Looking For a Good Argentian Beer
January 23, 2007 – 9:55 pmI received an email via my “Contact Me” link the other day. I have pasted the email in the blockquote below, and I included my response beneath the blockquote. I figured it made for a relevant post here at The Bottom Shelf.
I am a member of a Dinner club in which we different countries and make traditional dinners from appt. to deserts. We also try to have traditional drinks and I am looking for a good Argentian beer. Any ideas which beer and where I can find it in San Diego Area.
The only Argentinian beer I can remember having is the Quilmes lager, and I had it at an Argentian restaurant here in downtown Pasadena (CA). It’s certainly authentic, in that it is brewed and bottled in Argentina.
You might not get a huge number of points in the originality department. It’s a pale lager, not unlike the Budweiser, Original Coors, or Miller Genuine Draft you’ll find at any grocery or corner store here in the States. From what I have found online, the Quilmes has a higher percentage alcohol by volume (6.5% compared to say 4% or 5% for most of the domestics), so it will have a little strength the domestics lack.
It’s a refreshing beer. If you’re serving it with grilled meats or something that has a somewhat strong, identifiable flavor you’ll be in good shape, as the Quilmes will cut through the taste after each bite and cleanse the palate nicely for the next bite. If you’re hoping the beer will complement the meal with its own contribution, it’s better to go with an interesting ale of some sort, and I don’t know of any Argentinian ales.
I recommend going with the Quilmes. It’s a general crowd pleaser, and it plays well with food.
One Response to “Looking For a Good Argentian Beer”
There are “craft” Argentinian beers that are far better than Quilmes - if you look on a site like Ratebeer which is truly international you can find them!
By Stonch on Oct 11, 2007