In advance of the World Cup this summer in Brazil, the folks at Anheuser-Busch InBev have introduced Brahma Selecao Especial, a new beer made from barley grown on the Brazilian national team’s training field.
While the idea of sipping on a beer that tastes like shinguards and cleats doesn’t exactly sound all that refreshing, the makers of Brahma Selecao Especial are hoping that the soccer-crazed fans of Brazil will relish the opportunity to suck down suds that were produced with barley that was grown on the “sacred ground” of the Granja Comary football pitch.
The barley was allowed to germinate and flower for 130 days before it was harvested and then brought to a malting plant for more processing. The lager-type beer was made under the command of Brazil’s coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, the “ambassador of the project,” and brewmaster Luciano Horn,
Curious connoisseurs who want to try the beer may want to get their passports in order because it is only available in Brazil at this time. Those who really want to try it and don’t feel like waiting for bottles to pop up on eBay and Amazon may want to look into purchasing an “Exclusive Kit.”
The kit contains a numbered bottle of Brahma Selection Special and a commemorative glass. The kits are only available via the Internet and they are probably the most logical purchase for people who want to sample a “pitch-perfect” pint.
We may not have a World Cup-inspired beer stateside, but we do have the World Cup of Beer. Entries have already been submitted for the 2014 edition of the WCOB and judging will take place from April 7-8 in Denver, Colo., at the Craft Brewers Conference prior to the winners being announced on April 11.
The event, which has been taking place since 1996 and is only held every two years, had almost 1,450 brewers from 61 countries enter this year, meaning the judges will have the tough job of tasting and ranking about 4,900 kinds of beer. There were actually so many entries breweries were limited to entering “only” four beers this year.
According to the WCOB website, it looks like there will be 94 different styles of beer in the contest in 2014, almost enough to justify the singing of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” – almost.
So, has your favorite beer ever won anything? Check out the list of winners from the 2012 WCOB. In a way, they’re all winners…
Evan Bleier is a freelance writer based out of wherever he can plug in his laptop. You can send him questions, comments and Buffalo wing suggestions @itishowitis or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
