Any worse beer destination than Mexico?

[Bilsch]

An alternate solution to the Riviera Maya beer situation...
Go to this resort instead.
http://www.desire-resort.com
They can put any kind of beer in your hand and you'll drink it with a smile on your face. Even old skunky Sol.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Cozumel Mexico was one of our stops 10 days ago.Got some totally awesome food and good beer at a local joint.If you get a chance to go scuba diving do it.Its some of the best in the world...so great

 

[specharka]

As far as developed nations go, Italy is one of the worst as far as beer goes. Nothing but garbage Italian Peroni and quasi-Peroni were available at apres ski areas, and the selection was also pretty terrible in the marketplace. Food was amazing and the wine was great, but damn if I've never craved a BMC beer so badly.

 

[spittybug]

As someone that has spent many months of his life in Saudi Arabia, I can tell you without reservation that the "beer" there is the worst on the planet. Firstly, there really isn't beer..... the only legal beer is the non alcoholic stuff. I want to say that the best was a Heineken? product, but I don't remember 100%.

The "beer" was made using this as the base. The expats would actually make 2 varieties of liquor; brown and white. These were fermented sugar (did you know that Saudi Arabia has the highest per capita consumption of sugar? Or at least did in the 2000's..... hummmm) rotgut that was then flavored using extracts that we would bring over for them. You can get many of the traditional booze flavors in little bottles. Just choose dark or light liquor, add it and voila! I actually had a decent gin and a decent amaretto while there!

So, they take their base non-alcoholic beer, add a little "white" and there you go, beer! Yuck. But trust me, working in that environment, the HELLACIOUS heat and humidity, the arrogant people, the repressive society, the filth, the lack of female skin, etc.. and almost anything tastes good.

Thank God that Bahrain is only an hour or two drive. MUCH more to choose from there.

The Caribbean is pretty bad and I've had some stuff in SE Asia that would remove paint. Brahma in Brazil isn't bad. Most other places you can get good beers if the locals aren't any good.

 

[flyfishnevada]

The Caribbean is pretty bad and I've had some stuff in SE Asia that would remove paint. Brahma in Brazil isn't bad. Most other places you can get good beers if the locals aren't any good.

Can't speak to the rest of the Caribbean, but Jamaica isn't bad. Guinness has a brewery there and brews their Foreign Extra Stout. I've had some other good beers like Dragon Stout. The problem is if you stay on the resorts. All I've ever seen is Red Stripe. It's okay I guess...if you like bland, tasteless American style lagers. Most tourist drink it like it's something special or inherently Jamaican. Blech!

 

[smcinco]

How about the Middle East or India? Mexico has a great brewing tradition. The beer tastes great down there, kind of like Mai Tais only tasting good in Hawaii.

As far as macros go, if you haven't tried Bohemia, it's a fine beer. Tecate brewed at the original brewery in Tecate is also great.

If it has to be a craft brew, Cucapa and Insurgentes are ok/good, haven't tried any others.

 

[MaxStout]

Since the OP started this thread back in summer '13, I'm thinking he's blocked the bad Mexican beer trip from his mind by now. I know I would.

 

[FarmerTed]

Egypt. Also the worst wine anywhere. Ugh

I had wine in India that could probably go toe-to-toe with whatever they make in Egypt. It tasted like strawberry-flavored nail polish remover.

 

[CBXBob]

I don't get out of the country much, Thailand 2 years ago, and Belize last July. Between the two, Belize was the worst, after a month there, the only way it was bearable was making Chilada's. Their domestic (Beliken) and imported (Carib, El Presidente, etc.) were 9 Oz. bottles. Average $1.25 to $1.50 in bulk. Thailand's beers weren't great, but better. Chang, Sing Ha, and Leo were at least 12 oz. $1.00 to $1.25 in bulk. Some of the better hotels in Bangkok had American beer on tap. Thought I was tripping when the bartender said he had Rogue's Dead Guy on tap. God bless America, and craft beer!

 

[westo2]

Probably a good idea, since the ice they put in your beverage, probably comes from the water they tell you not to drink.

Never been to Mexico, so I don't know how the water thing plays out at the resorts, but have been to Aruba a couple of times. That's a BMC heaven, with Amstel light, Heineken and the local Brew Balashi (tasted like a cross between amstel and heineken) The good thing is, when you are sitting on the beach, watching the sun set, smoking a cigar and having a drink, even a Miller Lite tastes good. But yeah, in Mexico, I'd probably go the ***** Modelo route.

Belashi and Chill - would be terrible beers anywhere else. When reclined on the beach on the private resort island at 11 am on a Wednesday? One of the greatest beers I've ever had.

 

[sudbuddy]

As far as developed nations go, Italy is one of the worst as far as beer goes. Nothing but garbage Italian Peroni and quasi-Peroni were available at apres ski areas, and the selection was also pretty terrible in the marketplace. Food was amazing and the wine was great, but damn if I've never craved a BMC beer so badly.

The craft beer scene in Italy is really starting to blow up, so expect that to change in the next couple of years.

For my money, I have to believe Antarctica would be a worse beer destination than Mexico.

 

[doublehaul]

I'd worry more about what they're feeding you. I didn't mind sipping SOL on the beach. Only tourists drink Corona.

 

[lazysunday]

This entire thread reeks of cultural insensitivity and beer snobbery, and in a few instances, straight racism. Beer standards aren't set by predominately white, Western European culture. The large majority of this thread has been advice to retreat to the relative safety of German or Belgian or American exports.

Craft beer already gets a snob label put on it, don't further the stereotype while also being culturally incompetent.

 

[bobeer]

Want to trade places? You come here and work and I'll go to Mexico and drink the crappy beer?

When it's really hot out and I'm eating good, flavorful food, I don't really want a super hoppy beer to wash it down. It's just too damn hot and it kills my pallet for the wonderful flavors the food provides. I'm happy to drink whatever "island style" lagers places have, mellow out, and look at the cool swirly designs on the water. If you drink enough of them it doesn't matter anyway and it'll just make your homebrew taste that much better when you're home!

Cheers. Enjoy yourself and try not to worry too much about the quality of the beer you're drinking.

 

[Fathand]

I just got back from Mexico a week ago and was an hour and a half north of Cancun on a tiny island. I wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. A cafe/ice cream shop had a cooler that had a few Mexican cart beers and then one night stumbled into a bar that had a nice selection of Mexican craft. I was surprised that the majority of those beers were stouts. Not bad stuff really.

 

[thadeus_d3]

Abu Dhabi and Dubai was the worst that I've seen. Nearly impossible to find and when you did, it cost an arm and a leg.

 

[whovous]

I had a bottle of Sol after spending a few hours clambering over Mayan pyramids and thought it was the best thing I'd ever tasted. I spent a long time hunting for Sol after returning to the States. When I finally found it, I was amazed at just how weak and bland it really was.

I think beer is really, really local. It tastes good in place, but often not so good out of place. Pilsner Urquell from a tank in Prague is ambrosia, yet almost undrinkable from a tap in the USofA.

 

[firerat]

Poor me.

I'm going on an all inclusive cruise to the Bahamas this weekend and will be stuck drinking beer all weekend.

Sigh....

 

[pdm1982]

I've done all-inclusives in Mexico and Jamaica. While not being a huge fan of any of the beers available at both resorts, my gripe was the limited choices more than the beers themselves. Not being in love with Dos Equis or Red Stripe didn't prevent me from drinking a lot of it or from having a good time.

There's always liquor. Fun story: When I arrived at the resort in Cancun I went to the bar. This other American named Randy walks up and shouts "Carlos! 40 shots of your top self tequila!" And Carlos poured every one of them. There were maybe 15 people in the place so I did my best to help drink them. The point is, just have fun and don't drink the water.

 

[guidz]

New Delhi.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Utah. They have a lot of beer, but not a drop over 3.2%.

Or hell...nothing but warm Coors Light.

 

[iijakii]

I had a bottle of Sol after spending a few hours clambering over Mayan pyramids and thought it was the best thing I'd ever tasted. I spent a long time hunting for Sol after returning to the States. When I finally found it, I was amazed at just how weak and bland it really was.

I think beer is really, really local. It tastes good in place, but often not so good out of place. Pilsner Urquell from a tank in Prague is ambrosia, yet almost undrinkable from a tap in the USofA.

Definitely. Like how IPAs just don't taste as good without skinny jeans or saisons when you're not in a portapotty.

 

[m00ps]

Ive heard Portland OR is pretty crap in terms of its beer scene. And beard scene

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

Southern France, which is basically the Mecca of wine. Lived there for a year and there was basically no such thing as a decent beer to be had.

 

[Bilsch]

I was just in Bordeaux and Biarritz and I have to agree that the French beers around there basically suck. However there are many Belgian choices on tap such as Affligem and Grimbergen that were so fresh and awesome. Way better choices of beers then a lot of US cities I've been stuck in.

 

[CBXBob]

Leaving for Thailand on Sunday,Thai beers Singha, Chang, and Leo, all lagers, and all drinkable. Singha is probably the best quality, but still just a BMC equivalent. Happily there are places you can find (in Bangkok) Stone, Rogue, and other great beers. And I notice there is a growing craft beer trend. Will report back when I sober up

 

[guindilla]

Haven't read all the thread, but Mexico has actually very good craft beer.

I admit can't remember the brands, but I've been there quite a few times and managed to found all you can think of (APA, IPA, porter, milk stout,...) brewed by small companies from Mexico DF, Guadalajara, and all around Mexico.

Now, in terms of being broadly available... That's entirely another matter

Cheers.

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

I'm thinking anywhere in the middle east that's a primarily Muslim country would be worse.

Amusingly enough, I had the first beer I didn't *hate* at age 16 in Egypt, at an "ethnic American" restaurant called Roy's Country Kitchen in the basement of the hotel where I accompanied my father on a business trip. (Well, I took what must have been a good 750mL bottle back to my hotel room).

Then, buoyed by being A) pointedly ignored when I asked what the drinking age was and B) being allowed to buy the aforementioned bottle, I was deflated by realizing that every other place that had "beer" on the menu served non-alcoholic only. So the larger point still stands.

 

[Kharnynb]

China is terrible as soon as you get out of the main cities.....you'll drink local swill because it's better than having to drink the local water though...

Uruguay wasn't bad for beer, but they have hilariously huge bottles of beer/"whiskey"

 

[kombat]

Poor me.

I'm going on an all inclusive cruise to the Bahamas this weekend and will be stuck drinking beer all weekend.

Sigh....

Reported.