Happy New Year: a potpourri of Patagonian beers

In southern Argentina and more especially Chile, the right thing to do would be to drink the local wines. But my partner doesn't drink alcohol and most of the places we ate didn't sell wine by the glass, so instead I decided to sample as many varieties of local beer as I could in 10 days. Some impressions:


In Argentina, the standard brew, available everywhere is a blond Quilmes. Think Budweiser -- with approximately the equivalent warm piss quality. Occasionally Quilmes Bock is also available. It is a little better.


The Chilean equivalent is Austral, very similar. And also not very appealing.


In El Calafate (Argentina), I ran across this fearsome looking local brew. The Gulmen Red was quite tasty; I found the Black Porter bitter.


The Morenita Malta (Chile) had quite a strong, sweet flavor, as did the Antares Scotch Artesanial (Argentina). The latter brand is eclectic; they not only make beer but also offer a Barley Wine in a similar bottle.


When you think of yourself as living at the back of beyond, as Patagonian residents often do, it's not surprising somebody has brewed an other worldly beverage. This one too had a good flavor.


Far and away the beer I enjoyed most turned up at our most remote stop. El Chalten is always referred to as "Argentina's newest town," a community of about 1000, really sort of a backpackers', trekkers' and climbers' base camp still barely attracting a permanent population. There we wandered into a pizza joint and climbers' bar that made its own hooch. The Patagonicus Chalten Negra was a little bitter, but the Patagonicus Chalten Red was delicious.

Don't get the wrong idea; I only had one of these at any given sitting ... and mostly didn't want more. But the beer survey made for a pleasant sub-agenda for our trekking vacation. In the new year, it's back to the old work: peace, justice, and thankfulness for whatever good comes. May we all find and make lots of the last in the coming year!