I’m the kind of alcoholic alcohol enthusiast that doesn’t really care much about what kind of beer I drink as long as it’s cold. I mean, I know how to appreciate good beer when I taste one, but that doesn’t happen often because I don’t believe in paying for 200-300php for just one freaking bottle.

Turned out, I just didn’t know where to drink! Offbeat Cafe now serves imported beers. Germany, US and Belgium are just some of the countries that their beers are from. I got to taste 8 from Offbeat’s Beer Gallery and here’s how I found each and every one of ’em:

Astra (4.9% ABV- alcohol by volume, bitch! Hehe! 80php) – has notes of sweetness with a slight bitter bite at the end. Light taste. The feel of this German Pilsener is comparable to SML.

Bitburger (4.8% ABV, 90php) – has malty notes followed by a slightly minty and bitter finish. Taste similar to Astra. This is also a German Pilsener.

Oettinger (4.9% ABVl, 100php) – bready, sorta smells like bananas, has a little sweetness with a slight bitter finish. This according to the resident beergeek of Offbeat Cafe, Mr. Francis Panuncialman is the #1 selling beer in Germany aka the beer of and for the masses. And guess what, this is the beer that I liked the most. And no, that does not make me a lasenggera like what my friend Kevin concluded. :p

Konig Ludwig Weissbier (5.5% ABV, 160php) – has a caramel flavor (because of the roasted malts according to Francis, he’s like the Sheldon of beergeekery!), has more body than the 1st three beers, tastes like a biscuit! Yum! This is the favorite beer of Chef Mickey Wieneke, owner of Offbeat. I understand why this is his favorite but my heart liver still favors Oettinger. ❤

Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock (7% ABV, 130php) – has a light floral aroma, tastes fruity. This is my least favorite because well, I don’t like fruits. And the smell reminds me of jasmine. And I don’t like jasmine. The boys seemed to have liked this brew though! I wonder why! :))

Leffe Brune (6.5% ABV, 140php) – the caramel taste is more pronounced than the Konig. Francis said that Belgian beers are sweet because they add caramel sugar to the brew. I remember when I smelled it I thought of th arnibal that goes with taho. One of the boys said that this reminded him of Hoegaarden.

Boont Amber Ale (5.8% ABV, 150php) – I am no beergeek and I might sound pretentious for saying this but I will anyway… I liked the smell and the body of this beer and the color is gorgeous. As for the taste, it tastes a bit citrus-y and a bit caramel-y. Mwehehehe. :p

Summer Solstice (5.6% ABV 120php) – smooth, malty and lightly sweet. And it has a sort of vanilla aftertaste. One said it’s like cream soda! This American ale is my 2nd fave among all 8.

Other things I learned from this beer tasting session:

The history of beer is as exciting and as complex as the history of wine. There is a study supporting that drinking beer moderately can help one lose weight (OMG yaaaay!!!). Wine is too acidic for cheese, therefore pair cheese with beer! Hahaha! AND beer is normally reviewed considering its aroma, appearance, body/texture, aftertaste and overall impression. I guess I did pretty ok for a first timer in beer tasting then! Ang umangal, babasagan ko ng bote ng beer sa ulo! >:)

If you want to try these beers, visit Offbeat Cafe at The Collective in Malugay St, San Antonio Village, Makati. You don’t have to go to bars in The Fort or Jupiter and pay exorbitant amounts to drink. I suggest you pair these beers with Offbeat’s Bacon Fries and of course, their sinfully delicious Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger. Drink and eat while playing Monopoly Deal. I sucked at this game that night but I think I’ll be lucky when I’m un-sober. :p

Cheers! 😉

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listening to: The Beatles – Hey Jude