Balkan beers

As the name suggests the majority of the beers rated this time was brought ack from a tour through southeastern Europe. However we also tried quite a few beers that were gifts from Don Bible.

The beer in Serbia is amazingly tasy, considering the economic plunge the country has suffered from in recent years. There are quite a few beers with a lot of character, the very dark, dry and bitterOld Gold Export Dark Beer from Pivara Becej is one of them, and it managed to win topposition on this chart. Another tasty beer is BIP Vitez Svetlo Pivo, brewed by BIP in Belgrade, which is similar in style to a Czechish pilsener. Another Serbian beer not to be forgotten is the softly malty and smokey Weifert Ur-Bier from Pivara Pancevo

This is the first time we had tried Bulgarian beers, so it is a new country for us. The beers in Bulgaria are generaly to sweet for my liking, but usually without flaws.

Turkish beer besides Efes is very unknown. Know we know why... When in Turkey stay to Efes.

Macedonia is a tiny and often forgotten little country. But the landscape is beautiful and the beers are of good quality, even if the beers we sampled are perhaps a bit conform. Skopsko Pils from the capital Skopje appears to be the most popular beer, and we can see why this dry and clean pilsnerish lager sells well, even though local beers like Zlaten Dab Svetlo Pivo from Prilep are also good.

From the US we founbd a few highlights as usual. New Belgium has a fine lineof products, and their Tripel is no exception. Tabernash Weiss Beer is another reknown Colorado beer, and now we know why, even if Victory Sunrise Weissbier is an angry rival when it comes to American hefeweizen.

Melbourne Bros' Strawberry is interesting in many ways. Strawberry beers are very rare on their own right, but this beer is also spontaneously fermented like the Belgian lambics, and the outcome is actually very good.

Beers rated in November '00

PLACE	BEER	COUNTRY	ScotlandRE	JZ	ML	PS	LS	CG	FH	ABV	STYLE
307	Old Gold Export Dark Beer	Serbia	3,80	4	3	4+	4	3+	4-		Porter/Stout
466	New Belgium Tripel	USA	3,64	4+	3+	4+	4-	3	3-		Ale, Belgian style
505	Tabernash Weiss Beer	USA	3,60	3+	4-	3+	4+		3+		Wheat beer
541	BIP Vitez Svetlo Pivo	Serbia	3,55	4	4-	4	3+	3	3	4,6%	Lager, Light
570	New Belgium Abbey	USA	3,52	4	3	4+	3+	3	3		Ale, Belgian style
785	Orkney The Red McGregor	Scotland	3,34	3-	2+	5-	4-	3+	3	5,0%	Ale, British style
860	Melbourne Bros' Strawberry	England	3,30	2	3+	4+	4+	2+	3+		Gueuze/Lambic
929	Victory Sunrise Weissbier	USA	3,24	3	3-	4-	3+	3	4-		Wheat beer
942	Weifert Ur-Bier	Serbia	3,23	3-	3-	3+	3+	4	3+		Lager, Light
988	New Belgium Porch Swing	USA	3,19	4	2	4	4	2	3-		Ale, Belgian style
998	Tommyknocker Butthead Doppelbock	USA	3,19	3+	2-	4	4+	3-	3-		Lager, Bock
1332	Skopsko Pils Beer	Macedonia	2,96	3+	3	3+	2	4	2		Lager, Light
1371	Lav Premium	Serbia	2,94	3+	3+	3-	3	3	2+		Lager, Light
1518	Lav Export Pivo	Serbia	2,82	3	3	3-	3-	3+	2+		Lager, Light
1528	Apatinska Pils Light	Serbia	2,81	3+	2-	3	3+	3	2+		Lager, Light
1563	New Zealand Lager Premium Beer	New Zealand	2,79	2+	2+	4-	3-	3+	2+		Lager, Light
1572	BIP Premium Pils	Serbia	2,78	2+	3	4	3	2-	3-	5,0%	Lager, Light
1589	Orkney Dark Island	Scotland	2,76	2	2-	5-	2+	3	3-	4,6%	Ale, British style
1640	Astika Special	Bulgaria	2,72	3	4-	2	3-	3-	3-	5,0%	Lager, Light
1809	Zlaten Dab Svetlo Pivo	Macedonia	2,60	3+	3-	3	2	2	3-	5,0%	Lager, Light
1852	New Belgium Saison	USA	2,56	3+	2-	2+	4-	2	2+		Ale, Belgian style
1866	Zagorka Gold	Bulgaria	2,55	2-	3-	2+	3	3	3	4,5%	Lager, Light
1936	Ariana	Bulgaria	2,49	3-	3+	2	2	3-	3-	5,0%	Lager, Light
1970	Astika Lux	Bulgaria	2,45	3-	3+	2+	2	3-	2	5,0%	Lager, Light
2137	Kronenbier Export Pils	Macedonia	2,30	2	2	3	2+	2-	3	4,5%	Lager, Light
2219	Fenerbahce Pilsen Bier	Turkey	2,22	3-	2	2-	2+	3-	2+	5,0%	Lager, Light
2225	Kamenitza Svetlo	Bulgaria	2,21	3-	3+	1-	2-	3	3-	4,4%	Lager, Light
2307	Kamenitza T'mno	Bulgaria	2,12	2+	2+	1-	2-	4	2+	5,0%	Lager, Dark
2379	Zagorka Special	Bulgaria	2,01	2	2-	1	2	3	3	5,0%	Lager, Light
2404	Marmara 34	Turkey	1,98	2	2-	2-	2-	3	2+	5,0%	Lager, Light
2469	Casablanca Beer	Morocco	1,91	3	2-	2	2+	1	2-		Lager, Light
2619	Troy Pilsner	Turkey	1,63	2+	1+	1-	2-	3-	2-	5,0%	Lager, Light
2721	Efes Extra	Turkey	1,38	2	2+	1-	1+	2-	1	8,0%	Lager, Bock
2846	BIP Ruski Kvas	Serbia	0,64	0	1	1+	1	1-	1-		Special
Rated by: Johan Zetterlund, Mattias Leidebjer, Per Samuelsson, Lars Samuelsson, Cecilia Gårdebäck and Fredrik Huldt

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Updated 2000-12-29 Per Samuelsson