What is the beer like?

Adam from Canada asked: "What is your local beer of choice? How does it compare to the beer in Canada?"


Thanks for the question Adam - The beer in Ethiopia is quite tasty and priced to keep you coming back for more (less than $1CDN/bottle). They have very strict rules about bringing the beer bottles back, the deposit on each bottle is as much as the beer itself! Here are my top three Ethiopian beer choices...

1. St. George Beer - This lager is brewed in downtown Addis Ababa and comes from the country's oldest brewery, having been founded in 1922. There are St. George bars all over the city making it difficult to avoid this delicious brew.
2. Meta Beer - Another local beer, I found the brewery by accident and stumbled upon a beer tent and had a wonderful Sunday afternoon...but I digress. Meta is quite tasty with a slight hoppy taste, it follows the German Rheinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516 (meaning the only ingredients are water, hops, malt and yeast).
3. Dashen Bira - Brewed in Gondar (Western Ethiopia) this lager is a little musky and probably has a different fermentation process. It tastes much better from the keg than it does from  the bottle!

Overall, I must say that I am quite pleased with the beers I have tasted here and look forward to trying a few more in the future - but I look forward to coming home and clinking a few Steamwhistle pints!

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What is Khat?

Igor in Macedonia asked: "What is Khat anyway?"

Khat (pronounced chat) is a flowering plant that is native to tropical East Africa, it is Ethiopia's second largest agricultural export (behind coffee) and is illegal in most other parts of the world.

When the leaves of the young khat plant are chewed an amphetamine-like stimulant is released: putting the chewer to a state of excitement, euphoria and causing a loss of appetite. University students will routinely chew khat as a means of staying awake in preparation for exams and major assignments. 

Khat can become addictive and may lead to health problems after extensive use, frequent chewers may experience withdrawal and become tired after a few days without it.