Hello all!
I have been out of commission for a few days due to vacation and way too much time on airplanes. That being said, I presently have access to a computer and will try to get out some posts while I can!
To begin with, I would like to share one of my interests with you all, and that would be...
...well, beer.
I am a huge fan of craft beers and many foreign beers as well (not so much a Bud, Miller, Coors guy...). While I would not necessarily call myself a connoisseur, I can confidently say that I have significant knowledge and familiarity with a wide range of brews, as well as the brewing process itself.
All that being said, let's get to the real reason you all are reading this:
The Beer!
Source
The first leg of our trip brought us to Fiji for a bit more than a day before proceeding on to Australia. Here's a shot from our room there the morning we left:
The photo does not really do the place justice, but Fiji is a beautiful country.
Unfortunately, we were unable to do much here, due to an unexpected prolonged rainfall, but in the end it worked out as we got to catch up on some much needed rest and relaxation (we also found out about a week before the trip that there had been Zika virus cases here in recent months, so with my wife being pregnant, we were not overly keen on exploring the great outdoors too much anyway).
While waiting for our taxi to pick us up and take us back to the airport, I decided I had better try a local brew, just so I wouldn't regret not doing so in the future.
There was not a wide variety of beers available at the resort (and some of them were Australian), so I ended up going with the one that looked the most domestic and native to Fiji (it was even bottled in a clearly re-used bottle, so you KNOW it's local).
The beer I chose was Fiji Bitter.
Here is the beer before the pour. I apologize for the small plastic cup. It was either that or nothing...
Here is the beer immediately after the pour. Notice the nice, medium, white head and pale amber color.
This shot was taken shortly after the pour (within a few minutes). Notice how quickly the head dissipated.
Fiji Bitter
| Fiji Bitter | Brewed in Walu Bay, Suva, Fiji, by Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Limited |
|---|---|
| Style | Lager |
| Alcohol | 4.6% ABV |
| --------- | --------- |
| Appearance | Pale Amber, almost a golden orange, darker than expected. Medium, white head that dissipates quickly. |
| Aroma | Typical lager. Light smell of malt and grain, followed by hop bitterness. Little to no aromatics or adjunct aromas/flavors. Website claims a hint of fruitiness and aroma, but while I can see what they are talking about, this fruitiness is virtually non-existent. |
| Taste | Slight malt, hint of sweetness, followed by a bite of hop bitterness. This soon fades back into a slight sweetness before leaving you with a slightly bitter and grainy finish. |
| Mouthfeel | Light-bodied, with medium to medium-high carbonation. Overall smooth with slight carbonation bite. |
| --------- | ---------- |
| Tasting Notes | Overall, this beer was crisp and refreshing. It is certainly nothing fancy, but would be an excellent beer after mowing the lawn, working outside on a hot day, or chilling at the beach/a cookout. The carbonation fits this style of beer well, giving it a slight bite that matches the refreshing nature of this brew, without leaving you feeling bloated. This beer is quite one-dimensional, so don't get it expecting otherwise. Just a reminder, do not let this beer warm up. This is meant to be drunk while cold. Letting this warm up, will only take away from its good points, without adding any benefit and will not be enjoyable. This is not my usual beer or one that I would go out of my way for, but it certainly is one that serves its purpose well and will always have an audience. Unfortunately I was not overly hot, nor was I out on the beach when drinking this. As a stand-alone beer, it just does not make the mark. |
| Score | 5.5/10 (this is my subjective score) I would rate this higher in certain situations, but this is an overall score on its merits. |