Myanmar…a beer so good they named a country after it.*

When I travel to somewhere new I always look forward to trying the different varieties of beer on offer. I have been in Myanmar for almost 2 weeks now and haven’t managed to try anything other than Myanmar Beer. It’s not because I haven’t had the opportunity to try other beer or because I haven’t been drinking beer, it’s because it’s pretty darn good beer! I mean why else would they name the country after it right?*

So this Beer Minute is about the beer that has quenched my thirst after the long, hot, dusty days touring around Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, and Nyaung Shwe.

I have been out for several Beer Minutes in Myanmar so far but there is an idiosyncrasy that made them less than perfect. When you want a server to place an order, get a refill, or to pay your bill, you have to make a double smooch sound. Yes that’s right, the sound you make when you smooch someone on the cheek. I wasn’t too comfortable with this for a couple of reasons:

• I know if I tried this in Canada it could result in physical pain.
• I know if your elk bugle isn’t quite right the elk will take off to the next county and I would hate that to happen with my server.

In order to avoid these obvious pitfalls, I decided sometimes the best place for a Beer Minute is where you hang your hat at the end of the day. I can pick up a few Myanmar beer at the local store, sit on my terrace, and enjoy the Minute without worrying about smooching or the perpetual Myanmar chaos.

*I have no evidence suggesting they really changed the name from Burma to Myanmar because of the beer.

  Written by: Gordon Hermann