(SPOT.ph) If the ubiquitous amber-colored bottles with "San Miguel" emblazoned on them are any indication, you could say drinking is more fun the Philippines. Where else in the world can you buy a bottle of local beer for a few coins at a nearby sari-sari store without having to present ID? We don’t encourage excessive drinking, but we know that it’ll take quite a few chugs to appreciate its malty magic. So, we’re giving you a few tips on how to decode that glass of light or dark-colored bitter liquid.
Beer is made from four basic ingredients: barley, water, hops (flowers of a vine with acids and compounds which provide bitterness and aromas), and yeast. It is produced when barley is soaked in water and the yeast ferments the starch-turned-sugars into alcohol.
For some drinkers, beer types don't matter as long as the bottle or glass gives you that get-happy buzz. For non-drinkers, here's SPOT.ph's essential beginner's guide to beer-speak:
WHERE TO GET A BOTTLE:
Hit these spots for a beer buzz in Metro Manila:
The Bottle Shop and Tasting Room
Unit 103 Tritan Ventures Bldg., Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City
The Distillery
Unit 108, Forbeswood Heights Condominium, Forbes Town Center, Rizal Drive corner Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Makati City; Eastwood City, Quezon City
Draft Gastropub
Fort Strip, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig; Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City; Greenbelt 2, Makati City
Illustration by Warren Espejo