When we were in Jamaica, I ordered a beer at lunch. The server said, “Fine.” But didn’t ask what kind.
It turns out they only had one kind – Red Stripe. I had never heard of it, but I was surprisingly pleased. Red Stripe is a great beer, and it’s made in Kingston, Jamaica.
The 4.7% ABV lager has a smooth taste and a little kick. It’s also has an interesting story. The beer was first brewed by Desnoes & Geddes in Jamaica in 1928. It was exported to England and later introduced to America in the 1930’s but was not well received. At least, at first.
Then, the bands that played Reggae music adopted it as their own in the early 1990’s and it took off. In 2005, for the first time ever, the Red Stripe beer export volume exceeded domestic volume and consumption.
It is now something of a cult beer in the USA. I saw it at Sam’s this week for about $16 for a 12-pack, a reasonable price for an upscale beer.
If you love beer, give Red Stripe a try.
As the Jamaicans might say, “Bad enuf, Mon.”