Comments on: Do you think the Spanish and Italians are drinking wine? They’re really drinking beer http://blindtaste.com/2009/05/14/do-you-think-the-spanish-and-italians-are-drinking-wine-they%e2%80%99re-really-drinking-beer/ A critical review of food, drinks, culture, and cognition Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:28:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Jaun Millalonco http://blindtaste.com/2009/05/14/do-you-think-the-spanish-and-italians-are-drinking-wine-they%e2%80%99re-really-drinking-beer/comment-page-1/#comment-1575 Jaun Millalonco Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:45:12 +0000 http://blindtaste.com/?p=220#comment-1575 Excellent YouTube post ! thanks for sharing. I'll be adding your blog to my reader. Juan Excellent YouTube post ! thanks for sharing. I’ll be adding your blog to my reader.
Juan

]]> By: Alejandro Sacasa http://blindtaste.com/2009/05/14/do-you-think-the-spanish-and-italians-are-drinking-wine-they%e2%80%99re-really-drinking-beer/comment-page-1/#comment-1543 Alejandro Sacasa Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:46:47 +0000 http://blindtaste.com/?p=220#comment-1543 On absolute terms the USA is drinking more and Europeans less, but how does comparison look on a per capita basis? On absolute terms the USA is drinking more and Europeans less, but how does comparison look on a per capita basis?

]]> By: Luis Ruano http://blindtaste.com/2009/05/14/do-you-think-the-spanish-and-italians-are-drinking-wine-they%e2%80%99re-really-drinking-beer/comment-page-1/#comment-1517 Luis Ruano Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:41:54 +0000 http://blindtaste.com/?p=220#comment-1517 I think there's something you are missed before making all your assumptions. First of all let me say I'm a wine lover, and a beer lover. I'm a 30 years old doctor, from Spain, and I've lived also in Portugal and Italy. It's true what you say that the young urban bars and clubs in southern Europe always serve beer, and, until a few years ago, only a few served wine. But you forget that the older, blue-collar generation has it's own meeting places, in the villages and suburban areas. Every evening they gather after work, in small places, only men. And guess what they drink? Wine. Not particularly good wine, but cheap and in very large quantities. Beer is a recent (50 years or so) introduction to the southern Europe drinking habits. It only managed to be popular when it started to be served on the tap, fresh, perfect for the hot weather. The bad and cheap wine served all over these small, old, dirty places gave drinking wine a real bad name. That and the cold beer turned one or two of the post-war generations pro-beer, instead of pro-wine. It's them you see in restaurants, drinking cañas, eating tapas. But don't fool yourself, there is a very strong wine culture in southern Europe, much stronger than the recent beer culture. And this culture is just making a come back with the young and trendy under-30 generation, who finally got to drink some real good (but still cheap) wine when going out at night, not in wine bars, but just everywhere. And we don't want to go back to our really bad Spanish and Italian beers! I love to go tho Belgium and Czech Republic and drink really good small brewery made tap beer. It's almost as good as wine can get. But I can't really find it in my country! So, what should I drink? You know the answer :) I think there’s something you are missed before making all your assumptions. First of all let me say I’m a wine lover, and a beer lover. I’m a 30 years old doctor, from Spain, and I’ve lived also in Portugal and Italy.
It’s true what you say that the young urban bars and clubs in southern Europe always serve beer, and, until a few years ago, only a few served wine.
But you forget that the older, blue-collar generation has it’s own meeting places, in the villages and suburban areas. Every evening they gather after work, in small places, only men. And guess what they drink? Wine.
Not particularly good wine, but cheap and in very large quantities.
Beer is a recent (50 years or so) introduction to the southern Europe drinking habits. It only managed to be popular when it started to be served on the tap, fresh, perfect for the hot weather.
The bad and cheap wine served all over these small, old, dirty places gave drinking wine a real bad name. That and the cold beer turned one or two of the post-war generations pro-beer, instead of pro-wine. It’s them you see in restaurants, drinking cañas, eating tapas.
But don’t fool yourself, there is a very strong wine culture in southern Europe, much stronger than the recent beer culture.
And this culture is just making a come back with the young and trendy under-30 generation, who finally got to drink some real good (but still cheap) wine when going out at night, not in wine bars, but just everywhere.
And we don’t want to go back to our really bad Spanish and Italian beers!
I love to go tho Belgium and Czech Republic and drink really good small brewery made tap beer. It’s almost as good as wine can get. But I can’t really find it in my country! So, what should I drink? You know the answer :)

]]> By: Bill Mill http://blindtaste.com/2009/05/14/do-you-think-the-spanish-and-italians-are-drinking-wine-they%e2%80%99re-really-drinking-beer/comment-page-1/#comment-248 Bill Mill Fri, 15 May 2009 13:59:11 +0000 http://blindtaste.com/?p=220#comment-248 Based on my time in Seville, I agree with most of what you said. A couple thoughts: * Cañas are small, but I don't think I'd say they're *tiny*. One nice thing they do at Spanish bars nearly 100% of the time is use the proper type of glass for the proper type of beer. Most american bars serve beers in standard pint glasses no matter what. * How can you mention popular tapas dishes, include the jamon, but forget the cheese! I don't think we ever ordered a plate of jamon without a plate of awesome assorted cheeses on the side. Nits aside, eating tapas and drinking a cruzcampo at sunset along the Guadalquivir is one of the best culinary experiences of my life. Based on my time in Seville, I agree with most of what you said. A couple thoughts:

* Cañas are small, but I don’t think I’d say they’re *tiny*. One nice thing they do at Spanish bars nearly 100% of the time is use the proper type of glass for the proper type of beer. Most american bars serve beers in standard pint glasses no matter what.

* How can you mention popular tapas dishes, include the jamon, but forget the cheese! I don’t think we ever ordered a plate of jamon without a plate of awesome assorted cheeses on the side.

Nits aside, eating tapas and drinking a cruzcampo at sunset along the Guadalquivir is one of the best culinary experiences of my life.

]]> By: Ryan Sager - Neuroworld - Neuro News Nanos - True/Slant http://blindtaste.com/2009/05/14/do-you-think-the-spanish-and-italians-are-drinking-wine-they%e2%80%99re-really-drinking-beer/comment-page-1/#comment-245 Ryan Sager - Neuroworld - Neuro News Nanos - True/Slant Thu, 14 May 2009 21:28:19 +0000 http://blindtaste.com/?p=220#comment-245 [...] Italians and the Spanish are actually drinking beer — the US now beats Italy in total wine consumption — and what is this “wine bar” [...] [...] Italians and the Spanish are actually drinking beer — the US now beats Italy in total wine consumption — and what is this “wine bar” [...]

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