Argentinian imbibation
From guest poster Alexander D. Mitchell IV:
So, whadaya think Sam's drinking down there, eh?
He seems like an all-around kind of drinker -- anything to get a buzz on or reduce the misery of listening to a particularly bad cover band, you might think. But again, if you're writing about drinking or nightlife, you can't drink to forget.
Editor's note: I think that last line is the best way anyone's ever described this job. So true.
Quilmes is the "national beer" of Argentina, for what it's worth; like most countries, the volume of the beer produced is usually in inverse proportion to its general quality.
Buenos Aires has at least three brewpubs: Bullers, in the Recoleta neighborhood of the city, Cossab, on the west side and Antares, in the Palermo neighborhood. Here's a blogpost of a pub crawl by two English-speaking tourists in Buenos Aires. ...
It's likely what would happen if I got stuck there. (Hey, do any of us have any idea just WHY he's going there?)
Editor's note: Red meat, red wine ... steaks the size of a dinner plate, warm weather ... need I say more?
If any of you feel like drinking along with Sam in sympathy, there's one craft beer from Argentina available in Maryland (last I checked): Jerome beers from Potrerillos, Mendoza.
The beers are all around excellent, although not inexpensive. (This is not to be confused with the Jerome Brewery in the "ghost town" of Jerome, Arizona, which for a short while cranked out awful, extract-based beers which had much in common with Rocky Run Tap & Grill's short-lived fling with brewing in Columbia. The Jerome, Arizona place is now, thankfully, a wine bar, although a Belgian bistro is now just up the street).
(Photo courtesy of this site)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Cleanse the palette with Quilmes between tastings of Malbec!
Posted by: Ikal 1150 Wines of Argentina | February 2, 2010 5:33 PM
Save it for someone else, windbag.
Let the countsown of Sessa's retunr begin!
Posted by: SandyPoint | February 2, 2010 6:39 PM
Antares is quite a good beer. Nearly half the population of the nation lives in Buenos Aires, so 3 brewpubs, all quite expensive in local currency, is nothing to get excited about. Three pubs! Quilmes by the way is loaded with c hemicals and is just an awful beer. In general, Argentina is not a place for quality food or beer. Rock bottom quality and they havent met an artificial flavor they didnt like.
Posted by: j finksburg | February 3, 2010 9:18 AM
True finksburg, BUT, not completely true. I do agree that quilmes sucks big time, but i'v tasted worste beers who give a lower buzz. For that I like quilmes - the buzzz. I guess it's those chemicals :)
As for the good food, I disagree! You can find very good food in BA nowadays, If you know where you are looking for. Especially in the foreigners restaurants. All those Extranjeros who really wanted to make it and moved from where-ever to the big city of BA and have real talent. Of course You have to find it!
Good luck.
Till then - Go have a cow (and that, my friend, is still available high quality in BA)
Posted by: hostel recoleta | October 23, 2010 8:45 AM
True finksburg, BUT, not completely true. I do agree that quilmes sucks big time, but i'v tasted worste beers who give a lower buzz. For that I like quilmes - the buzzz. I guess it's those chemicals :)
As for the good food, I disagree! You can find very good food in BA nowadays, If you know where you are looking for. Especially in the foreigners restaurants. All those Extranjeros who really wanted to make it and moved from where-ever to the big city of BA and have real talent. Of course You have to find it!
Good luck.
Till then - Go have a cow (and that, my friend, is still available high quality in BA)
Posted by: hostel recoleta | October 23, 2010 9:12 AM
@hostel recoleta -- Thanks for commenting. I actually tried the sampler at Buller Brewing when I was in Recoleta and wasn't that impressed. Quilmes wasn't anything to write home about, but it was fine in a pinch. The malbecs, on the other hand, were terrific. We brought a few bottles back and still have one or two.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | October 25, 2010 2:17 PM