The Beer of Western Europe - A Travelogue

Interested in Old Chicago's World Beer Tour? Are you looking to take a western European vacation and want to know what liquid refreshments you should be imbibing and where? Beer by country...

Austria - In upper Austria you have a town so dedicated to brewing beer that the whole town owns and operates a brewery: Freistädter Bier. Salzburg has Stiegl, Augustiner Bräu, and Edelweiss (for those Sound of Music fans out there). Stiegl is possibly the most well recognized of Austrian Beer, and has been in business since 1492. Maybe Columbus was sailing the ocean blue trying to find Austrian Beer and not Indian spices!

Germany - How can you mention Beer in Western Europe (or the world) without mentioning German Beer? 1300 Brewers in Germany, and all of them follow a specific standard to brewing the world's best beer. Pilsener and Bock, and Becks top the lists in regards to Bottom-fermenting Beer. If you want to truly add some beer history to your vacation, visit the oldest brewery in the world - still in operation - at the Benedictine abbey in Weihenstephan (est. 725).

Belgium - Not just waffles, Belgium Beer has a rich history. Belgium has "only" been brewing since the Middle Ages, and has less than a tenth of the breweries than Germany, they are still one of the top Beer brewers in Europe. You can find some bars with over 1000 types of beer in some Belgium specialty bars... (Top that Old Chicago)! They also brew 'special' beer for Christmas in Belgium.

Denmark - Carlsburg and the Royal Unibrew are the standards in Denmark. And if you want a Pale Lager, you have to make a trip here. 95% of the beer sold in Denmark is a Pale Lager, so they know how Beer is done! In 2005, 539,000,000 litres of beer was consumed in Denmark... Wow!

Italy - Though you would assume Italy would be a 'wine' country, beer is still a heritage for them. Peroni is their oldest and most popular brewery, and Heineken, SABMiller, and other of the major world brewers have interests in Italian beer.

Iceland - Though beer was banned in Iceland until 1989, they have several beers that they call their own, and even celebrate March 1st as a beer day! Víking Sterkur is one of their most potent beers with a 7.0% alcohol content.

Ireland - A little known brewer by the name of Arthur Guinness in 1756 put Ireland on the map as far as brewing countries go. At one point, Guinness was the largest brewer in the world, and is still a mighty competitor today. If going to Ireland, Guinness is a must try!

Netherlands - In the Netherlands, Beer is not just a way to get drunk, it is a delicacy. While the tendency runs towards Pilsener, the Netherlands are fine craftsman, and are sippers rather than drinkers. Wikipedia states that "Good beer in the Netherlands is often regarded to be higher in rank than most wines, opposed to countries such as France or the UK where beer is often still seen as a workers' drink."

Norway - In Norway, at one point, you would not find a home without its own brewery until the early 20th century when home brewing became illegal. Just think of what a rich history could have developed from Norwegian brewers if this had been allowed to continue. Contracts, big business, and red-tape keep commonly available beers watered down from the stores, and only limited selections in certain clubs or bars. Like the United States, Alcohol purchase is restricted and highly taxed.

Sweden - As in Norway, beer was brewed in the home as a common, every day beverage, with a brewery in every home, and a brewery in every town. Some suggest that Swedish beers are of the highest international quality, exporting yeast from Germany, Belgium, or Britain.

The United Kingdom - Ale is the drink of choice in the UK, with Brown Ale topping the list - and not just alphabetically. They do Beer the old fashioned way, from traditional ingredients, and in the traditional fashion. The Campaign for Real Ale keeps the beer here done right, and not a hurried or rushed process. Perhaps due to this, importing of beer has become increasingly popular.