene is also up and running in Spain, so perhaps there’s something tastier in store for you.

“Salud!”

France

France, wine country? Think again! Beer is totally hot here. And we’re not just talking about panaché. After a constant, 36-year decline in beer consumption in the country, there is finally growth. Over the past four years, beer consumption has risen by four percent. The days of its bad image (cheap, tasteless, vulgar, anything but wine) are over; beers are appreciated and craft breweries are springing up like mushrooms.

In Paris? Then check out this beer map and make sure you never pay too much. Naturally, the closer you get to the Eiffel Tower, the more expensive la bière becomes.

“Santé”

Italy

Italy is the ideal holiday destination if you want to eat and drink well. Pizzas, pastas, wines and beers; they can do it all. There’s a good chance you’ve already had a Peroni in the Netherlands. The beer is sold in most Italian restaurants in the Netherlands.

But beware: if you order a Peroni in Italy, you’ll probably get a different one from the one you’re used to. The original Peroni has a red label (Peroni Rossa). It was the first beer from Francesco Peroni’s brewery and was an immediate success in Italy when it was brewed in 1846. It has long been regarded as Italy’s working-class beer: cheap and therefore also popular among students.

The Peroni you drink in the Netherlands most likely has a blue label: Peroni Nastro Azzuro. This pilsner was first brewed in 1963 and was intended to put Peroni on the map abroad as well. Mission accomplished: Peroni Nastro Azzuro is distributed in 75 countries worldwide. In Italy too, only there they call it Nastro Azzuro. So, fancy the Peroni you know? Order a Nastro Azzuro. Fancy the original? Then order a Peroni Rossa!

“Cin cin”

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