Around The World In 15 Beers (Slideshow)
Foster's may be Australia's most internationally recognized beer, but the truth is you'd rarely come across the stuff down under. One of the best-selling beers in Australia is a lager called Victoria Bitters, otherwise known as VB or playfully referred to as the "green death" in reference to both its green can and its acquired taste. Pure Blonde is another favorite, but get through a Victoria Bitter and you can consider you're self a true Aussie.
Argentina: Quilmes
The Quilmes brewery was originally founded by a German immigrant in 1888 in the Quilmes province of Buenos Aires. This nationally recognized beer is easily the top choice for Argentineans and is also very popular among travelers to the country. Quilmes makes reds, stouts, and bocks, but the lager is the favored style. Just like the country's beloved soccer team, the Quilmes label is blue and white.
Bahamas: Kalik
The beer brand of the Bahamas, Kalik is the country's best-selling beer brand and is brewed at the Commonwealth Brewery, which is the largest in the country. Kalik is a lager that has a fresh, light taste and comes in three types: Kalik, Kalik Gold, and Kalik Light.
Belgium: Delirium Tremens
This strong pale ale from Belgium was named the best beer in the world at the 2008 World Beer Olympics in Chicago. Delirium Tremens beer comes in an opaque bottle with a quirky label and is brewed using three different yeasts. The resulting flavor is sweet, yeasty, and strongly carbonated.
Belize: Belikin Beer
Belikin Beer is a full-bodied beer that is the leading domestically-produced beer brand in Belize. Belikin is brewed in a classic, European lager style and uses Canadian pilsner malt in combination with a blend of German hops.
Brazil: Brahma
Brahma is one of two leading beer brands that dominates the Brazilian market (the second being Skol beer) and it dates back to 1888. Though the first Brahma beer to hit the market was Brahma Malzbier, the Brahma Chopp, a pale lager that was introduced in 1934, is the main Brahma beer brand in Brazil. The Brahma beer brand is the fifth largest brand in the world.
Costa Rica: Imperial Beer
Imperial beer is a lager that is among the top three best-selling beers in Costa Rica. Imperial's logo features an eagle, which is widely known around Costa Rica and has earned it the nickname "aguila" among locals, which means eagle.
Greece: FIX Hellas
FIX, also referred to as FIX Hellas, is Greek brand that produces a Munich lager beer that has an interesting history behind it. It monopolized the country's beer market and grew in popularity throughout the Mediterranean up until the 1960s, but FIX eventually lost its swagger due to an influx of international brands. FIX went out of business in 1982 for a shor time but was revived in 2010 to much success.
India: Kingfisher
India's Kingfisher beer is an American pale lager style beer that is brewed in Bangalore and was first launched in 1978. This conventionally fermented brew is widely available around the world and has won many international awards.
Indonesia: Bintang
At many bars in Indonesia, you're likely to find yourself among a million travelers (mostly Australian, mind you) sporting Bintang beer tank tops purchased at the local markets; along with a Bintang beer in hand, of course. Bintang is a pilsner beer in Indonesia whose label greatly resembles that of Heineken.
Ireland: Guinness
If you haven't tried a Guinness already, it would be a shame to leave Ireland without sampling the brew it's most famous for; not that Guinness tastes any different when you're drinking it in the Motherland. Guinness is a dry stout and delivers a burnt flavor that comes from roasted, unmalted barley. If you're a Guinness lover and want to know more, be sure to take a tour of the Guinness factory; you'll get a free beer at the end.
Netherlands: Heineken
We could spot that green bottle from a mile away. Heineken is a pale lager beer that came to be in the nineteenth century under Dutchman Gerard Adriaan Heineken. Heineken is made from purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast.
Peru: Cusqueña
Cusqueña is an American adjunct lager style brew that dates back to 1911. The beauty of this beer is due in part to its natural ingredients, including fresh mountain water that is sourced at 18,000 feet from the Peruvian Andes.
South Korea: Hite
Though Koreans love their Soju, they also love their beer. Hite is the top selling beer brand in the Korean market (Cass is the second best) and is a European pale lager style beer that is brewed from barley, malt and rice.
Thailand: Singha Beer
Just like Indonesia, Thailand is host to many a traveler wearing a Singha tank top while knocking back a cold Singha beer. The singha, which appears on the label of the bottle, is a powerful mythological lion found in ancient Hindu and Thai stories. This pale ale is a favorite in Thailand, though you'll also see travelers ordering Chang beers.