A Good Beer Blog

Beer From Romania

Posted by Alan McLeod on in , - 25 comments

As you know, we love piggybacking on the travels of others to find more about beer and this planet of our. Recently I have been working with Steven Hales of the Department of Philosophy at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania on his collection of essays Beer and Philosophy which is to be published by Blackwell in the summer of 2007. I am providing a chapter entitled "Beer and Autonomy". Anyway, Steven was off to Romania for some reason last week and I suggested he provide some reviews of Romanian beer. And so he did.

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Hi Alan. Here's my assessment of Romanian beer, and some pics. I didn't get pictures of everything.
  • Ursus blond or helles: Brewed in Cluj, where I stayed, founded in 1878. Ursus is a sharp, light-bodied, reasonably hopped for the style, pilsener. It is tasty with a pale color. Between a Czech and a German pils.
  • Ursus dark: Very sweet, like a porter or swartzbier. Pruny, burnt caramel flavors, thick and chewy.
  • Ciuc: pronounced chook, as in cook. Brewed by a Romanian brewery owned by Heineken. Another pilsener, much maltier than the Ursus, and comparable to Czech Boom.
  • Silva blond or helles: A malty pilsener, somewhat sweet, hoppier than the Ciuc, but less than Ursus. More of a straight lager, and slightly darker than Ursus.
  • Silva dark: 7% abv. The strongest of the beers sampled. Not as sweet as Ursus dark, drier, grainier, and with perhaps a cherry finish. A nice head after pour, and comparable to a Belgian dubbel.
  • Timesoreana: Pilsener style. A pale, light version of the style, not very hoppy or, frankly, memorable. Clearly inferior to the other pilseners sampled and comparable to American mass-market brew.
All beers were extremely inexpensive, ranging from US$.50 for a half liter of Timesoreana to US$.80 for a half liter of the Silva Dark.
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Fantastic information, Steven. I particularly like the neck lable of Ciuc which has weird Inuit imagery which you can see if you click. Here is Beer Advocate information on Ursus, Silva, and Ciuc.

Comments

Gerry Silva -

Where can I buy this beer?

steve -

http://borlova.wordpress.com

visit my blog site contact me and i will see what i can do for you i am in uk but still have good contacts in romania

ryan churilla -

I also would like info on purchasing these products for my bar.

Kelsey -

Does anyone know where/how I can get some Silva over here? I've looked everywhere and I'm starting to think that it isn't imported

paul -

Where can I buy Romanian beer?

Alan -

Definitely in Romania.

Hey, I am on holiday. My manners go to hell when I am on holiday.

Stef -

For those in Toronto and the province of Ontario in general, Ursus is now available at the LCBO. After an initial introduction a few weeks ago, when Romanians went out like crazy and gutted all the stores of every last can of Ursus, the LCBO has re stocked locations with thousands of 500 ml cans of Ursus. You can check supply here:
http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/ProductResultsController?ITEM_NAME=74450&ITEM_NUMBER=74450

ilie -

Ursus e cea mai buna bere din Romania! I enjoy that beer very very much!!!!!

Jon -

I remember drinking Ursus and Silva beers whilst in Romania (In Turda, just outside of Cluj) on a school exchange a long time ago. Really enjoyed them both but I was only 15 he he

nick avasti -

i would like to order beer for italian market like burger ,ursus,timisoreana and create new brand of my choice plz let me know

Costin -

FYI, the weird "Inuit" imagery on the Ciuc label is actually to underline the message above that says in Romanian "Choose at cold!" - something like "choose with a cold mind".

Dustin -

Hey, does anyone know the name of the Romanian beer with a picture of Dracula on the label? Would appreciate the help. Thanks.

Justine Elizabeth Howlett -

My boyfriend is Romanian and doesnt drink much, but when we visited his homeland he loved his old beer - ursus. and so did i - do u know if u can buy it in the uk?

Nick -

Most foreign stores in america cover specialty beers like these. World market is a good place to start.

Laurence -

Dustin- you are probably referring to Drax Beer by Martens S.A.

diana -

I have been looking to by the URSUS beer in san diego we can't fined it. The last time we had it was two years ago in new york please let us know where we can order it or where to fined it in san diego california

Tina -

Hallo zusammen,
kann mir jemand eine Flasche DRAX BEER von Martens SA aus Rumänien besorgen?
Ich wohne in Deutschland (Nordrhein-Westfalen) und würde einem Freund gerne so eine Flasche schenken.
Er sammelt Bierflaschen und das Motiv und das Herkunftsland des DRAX BEER ist eine gemeinsame Erinnerung!
Ich würde mich freuen!!!

Mike -

I'm drinking Ciuc right now...I love this beer!! Question? Can I buy this in the states?...anywhere? or only in Romania? Pleeeaaasssee let me know. -Philadelphia

Mike -

Oh yea and I'm smoking Kent Blue cigs. as well. hehe

Rodica Nemes -

In few months I will open a store in Hubbard Ohio. I would like to sell Romanian beer. How can I get a brochure with the products and prices you have?
Also if you have romanian wine , I will be interested.

Thanks.

Rodica

Gabriela Banyi -

I would like to sell Romanian beer in Vancouver, British Columbia. How can I get a brochure with the products and prices you have?

john -

They have romanian beer at the lcbo in ontario. very popular, great beer!

nelu -

I can send you RO beer since i live here :)

John Vint -

Anybody know were to buy a beer ,URSUS,from Romania in Texas /Dallasarea? I will drive around to get some
I sure apreciat ,Or anywere in USA??? John

Leah -

wow our usa beers for 1 bottle 12 oz is like $2.75 that's a lot for 1 bottle

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