Pils na pils!

I looves beer. Ever since I learned how to drink beer properly, that is, chilled with no ice and if possible, in the proper glass, I began to distinguish the distinct flavors in a brew.

Noong bata pa ako kasi, ang beer ko ay San Miguel. After-office 1-bottle-lang sessions taught me how to drink beer with ice cubes in it. I guess it was because we order it in buckets (forget the 1-bottle), hindi na malamig yung next bottles so we had to put ice in it. I remembered the horrified look on my German colleague in my Bangkok days, when I nonchalantly plonked ice cubes into my beer.

Para sigurong pinunit ko sa mukha nya ang original score ng "Ride of the Valkyries" ni Wagner.

He told me that the brewer and the beer had to be "respected", thus the brew should be drunk properly. Hindi ko na lang kinuwento sa kanya kung bakit naging habit ko ang mag yelo sa beer. Honga naman, masarap ang Singha Gold kapag walang yelo, matamis ito, at hindi mapanghi ang lasa ng Kloster Bier kapag ito ay well-chilled.

I finally understood why he was so horrified about my ice-beer when I came upon the German brews. My first encounter with a Weizenbier, got me beer-orgasms. To plonk ice-cubes in it is pure sacrilege. This has been my favorite brew ever.

Of course, I still enjoy other brews like Pilsner, and to put San Miguel Pilsner head to head with Sapporo Edelpils, I have to say that any reason to plonk ice cubes in a San Miguel is justified. That is to mask the thin, sweet, skanky smell and flavor that also leaves a metallic aftertaste in your mouth. Parang may naka-babad na bottle-opener sa beer. I wonder how the original San Miguel brew tasted, hindi naman siguro ganito, parang sweet-metal juice. No wonder San Miguel Beer does not list its ingredients.

On the other hand, the excellent taste of Pilsener is in Edelpils. Hops - yes, the flavor of hops lingers, it is bitter and flowery, not like you've just sucked on a rusty bottle opener.