The social drinker

IF you have been to Salzburg, you will probably remember three things: kitschy homages to The Sound of

Music which was filmed in and around the city; the beautiful Salzburg Alps, and a local beer called Stiegl.

Stiegl recently began exporting three varieties to Ireland — the standard beer that can be found in almost every bar in Austria; an alcohol-free version; and a

Weisse or wheat beer. Stiegl is big in Austria (think Harp) but it’s still produced by a family company and has been in continuous production since Columbus set sail in 1492. The owner, Heinrich Dieter Kiener, has a doctorate and appears to look after the brewery’s 700 employees with a paternalism that was once a feature of the drinks industry here.

But what of the beer? Stiegl’s basic Pils is not unlike most best-selling beers in German-speaking countries: it has fruity flavours with a bread-like, malty aftertaste. Like other beers from the area, it has a light golden-yellow colour and a pleasant smell. All in all, a good beer, but not a great beer, that is ideal for barbecues or quenching your thirst on a hot day.

What makes Stiegl special and definitely worth a try, is the alcohol-free version, which is one of the best available in Ireland. Alcohol-free beer is always a little difficult; the best of the pack is probably Erdinger, which comes from another privately owned brewery, but even Erdinger begins to pall after a few glasses and can taste rather gaseous. I have not drunk enough of Stiegl’s alcohol-free beer to be able to judge when it begins to taste funny, but it is a very strong alternative to Erdinger, and anybody contemplating a night out without consuming alcohol could do a lot worse than alternate between bottles of Erdinger and Stiegl.