The Intl. Lager Challenge - Germany Semi Finals 1 & 2

Semi Final 1
Krombacher  4.8% €2.95
Veltins Pilsener 4.8% abv  €2.99

Germany Quarter Finals 1&2 are here, Germany Quarter Final 3&4 are here

Veltins is very much the underdog here, it was a surprise winner in the QF against the fancied Spaten but I think it will have its work cut out against the mighty Krombacher, which as I mentioned in the QF, I have loved for a long time. The Krom won fairly handy against the mid-table Warsteiner and if I were a betting man I wouldn't wager against it.

Krombacher
Still very good, smooth, creamy and delicious.

Veltins
The Veltins is also good, it's less smooth but it has a hint of hoppiness that I'm liking. This is a tough call; both are very tasty

Winner - Krombacher (by a nose)

Semi Final 2
Beck's 4.8% abv  €1.75
Grafenwalder 5% abv €1.09

The Grafenwalder has it all to do. It's the only "cheap" beer to win a round to date but it's up against a "premium" lager in Becks, which I know I like. I brought down a sixpack of The Graf on hols and had no complaints, but I also brought a slab of Finkbrau, so I don't know what to tell you.

Becks
Yep, still good. Crisp and clean, not earth shattering but solid. There's body to this lager and a tiny bit of malt.

Grafenwalder
Hmmm, there's some little hoppiness here but not much else, still it's quite drinkable.

Winner - Becks

The Intl. Lager Challenge - Netherlands Semi-Finals 1 & 2

Semi Final 1 
Bavaria 4.3% €1.39 (can, Tesco)
Heineken 5% abv (can)

I didn't realise it, but Bavaria isn't a cheap Heineken knock off. It was founded in 1719, apparently. Papa Willie used to buy this by the case when I was growing up, there were two varieties; the weaker Green can and the stronger Yellow can. We always assumed they were inexpensive but when we went to Amsterdam earlier this year , you couldn't escape the stuff.

Growing up in D4 I feel culturally conditioned to love the 'ol Vitamin H. I will admit I used to drink a lot of it, and still do occasionally on draft. mostly when I'm very thirsty, the selection of beers is poor and I don't fancy a Guinness. Having said that, I don't tend to drink the regular (4.3%) stuff from cans, but I do like the European (or 5%) version. Having tasted them back to back, accidentally, I can confirm there is a big difference. BTW Heineken is only around since 1873!

Bavaria
Not bad, it's smooth and perfectly drinkable and refreshing in a cold beer flavoured drink way.

Heineken
There's a lovely zing to this beer. In the weaker version this can come across as unpleasant bitterness but as it is here, I quite like it.

Winner - Heineken

Semi Final 2
Grolsch 5% abv   €1.89 (can)
Dutch Gold  4% €?.?? (can)

I can't imagine this is going to be much of a competition but for form's sake we'll do it by the numbers. I've never sampled the pleasures of Dutch Gold, famous as it is with a certain crowd in Dublin. Grolsch is one of my "go to" lagers (along with Becks and 5% 'Ken), so let's start.

Dutch Gold
You know what, this isn't offensive, it's a bit bland but if I was handed a glass of this on a hot day, I'd probably drink it, and suffer the social opprobrium afterwards.

Grolsch
Better, it's crisper, cleaner with a light hoppy finish.

Winner - Grolsch

The Intl. Lager Challenge - Poland Semi-Finals 1 & 2

Semi Final 1
Lech 5.2% abv
Tyskie 5.6% abv €1.65 (Lidl)

I've done this before, although not for a while.        
Lech eh? Not much to say here. I've purchased it in occasion and it was...unremarkable. Nothing wrong with it but nothing lodged in my memory banks. Tyskie is a love/hate thing. Not a bunch of pretty Dublin gangsters but a memory of a legendary Tyskie induced hangover. I foolishly drank eight cans playing poker, along with lots of whiskey and a couple of stogies. At 6pm the next day I had to retreat to my bed with a crippling headache,  hoping to reboot.

Lech
Still nothing going on here. It's not watery piss like Bud/Coors etc. It has more body. But there's not much malt, no hops. Grassy, easy drinking but bland.

Tyskie
Better. There's a tiny bit of caramel sweetness and a little hoppy bite at the finish and maybe the extra alcohol helps.

Winner - Tyskie

Semi Final 2
Warka 5.7% abv €1.84 (can, Dunnes)
Zywiec 5.8% abv €1.65 (can, Lidl)

I like Zywiec, I like it a lot. It's quite strong but it's got lots of flavour. I'm not sure about the Warka. There wasn't a lot of other decent Polish beers around. Karpackie anyone? Although I did find some cans of Tatra (6% abv) somewhere and it was ok. Could have been a last minute replacement for the the Warka but eh, no.

Warka
Hmmm, not great. Quite like the Lech, not much going on here.

Zywiec
Much better, some nice maltiness, good balance and a nice finish.

Winner - Zywiec.

Holiday Beers - Update 2

After a couple of pints, and a torrential downpour, at a nearby Parish "do", I squelched my way into Baggot St wines with a view to purchasing some quality craft beers for m'hols. I had previously been to Lidl where I bought a load of cheap beer and wine, so I was only after the good stuff now.

From left to right they are:

Dungarvan Comeragh Challenger Irish Bitter 3.8% €3.49 
Very bitter. Too bitter for me, alas.

Trouble Brewing Sabotage India Pale Ale 5.5% €3.69
I liked this although it was unusually dark red in the glass for an IPA and had a more red ale fruit thing going on. Very different to what I normally drink but well worth a punt.

Curious IPA 5.6% €3.49
Decent IPA. Nothing to shout about in this company. I'll probably have to buy this again to give it a fair shake.

Mikkeller Green Gold 7.0% €4.69
This was too much for me. It was very big and very full of flavour. I like a fuller flavoured IPA but this was a bit OTT for me, for some reason.

8 Degrees Barefoot Bohemian Pilsner Lager 4.0% €2.49
Finally an Irish lager I really like. Although it's only 4%, and I don't normally liked weak lagers, I loved this. It's crisp and has a nice bit of hops going on.

Franciscan Well IPA 7.5% €4.99
The pick of the bunch. I haven't had a beer from this brewery since Herself bought me an Alpha Dawg IPA a while back. Since then the brewery has been bought by Molson Coors, so it was with some trepidation that I opened this bottle. I needn't have worried, this was fantastic. Lots of hops, but well balanced, I'll have to blind test this against my favorite US IPAs...

Hilden Brewing Co Twisted Hop 4.7% €3.49
A good solid IPA from our Northern friends. Good hops, good malt, a lovely well balanced ale. I'm not surprised it won a prize (see below). I have to say that my favourite IPAs are the strong (mostly) American IPAs, but I would buy this again...

The Twisted Hop has just won top prize at the first Dublin Craft Beer Cup, so I got 2 of them. I was invited to this event by the lovely people @BaggotStWines, but alas I couldn't go due to work constraints.

I'll be drinking the rest over the next couple of weeks and will report back in due course.

The Intl. Lager Challenge - Czech/Slovak Semi-Finals 1 & 2

Semi Final 1
Pilsner Urquell 4.4% abv  €2.99
Zlaty Bazant  5.0% abv  €2.19  (Slovak)

Look at the picture at left. Notice any similarities between the two beers?  Gold foil at the top, green font on a white background and a red rosette/symbol above same?  I did a quick qoogle and Pilsner Urquell has been made since 1842, Zlaty Bazant since 1967.

Zlaty Bazant is marketed in the U.S. as Golden Pheasant, and there's one on the label. There you go. It's owned by Heineken and I found some sniffy reviews on the intertubes as a result of this.

Pilsner Urquell
Nice, very nice. Crisp, full flavoured and a hint of bitterness and hops. This beer is apparently the original Pils (from the town of Pilsen, natch). 

Zlaty Bazant
It's not bad.. It's dry, with a little something or other going on at the finish. I'd drink it if I was given it but it's not at the races today.

Winner - Pilsner Urquell

Semi Final 2
Budweiser Budvar 5.0% abv  €2.49 
Staropramen 5.0% abv  €2.49

I know that Budvar has a complicated and litigious history, which I won't rehash here. Suffice to say I won't ever be drinking it's namesake.

After they took the Krombacher tap out of the Stillorgan Orchard I started to drink Budvar in bottles. I still buy it sporadically,  when I'm feeling flathuileach. Staropramen I've had the odd time, mostly when I'm in a pub and don't fancy whatever is on draught

Budweiser Budvar
Lots of  malty goodness and a hoppy finish. Well balanced and with a long finish. Altogether very tasty. This will be tough to beat.

Staropramen
It's good, slightly sweet and malty, but it's lacking the hoppy bite of its opponent. I'd be happy to drink it in a bar, but I'd probably not buy it...

Winner - Budvar

The Intl. Lager Challenge - Germany Quarter Finals 3 & 4

Quarter Final 3
Beck's 4.8% abv  €1.75 (can)
Holsten Pils 5.0% abv  €1.75 (can, 440ml)

Me and Beck's go way back. I spent one long hot summer in LA eschewing the weak local swill for bottles of Beck's and Grolsch. Holsten Pils used to be seen, I think, as a somewhat sophisticated beer back in the late 80's when I started drinking. It wasn't a lager, it was a Pils. Ahh, more innocent times! I honestly have no idea how it's going to hold up tonight, whether it was ever any cop or whether it was just clever marketing.

Becks
I like this, it has nice, crisp, dry flavours, and a decent finish with a hint of hoppiness.


Holsten Pils
No. Not much going on here. No crispness, just an underlying slightly sweetish hum. Drinkable but not much more.

Winner  - Becks



Quarter Final 4
Grafenwalder 5% abv €1.09 (can, Lidl)
Finkbrau 4.9% abv €0.75 (33cl, Lidl)

I've blogged (and compared and contrasted) Lidl beers before, and that time the Grafenwalder won, over its rival Perlenbacher. I've just checked the labels and both of these beers are made for Lidl. I do buy Finkbrau when I'm feeling impecunious but the Grafenwalder I haven't had for a long time. I decided to include these two just to see if you can get decent beer, cheaply. Let's see.

Finkbrau
Pale in the glass, not much head, this is OK, if a bit grassy.

Grafenwalder
Also pale in the glass, also not much head.This has a slightly fuller, richer flavour. Nothing to write home about but decent.

Winner  - Grafenwalder

Note: At one point  I had included Satzenbrau in the eight German beers but after I googled it I discovered its not German at all. It's an erzatz Pils, made by Guinness in Dublin.

The Intl. Lager Challenge - Germany Quarter Finals 1 & 2

Quarter Final 1
Spaten 5.2% abv
Veltins Pilsener 4.8% abv  €2.99

I do like Spaten, I had some recently at a gig (Hey! I'm not so old), and I really enjoyed it. I've only had Veltins once, on a recommendation from some guy in an off licence. It was OK; pleasant but unremarkable. Sounds like this match is a no-brainer, let's see...

Spaten
Pale yellow in the glass, decent head. It's not bad, but not great. Some decent malt present and it's smooth, dry and drinkable but  nothing exciting here.

Veltins Pilsener
This is nice. Decent malt  and a little hops. Again not massively exciting but pretty decent.

Winner  - Veltins

Quarter Final 2
Kromabcher  4.8% €2.95 (Dunnes)
Warsteiner 4.8% abv

Back when we used to drink in the Stillorgan Orchard on a regular basis, they used to have Krombacher on tap and I bleedin' loved it, but I haven't seen it on draught it since. I buy it occasionally in bottles, but it can be pricey - three yo-yos for a bottle of lager isn't that clever. I'm sure I've sampled the Warsteiner before but I couldn't tell you when, I guess I must have tried it at least once? Anyway, here goes...

Krombacher
Amber in the glass with a long lasting head, this is pure class. Well balanced, sweet and slightly creamy (?) with a long luscious finish, this is utterly delicious. I suspect this will be a hard ask for the opposition here.


Warsteiner 
Tennis ball yellow in the glass, the head on this rapidly disappeared (baum). Not bad, a little bitterness but not much else going on. Fine on a hot day but not a winner here...

Winner  - Krombacher