Today, the choice of beer on store shelves is so great that an inexperienced buyer is faced with the difficult question of what kind of beer in Russia is real, natural, high-quality? It's easy to get confused in the variety of varieties, brands and brands offered. Moreover, manufacturers indicate standard information on the labels, from which it is rather difficult to learn something useful.

Priority - natural beer

What should the buyer focus on? How to choose a product that will delight you with taste, will not disappoint in terms of quality, and will not harm your health? First of all, you should make sure that the beer does not contain any additional artificial ingredients. However, unfortunately, the situation is such that manufacturers are not always honest in this matter and information about any additives is not always present on the label. Therefore, the end consumer can easily be misled about the naturalness of the beverage.

In addition, even when using exclusively natural ingredients, many other factors affect the final result and the quality of the finished beer. The taste of the drink, in addition to the quality, water and breed of yeast, depends, among other things, on the proportions in which they are used, compliance with brewing technology, the skill of brewers and much more. It is very important to comply with the conditions of preparation according to the brewing technology, when the slightest deviation can provoke undesirable consequences, the result of which will be a low-quality drink.

Signs of the quality of beer

Considering the above, the best solution would be not to trust the information on the labels and official websites of manufacturers too much. The correct decision is to focus on your own feelings. It is possible to determine what kind of beer in Russia is real, natural and of high quality, relying on some signs, for example:

• High-quality beer should not seem watery, even light varieties should have a pronounced body;
• Alcohol should not stick out in taste the way it is implemented, for example, in Baltika No. 9 or in Okhota Strong. The skill of the brewer in this case is to skillfully disguise the repulsive alcoholic taste;

Also the following experiments can be carried out in order to identify substitutes in the composition of beer:

You need to add some amount to the beer acetic acid... Vinegar will instantly react with, which will fall to the bottom of the container in the form of a sediment. The vinegar should be added until the reaction stops. After that, you will have to taste the liquid and if bitterness is present in it, it means that the composition of the beer is enriched with some natural substitutes.

The second method allows you to detect trinitrophenol or picric acid in beer, which can also be added there instead of an unscrupulous manufacturer. Picric acid, even in small amounts, can cause kidney damage, as well as provoke skin diseases... To determine it in the composition of the drink, you must place a piece of white cloth in a saucepan and boil it in the selected beer for 10 minutes. After boiling, the cloth should be rinsed under cold water and then pay attention to its color. If the color has changed and turned yellow, the specified chemical is present in the beer, and the brighter the color, the higher the concentration of picric acid in the beer. However, it should be noted that such a reaction is difficult to observe today, even in the case of fairly inexpensive drinks.

There is a widespread opinion among amateurs that choosing real, natural and high-quality beer in Russia can be guided by the price. The logic in this case is that good cannot be cheap. But the problem is that the opposite is also not true, and expensive beer does not necessarily meet quality standards. Today, manufacturers can include articles in the cost of final products that have nothing to do with quality: an advertising campaign, external design of packaging, branding, and so on.

The beer market experts point to one more characteristic by which the quality of beer is determined. This is the scale of its production. Recently, attention has been focused on, which, as a rule, is produced by small breweries. In many cases, such beer is considered an example of a real natural high-quality drink. It is no coincidence that in 2015 in the rating of the highly competent beer portal Ratebeer, it was the varieties that won and craft breweries among all representatives of the domestic brewing industry.

The literal translation of the phrase "Craft Beer" means "craft beer". Hence, we can conclude that this is a product of small breweries with a not too large volume of products. In Europe and the USA, the development and entry into the market of craft breweries has almost reached its climax, but in Russia this trend is only gaining momentum. Although in Russia there are already dozens of factories that specialize in craft brewing.

So, in 2015, the Russian version of Ratebeer was headed with the bright name “ Ivan Kozhedub»Presented by the Moscow brewery Victory Art Brew, which previously won several victories in other significant competitions. According to the results of the past year, the craft brewery Zagovor Brewery was also recognized as the best production.

The top ten leaders in this area today are as follows:

1. AF Brew- is among the pioneers in the Russian craft brewing market;
2. Bakunin- the brewery located in St. Petersburg became famous for its Laughing Sam ale;
3. Brickstone- specializes in lagers, located in Moscow;
4. Drakkar- located in St. Petersburg;
5. Jaws- the progenitor of the new beer movement in the Urals. Located in the Sverdlovsk region;
6. La Beerint- contract brewery from Obninsk specializes in original recipes... That only is "Beryozka Champagne beer";
7. Victory Art Brew- the above-mentioned manufacturer from the Moscow region;
8. "One Ton" from the town of Zhukovsky near Moscow, presents a wide range of products, in which there are lagers and ales;
9. Vasileostrovskaya brewery- specializes in beer, original recipes. We already drank in the article about the dybbel "" brewed by this brewery;
10. Salden's- Tula private brewery- the best new brewery according to Ratebeer;

These brands are worth paying attention to those who are looking for an answer to the question of what kind of beer in Russia is real, natural, and of high quality. And about your thoughts and preferences on this topic, be sure to write to

Beer has long been considered one of the favorite drinks of men. As a result, the range of products presented has significantly increased and it is becoming more and more difficult to determine the best beer in Russia. The problem of choice arises not only with regard to products Russian production but also imported from other countries.

Before assigning a title to a certain brand best beer, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules for choosing a quality drink:

1. It is better to purchase a drink for bottling, since this is more likely that the product has been stored in accordance with all requirements. In most cases, this kind of alcohol is stored in kegs, which are made of chrome-plated steel that does not corrode. They save beer from the negative effects of the sun's rays, as well as foreign odors.
2. The purchase of "live" beer will bring much more benefit. This is the name of a fresh unfiltered drink in which there is a large number of useful for the body microelements (calcium, iron, manganese, potassium) and brewer's yeast, which have therapeutic properties and contain all the vitamins of group B. But, choosing this type of beer, consider the fact that its shelf life is only a few days.

If you are going on a trip, then the best option will buy bottled or canned beer, then here you also need to pay attention to a number of points:

1. When choosing a drink, opt for the one that has a shorter shelf life, it most likely contains fewer different preservatives. It is noted that for storage of the presented beverage in bottles, a preservative such as ascorbic acid is added to it, which increases the shelf life of the product.
2. Pay attention to the date of the spill, preferably the closest one. Recently spilled alcohol is likely to be less affected by negative factors. The presented drink is strongly influenced by the storage characteristics (temperature regime, sunlight), which are rather irresponsible in Russia.
3. In order to purchase good bottled alcohol, it is recommended to take it from the refrigerator - beer likes to be kept cool. Even imported alcohol, being in the window, can deteriorate in the shortest possible time.
4. Choosing between a drink in a can and glass bottle, it is better to opt for the latter, since it is not able to absorb various aromas, thereby giving the beer an unpleasant aftertaste. And the purchase of a hoppy drink in plastic bottles should immediately be abandoned, since this material allows oxygen to pass through and alcohol becomes unusable.
5. It is recommended to buy beer in dark or green bottles, since they let the sun's rays through themselves much less. Products in an aluminum can could be considered even more useful if there were no metallic taste present in them.
6. Regardless of which brewer you buy, you need to take the bottles placed in the back of the display case, since they are less exposed to the sun and, for sure, have a more recent release.

Russian beer rating

• Pilzenskoe - manufactured in Moscow.
• Venskoye - produced in a brewery located within Moscow.
• Beach - produced on the territory of Anapa.
• Lagernoe - produced by Bogerhof, the amount of alcohol is 4.7%.
• Samarskoe - produced by Zhigulevskoe pivo, the amount of alcohol is 4.5%.

Moving on to the TOP-5 of the best dark beer, the following manufacturers can be distinguished:

1. Rye - produced on the territory of Anapa, by the organization "Bogerhof", fortress - 5.2%.
2. Bannoe is produced by Bogerhof, the share of alcohol is 5.5%.
3. Afanasy Porter - produced in the city of Tver, by the Afanasy plant, 8%.
4. Velkopopovetsky goat - from 3.2 to 4%.
5. Baltika №6 - produced by the manufacturer Baltika, 7%.

• AF Brew - produced in St. Petersburg.
• Bottle Share is a Moscow intoxicating drink.
• Salden`s Brewery is a hoppy drink produced in Tula.
• Jaws - produced on the territory of the Sverdlovsk region, namely in the city of Zarechye.
• Green Street Brewery is a drink produced in Moscow.

Moving on to the most popular and the highest quality craft beer in Russia, the following picture can be noted:

• Bakunin - produced in St. Petersburg.
• Brickstone - manufactured in Moscow.
• 1 ton - produced in the city of Zhukovsky, located in the Moscow region.
• Petr Petrovich is a drink produced in Tula.
• La Beerint is an alcohol produced in the city of Obninsk, Kaluga region.

List of the best Czech beers

The Czech Republic is recognized as the homeland of numerous types of rather tasty beer. Representatives of this country have special respect for the production of a hoppy drink and pass on the secrets of preparation quality beer to their children from an early age.

Accurate quality rating Czech beer does not exist, since each drinker has his own preferences. But after making an analysis of the frequency of use of various brands in this country, the following rating can be distinguished:

1. Velkopopovicky Kozel - manufactured on the territory of Velké Popovice;
2. Staropramen - produced on the territory of Prague, this Prague drink, known all over the world thanks to unusual recipe preparation and relatively low price.
3. Bernard - produced in the city of Humpolec.
4. Budweiser Budvar.
5. Pilsner Urquell.

The best hop drink in Germany

Germany is a country that is considered the birthplace of the intoxicating drink, as evidenced by the annual “Day of Beer”. The inhabitants of this country treat the presented alcoholic drink with special reverence, so every German can distinguish in which part of the country this or that drink is prepared.

The types of German beer and the places of their production can be found in the table below.
Inexpensive and high quality German beer:

Beer types such as lager and stout are especially popular in Germany, and they are also widely popular in Belgium.

Features of drinking beer correctly

Regardless of whether your beer is strong or non-alcoholic, cheap or expensive, you need to know how to drink it correctly, and for this you need to follow a number of rules:

1. The drink should be consumed at the recommended temperature. For the bulk of beer varieties, the optimal temperature conditions are + 6-6.5 C. But it is best to observe the temperature indicated by the manufacturer on the label.
2. Brewers may advise you not to expose your beer to extreme temperature changes. This is explained by the fact that the intoxicated drink quickly precipitates, and its taste and aroma properties simply disappear.
3. You should not shake the beer (especially budget products or, if desired, get hungover), since it is oxidized with oxygen in a short time. And, as you know, an oxidized intoxicating drink acquires a cloudy color and a specific taste.
4. Whether you drink filtered or unfiltered beer, glass, porcelain or ceramic is the best choice. This is due to the fact that if you drink a drink from a can, then this also provokes its unwanted shaking and stirring. That is why special beer glasses are created, and if you also rinse them under water, and then pour beer into them without wiping, then it will fill softer.
5. The intoxicated drink should be poured around the rim of the glass. As you know, no one likes when, instead of a tasty and thirst-quenching drink, he is poured half a glass of foam, so to avoid such situations, you need to hold the glass at an angle of 45 degrees and at a distance of about 2 centimeters from the bottle, and then slowly fill it along edge.

In order for the presented drink to bring pleasure, it is recommended to drink it in the company of friends with fried meat, and most importantly, in the right glass.

Among the popular glasses for drinking hop, the following are distinguished:

• Wheat - has a cone shape and a tapered top, ideal for wheat beer;
• Pilsner - has a cone shape and a straight top, perfect for lager drinks;
• Pint - Great for lagers and ales.

But even if you do not have a special glass, you can always enjoy the presented drink, the main thing is to choose a really high-quality one.

Remember that if you do not have enough money for expensive beer, then you can always pick up a high-quality a budget option, both from Russian alcohol and among imported products.

12.12.2016 08:26

It so happened that in Russia, as in the entire post-Soviet space, many people prefer not beer, but a stronger drink. Despite this circumstance, we also have numerous brethren of beer lovers.

What is the difference between live beer and canned and bottled beer?

For many years there have been debates among beer producers and consumers about which container is better, what effect it has on the taste of the drink. In our country, as in the whole world, the sale of draft beer in kegs, in cans, in glass and plastic bottles as well as draft beer on tap. For an inexperienced hobbyist, the type of container does not matter. Only an experienced person can feel the difference between a bottled drink and a living one.

The natural taste of live beer can last from 10 to 30 days. But such a shelf life testifies to its pasteurization. Pasteurization refers to heating and rapid cooling. As a result of such processing, fermentation stops, which is why the taste of the drink changes not for the better, but partly nutrients is lost.

Bottled beer with a shelf life of 3-4 months is also a pasteurized product. There are manufacturers who increase the shelf life of the drink with chemical preservatives, in which carcinogens are often found. It is also worth remembering that the full taste of the drink is revealed in the glass. From the narrow neck of the bottle, it is felt only by a part of the receptors.

There should be no chemicals in real draft beer. It is poured into barrels and stored for a month. In fact, the unique taste and quality of the drink remains so for no more than seven days. But there are unscrupulous producers who add preservatives even to draft beer.

Opt for live beer

There is no doubt that draft beer is the best. Its preparation technology excludes pasteurization and the addition of preservatives. It has a pleasant barley flavor, beautiful color and malt aroma. A slightly clarified or unfiltered drink is tastier and healthier. Live beer is stored for 7-10 days.

Canned and bottled differs from live content of chemical additives and preservatives. When choosing a canned product, in order not to be disappointed with your purchase, look at the labels. Beer can be dark, semi-dark and light. Each species has its own taste:

• The light, most common beverage made from regular malt has a light, refreshing taste and classic aroma.
• Caramel is added to semi-dark or red beer, giving it a rich, sweet taste.
• A dark beer acquires its characteristic color, a hint of toasted bread crust on the palate and a long aftertaste when added to it with burnt malt.

Let's talk about preservatives

One of the important factors in the quality of bottled beer is the way it is preserved. Germany still respects the beer purity law passed in 1516, which prohibits brewers from using impurities in the beverage. Therefore, all German beer is pasteurized.

In Russia, as in most other countries, there are no such bans, therefore preservatives are often added to pasteurized beer. When buying beer, it is helpful to read what is written on the label. If, in addition to hops, yeast, malt and water, the beer contains E-additives, ascorbic acid, sodium benzoate, it is better to refuse to purchase. In order not to burden the body with harmful substances, choose another drink (preferably from Germany).

A shelf-life that is too long, exceeding six months, also indicates the presence of preservatives. It is not recommended to buy beer in plastic bottles. Plastic has a porous structure that allows oxygen to pass through. As a result, the taste of the drink deteriorates. A plastic container can be useful for pouring draft beer into it and bringing it home, but not for long-term storage.

The quality of the drink can be determined by the foam. In the glass where you poured the beer, a frothy head should form and stand for several minutes. If the foam is liquid, with large bubbles and falls off quickly, the quality of the drink is questionable.

What is beer filtered for?

About quality and benefits unfiltered beer can be judged by the type of yeast used by brewers to make it. According to the technology, fermentation of such beer takes place in two stages:

• Top fermentation is a process that takes place at a temperature of 20-25C, during which yeast is on the surface of the beer mass.
• Bottom fermentation is the process by which the yeast sinks to the bottom of the container. Fermentation temperature - 8C. If the temperature regime is not provided, the process proceeds at a higher temperature, the yeast microorganisms die.

Filtration cleans the beer mass from coarse particles and coarse impurities, imparts transparency to the drink. It becomes beautiful, but loses its exquisite taste.

The filtration process also takes place in stages:

• Initially, kieselguhr filtration is carried out, when the drink is purified using a special powder.
• A sterile filtration is then carried out using a sterilizing filter sheet, in which suspended particles are separated.

Unfiltered beer differs from canned and bottled beer in that it is fermented in the container in which it is sold. It is usually sold in special beer kegs, thanks to which it retains its properties and richness of flavoring shades (bitter wheat, sweetish caramel, etc.).

Live beer is not pasteurized, so its shelf life is limited. A real drink can only be purchased at a factory or in a brewery with its own small brewery.

If you are already registered on our website, but have forgotten your password or you have not received a confirmation letter, use the password recovery form.

Attention! To work correctly, your browser must have cookie support enabled. If, for any technical reason, the transfer and storage of cookies is not supported by you, the login to the system will be unavailable.

Attempts to define the best beer in Russia, as, indeed, in other countries, they are constantly being undertaken, but true beer lovers are skeptical about such ratings. And there are several reasons for this:

• firstly, there is never stagnation in the production of a foamy drink, and therefore strict judges will not have time to name the best beer (based on market research and consumer surveys ), how another leader comes to replace him in the new rating;

• secondly, any survey covers a relatively narrow circle of beer admirers, and therefore it simply cannot reflect all the tastes and preferences of a multi-million army of consumers. That is why in the comments to any rating one can come across angry statements like "Your best lager is just rubbish";

• thirdly, in Russia such ratings are completely empty, since it is simply impossible to objectively determine the best beer for such a huge country. Most often, beer ratings are guided by the main megacities of the European part of Russia, or even simply do not go further than Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Rating of the best Russian beer

Still, it's worth familiarizing yourself with the latest ratings of the best Russian beer. At least for the purpose of obtaining information that can be useful for many. So, according to them, several varieties of light lager from the Moscow Brewing Company are considered the best. These are "Khamovniki": "Munich", "Pilzenskoe" and "Vienna". Particularly famous is the "Munich" in bottling, which can be tasted in the best bars and restaurants in Moscow. It is worth paying attention to the brand of the same manufacturer “Cervena Selka”.

The second place is confidently taken by a number of varieties of the Anapa brewery "Bogerhof", among which the "Rzhanoe semi-dark" and "Bannoe dark" stand out (although many prefer the light lager of this brand).

The third place was taken by two sorts of "Tomsk beer" (light and dark) of the Siberian company of the same name. Although strong beer lovers would certainly prefer to move the Afanasy porter of the Tver brewery of the same name from the fifth to one of the leading positions, while light lager lovers would prefer the Sibirskaya Korona varieties of SUN Inbev OJSC. And it’s hard to say which beer is actually better, it’s not for nothing that they say: there are no comrades in taste and color ...

For example, beer lovers from the Ulyanovsk region claim that the best drink than is produced in the mini-brewery Zlata Podkova of Dimitrovgrad, is not available in all of Russia, and perhaps in Europe. It is no coincidence that even Muscovites and Petersburgers come here to try it, and even rare foreign guests are surprised to find that in the Russian outback you can drink just amazing ale! ..

The best foreign beer in Russia

Many people remember that thirty years ago any foreign beer was the best of the best for the Russian consumer. Fortunately, this state of affairs is a thing of the past. Today, the domestic foamy drink is no worse, if not an order of magnitude better than the "foreign", and this is in the first place. And secondly, an imported product is always more expensive than a similar domestic one. For this reason, by the way, foreign sorts of beer are considered in a separate category of the rating as the most expensive.

The first place among such drinks in many Russian ratings is occupied by the Bavarian beer Spaten (full name - Spaten Munchen Hell) of the German brewery Spaten-Franziskaner-Brau GmbH, which has been producing it in Munich since 1397. The Spaten logo has even become a symbol of Germany's main annual beer festival, Oktoberfest.

In second place, most Russian beer lovers place the Belgian ale Blanche de Namur with its spicy fruity aroma (curacao and coriander). In 2009, at the international exhibition World Beer Awards, this drink was recognized as the best white blanche in the world.

Well, the third place was awarded by a majority of votes to the German unfiltered wheat drink Franziskaner, which has been produced by the Munich brewery of the same name since 1363. Its undoubted advantages are a special culture of brewer's yeast, unique wheat malt and strict use in the production of three main ingredients: water, hops and malt.

As you can see, it is rather difficult to unequivocally answer the question of which beer is the best in Russia. Probably for this reason, the First Beer Club was created in due time, which helps its members to keep the right course in the modern "sea of ​​beer". Although, to be honest, many who come to this wonderful association are no less interested in discounts which bars and restaurants - partners of the club - provide to its members.

And since such cooperation is very mutually beneficial, there are more and more such benefits, as well as the institutions that provide them, in Russia (and not only). Therefore, it becomes not a problem for the club members to try the best beer, including those of foreign production. If you only want to drink the most the best varieties beer at affordable prices, then we are waiting for you in the "First beer club"! To get discounts in popular establishments, you need to get a special one.

It is widely believed that the best beer is made in Germany. It is difficult to surpass the German quality of this drink, but Russian producers are striving for this.

Russian beer has its own characteristics and it is difficult to determine the leader among dark and light varieties. In the country, experts single out only a few breweries that offer quality goods.

Best beer in Russia:

1. « Khamovniki":" Munich "," Pilzenskoe "," Vienna ". These are representatives of a single brewing company.

   Some of these names are popular in best restaurants Moscow and other big cities.

2. « Rye semi-dark"And" Bannoe dark "is a dark beer lager from the Anapa brewing company. The brand also presents light beer worthy of the experts' attention.
3. « Tomsk beer"," Afanasy "," Sibirskaya Korona "," SUN Inbev "- these are dark and light sorts of beer, which are represented by Tomsk and Siberian companies, producers.
4. « Zlata Podkova"Is a drink made in a small brewery in the town of Dimitrovgrad.

   To try this drink, many connoisseurs come from the most remote corners of the country.

Among the presented names, a real connoisseur will be able to choose the option that suits him perfectly in his taste.

Top non-alcoholic beers: list

Top best non-alcoholic beer:

1. Stella artois- Belgian beer with a low alcohol content and high quality taste.
2. Baltika No. 0 Is a Russian manufacturer of strong and soft drinks of this type.
3. Beck's non-alcoholic- German mark. Minimum ethanol content.
4. FAXE Free from Denmark is popular due to the unique technology of making non-alcoholic foam.
5. Samichlaus classic a company from Austria, where old technologies are preserved.
6. Amstel non alcoholic Petersburg brewery, which competes with world brands.
7. Polar bear produced in Moscow. The company produces similar analogs with a high alcohol content.
8. Siberian Crown completely specializes in the production of a non-alcoholic foamy drink.
9. « Bavaria»Premium Malta is immensely popular among those who like to combine a hint of hops with a clear head.

Non-alcoholic foam of these brands is in no way inferior to alcoholic counterparts. Bright taste and delicate aroma hops add a special piquancy to the drink.

note! A lot of good non-alcoholic beer is produced in Russia.

Unique manufacturing technologies allow minimizing the alcoholic component, but leaving a pleasant aftertaste and aroma of hops.

Which beer is better filtered or unfiltered?

The classification of the foam is determined by the degree of purification, that is, filtration. Thanks to such manipulations, the storage conditions, use and quality of the foam change.

Important! The degree of filtration is determined by the number of cleanings and the type of filters.

Connoisseurs of the drink often cannot decide which one is best to choose: filtered or unfiltered beer. For this, it is worth considering the main characteristics.

Species characteristics:

Draft or bottled

The method of brewing beer depends on the container in which the drink will be stored. Depending on this, the quality of the foamy drink is also determined.

Many people prefer this drink in bottles. This drink attracts with many advantages.

But draft foam is wonderful, and most importantly tasty.... True connoisseurs often do not take this method of sale and storage seriously. This drink also has its own advantages.

Advantages and disadvantages of types of beer:

• Bottled beer can sell well using interesting packaging and stickers on them.
• Live drink has a short shelf life requiring special storage conditions.
• Special manufacturing technologies Draft beer requires the definition of many special conditions.
• Preservatives are often used in the bottle. for long and easy storage.
• Convenience of use and transportation bottled beer allows full use of this type of packaging.

Depending on the characteristics of the use of the foamy drink, certain types of beer are used.

Dark or Light?

Many characteristics depend on the type of foamy drink. Distinguish between dark and light. Among these varieties, there are also advantages. They should be precisely defined.

Difference:

• A special malt is used to make a dark drink.
• Light has no richness in taste.
• The dark variety has a high dose of alcohol.

With dark and light beer different sensations and aftertastes can be associated.

What's the best beer snack?

A good beer requires an appropriate snack. They can be lighter and more nutritious. The appetizers must be original in their taste. Hot and salty spices work well.

List of Successful Snacks:

• Crackers.
• Nuts.
• Dried meat.
• Seafood.
• A fish.

There are special combo plates with beer snacks.

What is better to drink beer or vodka?

Some find it difficult to choose between alcoholic beverages. It depends not only on the capacity of the alcohol, but also on the taste.

Drinking is determined primarily by the event... Often the choice is between beer and vodka.

• A liter of beer is not as intoxicating as a liter of vodka.
• The cost of foam is less than that of vodka.
• For the holiday, they drink stronger drinks.

The use of hard liquor does not require explanation, but it leads to alcoholism.

Useful video