Chimay Red (#15)

Today I will review a quite special beer. It's not brewed by a big beer company or by a micro brew. This one - called Chimay - is made in a Trappist monastery. As you know, over the years, monks have come up with a lot of cool stuff the we enjoy until toady. So I have my hopes really high for this one. So let's pour!


During the video review I used a phrase "my show"... I am loosing my mind.


Chimay Red review from Gril Likes Beer on Vimeo.

1. [PRE-REVIEW]

• brewery: Chimay Brewery
  
• type of beer: ale
  
• bought in: @ delicatessen in Warsaw
  
• container grade (bottle): a cute small bottle 
  

2. [REVIEW]

• the looks: head (heavy, big and thick), body (dark orange)
  
• the taste: grapefruit bitter with a nutty aftertaste
  
• the smell: malty
  

3. [RECOMMENDATION]

I'll have another one but maybe not right away...

Gambrinus Svetly (#14)

Believe it or not but this is a fourth review this month. They weren't exactly weekly. Although on average they sure were. I hope I can make this a standard for the upcoming months.

So let's get to it. Today we have a Czech beer called Gambrinus which means that there are only two more beer left in the First Beer Trip batch.

Oh, and I am going forward with video review. So just hit play.


Gambrinus Svetly review from Gril Likes Beer on Vimeo.

1. [PRE-REVIEW]

• brewery: Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery
  
• type of beer: pale lager
  
• bought in: @ grocery outside of Prague
  
• container grade (bottle): standard bottle 
  

2. [REVIEW]

• the looks: head (nice, big and solid), body (golden)
  
• the taste: hoppy and very bitter
  
• the smell: hoppy
  

3. [RECOMMENDATION]

Whatever I guess

Miller Genuine Draft (#13)

This time I come back a bit faster with some new stuff. First, I got a beer out of the Beer Trip batch. Second, I got a video review. Third, I somehow forgot to make a picture... Last time I promise.

So we will try today an American one called Miller Genuine Draft. A cold filtered beer which gives a draft beer (or tap beer if you will) in a bottle.


Miller Genuine Draft review from Gril Likes Beer on Vimeo.

1. [PRE-REVIEW]

• brewery: Miller Brewing Company
  
• type of beer: pale lager
  
• bought in: @ supermarket in Warsaw
  
• container grade (bottle): small bottle therefore kind of cute 
  

2. [REVIEW]

• the looks: head (sparkling white and porous foam), body (yellowish gold)
  
• the taste: sweet
  
• the smell: light hoppy
  

3. [RECOMMENDATION]

I'll have another one but maybe not right away...

Goesser (#12)

Going a bit west, we find ourselves in Austria. Trying out one of the finest...Goesser. The green label or so they say. Pouring and drinking starts...right now!

1. [PRE-REVIEW]

• brewery: Gösser Brewery
  
• type of beer: lager
  
• bought in: @ discount market in Budapest
  
• container grade (bottle): an ordinary bottle 
  

2. [REVIEW]

• the looks: head (porous foam), body (yellow)
  
• the taste: bitter
  
• the smell: kind of smell-less

3. [RECOMMENDATION]

Whatever I guess...

Borsodi (#11)

As promised I come back with new reviews. I still haven't finished the Central European batch. So we shall see how Hungarian beers are holding. From what I hear...pretty good. So let's pour.

1. [PRE-REVIEW]

• brewery: Borsodi Sörgyár Rt. (Borsod Brewery)
  
• type of beer: pale ale
  
• bought in: @ discount market in Budapest
  
• container grade (bottle): tall and slender 
  

2. [REVIEW]

• the looks: head (white and quit thick foam), body (light yellow)
  
• the taste: pretty sweat with a hoppy pre-taste
  
• the smell: light hoppy

3. [RECOMMENDATION]

I'll have another one and another one...

Kozel (#10)

Moving around Central Europe we come back to Czech Republic. This time we review a goat beer named Kozel. Probably won't make it to my TOP 5 but let's see, shall we.

1. [PRE-REVIEW]

• brewery: Plzensky Prazdroj (since 1874)
  
• type of beer: pale lager
  
• bought in: @ grocery outside of Prague
  
• container grade (bottle): darkish a bit 
  

2. [REVIEW]

• the looks: head (white foamy but soon gone), body (magenta yellow)
  
• the taste: moderate bitter flavor
  
• the smell: heavy and hoppy

3. [RECOMMENDATION]

Whatever I guess...

Green gold

Between my beer reviews (or beer tastings if you will) I'd like to bring you some information about beer in general.

Recently a member of hop processing conglomerate Barth Haas Group, namely Joh. Barth&Sohn GmbH has published a yearly report on beer (first report was published in 1877).

The key findings are as follows:
- world beer production has increased from 1,696,459hl (2006) to 1,787,415hl (2007)
- Poland is in top 5 Europe and top 10 World (that is my key finding)
- crop year 2007 will be remembered as turbo boom year
- year 2007 = scarsity of hops and exorbitant prices
- area under hop cultivation has increased to 50659 ha
- Pareto principle proves itself once again, 20 countries make up 80% of total beeer production

Below you will find the Europe TOP 5 and World TOP 10 in beer production.

TOP 5 Europe (in hl)

Country	2006	2007
Russia	99900	116000
Germany	107174	105000
United Kingdom	53763	50511
Poland	32500	35500
Spain	33600	34350

TOP 10 World (in hl)

Country	2006	2007
China	351515	393137
USA	231161	233746
Russia	99900	116000
Germany	107174	105000
Brazil	93600	96000
Mexico	78162	81000
Japan	62980	62804
United Kingdom	53763	50511
Poland	32500	35500
Spain	33600	34350

The full report can be found here.