World Cup Beers

It's that once every four years' experience. The echelon of the profesional game. The grandest exposure of the art of football on the planet. The grandest field to play your game. The competition you need to excel at to show your value as a world class professional footballer.

The World Cup. Maybe just the finest tournament in the world. One tournament worth an astronomical amount to the economy. One of the tournaments where companies whom know nothing about football decide all their marketing should be based around the beautiful game. The TV sales shoot up and companies try and push the latest technology so you can really feel like you're there but you're really in Nebraska.

So what does this mean for the best brand in the world? What does this mean for beer? Beer I tell you.

Supermarkets sell cut price crates to the discerning publc. They are desperate to flog you high brand poor quality beers accross their shelves. They ignore the craft scene completely. Do the majors release world cup beers? No. The craft beer scene is full of them.

Beers such as sheps 4-4-2; Robinsons 4-4-2. Woodfordes Game On, Acorn - England's Dreaming, Green King's Back of The Net, all this before the tournament is on!

The world cup of beers. Well for me you would have to have a beer representing each country. Let's put all the countries best micro beers together and see how the beers rival the football.

From Group A I would have:

Mexico - Casta Unica - Especialidades Cerveceras (FEMSA), Apodaca Nuevo Leon, Mexico
France - La Bavaisienne Ambrée - Brasserie Theillier, Bavay, France
South Africa - Helderbräu Lager - Helderbräu Brewery, Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa
Uruguay - FNC Patricia Dunkel - Montevideo, Uruguay

From Group B:

Argentina - Murrays Old Ale - Murrays Cerveza Artesanal - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Greece - Zeos Pilsner (Unpasteurized) - Argos, Argolida, Greece
Nigeria - Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (Nigeria) - Lagos, Nigeria
South Korea - Platinum Microbrewery - Seoul, South Korea

Group C

Algeria - Schems Bavaroise - Sab Miller - Oran, Algeria
England - Old Chimneys Good King Henry Special Reserve - Diss - England
Slovenia - Laško Termalni Desert - Laško, Slovenia
United States - Three Floyds Oak Aged Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout - Munster, Indiana, USA

Group D

Australia - Redoak Baltic Porter - Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe - Sydney, Australia
Germany - Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock - Brauerei Aying - Aying, Germany
Ghana - Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (Ghana) - Guinness Ghana - Kumasi, Ghana
Serbia - Krugher & Brent Extra Stout - Ritiševo, Serbia

Group E

Cameroon - Beaufort 8.9 - Les Brasseries du Cameroun (BGI) - Douala, Cameroon
Denmark - Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel - Mikkeller - Copenhagen V, Denmark
Japan - Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout - Kiuchi Brewery, Ibaraki, Japan
Netherlands - De Molen Hel & Verdoemenis (Wild Turkey Barrel) - De Molen - Bodegraven, Netherlands

Group F

Italy - Panil Barriquée (Sour) - Panil Birra Artigianale - Birrificio Torrechiara - Torrechiara-Parma, Italy
New Zealand - Epic Armageddon IPA - Steam Brewing Company - Auckland, New Zealand
Paraguay - Brahma Beats - Cerveceria Paraguaya - Cervepar - Ypané, Paraguay
Slovakia - Popper Palatin 16% - Pivovar Popper Bytca, Slovak Republic

Group G

Brazil - Eisenbahn Lust - Cervejaria Sudbrack - Blumenau, Brazil
Ivory Coast - Mamba - Solibra - Abidjan, Ivory Coast
North Korea - Taedonggang 15P - Taedonggang Beer Brewery - Pyongyang, North Korea
Portugal - Lusitana Double Bock - Cervejeira Lusitana (Unicer) - Carnaxide-Oeiras, Portugal

Group H

Spain - Agullons Setembre - Masia Agullons - Sant Juan de Mediona, Spain
Switzerland - BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2004 - BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes) - Saignelégier, Switzerland
Hundorus - Cerveza Port Royal Export - Cerveceria Hondurena (SABMiller) - Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Chille - Szot Strong Ale 12% - Szot Microbrewery - Santiago, Chile

So there we have it. The countries and their most highest rated beer according to Rate Beer.com - a general consumer forum group for rating and reviewing beers; pubs and shops selling beer.

If each beer could be consumed whilst teams play each other it would be a great experience. Trying obscure cult classics and micros no one's heard of. The competition would grow so other beers could be introduced. The beers could be pit against each other and for an overall winner.

I for certain don't see Dark Lord being rated less than a micro larger from Brazil.

These are some pointers for you to sink when you are watching the cup. If you were thinking hey what is their countries best beer in a consumer focus group? Then this site is a great source and I have compiled them here for your amusment. To have these beers against each other well that would be an insane tasting evening but one I would be thrilled to attend. There is a lot more to beer than a huge macro and much more out there.

Please don't be ignorant of the high flying micros. Please try these during the world cup and try and seek out the opposition's favourites. This is a discovery and a cup is the perfect way to seek new beers and cultures.

I will be sinking Punk IPA from Scotland during the world cup. Feeling sorry that our neighbours aren't in the competition. If Glyn puts on his mighty Motley during the event I will try and have that too. Wales are not in the competition either.

Looking forward to the summer ale festivals which I will write about later.

Have a good tournament. Enjoy and don't be fooled by the marketing scams.