Booze and Don't

Being new a new immigrant in Israel, I have a lot of free time. I’m often making all kinds of cultural observations that would be good to write about. Problem is, most of these are made on the bus and I forget what they are. So until I get a notebook I figured I’d write about a subject close to my heart – one I feel comfortable writing about. Something sure to get the creative juices flowing.

If you ever come to Israel, you should acquaint yourself with the local beer. There are two notable mass-produced Israeli beers. These are Goldstar גולדסטאר and Maccabiבירה מכבי . Both are pale lagers at 4.9% abv (wikipedia), but the two beers are quite different in taste. Maccabi is the real Zionist beer – mostly cause of the name. I picture Judah Maccabi reclaiming the Temple and then cracking open a pounder. It’s gold in color and light in taste. There’s nothing really wrong with Maccabi – it’s just your average yellow beer.

Goldstar is what I would call an amber lager(not a pilsener), though the bottle says Dark Lager Beer. It’s best from the tap. It has a smooth creamy texture – almost like from a hand-drawn tap. The flavor is subtle; a little sweet, a little spicy and a mild finish. In short, if you find yourself in a bar in Israel, drink lots of Goldstar. It’s a very tasty beer, and certified kosher of course.

But not all beer in Israel is what it appears to be…

Have a look at this.

Looks like beer, right? It’s with all the other beer in the grocery store. It’s listed with all the other beers on a menu. Has to be beer. Well it’s not. Israelis call it Malt מאלט and I still can find a purpose for its existence on the planet. It’s brown, thick, sweet and without any alcohol. And it’s posing as a perfectly normal beer. I would say it’s children’s beer, but that’s what Maccabi’s for.

Anyway, steer clear of this stuff. And be extra careful of the diet version. Yes, diet non-alcoholic beer.

I guess you take the good with the bad in a new country so now I’ll close with one of my favorites. Arak ארק is a clear, colorless, unsweetened aniseed-flavored distilled alcoholic drink, produced and consumed in the Eastern Mediterranean countries, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, and Jordan. Thanks Wikipedia. It’s kind of like Sambuca but not as thick. If you get a bottle of Ouzo, that’s pretty close. In Israel, Elite Arak is 40% abv and Arak Aluf (champion arak) is 50%.

This is how I prepare it.

Notice the change in color from clear to milky-white.

Like so many things in the Middle East, arak is meant to be enjoyed slowly. Sit in the warm sun or cool shade, sip on a cold glass of arak and stare out at the sea. It’s something all the people of the region can agree on. Of course, most of the neighboring population is Muslim and forbidden to drink alcohol – There’s a devil in every berry of the grape (The Qu’ran) Oh well, more for me. Le’chaim!