Women's Media Nation | Social, political, and cultural issues relating to women

A Chick’s Guide to Beer

posted by ChickSpeak
Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 11:42am CDT

I can remember very well my first beer experience in the United States. It wasn’t the first time I had contact with alcoholic beverages, since in Brazil the drinking age is not as enforced as in the United States. The chance to try an American beer came sooner than I thought.

It was on my freshmen year when I first saw a big bucket, containing ice cubes with a beer keg. The house party was just how I had picture months before I arrived in college: people dancing, loud music, beer pong and students getting drunk from red cups. I decided to give it a go and I tried the beer from the keg. The beer tasted like dirty water or water scented with a horrible medicine. I left the party with the impression that American college students did not know how a real beer tastes like.

My passion for beer started when a friend of mine, after an exchange year in Liége, came back with a couple of Belgium beers. When she first poured the Belle Vue Kriek into the glass, I was amazed by the color of the beer. Belle Vue Kriek is a cherry color beer, which is actually fermented with cherries. It was so delicious that since that day I decided to try as many different beers as possible. Back in Brazil, my friends and I used to get together, sit in a balcony and drink a different kind of beer, appreciating the flavor with some music playing in the background.

One of my favorite beers, which is highly recommended is Paulaner Original Münchner. This German beer is very popular in its country and has its own tend at the German Oktoberfest. Paulaner has a spicy aroma of chamomile, a strong flavor of malt and you can feel some dry hops in the end.

Another beer that I consider a real beer is the Belgium Leffe Blonde. This beer has vibrant yellow color and a rich and creamy foam. Also, Leffe releases aromas of banana and orange. According to its own website, Leffe Blonde “is a perfect accompaniment to light, everyday meals”.

Hoegaarden is another option for real beer lovers. This Belgium beer, according to its official website, was first brewed in 1445 and has a complex brewing process, where orange peels and coriander are added in its formula. The color is light yellow and this beer is perfect for summer days.

Real beer is more than just the flavor; it’s the situations that involve the drink. Rather than drink some cheap beer in a keg and get drunk, real beer is great when accompanied by good friends, some storytelling and people together sharing ideas. It’s also great with good quality live music, when you can even try a few moves.

It is hard for me to get used in drinking Miller and Budweiser, more so Keystone (mostly drank by college students). My friends can’t understand why I spend ten dollars on a six-pack of imported ale, while they can drink much more for less. But I don’t mind, I enjoy a real beer.

Débora Biasutti, a print journalism and political science student in the U.S., loves to try local beers when travelling. She finds curious how famous Guiness beer is, even though she hasn’t found anyone who likes it yet.

Editor’s Note: ChickSpeak encourages a smart attitude towards drinking by consuming in moderation. Additionally, ChickSpeak encourages following the legal drinking age in the country they reside.