These beers from around the world are all the travel inspo you need.
Is your passport looking a little dusty after a few years of staying put? Like many Australians who’ve been grounded recently, you’re probably itching to travel again. The idea of getting back out there is so exciting that even aeroplane food is looking pretty good right now.
When travelling, one of the best ways to get to know a country is by throwing yourself mouth-first into its food and drink culture. But in particular, we think it’s a country’s beer that’s the best shortcut to understanding what makes a place tick. Almost every country has their own signature style and favourite way to knock back a cold one. Skip the guidebook and spend some time in a local bar or restaurant and you’ll learn everything you need to know.
So where will you go? North, south, east or west? Maybe it’s just easier to book an around-the-world ticket and figure the rest out later. To help you with a little travel inspo, we’ve pulled together the places we’re keen to check out ASAP, along with the international beers they’re known for. From Europe, to Asia, the Americas, and even just across the ditch, here you’ll find an international beer that’s worth renewing your passport for.
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Scandinavia
Let’s start at the top – literally. At the very top of Europe you’ll find the Scandinavian countries, all well-versed in things like furniture, pickled fish, snow and beer. In Norway resides the northernmost brewery in the world, Macks Ølbryggeri tucked away in the small village of Nordkjosbotn. For over 140 years Mack has been brewing beer in the north to take advantage of the pristine arctic waters that surround the region.
Their Mack Isbjørn Lager is their best seller, a super refreshing pilsner that was the first beer ever drunk at the North Pole. The best way to enjoy one? Sitting in the snow and watching the Northern Lights dance across the Arctic sky.
Japan
You’ll never forget the first time you go to Japan. It’s like simultaneously stepping into the past and the future, with a blend of tradition and technology that’s like nowhere else on earth. Tokyo is obviously the first place to come to mind, but step outside the megacity and you can discover the many different sides of the country.
You probably don’t think of tropical beaches and coral reefs as iconically Japan, but on the island of Okinawa that’s exactly what you’ll find. Tucked away near Taiwan, the island is often called ‘the Hawaii of Japan’ and it’s full of sun, surf, sand and snorkelling. It’s also home to Monsuta Okinawa Premium Draft, a full-flavoured lager that’s a real treat when served ice cold in the humid tropical weather. And then there’s Monsuta Okinawa Supreme Lager which takes things to the next level with premium malts and hops for an elevated, but still gargantuan flavoured beer. Monsuta is Japanese for monster, which is a fitting name for a brewery that makes beers as big as Godzilla.
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Central America
If you’re looking to practice your Spanish and have a solid sense of adventure, then Central America is the place for you. In the north of Central America is Guatemala, a country alive with colourful markets, volcanoes, rainforests and ancient Mayan sites. It really is an adventure-lovers paradise with limestone caves to be explored, some of the best white water rafting in the region, and breathtaking hikes around volcanoes and ancient ruins.
After a long adventure in the sweltering jungle, the best way to cool off is obviously with a cold cerveza. Thankfully Guatemala’s been making top-notch brews and exporting them to the world so you can try a crisp Del Centro Cerveza Lager before you even set foot on a plane. Or there’s the stunningly smooth Calaverita Cerveza Lager with a finish that really comes alive when you add a fresh lime.
New Zealand
You don’t have to spend 40 hours in transit to have an unforgettable travel experience, especially when our kiwi mates are just a hop, skip, and a jump away. We might give the kiwis a good ribbing in person, but there’s no denying the natural beauty of their homeland. Even if you don’t know your hobbits from your dwarves, you’ll still get a kick out of the cinematic scenery that follows you at almost every turn.
New Zealand’s exceptional wine might be the beverage that gets the most international attention, but don’t let that distract you from the country’s exceptional and intriguing beer. We say intriguing because where else but New Zealand could a Facebook joke turn into a real life beer? Kiwi comedian Leigh Hart posted a status one day – “What would happen if I started a beer brand called Wakachangi?” When the post went completely viral, getting over 200,000 likes, there was nothing to do but start on production.
Fast-forward to today and Wakachangi Lager is sold across New Zealand and Australia, alongside a line of supporting potato chips with equally ridiculous packaging. Taste-wise it’s a no-nonsense easy drinking lager that does everything you want a good beer to do. It’s not rocket science – it’s just a good beer.
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Germany
If we’re going to talk about beer and travel, then we’ve got to talk about Germany. With one of the longest-running and proudest beer cultures in the world, the Germans take beer so seriously that it’s legislated and protected with a set of regulations called Reinheitsgebot. The regulations are over 500 years old and permit only water, hops, and malt as ingredients; and stipulates how variations must be brewed to protect the purity of all German beers.
The south-east city of Munich and its massive beer festival Oktoberfest might be the most well-known expression of German beer culture, but the rest of Germany is equally as beer obsessed. They even have a German word for it, ‘bierernst’, which means ‘beer serious’. One of our favourite German brews is Hofler Premium Lager from Mönchengladbach, a small city near Düsseldorf. It’s a well-rounded lager that’s full-bodied but with a perfect balance that keeps it from getting overly hoppy like some other German beers. It gets bonus points for being one of the best value beers available, living up to rigid German quality standards but at an accessible price. You gotta love that German efficiency!
