Russia 

For the last World Cup I had some Baltika 7 and I have to say I enjoyed drinking their beer so they would have a decent chance to progress far enough.

Love my vodka, it is my poison, so hence I love Russian vodka, quality stuff. Russia and vodka. The two words are synonymous with each other. Until the mid-18th century, the drink remained relatively low on alcohol content, not exceeding 40% abv. Multiple terms for the drink are recorded, sometimes reflecting different levels of quality, alcohol concentration, filtering, and the number of distillations; most commonly, it was referred to as “burning wine”, “bread wine”, or even in some locations simply “wine. Burning wine was usually diluted with water to 24% ABV or less before drinking. It was mostly sold in taverns and was quite expensive.

By 1911, vodka comprised 89% of all alcohol consumed in Russia. This level has fluctuated somewhat during the 20th century, but remained quite high at all times. The most recent estimates put it at 70% (2001). Today, some popular Russian vodka producers or brands are (amongst others) Stolichnaya and Russian Standard

Russian beer is quite good too, strong and nice to drink, the only pity is how to pronounce the names of the beers as must start with a Z and after a few beers are hard to remember. In Russia, beer is the second most popular alcoholic drink after vodka, seen by many as a healthier alternative. Until 2011, there were no regulations on beer in Russia. Previously, the government declared any beverage with less than 10% alcohol content to be a foodstuff which sounds fucking hilarious. Therefore, it was sold all hours of the day and consumed heavily in public. The beverage is now regulated in an effort to curtail heavy drinking In 2011, there were 561 beer producers operating in Russia.

Saudi Arabia 

According to some observers, though the kingdom is a “prohibition state”, “discreet consumption” of alcohol by foreigners and even by Saudis is tolerated by authorities. Both home brewed (“sidiqui”) and black market imports are consumed, and according to Ratebeer.com there are a few breweries in the Kingdom offering low ABV brews of less than 1%. I guess that’s better than nothing, but only just!

Egypt 

Like Saudi Arabia, Egypt is a also a predominantly Muslim nation and alcoholic drinks are religiously forbidden (haram) – though not legally – for strictly observant Muslims. That said, Egyptians tend to adopt a relaxed and pragmatic view towards alcohol for non-Muslims and foreigners. It is tolerated by the vast majority of Egyptians and consumed by a sizable number of them. Alcoholic beverages and bottled drinks are readily available throughout the country (especially in larger towns and cities, as well as tourist centers).

Stella (not artois) and Sakkara are common lager beers in Egypt (approx. 4%), both brewed by Heineken’s Egyptian subsidiary, Ahram Beverages Company. Other local brands are available, most a with higher alcohol variant that have claimed levels of 8% or even 10%. Foreign brands made under license in Egypt include Heineken and Meister.

Uruguay

Didn’t manage to find a beer in the last world cup from Uruguay so definitely have to rectify that at this World Cup.

Couldn’t find a whole lot on Uruguay, big on cannabis but so much on alcohol. Mate is a traditional South American caffeine-rich infused drink, in Uruguay. It is prepared from steeping dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water. The yerba may be brewed, but not so sure if it’s a big alcoholic drink at all, but why not just add some liquor anyway. In Uruguay it is common to see people walking around the streets toting a mate and a thermos with hot water.

Morocco 

Although a predominantly Muslim country, Morocco is not dry. Alcohol is available in restaurants, liquor stores, bars, supermarkets, clubs, hotels and discos. Some Moroccans enjoy a drink although it is disapproved in public places. In medinas alcohol cannot be purchased in shops, although many riads and hotels offer it.

Beer production in Morocco was introduced by the French in the 20th century. Société des Brasseries du Maroc is part of the Castel Group and oversees the production and distribution of beer. Popular beers include Spéciale Flag (pilsner) and Stork (light lager). The Moroccan premium beer is Casablanca (also a lager). Casablanca is also exported. So there are beers to get and perhaps Morocco might surprise me here!

Portugal 

For the last WC I had SuperBock, and even though it was a decent beer it didn’t get out of the group as it was grouped in with Germany and the States, but I expect better this time around. 

Beer in Portugal has a long history, going as far back as the time of the ancient Roman province of Lusitania, where beer was commonly made and drunk. Sagres is a leading brand.

Ginjinha or simply Ginja, is a liqueur made by infusing ginja berries in alcohol and adding sugar together with other ingredients. Ginjinha is served in a shot form with a piece of the fruit in the bottom of the cup. It is a favourite liqueur of many Portuguese and a typical drink in Lisbon, and other Portuguese cities.

Portuguese wine is the result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. Portugal has a large variety of native breeds, producing a very wide variety of different wines with distinctive personality.

Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It is typically a sweet, red wine, often served as a dessert wine though it also comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties. Port wine is typically richer, sweeter, heavier, and possesses higher alcohol content than unfortified wines. This is caused by the addition of distilled grape spirits to fortify the wine and halt fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol and results in a wine that is usually 18 to 20% alcohol.

Iran 

Didn’t manage to get my hands on any beer from Iran last time round

The alcoholic drinks market in Iran consist of only non-alcoholic beer, as the law bans alcohol for Muslim citizens. Non-Muslim citizens (namely Christian and Jewish citizens) are allowed to produce alcoholic beverages for their consumption. However, despite complete prohibition for Muslim citizens, there is still widespread alcohol use across Iran. Under the law, it is forbidden for Iran’s Muslim citizens to have alcoholic drink. However there is open violation of the law. Alcohol drinking is so widespread that Iranians are the third highest consumers of alcohol in Muslim-majority Middle Eastern countries, behind Lebanon and Turkey (in both of which it is legal to drink), with an annual per capita consumption of 1.02 Litres. Beer in Iran has had a long history. The earliest known chemical evidence of beer dates to circa 3500–3100 BC from the site of Godin Tepe in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran, and there is evidence of beer-drinking over a long period in the Persian empire. Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, production, possession or distribution of any alcoholic beverages is illegal and punishable under the Islamic law. While non-alcoholic beers are the only ones available from legal outlets, illegal alcoholic beers are smuggled into the country and consumed. So that’s that then no alcohol from Iran, bloody Mullahs!

Spain 

I had a San Miguel the last WC and, like Portugal, Spain didn’t progress past the group stage as they were in a tough group with Chile, the Netherlands and Australia, so this group is more doable for them. 

The land of all the “S”’s; sun, sea, sand, sex and sangria. World champs in football but how would they fare in our drinking world cup? Spain has some nice beers alright but we really must talk about the wine and sangria. Sangria normally consists of wine, chopped fruit, a sweetener, and a small amount of added brandy. Chopped fruit can include orange, lemon, lime, apple, peach, melon, berries, pineapple, grape, kiwifruit and mango. A sweetener such as honey, sugar, syrup, or orange juice is added. Because of the variation in recipes and in regions, sangria’s alcoholic content can vary greatly, usually from 4 percent up to about 11 percent. Sangria is served throughout Spain during summer. It is a popular drink among tourists at bars, pubs and restaurants where it is often served in 1-litre pitchers or other containers large enough to hold a bottle of wine plus the added ingredients. Bottled sangria can be bought in some countries. Sangria has become popular in the UK and the U.S., with many supermarkets stocking it during summer months.

Spain has also a big reputation in wine, is the worlds third largest producer of wine, and with hot weather most of the year round a good place to be a wine producer. Spanish wines are wines produced in the south-western European country of Spain. Spain’s reputation is that of a serious wine producing country that can compete with other producers in the world wine market, and definitely worth a try.

Then we move onto Shakespeare favourite tipple, sherry, which is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. In Europe, “Sherry” has protected designation of origin status, and under Spanish law, all wine labelled as “Sherry” must legallycome from the Sherry Triangle, an area in the province of Cadiz between Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María. Wines classified as suitable for aging are fortified until they reach a total alcohol content of 15.5 per cent by volume. As they age in barrel, they develop a layer of flor—a yeast-like growth that helps protect the wine from excessive oxidation. Those wines that are classified to undergo aging are fortified to reach an alcohol content of at least 17 per cent.

France  

Had Kronenbourg 1664 in the last WC, and it went down well. It is a beer I do like, even if its a generic lager, but it hits the spot.  They went out to Quilmes in the last 16 in a tight match. 

Most beer sold in France is mass-produced, with major breweries having control of over 90% of the market and pilsner lagers predominating. There are also distinctive traditional beer styles, such as the top-fermented Bière de Garde In recent years; France has also seen a proliferation of microbreweries. Overall alcohol consumption is down 25% since 1960 and beer currently represents 16% of the total. Imagine it’s down, what the hell are they doing in France! Similar data is shown by the World Health Organization Global Status Report on Alcohol 2004, which indicates a huge decline in total alcohol consumption by adults (15+) in France between 1961 and 2005 but beer consumption was relatively stable, wine being impacted the most. In 2005 beer represented 17% of the total alcohol consumption (compared to 62% for wine and 20% for spirits).

Brandy I find is a tough one to drink, not my poison at all, even if I went through a period of the Remys. Cognac, named after the town of Cognac in France, is a variety of brandy. It is produced in the wine-growing region surrounding the town from which it takes its name. For a distilled brandy to bear the name Cognac, an Appellation d’origine contrôlée, its production methods must meet certain legal requirements. In particular, it must be made from specified grapes of which Ugni blanc, known locally as Saint-Emilion, is the one most widely used.The brandy must be twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. Cognac matures in the same way as whiskies and wine when aged in barrels, and most cognacs are aged considerably longer than the minimum legal requirement. While there are close to 200 cognac producers, a large percentage of cognac comes from only four producers: Courvoisier, Hennessy, Martell and Rémy Martin.

France is really all about its wines and French wine is produced all throughout France and the country is the largest wine producer in the world. French wine traces its history to the 6th century BC, with many of France’s regions dating their wine-making history to Roman times. The wines produced range from expensive high-end wines sold internationally to more modest wines usually only seen within France. France is the source of many grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah) that are now planted throughout the world, as well as wine-making practices and styles of wine that have been adopted in other producing countries.

If you are feeling really flush with some cash then why not shell out of some Champagne, a sparkling wine produced from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France following rules that demand secondary fermentation of the wine in the bottle to create carbonation. Some use the term champagne as a generic term for sparkling wine, but the majority of countries reserve the term exclusively for sparkling wines that come from Champagne and are produced under the rules of the appellation. The primary grapes used in the production of Champagne are Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

Peru 

A pisco sour is an alcoholic cocktail of Peruvian origin that is typical of the cuisines from Chile and Peru, considered also a South American classic. The drink’s name comes from pisco, which is its base liquor, and the cocktail term sour, in reference to sour citrus juice and sweetener components. The pisco sour uses Peruvian pisco as the base liquor and adds freshly squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, ice, egg white, and Angostura bitters.

As for beer the country has a considerable amount of breweries but no beers that would be internationally well known. 

Denmark

The beer market in Denmark is dominated by two internationally well known and loves brands: Carlsberg and Tuborg. The country also have a thriving craft beer industry with many small breweries flourishing in a nation that does like its beer. 

They also have a strong liquour called Akvavit, that is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the country. Akvavit is a strong liquor made from potatoes and grains

Australia 

Victoria Bitter was the choice of beer in the last WC, and it went far enough, going as far as the last eight but going out to London Pride in a very close contest. Need to do as well again as they are in a tough group!

Well there are hundreds of beers one could try, from Carlton, Castlemaine, XXXX, Coopers, Tooheys, and even Fosters. Like most people this side of the world I have only ever tried Fosters. I like it but am well aware it’s not what most Aussies drink and is looked down upon. It’s a good beer, light but nice taste, a good starter.

The Australian wine industry is the world’s fourth largest exporter of wine, and generally considered cheap but of decent quality, a better buy than that expensive and maybe overrated French wine you were thinking of buying!

Could try the famous Bundaberg Rum, a dark rum produced in Bundaberg, Australia. It is often referred to as “Bundy”. Has a bit of a reputation with violence and dodgy drinlking but in my book that’s good!

If desperate could try an Australian whiskey, but then maybe not!

Argentina 

Quilmes came second to Guinness Export (Nigeria) last time round but lets see for this year, I might have a different mood! But the beer did get to the last eight, going out to eventual beer winners Germany. 

The Argentine wine industry is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world. Argentine wine has its roots in Spain. During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, vine cuttings were brought to Santiago del Estero in 1557, and the cultivation of the grape and wine production stretched first to neighbouring regions, and then to other parts of the country. Historically, Argentine winemakers were traditionally more interested in quantity than quality with the country consuming 90% of the wine it produces. Until the early 1990’s, Argentina produced more wine than any other country outside Europe, though the majority of it was considered unexportable. However, the desire to increase exports fueled significant advances in quality. Argentine wines started being exported during the 1990’s, and are currently growing in popularity, making it now the largest wine exporter in South America. In November 2010, the Argentine government declared wine as Argentina’s national liquor.

Croatia 

Unlucky not to get out of the group last time round, I had Karlovacko and it was good, but not enough to get into the last 16, albeit it looks like it could happen again in this tough beer group.

Croatia, a nation that I am not aware of in terms of alcohol beverages, but they have supporters who look like they like a sip of the hard stuff. Most of the domestic market in beer is Croatian beer, a patriotic bunch the Croats, and that is dominated by a few main beers. Osječko is the first Croatian beer ever produced, produced since 1697 which Is pretty damn old. Karlovačko is the second most popular beer in Croatia. It is also the national beer. Ožujsko is the most popular beer in Croatia, apparently with 10 bottles being consumed every second. I will write that again – ten bottles consumed a second, wow! It has been produced since 1893. Gricka Vjestica has the strongest alcohol content with 7,5%. All that sounds very appetising, but you might also want to try Croatia’s wine. The majority (67%) of wine produced is white and produced in the interior, while 32% is red and produced mainly along the coast. But if you want to try the national beverage then Rakia is the one to opt for. Rakia is a popular alcoholic beverage in southeast Europe produced by distillation of fermented fruit. The alcohol content of Rakia is normally 40% ABV.

Nigeria 

Got the strong stuff last time round, the Nigerian version of Guinness, Guinness Export. It was interesting, and strong. Strong enough too to get to the last eight of my WC, going out to Samuel Adams in a close contest. 

Nigeria produces a version of Guinness that one can not get anywhere else in the world, And is meant to be quite strong. But does it have its own unique beers? Yes it does. Nigerian Breweries Plc is the pioneer and largest brewing company in Nigeria. Its first bottle of beer, STAR Lager, rolled off the bottling lines of its Lagos Brewery in June 1949.

To the Palm Wine again, they like so much in parts of Africa, the alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the palmyra, date palms and coconut palms. Palm wine may be distilled to create a stronger drink, which goes by different names depending on the region. Throughout Nigeria, this is commonly called ogogoro. Palm wine plays an important role in many ceremonies in parts of Nigeria. Guests at weddings, birth celebrations, and funeral wakes are served generous quantities.

Iceland 

They are a strange bunch in Iceland. Beer was banned in the tiny country since 1989 so they have a lot of catching up-to to do with the rest of us! Beer was associated with what those damn Danes did and was not the done thing for the more morally conscious Iceland people.  Those morals don;t stop them eating whale meat, funny logic! 

The two largest domestic brewers in Iceland are Egill Skallagrímsson Brewery and Vífilfell. Beginning in the late 2000s more small craft brewers have emerged which produce a wider variety of styles and have even won international awards for their beers. 

Switzerland  

Tried a few Feldschlösschen brews in the last WC, that got them out of the group and not much further. I do like Swiss beer though, very clean and smooth albeit without much flavours, but good enough to enjoy.

The Swiss do have some beers, whiskeys and wines, but unlike their neighbours Germany, they are not so famous for their alcoholic beverages. They would much rather concentrate on their cheeses and chocolate. Some say that the mysterious drink of Absinthe originated from Switzerland but I am not so sure.

Costa Rica 

Imperial Beer surprised me in the last world cup (much like their football team), coming out of a tough group that had England and Italy, it might surprise second time round. 

Beer in CR include Imperial, Imperial Light, Imperial Silver, Pilsen, Pilsen 6.0, Bavaria Gold, Bavaria Light, Bavaria Dark, Rock Ice and Rock Ice Limón. With the exception of Bavaria Negra, all are light-coloured, light-bodied lagers. Not sure if any of them are home produced, doesn’t look like it, maybe.

Brazil 

Skol Lager on a hot day can do well, but might not have enough if it comes up against a decent beer, as last time it went out meekly in the second round. 

Brazil, a nation famous for partying and having a good time. But does its alcohol match the good mood of its people. According to the Barthhaas group (whoever the hell they are) Brazil has the world’s third largest market for beer, which, if true, is pretty amazing. There is a strong German influence with their beers which goes back to early immigration. Bohemia is the oldest Brazilian beer which is still under production. Two important brands, Antarctica and Brahma, started production in the 1880s, and are still popular. I have no idea how strong or good Brazilian beer is but it would be fun to try them. Alternatively one could try Cachaça which is a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice. It is the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil. It is typically between 38% and 48% alcohol by volume. Meant to be good for a cocktail mix, but again I have never tried this Brazilian drink.

Serbia 

There are 8 breweries in Serbia,the largest of which are Apatin Brewery (the largest in the Balkan region), Čelarevo Brewery, and Novi Sad Brewery 

Most popular domestic brand is Jelen. 

Pale lager has been the traditional beer choice for Serbians, and dark lager, while being popular, is produced in smaller quantities. Some breweries produce kvass, a traditional Slavic fermented beverage commonly made from rye bread.

One thing I do know is that the Belgrade Beer Fest is one of the top beer events on the world beer calendar.  Held annually over 3–4 days at the foot of Belgrade’s Kalemegdan fortress, it is a showcase event for various beer producers. In addition to domestic and foreign brews at affordable prices, the festival features live music performances each evening. It has quickly grown in size and popularity. Someday I hope to get tho this crazy and mad cap event, I hear a calling!

Germany 

Winners of my first beer World Cup, the trio of Friedenfelser/Lowenbrau/Karlskrone beat London Pride in the final. Will be hard to beat Germany again, they have the beers, they have the history, they produce the good stuff. 

Beer is a major part of German culture, and they are proud of their beers. Almost half of all German breweries are in Bavaria. In total, there are approximately 1300 breweries in Germany producing over 5000 brands of beer. The highest density of breweries in the world is found in Aufseß near the city of Bamberg, in the Franconia region of Bavaria with four breweries and only 1352 citizens. The Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan brewery (established in 725) is reputedly the oldest existing brewery in the world (brewing since 1040). The alcohol-by-volume, or ABV, content of beers in Germany is usually between 4.7% and 5.4% for most traditional brews. Bockbier or Doppelbock can have an alcohol content of up to 16%, making it stronger than many wines.

German wine is primarily produced in the west of Germany, along the river Rhine and its tributaries. Germany has about 102,000 hectares of vineyard, which is around one tenth of the vineyard surface in Spain, France or Italy. The total wine production is usually around 9 million hectoliters annually which places Germany as the eighth largest wine-producing country in the world.White wine accounts for almost two thirds of the total production. As a wine country, Germany has a mixed reputation internationally, with some consumers on the export markets associating Germany with the world’s most elegant and aromatically pure white wines while other see the country mainly as the source of cheap, mass-market semi-sweet wines.

German whisky is a distilled beverage produced in Germany made from grains traditionally associated with the production of whisky. The distillation of German-made whisky is a relatively recent phenomenon having only started in the last 30 years. The styles produced resemble those made in Ireland, Scotland and the United States: single malts, blends, and bourbon styles. There are currently 23 distilleries in Germany producing whisky.

Sweden 

Another Nordic country that has a strange relationship with beer. The Swedes have set a 3.5%ABV threshold where anything over that limit is to be bought only in Systembolaget’s, a government-owned chain of liquor stores in Sweden.  For this reason, many Swedes travel over to neighbouring Denmark, which has a more relaxed attitude to alcohol, to fill up their tank! 

But there are Swedish brewers who do produce decent beer, spearheaded by the likes of Stockholm’s Nils Oscar Brewery. These companies offer customers more in the way choice to the imports. 

Mexico

Corona did the business to get out of the group last time round but was hammered in the second round. Might be difficult to come out of this ground though. 

Now before we jump straight into the obvious, Mexico has a lot to offer than THAT drink!

Let’s have a look so. Beer in Mexico has a long history long before the Spanish conquest. Globally, one of the best known Mexican beers is Corona, which is the flagship beer of Grupo Modelo. Corona is the best-selling beer produced by Mexico. It is one of the five most-consumed beers in the world. Corona, is a nice drink, but not what I would look for if I wanted to have a good time. There are a lot of other Mexican brands, too – Tecate, Sol, Dos Equis, Carta Blanca, Superior, Indio, Bohemia, Noche Buena, Negra Modelo, Modelo Especial Victoria, Estrella, Léon, Montejo and Pacifico.  Apart from beer, one could try Pulque, an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant. It is traditional to central Mexico, where it has been produced for millennia. It has the colour of milk and a sour yeast-like taste.It is not as popular as before due to the increase of beer drinking in Mexico but is making a slow comeback .If looking for wine, Mexico is the oldest wine-making region in the Americas, as of the 2013, about 90% of Mexican wine is produced in the north-western state of Bajz California, neighbouring the wine producing region of California in the U.S.. Which makes you think if Californian wines are so popular these days then why not Mexican wines?

To be honest if you were trying a drink from Mexico then it would be none other than tequila. I have to admit I love Tequila, neat and no messing with lime or salt (fuck off!). Love the drink and don’t find it as hard to drink as some find it, I guess its one of my poisons! The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (Tequila Regulatory Council) reported 1377 registered domestically bottled brands from 150 producers as of November 2013, so good with all that if searching for a strong recommendation from me!. Of course there are differing levels of tequila, but any bottle of the decent tequila is good enough for any party in my opinion

South Korea 

Had Hite Lager and it went down well, good enough to come out of the first round but not good enough to progress further. 

Beer was introduced into Korea in early 20th century. Seoul’s first beer brewery opened in 1908. The Korean beer market is dominated by two major companies, Hite-Jinro, and OB, and which each sell several brands on the local market. Unfortunately in a very tightly regulated market where micro breweries are not encouraged, SK beer is meant to be a little bland and boring.

So that’s maybe why the South Koreans’ tend to drink Soju which is a distilled beverage native to Korea. Jinro and Lotte soju are the first and third top selling alcohol brands in the world. It is usually consumed neat. It is traditionally made from rice, wheat, barley, but modern producers of soju use supplements or even replace rice with other starches, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, or tapioca. Soju is clear and colourless. Its alcohol content varies from about 16.7%, to about 45% alcohol by volume (ABV) for traditional Andong soju, with 20% ABV being most common. However, by using freeze distillation, ABV can be increased to desired percentage. Distilled Soju usually has a higher ABV of 30~35% than diluted Soju with ABV of 21~30%. As distilled Soju tends to have a higher ABV, it has stronger smell than diluted Soju. It is widely consumed, in part, because of its relatively low price in Korea. Although beer, whiskey, and wine have been gaining popularity in recent years, soju remains one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Korea because of its ready availability and relatively low price. More than 3 billion bottles were consumed in South Korea in 2004. In 2006, it was estimated that the average adult Korean (older than 20) had consumed 90 bottles of soju during that year.

Belgium 

Surprisingly enough Stella Artois failed to make the grade in my WC last time round!

There are approximately 180 breweries in the country, ranging from international giants to microbreweries. Belgium exports 60% of its beer. Some draught-beer brands produced by InBev – Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Leffe – are available in several European countries. Aside from these, mostly bottled beer is exported across Europe. Belgium is like a Disney dreamland for beer lovers, lovely quaint towns where every bar seems to have its own brew, brilliant.

Like the Netherlands, the Belgians like the taste of Jenever , the juniper flavoured national and traditional liquor of the Belgium, from which gin evolved. Jenever was originally produced by distilling malt wine to 50% ABV. Because the resulting spirit was not palatable due to the lack of refined distilling techniques (only the pot still was available), herbs were added to mask the flavour. The juniper berry was chosen for its alleged medicinal effects, hence the name jenever (and the English name gin).

There are two types: Oude jenever must contain ‘at least’ 15% malt wine, but no more than 20 g of sugar per litre. Korenwijn (grain wine) is a drink very similar to the 18th century style jenever, and is often matured for a few years in an oak cask; it contains from 51% to 70% malt wine and up to 20 g/l of sugar. Jonge jenever has a neutral taste, like vodka, with a slight aroma of juniper and malt wine. Oude jenever has a smoother, very aromatic taste with malty flavours. Oude jenever is sometimes aged in wood; its malty, woody and smoky flavours lend a resemblance to whisky. Different grains used in the production process make cause for different flavoured jenevers.

England 

Came a close second in my WC, London Pride steamrolled to get to the final. England should go close again. 

You have bitters, ales, lagers, stouts, porter, shandys; just don’t ask me to go in detail about them all, just that there is a shit lot of good beer in England! Beer in England pre-dates other alcoholic drinks produced in England, and have been brewed continuously since prehistoric times. As a beer brewing country, England is known for its real ale which finishes maturing in the cellar of the pub rather than at the brewery and is served with only natural carbonation.

English beer styles include bitter, mild, brown ale and old ale. Stout was also originally brewed in London. Lager style beer has increased considerably in popularity since the mid 20th century. Other modern developments include consolidation of large brewers into multinational corporations; growth of beer consumerism; expansion of microbreweries and increased interest in bottle conditioned beers.

Cider is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from fruit juice, most commonly and traditionally apple juice but also the juice of peaches, pears or other fruit. Cider varies in alcohol content from 1.2% ABV to 8.5% or more in traditional English ciders. Cider is popular in the United Kingdom and has the highest per capita consumption of cider, as well as the largest cider-producing companies in the world, including H. P. Bulmer, the largest. Much cider today is made from apple pulp rather than fresh apples and may contain added sweeteners or flavours. Cider is available in sweet, medium and dry varieties. Recent years have seen a significant increase in cider sales in the UK. A key market segment exists in the UK for strong white mass-produced cider at 7.5% alcohol by volume. Typical brands include White Lightning, Diamond White, Frosty Jack, and White Strike, shit cheap and a great way to get completely smashed!

Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries From its earliest beginnings in the Middle Ages, gin has evolved over the course of a millennium from a herbal medicine to an object of commerce in the spirits industry. Today, the gin category is one of the most popular and widely distributed range of spirits, and is represented by products of various origins, styles, and flavour profiles that all revolve around juniper as a common ingredient Beefeater, first produced in 1820, and Gordon’s are two well known brands from England.

Tunisia 

Another Muslim nation,  a country with 98% Muslims, but like a lot of places if you look, you can find both locally produced and imported beers, and usually beer, spirits and wine can be found in the local Magasine General (general store).  The country even has a few micro breweries. I am guessing as it is a sun destination for holiday seekers, practicalities mean that beer can be found. 

Panama 

Panama produces three brands of rum and a similar liquor known as Seco Herrerano, but beer is also quite popular. There are multiple brands produced by six companies with the company Cervecería Barú-Panama a popular brewery all over the nation and further afield in the Americas. Cervecería Nacional produce Atlas, a light beer that is the most popular beer in the country. 

Poland 

According to a 2009 Ernst & Young report, Poland is Europe’s third largest beer producer. No surprise there as with the influx of Polish migrants into western Europe, they have brought there interesting beers with them for us to sample and delight in.

Beer in Poland has been brewed for well over a thousand years, but in the modern age, most beer is mass-produced. Beer has been made there for around a thousand years and the country has a significant history of commercial beer production. 

At the end of 2013, there were 97 breweries in Poland, including microbreweries and contracted breweries. The most popular Polish beers are Żywiec, Okocim and Tyskie. But it has to be said that there is a thriving craft beer and local brewery scene in the country. 

Poland has a beer scene I fully respect, and I am looking forward to trying out some new beers from the country. 

Senegal 

According to Ratebeer.com, Senegal has one main brewery in the country, Société des Brasseries de l’Ouest Africain or SOBOA for short! They mostly produce pale lagers for the local market.

Colombia 

A nice surprise in the last WC for me was Club Colombia, a nice refreshing lager that did ok. 

Well Colombia is a place that can get you easily off your head but we are not talking about alcoholic beverages. But having said that there is a burgeoning beer industry ranging from small local micro-brews to large scale productions of popular brands. It is estimated that Colombia has more than 15 large national brands but dozens of small/local microbrewery boutique beers are growing beyond regional demand.

They do like their spirits though, and Aguardiente is their drink, drank neat as well. Aguardiente is a generic term for alcoholic beverages that contain between 29% and 60% alcohol by volume. In Colombia, aguardiente known as guaro, is an anise-flavoured liqueur derived from sugarcane, vastly popular in the country. By adding different amounts of aniseed, different flavours are obtained, leading to extensive marketing and fierce competition between brands. Aguardiente has 24%–29% alcohol content.

Japan 

Kirin Ichiban managed to get to the last eight in my beer WC, somehow it did!

Sake or saké is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin that is made from fermented rice. Sake is sometimes called “rice wine” but the brewing process is more akin to beer, converting starch to sugar for the fermentation process. Sake is sometimes referred to in English-speaking countries as rice wine. However, unlike wine, in which alcohol is produced by fermenting sugar that is naturally present in grapes and other fruits, sake is produced by means of a brewing process more like that of beer. To make beer or sake, the sugar needed to produce alcohol must first be converted from starch. The brewing process for sake differs from the process for beer, in that for beer, the conversion from starch to sugar and from sugar to alcohol occurs in two discrete steps. But when sake is brewed, these conversions occur simultaneously. Furthermore, the alcohol content differs between sake, wine, and beer. Wine generally contains 9%–16% ABV, while most beer contains 3%–9%, and undiluted sake contains 18%–20%

Or if Sake isn’t strong enough for you then you might want to try some Shōchū, which is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, or rice, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as brown sugar, chestnut, sesame seeds, or even carrots. Typically shōchū contains approximately 25% ABV, which is weaker than whisky or standard-strength vodka but stronger than wine and sake.

The style of Japanese whisky is more similar to that of Scotch whisky than Irish, American or Canadian styles. There are several companies producing whisky in Japan, but the two best-known and most widely available are Suntory and Nikka. Both of these produce blended as well as single malt whiskies and blended malt whiskies.

Having mentioned all that, beer is still king in Japan and is the most popular alcoholic drink in Japan, accounting for nearly two thirds of the 9 billion litres of alcohol consumed in 2006. Major makers are Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory while small local breweries supply distinct tasting beers.