Beer Gardens, Literary Pub Crawls, Brew Festivals - Are These on Your Itinerary?

Prost! Sláinte! Cheers! Raise your glass to the best beer in the world. If you travel to drink, and if beer is your poison, make a beeline for one of these countries. From ales to lagers and everything in between, you will be spoilt for choice. If your visit coincides with one of the festivals in these lands, you will be in for a treat indeed. Here’s our pick of places where you will find the best beer in the world.

Germany

Does Germany produce the best beer in the world? It’s certainly the most prolific! There are some 5,000 different beers brewed in 1,200-odd breweries, mostly according to the German Reinheitsgebot (Purity Law). There are primarily four styles of beers in Germany – wheat beers like Berliner Weisse, pale beers like Pilsner or Kölsch, highly fermented dark beers like Schwarzbier and unfiltered lagers known as Kellerbiers. Each of these has a distinctive taste and appearance and to Germans the style of beer is more important than the brand. The Pilsner or Pils is a light straw to golden coloured beer that is quite bitter. Kölsch is less bitter with a nutty taste. Weissbier is quite sour and though a classic German beer, it’s an acquired taste. The top beer brands include Oettinger, Krombacher and Bitburger. Germany is also home to the one of the most famous beer festivals in the world – the Oktoberfest, a 16-18 day festival that starts in late September and runs till the first week of October. It is held in Munich and only beer brewed within the city limits is allowed to be served here. The lively festival has plenty of music, games, food and entertainment and sees millions of litres of beer being consumed; it is after all the largest “People’s Fair” in the world!

England

Gone are the days when English beer meant weak Pimms served at room temperature. In the past decade several small, independent breweries have opened up all over England and especially in London – serving up innovative styles of ‘craft’ beer. Big brands such as Ansells, Newcastle Brown Ale and Marston’s still boast of a loyal clientele. But it’s the microbreweries that are taking England by storm. The next time you’re in London, take a brewery tour where you can learn about the production process and also taste several beers fresh from the tanks. Check out Sambrook’s for their cask ales or Camden Town Brewery or Meantime in Greenwich that offers pie and pint nights. You can also visit Bermondsey Mile for a microbrewery crawl or East London, which is home to many brewpubs. Of course you can just head to the friendly neighbourhood pub and conduct your own ‘taste test’! Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) organises several beer festivals in England throughout the year, most notable of which is the Great British Beer Festival held in London in the first week of August every year. The Champion Beer of Britain is also announced at the festival. Another prominent beer festival, National Winter Ales Festival, takes place every January.

Ireland

Ireland is a great beer-drinking nation and almost 50% of the alcohol being consumed is beer. Apart from lager and ale, stout is also very popular. In fact the malty and full-bodied Guinness was almost synonymous with beer in Ireland for several decades and is considered to be the best beer in the world by many. Other Irish beers such as the dark and chocolaty Beamish stout, the light and sweetish Murphy’s stout and the typically Irish red ales all have people swearing by them. The oldest operating brewery in Ireland, Smithwick’s dates back to the 14^th century and its caramel-flavoured red ale is also a must-try. However, lately there has been a shift away from Guinness and other stouts with craft beer becoming increasingly popular. The Porterhouse Brewing Company is perhaps the most famous of the independent breweries, beginning with a Dublin pub and now available in London and New York as well. Porterhouse’s Oyster Stout is quite unique as fresh oysters are added to the beer conditioning tanks! Vegetarians, steer clear. Franciscan Well Brewery in Cork offers preservative-free beers and at the daily brewery tours you can relax with a pint or two in their heated and covered beer garden. The Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival takes place in Dublin every March. 

If you’ve enjoyed the works of Irish authors – W. B. Yeats, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and others – we suggest you try a literary pub crawl where professional actors perform pieces from the authors’ works as they take you from pub to pub. 

Belgium

Belgium is known mostly for its typical Lambic beer, which is produced by spontaneous fermentation and exposing the beer to wild yeast native to the Zenne valley. This gives the beer a distinctive cidery taste with a sour aftertaste. Another typical Belgian beer is the Flanders Red Ale, which is aged for a long time and special red malt is used to give it its distinct colour. These beers also have a hint of fruity flavours with plum, peach and raspberry being most popular. Apart from Lambic beer and Flanders red ale, Belgium also produces several pale lagers.  Belgium is home to the certified best beer in the world – the Westvleteren 12 available only at the In De Vrede café and brewed by Trappist monks at the St. Sixtus Abbey across the street from the café. Brasserie Cantillon in Brussels is another brewery to visit; it has been brewing beers since 1900 and continues with traditional methods and contraptions. Other popular beers include the light and refreshing Hoegaarden, the slightly spicy Chimay, Antwerp’s De Koninck and Gueuze – a blend of old and new Lambic beers. Belgium hosts several beer festivals, including the Bruges Beer Festival in February, the Belgian Beer Weekend in September in Brussels, the Beer Challenge in October in Liege and the Christmas Beer Festival in Essen.

Mexico

One of the top exporters of beer, Mexico’s most recognised beer is undoubtedly Corona. However, with its long history of brewing beer, the country has several others worth trying. The oldest and most traditional beer in Mexico is Bohemia, which is quite dense compared to the lighter Corona. Other well-known brands include Dos Equis, Sol and Carta Blanca. Micro brews are relatively new in Mexico with Pepe’s and Joe’s in Mazatlán and Cervecería San Ángel in Mexico City being set up – both of them are however exported to the United States and not available locally. Mexico celebrates a version of the Oktoberfest in various cities, the largest ones being held in Puebla and Mexico City.

Australia

Australia is ranked fourth in per capita beer consumption in the world, and a large percentage of this is lager beer, though stout is well appreciated as well. Foster’s and Coopers are the most popular brands of beer in the country. Regional breweries are also very popular. The oldest brewery still in operation is the Cascade Brewery in Tasmania, which dates back to 1824. Australia also has a very strong micro brewery culture, of which the Mountain Goat Brewery is the most popular. Craft beers from Burleigh Brewing (Queensland), Moo Brew Pilsner (Tasmania) and 4 Pines (New South Wales) are also worth a try. The country hosts nearly 20 beer festivals, underlining the importance of beer to an average Aussie! The Great Australian Beer Festival in Geelong in February, the Good Beer Week in Melbourne in May and the Australian Beer Festival in Sydney in October are the most popular. Many states such as Western Australia, Queensland and Tasmania hold beer weeks.

Now that you have a handy list of the best beer brews in the world, it's time to start planning your holiday!