Beer Alert & Directory IV

It’s called "The Bear’, I believe; Bodo’s and Guiness with the widget are back, too. Happy days!

In Danshui 7-11 signs are up saying that the summer beer festival starts on June 29 - buy 3 bottles, get 21% off. But so far there’s no special beer in the fridge. (Sigh.)

Remember folks: the beer special may last a month, but a year ago the supply lasted maybe a week![/quote]

Thanks a lot for pointing out that the summer beer festival is on! I just checked with two 7-11 in my street, and indeed the festival is on. Unfortunately one didn’t have any of the special beers refrigerated, the other only one of them: A blue marbled can of “Kirin honkaku karakuchi mugi”. I am drinking it as I write, and its not bad… but not my favorite at all: Not too weak taste, not too bitter, pretty refreshing - but: Dry, dry, dry.

In the non-refrigerated area there seem to be more: one “Bear Beer Strong Lager Denmark” went straight to the fridge, I will report back later. Funnily the little booklet which introduces the beers shows a German flag next to this undoubtly Danish beer. I guess it’s as German as the Blue Girl :no-no:

Speaking of German beers… they also feature two definitely German products: Oettinger Hefeweizen and Öttinger Radler. First of all, I am afraid that Oettinger is, while well known and probably the best selling brand, rated VERY lowly in Germany. It is amongst the cheapest brews you can get, also owing to the fact that they do not advertise at all. It is often considered to be synonymous with “Pennerglück” (Hobo’s delight) or Schädelbräu (Headache Brew). The two brews 7-11 carries are a Hefeweizen or wheat beer, which is pretty different from most other beers you get around here. Look it up on wikipedia. I did not try it, and surely will not pay, but a Hefeweizen in my opinion is an easy beer to make well, and also an easy beer even for non-beer-drinkers to like. So you might want to try this, but don’t expect the epitome if German Braukunst :thumbsdown: The other one is a Radler (also known as Alsterwasser by the noth German Preissn), meaning a mix of beer and lemonade. This is a true favourite in summer days all over Germany, especially if you still have to drive (50% beer means you can dring 2x as much as of pure beer hehe). Should be VERY refreshing, but again I will not pay premiums for known sub-standard beers in Taiwan, so I leave the tasting to you guys.

RT Mart carried these and then sold them all off for like nt$35 a can a few months ago. It’s the Pabst Blue Ribbon of Germany, if I had to guess, I suppose. Having a can of the Bear Beer right now and it’s not bad for a strong lager. It’s quite bitter and has quite a strong aftertaste, so that may keep some away. I think for stronger beers, I’ll stick to the Belgians like the Maredsous 8 & 10s and Guillotine.

RT Mart carried these and then sold them all off for like nt$35 a can a few months ago. It’s the Pabst Blue Ribbon of Germany, if I had to guess, I suppose. Having a can of the Bear Beer right now and it’s not bad for a strong lager. It’s quite bitter and has quite a strong aftertaste, so that may keep some away. I think for stronger beers, I’ll stick to the Belgians like the Maredsous 8 & 10s and Guillotine.[/quote]

Yeah, it somehow seems that the worse the reputation of a beer is, the more likely you get it in Taiwan. They even had Eichbaum at Costco, and some coworkers bought it for a party because “it must be good, it’s German!” :doh:

Edit: The Bear is just as you say - quite bitter, and a strong aftertaste. For strong beers I will surely stick with the wonderful Belgian beers (for example at Prost Bar in Danshui- perfect for a summer evening) … unil they start importing Andechser Bergbockand Doppelbock Dunkel to our beautiful island…

It’s called "The Bear’, I believe; Bodo’s and Guiness with the widget are back, too. Happy days![/quote]

I’m half-way through my third can of the stuff … it’s actually drinkable, but I fear a nasty hangover on the horizon.

Drinking bear beers, I’m thinking of another great bear beer:

Is this it? “bear beer”
beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1463/3825

[quote=“deceasedtrainspotter”]Is this it? “bear beer”
beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1463/3825[/quote]

Nope, it is a 7.7% version of that beer. I don’t see a beer on that website that matches 100% (both name and alcohol content). But at least now I found out why 7-11 lists it as German: While the printing on the can says “Brewed and canned by HARBOES BREWERY A/S DK 4230 Skælskør”, the chinese label says “Darguner Brauerei GmbH, Brauereistraße 3, 17150 Dargun”. That brewery in East Germany is owned by the danish company. But also on their website I cannot find this exact beer. Closest from alcohol content would be this here: darguner.de/index.php/65.html

That bear beer is awful… Tastes like someone poured a shot of everclear into a miller highlife…

Just a heads up that The Shibeen will remain open for about another two weeks and is going up for sale. Everything on sale at $100 while stocks last including the expensive English ales. So come on down and get liquidated! We certainly are!

Booze of potential interest:

Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale (the last two cases in Taiwan)
Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
Samuel Smith India Ale
Ramblers’ Ruin Real Ale (secondary fermentation in the bottle and all that)
Orion draught unpasteurised lager from Okinawa

shibeen.com

(the rest of the booze is quite good too, premium stuff like Tanqueray G&Ts, Gentleman Jack, Napoleon brandy, decent house wine, ciders … all $100 a pop)

While stocks last, obviously…

[quote=“The Shibeen Bar and Lounge”]Just a heads up that The Shibeen will remain open for about another two weeks and is going up for sale. Everything on sale at $100 while stocks last including the expensive English ales. So come on down and get liquidated! We certainly are!

Booze of potential interest:

Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale (the last two cases in Taiwan)
Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
Samuel Smith India Ale
Ramblers’ Ruin Real Ale (secondary fermentation in the bottle and all that)
Orion draught unpasteurised lager from Okinawa

shibeen.com

(the rest of the booze is quite good too, premium stuff like Tanqueray G&Ts, Gentleman Jack, Napoleon brandy, decent house wine, ciders … all $100 a pop)

While stocks last, obviously…[/quote]

On the ale front … just the Nut Brown and Rambler’s left… (and Boddington’s, but it’s not really, er, an “ale”)

Still got Orion, wine, and mixed drinks though. All NT$100 …

Hi, We’re still importing a quality range of award winning authentic British beer and cider.

Pale ale, amber ale, India pale ale (IPA), triple malt stout, bottle conditioned ale (filtered and then reseeded with yeast), vintage ale, 5 different styles and flavours of cider / perry.

Island wide delivery available.

Cheers.

[quote=“GoWest”]Hi, We’re still importing a quality range of award winning authentic British beer and cider.

Pale ale, amber ale, India pale ale (IPA), triple malt stout, bottle conditioned ale (filtered and then reseeded with yeast), vintage ale, 5 different styles and flavours of cider / perry.

Island wide delivery available.

Cheers.[/quote]

can you guys get Murphy s stout?

[quote=“justreal”][quote=“GoWest”]Hi, We’re still importing a quality range of award winning authentic British beer and cider.

Pale ale, amber ale, India pale ale (IPA), triple malt stout, bottle conditioned ale (filtered and then reseeded with yeast), vintage ale, 5 different styles and flavours of cider / perry.

Island wide delivery available.

Cheers.[/quote]

can you guys get Murphy s stout?[/quote]

This brand is owned by Heineken so it would be extremely difficult to import under their trading terms and conditions. Heineken used to import it a good few years ago

However, I can sincerely recommend Belhaven Scottish stout ABV 7% that we currently import. This is a triple malt stout and platinum award winner at the World Beer championships.

If you’re definitely after Murphy’s then sorry you probably won’t be buying that in Taiwan any time soon.

did not know Heineken had that label.

The original brewery in Cork known as 'Lady’s Well Brewery was puchased by Heineken International approaching 30 years ago. Cheers.

[quote=“GoWest”]Hi, We’re still importing a quality range of award winning authentic British beer and cider.

Pale ale, amber ale, India pale ale (IPA), triple malt stout, bottle conditioned ale (filtered and then reseeded with yeast), vintage ale, 5 different styles and flavours of cider / perry.

Island wide delivery available.
Cheers.[/quote]
Great to see you guys still going strong!
I’ve been back from The World recently, and as such, have been missing the sheer rapture of a fine hop based beverage. Other than the crap canned variety that usually makes the rounds on this rock.
I myself can certainly vouch for the eminently quaffable Belhaven Stout from GoWest. Speedy delivery, as well! Not especially cheap, but this is not anywhere near the utter pap available at 7-11. Rather, fine product . Cheaper prices than one would get per bottle at the usual hypermarkets suspect.

Thanks for the reminder. Will be placing an order soon…
:scooby:

I walked into a 7-11 a few weeks ago in Hsinchu (where I live) and saw a 6 pack of Sam Adams, and placed it on the counter with urgency. I’ve yet to make another lucky find as that. Does anyone know where a larger variety of tasteful beers can be found, outside of a bar? I know where to get Erdinger, but I’m generally not interested in any of the other common items.

Thanks and saludos,

KP

Jason’s, City Market?

Costco