Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Bulgaria Beer

By

bulgaria
Today in 1908, Bulgaria gained their Independence from the Ottoman Empire.

Bulgaria
bulgaria-color

Bulgaria Breweries

Bulgaria Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: Union Of Brewers In Bulgaria

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Label requirements: Producer (importer), ingredients, abv, volume, date of expiration/producer and text “Consume responsibly, enjoy with pleasure.”

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.05%

bulgaria

  • Full Name: Republic of Bulgaria
  • Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
  • Government Type: Parliamentary democracy
  • Language: Bulgarian (official) 76.8%, Turkish 8.2%, Roma 3.8%, other 0.7%, other (unknown) 10.5%
  • Religion(s): Eastern Orthodox 59.4%, Muslim (Sunni) 7.4%, Muslim (Shia) 0.4%, other (including Catholic, Protestant, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, and Judaism) 1.7%, other (unknown) 27.4%, none 3.7%
  • Capital: Sofia
  • Population: 7,037,935; 100th
  • Area: 110,879 sq km, 105th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly larger than Tennessee
  • National Food: Bulgarian cuisine
  • National Symbols: Lion; Rose
  • Affiliations: UN, EU, NATO
  • Independence: Complete independence from the Ottoman Empire, September 22, 1908 / Became an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire, March 3, 1878

bulgaria-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: None (to drink); 18 (to buy) [Note: The Health Act prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages to persons under 18 years of age, but not their consumption.]
  • BAC: 0.05%
  • Number of Breweries: 12

bulgaria-money-1

  • How to Say “Beer”: bira / Бира / бира / пиво
  • How to Order a Beer: Edna beerra, molya
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Nazdrave / наздраве
  • Toasting Etiquette: See in the eyes when say cheers (наздраве)

bulgaria-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 32%
  • Wine: 22%
  • Spirits: 45%
  • Other: <1%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 11.24
  • Unrecorded: 1.20
  • Total: 12.44
  • Beer: 3.53

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 11.2 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Places, specific events, intoxicated persons
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Yes

Patterns of Drinking Score: 2

Prohibition: None

bulgaria-eu

Mali Beer

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mali
Today in 1960, Mali gained their Independence from France.

Mali
mali-color

Mali Breweries

Mali Brewery Guides

Other Guides

  • CIA World Factbook
  • Official Website
  • U.S. Embassy
  • Wikipedia

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

mali

  • Full Name: Republic of Mali
  • Location: Interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger
  • Government Type: Republic
  • Language: French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
  • Religion(s): Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%
  • Capital: Bamako
  • Population: 15,494,466; 66th
  • Area: 1,240,192 sq km, 24th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly less than twice the size of Texas
  • National Food: nsaamè or riz au gras
  • National Symbols: Vulture; the Mosque of Djenné
  • Affiliations: UN, African Union
  • Independence: From France, September 22, 1960 / f.k.a. French Sudan and the Sudanese Republic

mali-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: None
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 2

mali-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: bière
  • How to Order a Beer: Une bière, s’il vous plait
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Santé
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

mali-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 13%
  • Wine: <1%
  • Spirits: 2%
  • Other: 85%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 0.54
  • Unrecorded: 0.50
  • Total: 1.04
  • Beer: 0.07

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 0.5 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: None
  • Sales Restrictions: No
  • Advertising Restrictions: No
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 2

Prohibition: None

mali-africa

Malta Beer

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malta
Today in 1964, Malta gained their Independence from the United Kingdom.

Malta
malta-color

Malta Breweries

Malta Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

malta

  • Full Name: Republic of Malta
  • Location: Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
  • Government Type: Republic
  • Language: Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8%
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic (official) 98%
  • Capital: Valletta
  • Population: 409,836; 174th
  • Area: 316 sq km, 207th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
  • National Food: Pastizzi
  • National Symbols: Blue Rock Thrush (bird), Pharaoh Hound; Maltese Centaury; Għargħar; George Cross, Maltese Cross
  • Affiliations: UN, EU, Commonwealth
  • Independence: From the UK, September 21, 1964

malta-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 17
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 1

malta-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: birra
  • How to Order a Beer: wiehed birra, jekk jogħġbok
  • How to Say “Cheers”: evviva / saħħa
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

malta-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 34%
  • Wine: 28%
  • Spirits: 35%
  • Other: 5%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 3.85
  • Unrecorded: 0.42
  • Total: 4.27
  • Beer: 1.79

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 3.9 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Decrease
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 17
  • Sales Restrictions: Specific events, intoxicated persons
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Sponsorship

Patterns of Drinking Score: 1

Prohibition: None

malta-eu

Belize Beer

By

belize
Today in 1981, Belize gained their Independence from the United Kingdom.

Belize
belize-color

Belize Breweries

Belize Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: Belize Agricultural Health Authority

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Labels must include the following information: Name of food or beverage; Name and address of themanufacturer; Net contents and weight/volume; Country of origin; Batch/lot identification number; Date marketing; Storage instructions; and List of ingredients in descending order.

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

belize

  • Full Name: Belize
  • Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
  • Government Type: Parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
  • Language: Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2%
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic 39.3%, Pentacostal 8.3%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.3%, Anglican 4.5%, Mennonite 3.7%, Baptist 3.5%, Methodist 2.8%, Nazarene 2.8%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.6%, other 9.9% (includes Bahai Faith, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Mormon), other (unknown) 3.1%, none 15.2%
  • Capital: Belmopan
  • Population: 327,719; 177th
  • Area: 22,966 sq km, 152nd
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than Massachusetts
  • National Food: Boil Up; recipe
  • National Symbols: Baird’s Tapir; Black Orchid; Honduras Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla); Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Azure Window;
  • Affiliations: UN, Commonwealth, OAS
  • Independence: From the UK, September 21, 1981 / f.k.a. British Honduras

belize-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 1

belize-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

belize-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 67%
  • Wine: 2%
  • Spirits: 31%
  • Other: <1%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 5.07
  • Unrecorded: 1.00
  • Total: 6.07
  • Beer: 3.89

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 5.1 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Increase
  • Excise Taxes: N/A
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: N/A
  • Advertising Restrictions: N/A
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: N/A

Patterns of Drinking Score: 4

Prohibition: None

belize-na

Heineken James Bond Ad

By

007-2 heineken
I know I should be complaining that the Ian Fleming character James Bond would never drink Heineken — and I have in the past — but this new commercial for Heineken, which debuted today, is too much fun. I’ve been a huge Bond fan since my dad took me to see Thunderball in the theater when I was six. So this is an especially fun ad since it features items, and people, from previous Bond films. How many can you spot?

Bistro 18th Anniversary Tomorrow

By

bistro
The Bistro, in Hayward, California, has been an institution for … well, eighteen years. They put on four niche festivals each year — Double IPA, IPA, Wet Hop and Wood Aged — plus a hops rhizome event. Tomorrow they’re celebrating their 18th anniversary, not with a whimper, but a bang.

On tap, they’ll have some classic beers, such as Anchor Christmas Ale 1999 and in bottles, such rarities as a vertical tasting of North Coast Old Stock from 2000 until the present vintage, Unibroue’s anniversary ale, from 2004 to 2007. They’ll also have bottles of Russian River Brewing’s first bottling of batch 23 — circa 2007 — and Avery The Beast 2008 to name just a few.

There will be live music at the pub, beginning at 4:30, with The Hipbones, who first played here in 1997, The Travis Larson Band, along with special guest from Canada, Dave Martone.

The festivities start when they open at 10:30. Should be a great time. Happy 18th Vic and Cynthia!

bistro-dipa09-11
Bistro owners Cynthia and Vic Kralj announcing the winners of the 2009 Double IPA Festival.

South Ossetia Beer

By

south-ossentia
Today in 1990, South Ossetia declared their Independence from Georgia, though it remains unrecognized by most nations.

South Ossetia
south-osseta-map

South Ossetia Breweries

  • Tshinvalskiy Pivovarenniy Zavod

South Ossetia Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

Beer in Ossetian Mythology: Uacilla (Уацилла; “Saint Elijah”). Also spelled Wasilla. God of rain, thunder and lightning. As protector of the harvest he is known as Хоры Уацилла (Hory Uacilla, “Uacilla of the wheat”). Anyone struck by lightning was considered chosen by the god and, if they survived, a sheep was sacrificed in their honor. His festival was celebrated in the summer with the sacrifice of a lamb and a bull and the drinking of specially brewed beer. On that day women baked bread in silence as a mark of reverence.

south-ossentia

  • Full Name: Republic of South Ossetia
  • Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia
  • Government Type: Semi-presidential Republic
  • Language: Ossetic, Georgian, Russian
  • Religion(s): Russian Orthodox, Georgian Apostolic, Muslim, and traditional Pagan religions, especially Etseg Din
  • Capital: Tskhinvali
  • Population: 72,000
  • Area: 3,900 sq km
  • National Foods: fyjjyn (a cake with meat), wælîbækh (a cake with cheese)
  • National Symbol: Golden Snow Leopard
  • Affiliations: None
  • Independence: From Georgia, declared September 20, 1990 / declared again November 28, 1991 / recognized by a few countries, August 26, 2008

south-ossentia

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 16
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 1

so-ossetia-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: bæegæny
  • How to Order a Beer: N/A
  • How to Say “Cheers”: N/A
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

so-ossetia-color-2

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 85%
  • Wine: <1%
  • Spirits: 10%
  • Other: 5%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: N/A
  • Unrecorded: N/A
  • Total: N/A
  • Beer: N/A

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: N/A
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 16
  • Sales Restrictions: N/A
  • Advertising Restrictions: N/A
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: N/A

Patterns of Drinking Score: N/A

Prohibition: None

so-ossetia-long