I’ve decided to start something new on the blog. If you follow my social media you will no doubt know that I love my craft beers. I get asked all the time about the beers I like, the places I drink and the breweries I find at home and on my travels.
If you’re a regular reader you’ll probably notice I don’t publish regularly. I try, I really do but with work, trips, work trips, friends and families it’s hard to keep up. And with the amount of beers I drink, it would be near impossible to regularly blog about them all.
So that’s why I’ve decided to start this new monthly roundup showing some highlights and facts about the beers I’ve recently enjoyed. This way I can share a bit more info about the beers I’ve been enjoying with those that want to know.
- Contents
August 2022 Beers: Stats
| Total Beers | 102 |
| Countries | 16 |
| Breweries | 64 |
| Collaboration Beers | 4 |
| Styles | 41 |
Total Beers
Now before you judge me for having 102 beers last month, which I will admit does sound bad! The first thing you need to know is that most of the beers I have are shared between me and my boyfriend. When we have a can or bottle at home we split it. The thing with craft beer is that there are so many beers to try and a lot don’t stick around forever so splitting them means we can try more.
Another thing to point out is that when we travel we’ll often have small glasses and then split them. One day when meeting up with fellow craft beer lover Ian, The Barefoot Backpacker, they pointed out that having a smaller glass means you get to try more without drinking too much. It’s a handy tip!
Also, months where I travel are going to have a larger number. When I’m in a new place and I’m unsure when I’ll be returning (if ever) and know that I only have this one trip to try the local beers, I’m going to be drinking more. But some of these will be tasters too, which are even smaller sized glasses.
The Countries
My August 2022 beers came from a total of 16 different countries. This doesn’t surprise me at all if I’m honest. I love craft beers and there are so many amazing breweries around the world!
Being English and living in London it should be no surprise that England is near the top of the list. It’s going to be either the top country or one of the top countries every month I imagine. Having a Welshie boyfriend is also going to mean Wales will be somewhere in the top every month too.
Belgium and Germany will also be high on this list because the are known for having great beers and so beer shops usually tend to stock up on them. Plus, Brouge and Lowlander are two of my favourite beer places in London and they specialise in Belgium beers, plus usually have a few German beers on offer too.
Having taken a trip to Croatia last month has put them on the list for August. But I wasn’t expecting Croatia to have such a wide range of craft beers, so they ended up taking the Number 1 spot. As you can see, I really enjoyed trying Croatian beers last month!
| Croatia | 59 |
| England | 10 |
| Belgium | 9 |
| Germany | 5 |
| Wales | 5 |
| Bulgaria | 3 |
| Czechia | 3 |
| Slovenia | 3 |
| Austria | 2 |
| USA | 2 |
| Ireland | 1 |
| Luxembourg | 1 |
| Montenegro | 1 |
| New Zealand | 1 |
| Sweden | 1 |
| Switzerland | 1 |
The Breweries
My August 2022 beers came from a total of 64 breweries. On a non travel month this number might not be as high but there’s always going to be a good mixture of breweries.
While I do have some favourite breweries I regularly get beers from, I tend to only drink 1 or 2 a month. Not because I don’t love these breweries, because I do! It’s because I like to try and sample beers from lots of different breweries. Unless I’m visiting a brewery (or brewery taproom) directly, or ordering directly from the breweries themselves rather than a beer shop, I’ll only have a small number from each brewery.
The table below shows that I did make the most of my trip to Croatia last month, with most of the Top 10 being Croatian breweries.
| The Garden Brewery (Croatia) | 15 |
| Pivovara Medvedgrad (Croatia) | 8 |
| Nova Runda (Croatia) | 5 |
| Fuerst Wiacek (German) | 3 |
| Veronica (Croatia) | 3 |
| Zagrebacka Pivovara (Croatia) | 3 |
| Zmajska Pivovara (Croatia) | 3 |
| Bioterapia (Bulgaria) | 2 |
| Brlog Zadruzna Pivovara (Croatia) | 2 |
| Carlsberg Croatia (Croatia) | 2 |
| Delirium Huyghe Brewery (Belgium) | 2 |
| Devetka Craft (Croatia) | 2 |
| Grif (Croatia) | 2 |
| Karlovacka Pivovara (Heineken) (Croatia) | 2 |
| Pivovara Daruvar (Croatia) | 2 |
| Tenby Brewing Co. (Wales) | 2 |
| Angelus Craft Brewery (Croatia) | 1 |
| Augustiner-Brau Munchen (Germany) | 1 |
| Azvex Brewing Company (England) | 1 |
| Badger Beers (England) | 1 |
| Baron Brewing (England) | 1 |
| Bieres de Chimay (Belgium) | 1 |
| Brasserie Dupont (Belgium) | 1 |
| Brauerei Gebr. Maisel (Germany) | 1 |
| Brauerei Locher (Switzerland) | 1 |
| Brouwerij Lindemans (Belgium) | 1 |
| Brouwerij St. Bernardus (Belgium) | 1 |
| Brouwerij The Musketeers (Belgium) | 1 |
| Bura Brew (Croatia) | 1 |
| Camerons Brewery (England) | 1 |
| Contract Brewery (Bulgaria) | 1 |
| Crate Brewery (England) | 1 |
| Dog’s Window Brewery (Wales) | 1 |
| Drop Project (England) | 1 |
| Epic Brewing Co. (USA) | 1 |
| Goose Island Beer Co. (USA) | 1 |
| Heineken Ceska Republika (Czechia) | 1 |
| Houblon (Croatia) | 1 |
| K Pivovari Vukovar (Croatia) | 1 |
| Kasteel Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck (Belgium) | 1 |
| Lab Split (Croatia) | 1 |
| Lobik (Slovenia) | 1 |
| Milnarica (Croatia) | 1 |
| Nerdbrewing (Sweden) | 1 |
| Pivovar Velke Popovice (Czechia) | 1 |
| Pivovarna Lasko (Slovenia) | 1 |
| Pivovara Licanka (Croatia) | 1 |
| Pivovarna Union (Slovenia) | 1 |
| Polly’s Brew Co. (Wales) | 1 |
| Pomona Island Brew Co. (England) | 1 |
| Primator (Germany) | 1 |
| Privatbrauerei Fritz Egger (Austria) | 1 |
| Pulfer Brewery (Croatia) | 1 |
| Schloss Eggenberg (Austria) | 1 |
| Slavonica (Croatia) | 1 |
| Speight’s Brewery (New Zealand) | 1 |
| The Porterhouse Brew Co. (Ireland) | 1 |
| Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. (Wales) | 1 |
| Totenhopfen Brauhaus (Luxembourg) | 1 |
| Trebjesa Brewery (Montenegro) | 1 |
| UnBarred Brewery (England) | 1 |
| Verdant Brewing Co. (England) | 1 |
| Yeastie Boys (England) | 1 |
| Zeppelin Craft Brewery (Croatia) | 1 |
Styles
You might be shocked that there are so many styles of beer. And yes you could simplify it but just calling a beer an IPA but there really is a different between an IPA Session and an IPA Milkshake. For that reason I’m going to stick with what the styles that are on Untappd for each of the beers.
I definitely have some favourite styles and some I really can’t get behind. I do tend to buy the ones I like often like stouts but I will occasionally try the ones I don’t enjoy like sours. However, I was surprised to see that my August 2022 beers top style was IPA – New England / Hazy. I guess I drink more Hazy’s than I realised!
Last month I had more radlers than I usually would. These get reserved for hot countries so I drink a lot in Bali. However, Croatia was hot and there were a lot more radlers available than I was expecting so I ended up drinking more than I usually would.
| IPA – New England / Hazy | 11 |
| Lager – Pale | 9 |
| Pale Ale – American | 7 |
| IPA – Session | 6 |
| IPA – American | 5 |
| Pilsner – Other | 5 |
| Shandy / Radler | 5 |
| Red Ale – American Amber / Red | 4 |
| Blonde Ale | 3 |
| Lager – IPL | 3 |
| Pilsner – Czech | 3 |
| Pilsner – German | 3 |
| Stout – Imperial / Double Pastry | 3 |
| Belgian Quadrupel | 2 |
| Lager – Helles | 2 |
| Stout – Imperial / Double Coffee | 2 |
| Stout – Imperial / Double Milk | 2 |
| Stout – Milk / Sweet | 2 |
| Belgian Strong Dark Ale | 1 |
| Belgian Strong Golden Ale | 1 |
| Bock – Doppelbock | 1 |
| Fruit Beer | 1 |
| Golden Ale | 1 |
| IPA – Belgian | 1 |
| IPA – English | 1 |
| IPA – Imperial / Double | 1 |
| IPA – Milkshake | 1 |
| IPA – Triple | 1 |
| Lager – Amber | 1 |
| Lager – Dortmunder / Export | 1 |
| Lager – Vienna | 1 |
| Lambic – Gueuze | 1 |
| Pale Ale – Belgian | 1 |
| Pale Ale – New Zealand | 1 |
| Porter – Baltic | 1 |
| Schwarzbier | 1 |
| Sour – Other | 1 |
| Stout – Coffee | 1 |
| Stout – Imperial / Double | 1 |
| Wheat Beer – Hefeweizen | 1 |
| Wheat Beer – Witbier / Blanche | 1 |
My Favourite Beers
Beer tastes are very subjective, with everyone having different styles they prefer. So I’m not going to claim these are the best beers but rather just say that they are my favourites.
I’m going to use UnTappd to help me here. These are all the beers I gave a high rating. Personally, I have never rated any beer as a perfect 5. And in August it looks like I didn’t rate anything higher than a 4.25.
4.25 – Kasteel Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck – Kasteel Donker
I love a nice strong, dark Belgian beer so it’s no surprise this got a high score. This full mouth beer has hints of caramel, coffee and chocolate to create a delicious beer.
4.25 – Nerdbrewing – When Fluffernutter Imperial Milk Stout (2022)
A delightful imperial milk stout that has been brewed with marshmallows and aged on roasted peanuts and vanilla. This is the 2022 version.
4.25 – Polly’s Brew Co. – DDH Rosa
Polly’s favourite DIPA to brew is now a full-bodied TIPA. A beautifully smooth and rich beer with a lingering boozy aftertaste.
4.25 – The Garden Brewery – Imperial Salted Caramel & Chocolate Biscuit Stout
Not only is this incredible stout velvety smooth but it has deep layers of rich caramel, chocolate and biscuit aromas.
4.25 – Verdant Brewing Co. – But, Alas I Was No Swimmer
This soft and smooth hazy IPA is perfectly balanced with notes of hops and flavours of grapefruit and tropical fruits.
4.00 – Bieres de Chimay – Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue)
I’ve had a few of the Chimay Grande Reserves but the blue is easily my favourite. This dark Trappist beer has a powerful aroma and complex flavour and was first brewed as a Christmas beer by the monks of Scourmont Abbey in 1956.
4.00 – Brouwerij St Bernardus – Abt 12
The St Bernardus Abt 12 is a full-bodied dark beer, with a fruity aroma that is full of complex flavours. One of the original recipes from the days of license-brewing for the Trappist monks of Westvleteren.
4.00 – Fuerst Wiacek – Monkey Tennis
A nice light, hazy IPA with hoppy and fruity tones. This refreshing beer tastes a little tropical and a bit piney.
4.00 – Fuerst Wiacek – Rubber Legs
This tasty IPA is hoppy, crisp, sweet and juicy. Fruity in tastes with notes of mango, pineapple, banana plus a bit floral.
4.00 – Nova Runa – Jester’s Opus
A delicious IPA that is soft, sweet, fruity and slightly bitter with a great aftertaste.
4.00 – Nova Runa & Fuerst Wiacek – Beer Bash
This fruity and juicy pale ale is a delicious combination of the brewing skills of Croatian Nova Runa and German Feurst Wiacek.
4.00 – Nova Runa & Lobik – Brotherhood of Hops: Strange Reunion
Another Nova Runa collaboration, this time with Slovenian Lobik. This well balanced IPA is juicy and hoppy but also malty and bitter.
4.00 – The Garden Brewery – Double Imperial Affogato Stout
This delightful pastry stout is inspired by the Italian classic. With notes of coffee, cocoa and vanilla, this heavy but complex beer is best sipped slowly.
4.00 – The Garden Brewery – Milkshake IPA
This super milky IPA is sweet, creamy and juicy. With subtle notes of passionfruit, mango, strawberry and vanilla, this will have your tastebuds dancing.
Beers Worth Mentioning
Ok, so these beers may not have got the top 4+ scores needed to be rated as one of my favourite beers of August 2022, but these beers rated 3.75 were close to the top and worth mentioning!
- Brouwerij The Musketeers – Troubadour Obscura
- Delirium Huyghe Brewery – Delirium Tremens
- Devetka Craft – Devetka Red Ale
- Dog’s Window Brewery – Vets Bulls
- Epic Brewing Co – Son of a Baptist
- Grif – Grif New England IPA
- Nova Runda – C4
- Pivovara Medvedgrad – Baltazar
- Pivovara Medvedgrad – Gricka Vjestica
- Pomona Island Brew Co – I’m Partial To Your Abracadabra
- The Garden Brewery – Hazy IPA #12
- The Garden Brewery – Imperial Blueberry & Vanilla Stout
- The Garden Brewery & Drop Project – New England Pale Ale #08
- The Garden Brewery & Totenhopfen Brauhaus – Imperial Raspberry & Coconut Stout
Where My August 2022 Beers Came From
This is the big question I get asked all the time. Where do I find my craft beers? Most of the beers I drink get delivered to me. I don’t tend to go out as much any more due to work and the fact I’m getting old and can’t be bothered.
Beer Deliveries
Craft Metropolis
If you follow me on Instagram and regularly watch my stories you would no doubt have heard me mention Craft Metropolis at some point. This is were the majority of my beers come from. A great company, that considering they were only set up a few years ago, have an incredible amount of beers available from a range of breweries.
Read Also: Beer Tasting at Home With Craft Metropolis
Beers of Europe
I had only just discovered Beers of Europe last year and this was only my second delivery from them, although this one was a much bigger delivery! These guys are great when you want to try some popular local beers from countries you can’t make it to. Don’t let the name fool you, they have beers from all over the world and not just Europe.
Breweries & Bars
The Garden Brewery
I have Travel Lexx to thank for this one. After randomly bumping into him and his girlfriend in the streets of Zagreb, he told us about his plans to visit The Garden Brewery. A brewery I hadn’t heard of before the trip but one he had been fortunate to try in England and was keen to visit in Croatia. Their brewery and taproom was impressive with a generous selection of beers on tap plus an impressive fridge so you can take beers away.
Valhalla
Another great place for craft beers in Zagreb is Valhalla. This was my most visited bar in the city. They have a few beers on tap and several fridges serving up local beers as well as beers from neighbouring countries. Plus they play rock music which I loved!
Deja Brew
This was my favourite place to go for craft beers in Zadar. Deja Brew have a great selection of beers from Zagreb but also the rest of Croatia. There were so many beers here that I hadn’t seen or heard of while in Zagreb.
Brouge & Lowlander
As I already mentioned Brouge and Lowlander are my favourite Belgian Bars in London. Brouge is in Twickenham which is nearby where I live so I visit here the most. Lowlander is in Covent Garden so a great option for tourists in the city. And even though they are further away from me, I’ll still visit often. The both offer Belgian food as well and each do mussels that are incredible.
Restaurants
I don’t usually rave about beers from restaurants, as they usually don’t have much of an option. Maybe one or two common craft beers. However, in Croatia I came across a couple worth mentioning!
Submarine BBQ
Submarine BBQ must have some sort of partnership with The Garden Brewery as you can actually get there food at the brewery too. They have several restaurants across Zagreb and a few more throughout Croatia. Not only was the food delicious, they have a decent selection of Garden Brewery beers. Definitely a good place to eat in Croatia.
Heritage Croatian Food
This is a must visit in Zagreb but be prepared to have to wait as it’s a very small restaurant. However, totally worth the wait! Not only do they sell delicious local food and tell you where the ingredients come from, but they also have a decent selection of craft beers that you won’t find many places.
Museums
Well the first ever beer round up post is more interesting than I expected. I can’t see any other round up ever having this category!
Museum of Hangovers
There are many quirky museums in Zagreb and the Museum of Hangovers is no exception. They might be the only museum that offers a free drink on entrance!
There you have it, my first ever beer round up post. August 2022 was definitely an interesting month for beers! It was quite fun going over what beers I had and from where. I hope you enjoyed reading it too! I can’t wait to continue this next month
More Beer Posts
Want to read more about beer? You might like these!
- The Ultimate Beer Gift Guide
- Getting a Beer Advent Calendar
- Beer Tasting at Home with Craft Metropolis
- Taking The Meantime Brewery Tour
- Beer Tasting at BrewDog
- Visiting the Northernmost Brewery in the World
- Taking the Wellpark Brewery Tour
- Beer Tasting at Killarney Brewing Company
- Touring Anchor Brewing Company
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