What's on Tap?

Romania doesn't have urban hipster microbreweries like my home state does, nor do they have the variety of flavors and styles that would rival Applejack's or Argonaut Liquors. Generally, I'd say the beer here is fairly run of the mill, mass produced and cheap. Every once in a while Mark and I splurge on imported Belgians like Orval or Rodenbach Grand Cru, but just like anywhere else, summertime heat and humidity in Bucharest always calls for icy cold local beer.

At our home, Ciuc Premium is our staple of cold brew.  Ciuc originated in 1974 from a city in Transylvania called Miercurea Ciuc, aka: the North Pole of Romania. Locals often joke about cold weather with the caveat that "no matter how cold their place may be, it's still better than Ciuc." That's not to say the city is a terrible place, quite the contrary. Ciuc in fact, is one of the prettiest areas in Romania with eye burning evergreen trees that coat the mountainside and is a hot location for pristine mineral springs.

At any rate, the beer rates a 70 according to beeradvocate.com meaning it's okay and worth trying but probably not worth coming back for. However, we love it for its classy updated pop-top green bottle and flavors that capture the bottled from the source taste of Harghita's mineral springs. That, and well, it's cheap.  Served cold, its drinkability quenches the thirst of a sticky, mid-walk through Herastrau Park on a glorious day of listening to bands and people watching. And that, is what's on tap for the Schlinks in summer time Romania.

Bere dupa bere eo placere: beer after beer brings pleasure.