World cup fever – probably caused by swollen liver and too much beer

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The pressure of trying to match beers to the FIFA World Cup football is taking its toll. Remember I’m in the city that Jerry Seinfeld described as the arse end of the world - geographically speaking.
Watching the world cup in Melbourne means very late nights and early mornings. My face is permanently embossed with the pattern of sofa fabric while somehow I have to remove a week’s worth on congealed drool from what was once a desirable object.
And my liver? Slightly swollen and aching. More to the point my expanding beer belly is pushing my jeans down towards my knees while I can’t keep any shirt tucked in any more.
And these are the high points.
So much bad beer and only a few that are any good. The problem is that only the big multinational brands are easy to buy here in Australia. To summarise, although all tasting of hops in someway or other, I’d describe them as being a homogenous category of fizzy drink. Very fizzy, hoppy, yes, but with chemical overtones and, thanks to preservatives, I now have sinus. I may as well be drinking Coke or Pepsi.
Here are some of the more memorable beer matchings:
Budweiser vs Budweiser
Or more accurately speaking Anheuser-Busch vs Budvar. There is no doubt the Anheuser-Busch sponsorship of the cup has been a PR disaster from the start, in Europe the home of pure, additive free Pilsner, namely Budweiser Budvar, the original Budweiser. It is named after the town Budweis, which has been in existence since the 14th century.
For the record the Budvar is at the raw end of 40 legal disputes and 70 administrative proceedings in patent offices around the world from its namesake.
The Czech version is in beer terms pure nectar, especially when drunk from my branded glass. The former that fizzy, tasteless chemical thing.

Winner: Budweiser Budvar
Anheuser-Busch: down the drain
Link thanks to Corporate Engagement.

Finally, it’s back to Australia. I’s hoped a Lucky beer (made in Sydney) costing $5 and in a buddha-shaped bottle would help both the socceroos and me. Sure it tasted a hoppy but was too sweet. A bit crap really. It didn’t do justice to our team.
So what for Australia vs Croatia? I’m pulling out the big guns having been lucky to have tasted the complete range at the local boutique Red Hill Brewery, 90 minutes drive out of town in the Mornington Peninsula wine region.
All the beers are good and authentic here. They have deep flavours and aftertastes. They are everything beer should be. I’m fielding the award winning Golden Ale.
In this case little needs to be added to the PR:

“Pale and crisp light bodied ale, fruity with a restrained hoppy dryness created by our own Hallertauer & Tettnanger hop flowers. This beer is fermented at a cool temperature to create a crisp, clean finish and uses the best quality imported German Pilsner Malt. We also add a touch of Australian grown Wheat Malt to improve head retention on this beer.”

world cup, beer

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