I found Well’s IPA at a Family Mart.
A nice summer quencher…
The Japanese autumn beers have hit the Seven. Always a happy day for me
The Taipi PREMIUM cans are pretty good for $37. Supposedly 100% malt and “brewed with European ingredients” or some shit.
This weekend I’m taking advantage of the family mart 2 cans of Orion (500ml) for NT99. Normal price is NT75 per can. And I save on airfares to Okinawa too. 
I dunno–I found it way too sweet and it had a metallic funk to it that made me pour out the bottom half of my can. I’ll stick with jin-pai or 18-day. Winter selection in the local Seven/Family is pretty sad, but I would take a Suntory Premium Malts blue and gold can over premium Tai-pee any day, even for the extra $10. The Orion two-fer-99 deal at Family is a good bet too and seems to have been going on for a couple months now at least.
I dunno–I found it way too sweet and it had a metallic funk to it that made me pour out the bottom half of my can. I’ll stick with jin-pai or 18-day.[/quote]
I didn’t like it much either. The jinpai is still my favourite local brew. The Japanese beers are all too hoppy for my taste.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on Carrefour, folks. They always have a good selection of top-quality imports, and usually some on sale around the 100NT mark.
One of the lesser-known corner stores (maybe it was OKMart) used to stock Lao beer. It’s good. Anyone seen this recently?
I thought it was pretty good for a $37 can beer. Haven’t had good luck with 18-day in the past. I’ll have to try it again.
Wellcome has had Lao in the past. I like it when you can get it.
Quite a good variety of foreign beer available at Carrefour right now. Four or five different varieties of Speakeasy IPA, pale ale, and so on, around 110-120 a bottle; a slightly broader selection than the usual Scuttlebutt (which seems to have become normal now, yay!); and other stuff too. All on special, but don’t expect big discounts - 5-10NT off or so.
There are some interesting locally made microbrews as well, unfortunately lacking English labels. Anyone have opinions on Chthonic beer?
Samuel Adam’s Summer Ale at Welcome.
Actually, Welcome has a whole bunch of decent beers at better prices than 7-11.
$206 for a actually 6 pack of Bud instead of seeing priced as high as $350 in some places or the dreaded 4 pack for that price.
Crafted Beer & Co., in Maji Square: a great newish place for picking up different microbrews, both imported and local - and good to see that they’re trying hard to push the increasingly interesting local microbrew scene. You can get six-packs at a discount, and they’ve also got a small bar where you can get stuff on tap.
Facebook: facebook.com/craftedbeerandco
Home page: crafted.tw
Hours from Facebook: Closed Mondays; Tuesday to Thursday 2pm to 10:30pm; Friday 1pm to 11pm; Saturday 11:30am to 11pm; Sunday 11:30am to 9:30pm.
If you haven’t been to the Maji Square area yet, I strongly recommend looking around - fantastic concentration of non-Taiwanese food, with open-air yet shaded tables. Ok, so those tables are still kind of hot at this time of year, but most of the restaurants have air-conditioned interiors as well. It’s right beside Yuanshan Station, where the Flower Expo was and where the Lantern Festival is usually held. There’s a big crafty market area. If you happen to be someone who would rather sit with a beer and people-watch, while your spouse shops (not that that could ever apply to any couples!), it’s a great destination.
[quote=“lostinasia”]Crafted Beer & Co., in Maji Square: a great newish place for picking up different microbrews, both imported and local - and good to see that they’re trying hard to push the increasingly interesting local microbrew scene. You can get six-packs at a discount, and they’ve also got a small bar where you can get stuff on tap.
Facebook: facebook.com/craftedbeerandco
Home page: crafted.tw
Hours from Facebook: Closed Mondays; Tuesday to Thursday 2pm to 10:30pm; Friday 1pm to 11pm; Saturday 11:30am to 11pm; Sunday 11:30am to 9:30pm.
If you haven’t been to the Maji Square area yet, I strongly recommend looking around - fantastic concentration of non-Taiwanese food, with open-air yet shaded tables. Ok, so those tables are still kind of hot at this time of year, but most of the restaurants have air-conditioned interiors as well. It’s right beside Yuanshan Station, where the Flower Expo was and where the Lantern Festival is usually held. There’s a big crafty market area. If you happen to be someone who would rather sit with a beer and people-watch, while your spouse shops (not that that could ever apply to any couples!), it’s a great destination.[/quote]
OMG, they have Sierra Nevada and Stone Brewing Co.!!! Does this mean I can now get Arrogant Bastard here in Taiwan? I might have to brave the heat to check this out.
I scored at Carrefour today - they were clearing out their Scuttlebutt Imperial Pale Ale for only NT$19 per bottle. This is good stuff, a nice 8% punch at an unbelievable price. I guess locals don’t care for IPA much?
Nah, it’s just that Americans still haven’t figured out how to make good beer 
Seriously, it could be people are just not familiar with it. I’ve noticed that the locals aren’t very adventurous when it comes to beer, even for NT$19. Personally I just don’t like IPAs - don’t really like heavily-hopped beers in general. But that’s just me.
Carrefour always have some good value beers. I thoroughly recommend the “Piraat”, for Belgian beer fans. Tastes like a well-rounded dubbel, but 10.5%. NT$75 IIRC.
I actually prefer the Belgian beers but I’m not gonna turn down NT$19 for IPA. I’m from Chico, CA, where Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is famous. So, kinda used to it.
Hmm just happened to be heading over, will take a look.
Purchased at Danshui Carrefour today: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Handcrafted Ale), Sierra Nevada Torpedo (Extra IPA), and Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (Gose-Style Ale Brewed with Cactus and Grapefruit?!). I think normal price 125, on sale for 100 or so. I gather amongst some forumosans - or maybe just 500CBFan! - the presence of Sierra Nevada is significant.
No new topics since last year?
Went to: http://www.simplemart.com.tw
It upped its ante this summer. Selling American Pale Ale in 500cc can from Shore Break out of Wisconsin. Deal currently on is 2 cans for NT$85. Very tasty.
Also a bunch of other brews for sale. Berg (out of Germany) Hefeweissen in 500cc can. Current deal is 3 for NT$105.
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Seeing some great beer at Family Mart. I even saw some Hobgoblin Gold (in a can, though) there yesterday. But I’m on a diet that restricts beer intake. I allow myself to get crazy once a week and that’s usually with friends or family at a restaurant.
Currently family mart offers Taiwan Beer 18 Days in cans. I like it, since the bottles are damn heavy. Seems to be sold out often, and also limited until early July IIRC.
Also, at Seven I saw a “Kellerbier” from a brewery based in Bamberg, Germany - quite enjoyable unfiltered (cloudy) Lager beer.
Had that Kellerbier last summer. Very very good for being in a can, too. Glad to see 7-11 brought it back this summer. Simple Mart’s new deal today is Saporro (brewed in Japan, the good stuff) 500cc in the silver can, 2 for NT$95.
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