Duff Beer - Duohh! Belgians brew another traditional brew

Belgian made, and a classic in its own way.
Available now in Europe and Asia.

How did I discover Belgian brewed Duff Beer in Italy?   Duohhhh!  It's Election Day in America.  While Moe's Bar is probably closed in the USA, there just might be a Springfield in Belgium.  Can Duff Beer with the help of Homer Simpson conquer the Belgian beer world. 

     Ask for a beer in Italy and you’ll often get one answer, “Of course we have beer.”  As they proudly show off the one and only one beer they have on draft.  Maybe they have a selection of a few bottles.  Corona, Becks, Budweiser, Peroni.  If you’re lucky, I mean really lucky you might get be offered a German Weissbier or an Austrian lager.

     Maybe I’m not looking hard enough.  Having an unlimited choice at home, I’ve got to admit I’m spoiled rotten.  But I was desparate for a beer. 

     In Florence on Sunday evening, my wife and I encountered an “Irish” Pub, with a less than stellar selection of beer.   My wife, being Brazilian, was more interested in watching the final race of the Formula 1.  Felipe Massa of Brazil won the Brazilian Grand Prix to her delight. 

     Meanwhile I took a chance with Austrian brewed Fohrenburger Lager.  I was very thirsty.  I ignored the dirty pint glass it was served in.  It tasted good and I was happy.

    But not as thrilled as I was about to become.  Staring me in the face for the better part of my pint of Austrian Lager was a bottle of Duff beer.  It wasn’t until I finished my first pint that I realized that this was no joke.  5 Euros (That’s about $6.50 U.S.) would buy me the beer that made Moe’s Bar a Springfied, USA legend.  The beer that makes Homer Simpon’s tummy jiggle.  

    I asked the Bartender, was this for real?  He nodded in the affirmitive.  I hesitated and asked the inevitable question, “Is it any good?”   He smirked and nodded his head from side to side, “No.”   I pulled out a fiver and filled up my appropriately greasy clean Nastro Azzurro branded beer glass.  

    Ice cold, fizzy.  It made me burp just like they do on The Simpsons.  Surprise, I wouldn’t say it was “good,” but it did have bitterness.  For all you beer nuts, I estimate the intensity to be above 30 units.  A slight sweet malty character lingered only briefly.  No hop complexity nor balance.  I suppose a generous amount of hop extract is used to substantiate this “Euro-style” pilsener.   I have to admire the fact that the beer did taste brewery fresh and clean, but there was little substances other than a healthy whack of lingering bitterness.   They got the beer culture right in Italy.  Justice was served in the greasy unclean beer glass.  Perfect for Duff Beer aficianados.

      Where’s Duff Beer brewed?      In Belgium. Duohhhh!  Yes it states on the bottle “product of Belgium.”  Belgian beer pride has been put aside on this one, just for the fun of it.  Yes America there is a Springfield - right there in Belgium.

     My parting advice: Drink Duff beer only at Moes.