Next, Beer

[odd man out]

Everyone has been so helpful for this first-timer - thanks!

 

I have no problem drinking cheap wine, but the one vice I have (that I admit to) is being a beer snob. I see from the HAL web site that the new bar on the Ryndam " Spirits & Ales will feature an international selection of beers and premium whiskeys and brandies sure to entice even the most selective connoisseur. Here guests can drop by to enjoy a wide selection of beers on tap..." Would this be the only place on the ship I can get a good beer? Do you know what they would be serving?

 

TIA

[mallbucks]

Someone posted the on-tap beers a while ago, but the only two I can remember are Becks and Stella. I think there were 5 or 6 on tap beers listed. We've been on the HA Vista class ships and usually get the bucket of beer (5 bottles for the price of 4) and they have quite a few brands. You can also get Grolsch (sp?) but that one isn't available by the bucket because they charge about $1.00 per bottle more for it. The Mix bar area on the smaller HAL ships is quite new so haven't personally experienced it, but we are booked Jan. 2011 on the Ryndam for 14 day cruise so look forward to trying it out.

 

 

 

Everyone has been so helpful for this first-timer - thanks!

 

I have no problem drinking cheap wine, but the one vice I have (that I admit to) is being a beer snob. I see from the HAL web site that the new bar on the Ryndam " Spirits & Ales will feature an international selection of beers and premium whiskeys and brandies sure to entice even the most selective connoisseur. Here guests can drop by to enjoy a wide selection of beers on tap..." Would this be the only place on the ship I can get a good beer? Do you know what they would be serving?

 

TIA

[PathfinderEss]

Everyone has been so helpful for this first-timer - thanks!

 

I have no problem drinking cheap wine, but the one vice I have (that I admit to) is being a beer snob. I see from the HAL web site that the new bar on the Ryndam " Spirits & Ales will feature an international selection of beers and premium whiskeys and brandies sure to entice even the most selective connoisseur. Here guests can drop by to enjoy a wide selection of beers on tap..." Would this be the only place on the ship I can get a good beer? Do you know what they would be serving?

 

TIA

 

You can get beer in any bar on the ship but as far getting the better one's maybe not, but you might get your bar server to go down to the new beer bar and get you what you want. They usually are more then willing to do that.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This all depends on what ship you will be on.

The ships that have the new beers on tap are the ships that have added the MIX -- Veendam, Rotterdam and Ryndam so far. Statendam and Maasdam are next to get them.

[Krazy Kruizers]

[odd man out]

Thanks, but it is as I feared beer list is looking pretty weak (Grolsch, Stella, Becks) and not an ale in sight.

[fann1sh]

Odd Man Out...I feel your pain. I don't fit a lot of Canadian stereotypes, but beer? I'm there.

 

The good news is on an Alaskan cruise, you'll get beers by the Alaskan Brewing Company. Alaskan Amber is head and shoulders above anything previously mentioned. Once I found a darker beer I didn't ask more questions, but Alaskan makes an IPA - not sure if it's offered aboard.

 

http://www.alaskanbeer.com/our-brew/year-round-beers.html

 

Alaskan is also sold everywhere in ports.

[odd man out]

Thanks. I followed the "Dutch By Association" link from the other thread to find complete photos of the Mix menu. This was from another ship (we will be on the Ryndam), but I suspect they would be similar. The taps had Stella, Becks, Bass, and Boddingtons. They also had 22 bottles listed: Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Light, Michelob Light, Michelob Ultra Light, MGD, Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale, SA Boston Lager, Stone Pale Ale, Corona Extra, Corona Light, Becks, Heineken, Amstel Light, Stella, Bass, Newcastle, Guinness ES, Blue Moon, Red Stripe, Grolsch and Boddingtons. Not a great line up.

 

Menu prices were surprisingly affordable, from $4.25 for 16 oz taps and American Bottles to $4.75 for "Beers of the World".

 

My choices (in order): Boddingtons, Newcastle, SN Harvest, Guinness, Stone PA, Bass, Stella. The rest would make good ballast if they weren't so light.

[fann1sh]

 

My choices (in order): Boddingtons, Newcastle, SN Harvest, Guinness, Stone PA, Bass, Stella. The rest would make good ballast if they weren't so light.

 

lol!

 

There's a very old Canadian joke, and here's the PG version:

 

"How are a canoe and American beer the same?"

 

"Both are barely above water."

[packercruising]

Thanks. I followed the "Dutch By Association" link from the other thread to find complete photos of the Mix menu. This was from another ship (we will be on the Ryndam), but I suspect they would be similar. The taps had Stella, Becks, Bass, and Boddingtons. They also had 22 bottles listed: Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Light, Michelob Light, Michelob Ultra Light, MGD, Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale, SA Boston Lager, Stone Pale Ale, Corona Extra, Corona Light, Becks, Heineken, Amstel Light, Stella, Bass, Newcastle, Guinness ES, Blue Moon, Red Stripe, Grolsch and Boddingtons. Not a great line up.

 

Menu prices were surprisingly affordable, from $4.25 for 16 oz taps and American Bottles to $4.75 for "Beers of the World".

 

My choices (in order): Boddingtons, Newcastle, SN Harvest, Guinness, Stone PA, Bass, Stella. The rest would make good ballast if they weren't so light.

 

IMO the words beer and snob are mutually exclusive. True some brands are very loosely defined as beer, but I wouldn't expect the German beers to be available. :)

[iLurker]

My choices (in order): Boddingtons, Newcastle, SN Harvest, Guinness, Stone PA, Bass, Stella. The rest would make good ballast if they weren't so light.

 

I too am a beer snob, and agree with your choices, but would put them in a different order. Unfortunately, we're booked on the Zaandam in Alaska this summer, which doesn't have the Mix bar, and presumably won't have ANY of these better beers on the menu.

 

Does anyone know if they might be serving Alaskan Amber on the Zaandam during an Alaskan cruise? If not, I'll skip the on-board beer altogether, and try to snag a good beer in one or more of the ports of call. If I can't have a decent beer, I'd rather not have one at all!

 

I don't understand why HAL doesn't allow passengers to bring ANY beer on board, but allows UNLIMITED amounts of wine to be brought on board. I am far pickier with the beer I drink than with wine. I'd be happy if they just let me bring a 6-pack of good beer on board. Will they let me carry on a single bottle if I buy one in a port town?

[Balconies R Us]

If you vaccuum seal the bottles Chimay will pack well!!

[fann1sh]

I too am a beer snob, and agree with your choices, but would put them in a different order. Unfortunately, we're booked on the Zaandam in Alaska this summer, which doesn't have the Mix bar, and presumably won't have ANY of these better beers on the menu.

 

Does anyone know if they might be serving Alaskan Amber on the Zaandam during an Alaskan cruise? If not, I'll skip the on-board beer altogether, and try to snag a good beer in one or more of the ports of call. If I can't have a decent beer, I'd rather not have one at all!

 

I don't understand why HAL doesn't allow passengers to bring ANY beer on board, but allows UNLIMITED amounts of wine to be brought on board. I am far pickier with the beer I drink than with wine. I'd be happy if they just let me bring a 6-pack of good beer on board. Will they let me carry on a single bottle if I buy one in a port town?

 

There should be Alaskan Brewery beer aboard, even if it's only in bottles. Like I said above, my pick is Amber.

 

A couple years ago on Zuiderdam (7 day Caribbean), the Captain's "welcome aboard" letter placed in the cabin said that wine and beer could be carried on in ports, but not liquor, which would be held.

 

My 80something father is famous among friends and some crew for walking off the ship first thing in the morning, nosing out the place that sell local beer coldest and cheapest, and walking back with a case balanced on his shoulder. He's never been stopped or cautioned - except when he was told he was crazy to walk alone in that particular port. IIRC, that crew member also wanted to carry the beer for him to the cabin.

 

Maybe he gets away with it because of the white hair. He certainly doesn't pay any attention to me when I say "I don't think you're supposed to do that." :rolleyes:

 

On the other hand, it's thanks to him I've tried Carib, Kalik, Banks, Red Stripe, Medalla, Kubuli, etc.

[odd man out]

If you vaccuum seal the bottles Chimay will pack well!!

 

And if you get the 750 mL bottle with a cork, you can probably convince them that it is a bottle of sparkling wine if you get caught!

[Balconies R Us]

Always the 750ml and NEVER been caught!!

[Oceanwench]

Every time I cruise I ask on the comment card for dark beer.

I'm a beer snob and I won't drink the beer they stock. Ugh.

[plattetrekkies]

My dh & I love Alaskan Brewing Company and especially the Amber. We've had no trouble bringing 22 oz bottle back to the ship. We do the beer tour in Juneau. We also go to Steamers in Ketchikhan to do their beer flight of Alaskan beers. Skagway has the Red Onion Saloon that features Alaskan beers on tap. We're hoping to do the pub tour in Victoria this May. We usually drink wine on board and drink beer on shore. The closest we can buy Alaskan beer is in Wyoming and now Colorado.

[fann1sh]

Every time I cruise I ask on the comment card for dark beer.

I'm a beer snob and I won't drink the beer they stock. Ugh.

 

Instead of just asking for dark beer on the comment card (which I've also done) I'm going to start asking for Alaskan Amber on cruises that don't go to Alaska.

 

At least corporate *knows* that beer exists and already serves it.

 

There are dark beers I like better, but it would be a start.

 

PlatteTrekkies, I hope you have a cool shady place to store the cases when you stock up!

[cinann]

I'd be happy if they just let me bring a 6-pack of good beer on board. Will they let me carry on a single bottle if I buy one in a port town?

 

iLurker,

 

On our recent cruise on the Noordam, we found out that we could of brought back a 6-pack for our personal consumption from a port. Of, course this was after we set sail on our last stop. We will remember for next time.

 

Cindy

[bulgargirl]

Terminal Gravity Black Butte Porter!

 

That's my vote :)

 

Or this stuff I had this winter called Velvet Merkin Stout. It was yummy.

 

<sigh> We have such good beer out here.

[maxout]

Wow velvet merkin?

 

Google that for a surprise. :eek:

[bulgargirl]

Wow velvet merkin?

 

Google that for a surprise. :eek:

 

LOL! Oh no - I can imagine what you found since I know what a merkin is. Sorry! It's just really great beer though. I discovered at the Portland, OR winter ale festival and fell in love.