h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The mind staggers at the thought of how much research must have gone into this article. Well done.

Now (ruling out most of the Middle East, which probably isn't all that big on beer) can we find a contributor to vouch for Indian beers? I know they produce some beer there (e.g. Kingfisher), which makes it to America; is it typical?

I don't know what I'm talking about - but the Indian beers I have tried imported are not bad. Then there are the India Pale Ales - IPA's - English beer made for export - a style of pale ale, sometimes abused (just like GTO for car names).

In Israel I had a couple of beers - Macabee, etc. - they taste sort of like the generic Canadian lager type beer (anything by Molson, Labatt, etc. be it calle lager, ale or pilsner it's more or less the same kind of lager)

The drawback to drinking anything faintly alcoholic in HK is the price: even in happy hours you're looking at two quid for a pint of Tetley's The advantage is that all the restaurants that have licences import whatever goes with their food, and in some of the more dubious curry houses you can still get an India Pale Ale,

I've only ever had English IPA - I am of the opinion it has to be (appellation controlee if you like!). You can buy something they call IPA in Canada but it is much the same as the ordinary Canadian lagers. A true IPA is well hopped - aromatic and bitter - the hops help keep the beer fresh when it is stuck in a barrel on a ship for a few months while it travels around the British empire in equatorial climates.

On a related topic (something I don't know much about) - I have heard of (and drunk) sake, and (not drunk) fermented mare's milk. Did any other alcoholic beverages come out of Asia that exist today?

O yeh... I also tried some delicious fruit wines.

I recently bought some plum wine in Wisconsin (of all places). It seems that Wisconsin produces more than half of the non-grape, non-barley wine in North America. Go figure. I suppose that Asian alcohol influence is spreading.