Ni Dieu Ni Maitre

I like to drink beer, and am always curious about new beers. That said, Indian and Southeast Asian beers have been nothing to crow about for the many decades I’ve bicycled around these parts. The only American mass beer that uses rice in their mash is Budweiser, but most beers here do also. Bud uses 30% rice to make beer that is lighter in color, crisper and pretty flavorless. No surprise really that Bud is now the number 2 beer in Goa. Kingfisher, always the big dog here, remains #1.

This is the only bottle of Kingfisher wheat beer that I’ve found, and it is pretty innocuous. The Bud Magnum is popular here as is regular Bud. Supposedly this is 8% ABV, but it is actually pretty good.

You cannot go wrong copying Belgian beer. The Maka is good, better than the competition. Additionally Tuborg, and Carlsberg put in appearances here but are ricey and light. Heineken is here also, but is ‘100% Barley Malt’ and is the best of the import bunch.

Peoples Lager, a craft beer, is pretty available in shops and restaurants and is OK, but pricier. Here is their ‘Wit’, Belgian style. The Aussie beer was expensive and nothing special.

This Maka product is fortified grape juice, not beer, but it is 15%. The Elephant is true to its European origin at 8% .

Here’s a couple of winners, a real malt beer made from barley with no rice, and a Maka Tripel at 8%, miles away from a Rochefort or other Trappist made Belgian brews, but decent enough. India has a tradition of ‘strong beers’ with names like ‘Knockout’ and they are pretty undrinkable but the craft brewed strong beers are decent.

‘Who was the first hippie to visit Goa? Or rather, ever wonder? Who was the first tourist to visit the state after the liberation? Well, the search is over. Yertward Mazamanian (1924 – 2010) popularly known as ‘Eight Finger Eddie’, was the first hippie to visit Goa and eventually introduced Goa to the hippies. Thus, Putting Goa on the hippie trail and the world map.’

I never knew this. But these 2 beers from Goa Brewing are top notch, with Plastic Chairs going into my good column of beers that I look forward to enjoying. And lastly…

“Plastic people, oh baby now you’re such a drag” Frank Zappa.