When I think of my mom, two things usually don't come to mind: beer and Frank Zappa. Which made it odd earlier this week when I opened an email to find she had sent me the following quote: "You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer."Now, I'm not a big Zappa fan and have never heard this quote. I'm guessing that puts me in Group A of two possible groups, with Group B consisting of huge Zappa fans who have heard this quote a million times. But the quote did get me thinking that there are a number of countries that I associate with one specific beer. Yes, I realize they have more than one beer, but every time I think of said country, one specific beer immediately pops into mind trumping all others.
Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying these are the best beers each country has to offer, or even a list of my favorite international beers, but for this week's Slashfood Ate beer edition, I present the 8 countries that through experience and marketing I most associate with one specific beer.
See the list after the jump...
- Jamaica = Red Stripe -- My apologies to Guinness but for me no other beer is as directly associated to a specific country as Red Stripe is to Jamaica. During a childhood trip, I quickly realized that in Jamaica all you need to own a bar is three walls a roof and a case of Red Stripe. Now that is country.
- Ireland = Guinness -- This one is easy. It follows the transitive property. What country do I associate most with drinking? Ireland. What beer do I associate most with Ireland? Guinness. Therefore Guinness is beer. [Writer's note: I realize that does not technically follow the transitive property. Whatevs.]
- Australia = Foster's -- This one is probably generational, because you would have had to be alive during the last century to remember that Fosters is "Australian for beer." Oddly enough, however, Fosters isn't popular in Australia. In fact, I've heard it can be downright hard to find in its native land. Still, thanks to the power of American marketing, the country and the beer will forever be linked in my brain.
- Mexico = Corona -- I could write up a laundry list of Mexican beers, but for sandy beaches, summer sun and a slice of lime, Corona will always be the first Mexican beer that comes to mind.
- Italy = Peroni -- When you think of Germany, you think of beer. When you think of Italy, you think of... well... anything but beer. Which is why when it comes to the topic of Italian beers, only one immediately pops to mind: Peroni. Yes, there are plenty others, but in the States, Peroni seems to be the primary representative.
- Netherlands = Heineken -- Arguably the most recognizable imported beer in America, Heineken has staked its claim as an international juggernaut. Not bad for a country smaller than most U.S. states.
- Canada = Molson -- You can see the Montreal Canadians or you can buy a case of Molson Canadians. Hockey and beer: that's Canada.
- Japan = Sapporo -- This one is tough, because when it comes to the Japanese imports, I've always leaned towards Asahi. But when I see those distinct silver cans, Sapporo is definitely the definition of Japanese beer here in the states.
[And for the record, I realize the Lagunitas Brewing Company continues to offer a series of Frank Zappa themed beers that are supposedly quite good. But we'll save that discussion for another day.]
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