Heineken vs Amstel beer

[sestoppelman]

Ok so a few years ago on my first hunt to RSA, my PH offered me a choice of two beers, Castle and Amstel. Tried both and Amstel was the hands down better beer, to me at least. A couple years later had it again in Zim, though canned beer instead of bottled Lager this time. Tasted different though both were good. Now in the meantime Amstel was bought out by Heineken, both are Dutch brewers. Now this past June I again fetched up in RSA and had requested (read ordered!) that a reasonable supply of Amstel be layed in for my consuming pleasure and so it was. First night there I could hardly contain myself in anticipation of having that first long missed Amstel find its way down my parched throat after a long day of travel etc. What a shock! It tasted just like Heinekens!! WTF?!?! Now I like Heinekens and affectionately refer to it as 'skunk" beer due to the odd smell on first opening. But suffer through it I did for the duration and after the first few all was forgiven. Fast forward a few months here at home stateside and have been going back and forth between a couple of the better Mexican beers and Heinekens now and then. But here is the odd thing. All of a sudden the skunk aroma seems to be almost gone from Heinekens and I swear on a stack of gemsbuck steaks, its starting to taste like the Amstel Lager of my first trip to RSA!! Somehow in the absorption of Amstel by Heinekens the two beers seem to have morphed into Amstel! Could this possibly be or is it just wishful thinking on my part due to such a long time without my being fully satisfied with the taste I first experienced in '09? Sure wish we could get Amstel in the states....

 

[enysse]

Sounds like we need a beer festival or tasting contest!

 

[Velo Dog]

Sestoppelman,

I am +1 with Enyesse on the festival/tasting idea.

But in the meanwhile, the next time you're in any Southern Africa country, ask your PH if they can stack-in a supply of Windhoek Lager.

A few posts / threads back, someone in this forum pointed out that Windhoek Brewery also cranks out an excellent dark beer as well.

But I have not been fortunate enough to try the dark one yet.

Windhoek Lager is by far the best beer I have tried in Africa, and one of the best Lagers I have tried anywhere in the world.

Castle Lager is pretty good and is my distant 2nd favorite in Africa brews.

At the risk of being kicked off this forum, I prefer Windhoek Lager even over Tusker from Kenya, and Tusker is good beer (tried Tusker in Minnesota of all places).

All that being said, I know very well that one man's beer is another man's bilge water but, I believe you will enjoy the Windhoek Lager.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[sestoppelman]

Well Velo old man, as it happens I have sampled both the red and the green Windhoek Lager! You see I did Namibia in '07. And yes it is verrrry good stuff indeed. But being 7 years since having availed myself of it, I am afraid the taste is but a distant, yet fond memory. Oh yes, quite right. Indeed. Now Zambezi Lager!! There's a brew for ya me hearty's!

 

[Velo Dog]

Well Velo old man, as it happens I have sampled both the red and the green Windhoek Lager! You see I did Namibia in '07. And yes it is verrrry good stuff indeed. But being 7 years since having availed myself of it, I am afraid the taste is but a distant, yet fond memory. Oh yes, quite right. Indeed. Now Zambezi Lager!! There's a brew for ya me hearty's!

Arrrrgh !

 

[Red Leg]

Hmmm - So I am a Stella fan here in the States. And I have to agree with Velo, a Windoek lager at the end of a long day was a really welcome thing in Namibia. But in Mozambique we had the world renowned Manica - no doubt a product of a long tradition of Portuguese beer brewing. It is pretty much a lager and comes in a can the size of a Foster's. After a long humid day in coastal Mozambique, it was - well - wet.

 

[Pheroze]

"brewed under license" is a curse for beer lovers everywhere. I believe the term is corporate slang for "we get to use the label". I never had a foreign beer that tasted the same once I got home and I call shenanigans! I am against it and suffer through it begrudgingly. Stella +1 btw.

I have cleared off my afternoon calendar to do some field research; all are welcome with irresponsible behaviour commencing promptly at 1pm.

 

[Patrick R]

Another interesting thing:
RSA beer: Black Label - the only one.
RSA lager: the rest you get here like Castle.

Namibia: Tafel and Windhoek. All RSA Lagers / Beer available
Botswana: The watery St. Louis not bad, but all RSA beer / Lagers are available
Zambia / Zim: Zambeze. Can obtain RSA beer.
Mozambique: Dosh M. Can obtain RSA beer


All of them are nice if you don't have your 'brand' to drink...and a beer is a beer if there is nothing else to drink...nothing better than a cold one...


oh yes, Amstel is a great Lager beer...

 

[Nyati]

I´m a Castle fan, I find the lager quite good and the stout fantastic !

 

[Bullthrower338]

Beers, unlike people, are few and far between that I cannot tolerate in a pinch! Love that Castle lager though!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Ses, I am impressed you can remember the flavour over time and compare it.

 

[sestoppelman]

Well of course memory is a funny thing. I am a very light drinker, having been down the other road in my younger more carefree days! I only drink beer as a beverage and not every day except in the summer as long as I am not going someplace. And except for 2 occasions of celebration in Africa over a kudu and an nyala, I never drink more than one. So for me its all about the taste. And the best tasting beer I have ever had was the Amstel I had in RSA in '09 with Bosbok. And I find this current batch of Heinekens to be very reminiscent of that taste for whatever reason. I just wish we could get Amstel in the states, other than the watered down light they offer us. YUK!

 

[Velo Dog]

Cheers,

Perhaps I'm a light drinker as well because, I only drink beer when I'm thirsty.
And, I am +1 with Bullthrower338 for; "unlike people, beers are few and far between that I cannot tolerate in a pinch" or words to that affect.

Also pretty much +1 with Red Leg on Stella Artois - his all time favorite and certainly one of mine.
If I ever put a tap in "The Safari Bar" (my basement man cave), probably going to be Stella (if available) since I like it very much and all of my friends, as well as Mrs. Velo all like it very much as well.

Smoked Porter is the only beer I can think of at the moment that I could not finish the pint (made it to about half).
Maybe burnt motor oil tastes better than Smoked Porter.
Not sure because I have never tried burnt motor oil but, I have tried Smoked Porter and I could not abide that one.

Usually for me, this beer or that tastes good or not according to what I have been eating or not eating or maybe what mood I am in.
But my most consistent favorite for the past 10 years or so has been a micro brew here in Anchorage called "Moose's Tooth IPA".
Most of my friends think it is too bitter.
One of them describing it as "Nasty" but I think it is excellent.

Sadly, it is not available in more than one or two places here in town on tap, one of them is where it is brewed ("Moose's Tooth Pizza and Brewery", Anchorage.
They do offer it in cans but, the canned version in a word is - horrible - not even close to the tap flavor.

What this has to do with beer brewed in Africa, I have no idea so, I had better clam-up.
(Africa and Alaska both begin with an "A" and end with an "a" but that is the best I can do).

Out,
Velo Dog.

 

[sestoppelman]

Speaking of moose! The worst beer I have had yet is I believe the aptly named Moose Drool from Montana! UGH!!!

 

[Velo Dog]

Speaking of moose! The worst beer I have had yet is I believe the aptly named Moose Drool from Montana! UGH!!!

I had forgotten about Moose Drool brand from Montana, (no connection whatsoever to Moose's Tooth local / Anchorage AK, micro brewery) and I agree that the Drool is not any good, hell the name even sounds sickening.

All this moose talk reminds me that Moosehead Beer from Canada is widely available here where I live and is another favorite of mine.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Cheers,

Perhaps I'm a light drinker as well because, I only drink beer when I'm thirsty.
And, I am +1 with Bullthrower338 for; "unlike people, beers are few and far between that I cannot tolerate in a pinch" or words to that affect.

Also pretty much +1 with Red Leg on Stella Artois - his all time favorite and certainly one of mine.
If I ever put a tap in "The Safari Bar" (my basement man cave), probably going to be Stella (if available) since I like it very much and all of my friends, as well as Mrs. Velo all like it very much as well.

Smoked Porter is the only beer I can think of at the moment that I could not finish the pint (made it to about half).
Maybe burnt motor oil tastes better than Smoked Porter.
Not sure because I have never tried burnt motor oil but, I have tried Smoked Porter and I could not abide that one.

Usually for me, this beer or that tastes good or not according to what I have been eating or not eating or maybe what mood I am in.
But my most consistent favorite for the past 10 years or so has been a micro brew here in Anchorage called "Moose's Tooth IPA".
Most of my friends think it is too bitter.
One of them describing it as "Nasty" but I think it is excellent.

Sadly, it is not available in more than one or two places here in town on tap, one of them is where it is brewed ("Moose's Tooth Pizza and Brewery", Anchorage.
They do offer it in cans but, the canned version in a word is - horrible - not even close to the tap flavor.

What this has to do with beer brewed in Africa, I have no idea so, I had better clam-up.
(Africa and Alaska both begin with an "A" and end with an "a" but that is the best I can do).

Out,
Velo Dog.

LMAO, Shiner had a smoked porter that was was akin to taking an ass beating. Couldn't even marinate ribs with it!

 

[Velo Dog]

LMAO, Shiner had a smoked porter that was was akin to taking an ass beating. Couldn't even marinate ribs with it!

Now that's funny right there.
(It's even funnier because it's true.)

 

[sestoppelman]

Well I am having a Heinekens right now! Only thing that could make it better is if I was sitting by the fire outside, after a good days hunting, while the PH was throwing my fresh kudu steaks on the braii. Substitute the kudu for your favorite venison. Mine is probably gemsbuck or eland. But the single best piece of meat I ever had in Africa was when my PH Willie Englebrecht dropped my kudu steak in the fire while grilling, scraped the coals off of it, and slapped it on my plate! Remote tent camp in the Okavango delta, Botswana 1990. I don't think I have ever had better.

 

[svinejakt]

I have been to Amsterdam 8 times and have tasted quite a few Heineken and Stellas. Even visited the Heineken brewery. It`s alright tasting beers, but for me it`s not a lot of taste in them. I would say they are watery in taste. Easily drinkable. If I go to South Africa I dont`t taste that`s not made in that continent. For me Castle and black label is never far from my hands. I drink lot of beer while on vacation, but drinks 1-2 or at night when hunting. Windhoek lager is also nice I would be dissapointed if I would get Heineken, but I guess It`s very availeble in Norway and I connect thos beers with Holland, not Africa. (best beer in Holland, Hertog Jan).

In 2012 I went to Kenya before South Africa. I sat watching an african sunset with a big Tusker. I REALLY enjoyed that beer, but i assume that the setting was so awesome that it added taste I love tusker, but have only had it in Kenya while on safari.

Side note: If you really like beer, visit Belgium, neighbouring Holland. A normal good pub has 50 kinds. Best kinds have 300 kinds. Be careful of trappist beer, brewed by monks. Strength is 8-14 %. So it`s like drinking wine.

With beer, always bring enough!

Very local beer comercial

I love this place and beer!

 

[enysse]

I had Castle on the last trip....it tasted like beer, nothing for me to brag about.

Now this honey vodka, we mentioned a few months back.