I’ve mentioned this briefly before, but thought I’d best bring it up again for a proper mention.

A while ago, I wrote a post detailing how I was tired of being weak, giving in, and drinking what I consider to be shit beer (largely known as ‘lager’). I was sick of putting up with second best and opting for an alcoholic beverage I didn’t always particularly enjoy drinking and when I could have had a better option (albeit a stronger drink) but felt compelled by the ‘beer’ in the name. All on a sub-conscious level…

I also mentioned how I’m not entirely opposed to all lager outright, and would be willing to try ones that I haven’t already tasted, but on track record whilst some European / local lagers can be acceptable for a few drinks, they don’t quite make the grade in which I could consider lager acceptable across the board.

However, whilst in Slovakia skiing I had somewhat a personal revelation regarding lager. It didn’t involve lofty singing nor bright rays of light illuminating me in a moment of clarity, rather just thoughts and opinions that formed as the week progressed.

Before travelling there I had already heard a lot of positive things about the local popular beer there, called Zlaty Bzant (I think, although my spelling could be off) and, to be fair, I was quite excited at the prospect of trying it. I was also excited at the fact that there’s a decent vodka culture by all accounts in Slovakia, which would provide my main fuel.

As the week progressed I started off feeling quite ill so I figured instead of hitting the vodka I would just partake in a recreational ‘beer’ or two. No harm in that, and I occasionally extended that theory is the week went by. We all chipped in the first day to food and drinks and part of the drinks make up was tins of Budvar and tins of Zlaty Bzant. All fine. I had a tin of Budvar one night, tasted fine. I had a tin of Zlaty the next, that tasted fine. Occasionally I would have a tin and then go out for a draft and it would taste horrible, borderline undrinkable for me.

Odd to say the least. Oddest part about it was that it worked both ways.

If I was to have a pint on the way back from skiing with Mike and George etc it would taste pretty good (the way draft should taste) but if I was to follow it up with a can or another draft, I struggled.

Now, I don’t know if it was the generally lower temperatures that lager is considered to run at (I am not opposed to drinking my beer ‘piss-warm’) was a factor, or the sheer number of bubbles it contains that caused this weird effect, but I just couldn’t hack it.

And so it came to me: If I am to endure lager at all (occasionally it can serve as a refreshing drink, particularly in warmer climates) then I can only take 1. Anything more than this will remind me I am drinking lager by the fact that the taste becomes apparent and I ‘wake up and smell the bacon’. If there is a simple choice between only lager on the beer-front or decent vodka / whiskey / whatever on the ‘hard-side’ of the bar, I should be more of a man (grrr) about it and stick with what I know and enjoy, and can enjoy for the length of the evening / morning / afternoon / week, without having to swap drinks mid-flow.

If I’m going to have a ‘beer’ that is going to be lager, I need to make sure it is just that – a ‘beer’. A break should then be enforced during which time I could eat, have some recreational drinks (water, juice, teeth-rotters) and then after a set time frame (1 hour)? I can start to drink the truly enjoyable stuff.

It was an important lesson.

It will be interesting to see if I’ve actually learned from it and stick to it the next time such a situation arises. In the meantime though, consider this: