We’ve reached the final day of the opening round of the 2014 Basketball World Cup of Beer. If you are somehow late to the party, you missed one mother of a battle in Group C yesterday. The rules are simple, every team in the 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball is represented by a beer. Most of those beers have been chosen by fans or journalists from the countries involved. We run the competition in line with the draw for Spain 2014, with 4 groups of 6 and 4 teams from each group making it through to the knockout stages.
So far we know 12 of the 16 teams that have made it to the next round. Now it’s time to learn who will progress from Group D…
Angola – Nova Cuca
This pale lager is 4.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV) and is far too sweet. For a straight up chugger of a lager, that’s a fatal flaw. If you aren’t going to taste good, at least go down easy.
Australia – Little Creatures Pale Ale
I received multiple requests from non-Australians to troll the Boomers and go with Fosters. Nope, not happening. Instead we have opted for Little Creatures Pale Ale, a beauty at 5.2 per cent ABV. Balance is king here, it’s got a mixture of orange, lime, and coriander in the aroma with a good touch of lemon and malt in the flavour. It’s a cracker.
Lithuania – Volfas Engelman Rinktinis
This isn’t going to contend for the title but we’ve seen far worse beers progress. A 5.2 per cent ABV pale lager, there’s a bitter and grassy feel but it goes down easy. By no means awful.
Mexico – DOA IPA
Or to give it the full title Dia De Los Muertos DOA IPA, a mouthful to say for a slightly strong 6.8 per cent ABV IPA. It’s an IPA with a Mexican twist as there’s a touch of jalapeno to the flavour but by and large it’s a decent IPA with some toffee and orange to the taste.
Slovenia – Lasko Dark
This is quickly turning into the group of perfectly acceptable beers. Lasko Dark is a 5.9 per cent ABV dunkel which doesn’t do anything exceptional good or bad. With a thin texture and a touch of coffee this is a little bit bitter, probably could be more so, and largely inoffensive.
South Korea – Platinum Irish Cream Stout
Finally a tangental connection to BiE’s home land…well it’s got Irish in the name. Originally out of Gangnam, so yay Psy jokes, this is essentially a Guinness knock-off that’s extremely hard to find and not really worth searching for.
Now it’s time for the final standings, remember 4 progress and 2 go home
1. Little Creatures Pale Ale – Australia
2. DOA IPA – Mexico
3. Lasko Dark – Slovenia
4. Volfas Engelman Rinktinis – Lithuania
5. Platinum Irish Cream Stout – South Korea
6. Nova Cuca – Angola
So the field is set for the last 16. There may not be 16 good beers but we’ve whittled away the absolutely awful ones. The knockout match-ups start on Monday.
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