Posts Tagged ‘beer’

Steve

Saturday Video: The Beer Drinking Pigs of St. Croix

Of all the things that we could suggest for Kim Gittens (or anyone else) to do on a trip to St. Croix, one of the most uncommon would be a visit to the Mt. Pellier Domino Club to check out the island’s famous beer drinking pigs.

Those of us that go back aways with the Domino Club (we used to call it Jungle Bar owing to its location deep in the rainforest) remember when the pigs used to drink real beer…and LOTS of it. This wasn’t so good for them, of course, but rest assured animal lovers: today these sweet swine receive great care, and the beer on their menu is strictly non-alcoholic.

As you can see in the video, it’s quite an experience. You gotta’ have quick hands to feed these beasts…

Aug. 21st, 2010 | Tags: , , | View Comments
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: Boo Dragon Stout

Dragon Stout/SBPR

Undrinkable.

It’s hard to believe, I know, but after years of enjoying countless beer varieties all over the Caribbean, I have finally come across a brew that makes me say “boo!”

Trust me, I’m as surprised as you are.

I mean, I like stouts as much as the next guy. Guinness Stout ranks high on my all-time list of favorite beers. Regular readers of Uncommon Caribbean might also remember that I even like Trinidad’s Royal Extra Stout, despite its“curious” flavor. The way some people talk about Royal Stout you’d think that anyone who likes it will like just about anything!

So, what’s my problem with Jamaica’s Dragon Stout?

Well, when I saw it on the shelf at my local West Indian grocery store, I didn’t think there would be any problem at all. I go to Jamaica on business a lot, but I had only tried Dragon Stout once while eating lunch at Scotchie’s. I remember liking it okay, but thinking that I needed to try it a few more times before developing a real opinion.

Try #2 solicited an opinion, alright; one that has me thinking there should not be a try #3.

The Dragon Stout I tried to drink here in Florida had the super-thick consistency of motor oil with an ultra sweet flavor that was kind of chocolaty. Anyone that knows me knows that I love chocolate almost as much as I love beer, but I don’t like to mix it with anything. Chocolate, nice. Peanut butter, nice. Chocolate and peanut butter mixed together, no thanks. Same applies to beer; hold the chocolate, please.

On the plus side, though, Dragon Stout is strong, very strong. Each little 10 oz bottle contains a whopping 7.5% of alcohol by volume. Compare that to the 4.7% alcohol in the 12 oz Banks Beer sitting next to me as I type this and you begin to realize why so many people swear by (and because of) this stuff.

Dragon Stout is just not for me, but what about you? Have you tried it? Do you like it? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

As for me, on this Friday Happy Hour, I’m opting for that other Jamaican beer made by the brewers of Dragon Stout…

Hooray beer!

Jul. 23rd, 2010 | Tags: , | View Comments
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: Skol Lager, My Local Beer in St. Kitts & Nevis

Skol Lager/SBPR

Ask around for the local beer in Nevis and just about everyone will give you the same answer – Carib.

While Carib is, indeed, produced in St. Kitts, we all know that its roots are really in Trinidad. It may taste a bit different (some say stronger) in St. Kitts & Nevis, probably owing to the islands’ very special natural water (more on that next week), but a Carib is still a Trini beer, if you ask me.

As is our wont here at Uncommon Caribbean we were looking for something a bit more unique to the local area during our visit to Nevis last weekend.

Enter Skol Lager, a light and tasty beer I first encountered on the third of my four days in Nevis – yeah, I almost missed it!

Honestly, if you didn’t know to ask, you could easily visit Nevis several times without ever knowing that Skol even exists. There are no banners, placards, billboards, T-shirts or any other forms of marketing for Skol anywhere on the island (not sure if that’s also the case in St. Kitts as we just passed through there on our way to/from Nevis). This is in stark contrast to Carib, which is touted EVERYWHERE.

The roots of the discrepancy lie in the fact that Skol is still a relatively new entrant into the local beer market. According to one of their marketing managers, with whom I spoke via phone earlier today, Skol has been brewed in the twin-island nation for just about 10 years.

Oh, and get this, it’s also not 100% local. Skol is produced in St. Kitts & Nevis by Carib Brewery (St Kitts & Nevis) Limited under a licensing agreement with Skol International. What is Skol International? Here’s some background from Wikipedia:

  • Skol is an international beer brand. Allied Breweries of the UK, Labatt of Canada, Pripps-Bryggerierna of Sweden and Unibra of Belgium formed a new company called Skol International in 1964. Its aim was the creation of a world-wide beer brand, Skol lager, which could be licensed, manufactured and marketed across the world.

This means that the Skol in St. Kitts & Nevis is a close cousin to the Skol in Brazil, which is that nation’s most popular beer – imagine how many Skols are soaking Brazilian soccer sorrows tonight!

Will Skol ever gain the same elite status in St. Kitts & Nevis? Who knows.

For me, right now, it’s my preferred choice of local beer in St. Kitts & Nevis. It can be yours too – just be sure to ask for it by name on your next visit or else you may never find it…

Skol!

Jul. 2nd, 2010 | Tags: , | View Comments
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: The Curious Taste of Royal Extra Stout

Dragon Extra Stout/SBPR

With summer temps rising across the U.S. and the Caribbean, a stout may seem like an unusual choice for today’s Friday Happy Hour. Dark, heavy, strong and filling, stout beers are the polar opposite of the light, thirst-quenching lagers more commonly found and enjoyed throughout the Caribbean.

Trinidad’s Royal Extra Stout, however, is different.

A product of Trinidad’s Carib Brewery, Royal Extra Stout carries the trademark full-bodied flavor and texture of a traditional stout, but it’s also surprisingly refreshing. Surely the good folks at Carib, among the best and best-known Caribbean lager beers, added some of their tricks to the Royal Extra Stout formula when they acquired the brand from Walters’ Brewery, formerly of Port of Spain, in 1952.

I found out just how refreshing a Royal Extra Stout can be first-hand while enjoying the bottle pictured here during an especially hot spring day in Tobago earlier this year. As you can see, I almost drank the whole thing before remembering to snap the photo.

Another surprise: Royal Stout is pretty sweet. The taste is sort of like licorice, which is okay by me, but I’d say it’s definitely an acquired taste that’s not for everyone. Just check out what ThoseBeerSnobs.com had to say about the taste:

  • I gave it a 5 (top score) in originality because it tastes like no other beer. I’m giving a low score in taste also because it tastes like no other beer. It doesn’t really taste like anything at first then kind of unleashes this odd, licorice-y, caramel-y taste before finishing with a strange, kinda thin chocolate-y flavor. I can’t really explain it. I had 3-bottles and still really can’t tell you if I like it or not. What I do know is that by the time I got toward the end of each bottle, I was just wishing it was over. I guess that indicates the flavor, while alarmingly original, was not all that pleasant.

Like I said, Royal Extra Stout is not for everyone. On this Friday Happy Hour, though, it’s reminding me of great times with my Dad in Tobago, and that tastes pretty damn good to me.

Cheers!

Jun. 11th, 2010 | Tags: , | View Comments
Steve

Saturday Video: The Mighty Sparrow Stumps for Stag Beer

You gotta’ love it when superstar entertainers endorse products that they actually use and enjoy. In this classic commercial from Trinidad & Tobago, Calypso legend The Mighty Sparrow, sings and dances in praise of his favorite beer, Stag. That look in his eye at the end of the clip says it all – this man truly loves Stag Beer!

May. 8th, 2010 | Tags: , , | View Comments
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: Picture-Perfect Piton Beer

Geoff Budd via Flickr

As those of you who follow us on Facebook already know, Patrick is heading to St. Lucia today in search of “uncommon” stories to share with us in the coming weeks.

In honor of his latest adventure, we’re celebrating this Friday Happy Hour with the first thing he’ll undoubtedly drink upon stepping off his nonstop JetBlue flight from NY – Piton Beer.

Named in honor of St. Lucia’s iconic Piton Mountains, Piton Beer is a product of the island’s Windward and Leeward Brewery Limited, which was established by Heineken back in 1974.

Unlike Biere Lorraine from Martinique or Barbados’ Banks Beer, Piton doesn’t have a long and storied history (St. Lucians got their first taste of the brew in October 1992). What Piton lacks in history, though, it more than makes up for in thirst-quenching flavor worthy of some pretty impressive awards. Check out the honor roll of international prizes:

• Piton Beer Silver Medal Bruxles Belgium 1993

• Piton Beer Gold Medal Paris France 1994

• Piton Shandy Lemon Grand Gold, Bruxles, Belgium. 1998.

• Piton Malta, Silver Medal, Bruxles, Belgium, 1998

• Piton Beer, Silver Medal, Prague, 2006.

• Piton Shandy Lemon, Gold Medal, Prague, 200

Not bad for a teenage beer. Anyway, I’m sure that Patrick will give us a full report on Piton soon enough. Enjoy the weekend everyone, and Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there.

Cheers!

May. 7th, 2010 | Tags: , , | View Comments
Steve

Saturday Video: Sexy Legs Create a Thirst for Piton Beer in St. Lucia

The ad slogan for St. Lucia’s Piton Beer – See the Mountains, Drink the Beer – is brought to life in a sexy, comical way in this TV spot. Considering how easily the camera could’ve focused on another, more northerly portion of the leading actress’ anatomy to make its point, it’s probably best for our younger readers that the focus remains on her knees…

Apr. 24th, 2010 | Tags: , , | View Comments
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