10 Must-Try Swiss Beers- Sip Down!

In for a great taste? Sip down some fine Switzerland beer and you would never need to go with any other drink. To recommend you the best flavor, I did some thorough research and finalized a list of a few good Swiss Beers. You can also try them with some top Swiss chocolate brands.

Being the oldest type of fermented drink that humans know, beer has always been popular among generations gone and to come. It has very well grown into an entire multi-billion dollar business, spreading all across the globe.

Before we proceed any further, I would like to introduce you to a popular and important swiss phrase that is often used casually among friends. That is – Ein Bitte Bier – which translates to ‘one beer please’.

Here’s What You Should Know About The Swiss Beers

Switzerland has always been famous for many things. Just like how the country took to the world with its delicious swiss chocolates, another thing that it is world-renowned for is the swiss beers.

Beer tourism has seen a significant boom in these few years. A number of beer destinations offer visitation to get to know their beer cultures. Breweries and local shops can be used to purchase swiss beers. This serves as a great opportunity for tourists to get to know the local culture and get familiar with their tastes.

Swiss beers have grown significantly. Owing to this boom, the beer industry in Switzerland now hosts several tours and festivals where local breweries showcase their love and passion for making one of the best beers in the world.

Except for the events held to promote its beers, Switzerland is also known for organizing beer hikes – an experiential chance for the eager and passionate souls to tour breathtaking views, meet local people and taste local breweries.

History And Culture

Beer has its long origin in ancient times in Switzerland.

Everything began when back in 1880, phylloxera wiped out the wine production in the country, nearly entirely. With the fading phase of the wine, people turned to beer, the upcoming alcohol market in Switzerland.

After World War 1 and the great depression, a customer protection plan was formulated by a local association of brewers in Switzerland. And in 1936, the Brewers association got its exclusive rights over the distribution of beer locally and profitable sales of beer.

The cartel thus formed, was to promote the local breweries of Switzerland by stifling the beer competition and to help the local taste grow. This would, in turn also affect the swiss beer’s taste in a positive way.

The beers produced back then were also sorted into four basic groups by their color – Light, Special, Dark, and Strong. Even the bottles, were to be made in only two sizes. The liberalization brought upon new and local brewers the chance to begin and prosper.

Since the weather in the country is cold, people have adapted to the temperature by consuming food and beverages that would provide the heat from within. The cold weather of the region has a high influence on the food style of the people of the country.

Why Is Switzerland Famous For Beers?

Swiss beers are famous worldwide for their intriguing tastes and flavors. For centuries, the country has been brewing world-class beers in the most traditional ways. The Swiss Beer industry is an immensely popular and thriving sector that should be discovered and recognized by people with a love for wines and beers.

Although many things have seen changes, like the regular and identical glass wine bottles, the streets still can be heard with the clinks of beer glasses among friends and families.

Drinking is also seen as one of the best ways to socialize among the Swiss people. Tables can be seen with beer glasses accompanied by the best Swiss side dishes.

Despite the fact that many of these brewers rose as amateurs, one of the biggest reasons why the country serves some of the best and flavor-rich beers is that they have been in the game for decades. The beer and wine history began in Switzerland way back in the 1900s.

Another prominent reason for the thriving swiss beer industry in Switzerland is the fact that the country is so active in promoting its breweries through frequent events and festivities. Every year, the country hosts many beer events and gathering that brings together people from all around the globe to come, take a part in their celebrations, and get to know the local breweries and their swiss beers.

Visitation tours around the country do more than enough to enlighten the tourists about their local beer culture and practices. Through these efforts and traditional celebrations, Switzerland has established its reputation in the beer industry which is next to none.

The art of brewing has been improving and evolving ever since.

Let me drop a quick question here – what do think would go best with swiss beers – Swiss chocolate vs Belgian chocolate?

Tips To Buy The Swiss Beer At Affordable Price

Now, this is only a suggestion and my own conclusion, but finding a swiss beer anywhere is easy enough but on difficult terrains. Do not buy from mountain areas, don’t buy from restaurants, or pubs.

Beer hikes and tours organised all around the country may tempt you to buy a load of swiss beers on your way but the truth is that you may end up paying a handsome amount for something you could’ve bought cheaper.

Rather, buy from the local supermarket, and convenience stores. The benefits of such outlets would be –

• Cheaper Value –

Generally putting, convenience stores are a great place to get local stuff at reasonable prices. In stark contrast, if one was to consider ordering Swiss beers through delivery services or other means, not only would that be a big hassle but also pricier.

You also might wanna check out the pocket-friendly Swiss budget food guide.

• No Compromise With Quality –

Regardless of the prevalent understanding of the general populace, convenience stores do not tamper with the quality of their products. If you can find a wiss beer available near you at a local convenience store, do not fall into false assumptions that the quality of the beer would be worth a compromise.

• Convenience to find

At any given time and region, it is utterlyeasy for people to go to supermarkets and local stores to get stuff easily. You are likely to find any given and common product in a nearby store. Swiss beers, being a usual for the swiss people, will be easy to get at any local store.

• Ease of access

Let’s say you’re visiting Switzerland and it’s almost 10 at night. You and your roommates suddenly crave some delicious Fondue and a bottle of fine swiss beer. Fondue shouldn’t be a problem but finding a beer to your liking can be a chore.

So, remember, you can always visit a nearby convenience store. There’s a good fat chance that you’ll be able to find some good Swiss Beers there.

10 Best Of The Class Swiss Beers To Try

Let us now have a look at some of the Swiss beer brands.

1. Namur Express from La Nébuleuse –

This famous Swiss Beer – the Namur Express offers you a one-way trip to Wallonia. Ideal to refresh the summer period, the Belgian blonde is naturally spicy and generously carbonated. It is based on five different malts and typically Belgian yeast. And often referred to as crisp and malty. It is just perfect to suit your household cooking and cheeses.

Features:

• Color – Blonde
• Aroma – Spices
• Alcohol – 6.50%
• Bitterness – Average
• Fermentation – High

2. Blond from Unser Beer –

Made with bio ingredients, this is clearly the best beer in Switzerland. When in Switzerland, you have to try this starter drink. Back in the days, when brewing was still budding, a few brewers mixed 18 liters of beer in a spaghetti pan.

The process of brewing and the result were so stimulating and convincing that they decided to go the extra mile with their stunning recipe. The response to this creation was enormous – in a good way. The idea of starting a brewery was born quickly, and the rest didn’t last much longer.

Features:

• Color – Blonde
• Style – Large Helles
• Alcohol level – 5.00%

3. Quöllfrisch 4.8 – Hell from Brauerei Locher –

A rich yellow lager, represented by its mild and slightly fruity flavor. This one is brewed with love from Pilsner malt s well as three different combinations of aromatic hop bouquets, and strawy hops from Stammheim and Hallertau.

Features:

• Type of beer: lager
• Alcohol content: 4.8%
• Bitter units: 18 IBU
• Colour: rich yellow
• Overall impression: full-bodied, fresh, yeasty

4. Blanche-Wiener from Père Jakob –

Blanche – Wiener from Pere Jacob is a white beer bottle. It can also commonly be seen being served in many Swiss Festivities. For me, and as far as my research goes, this is an absolute part of big events there. It is common. As for someone who is getting to know about the swiss beers for the first time, this is a perfect recommendation that won’t let you down.

5. La Verte from La Vouivre –

Enjoy this beer with its deep aroma and dark color. Although the flavor is a bit milder compared to the rest on the list, this is a good enough choice. The name literally translates to  The Sorceror. You can find this at most of the breweries in Switzerland and enjoy it under the pleasant sun.

6. Boxer Old 4.4 –

Comes in a 25 cl bottle. The Boxer Old 4.4 is a swiss beer that’s lightly carbonated. It comes in a light gold-colored bottle with a small head that has large bubbles that fade quickly leaving a little lacing. Talking about the taste, it has a little sweet and a little malty flavor and a fairly decent hop balance.

Malt sticks to the tongue, with a dash of hops at the end that is fairly refreshing and surprising for a Swiss beer. Nothing to write home about but worth trying if you are in the west of Switzerland.

7. Dr. Brauwolf’s Vanilla Cream Ale. 4.3 –

All golden with a short head with big bubbles, quickly dissipated. Clear vanilla flavors, with a taste like a malt a little creamy. Cool like a vanilla milkshake and without an excess of caramel. Sweetness and fragrance together, give it too rare of a style.

8. BREWSTACHE 6.2 –

All Grain Plus Extract American Amber Ale homebrew recipe. This homebrew recipe uses the following ingredients: Crystal 45L – UK, Dry Malt Extract – Amber, Dry Malt Extract – Light – the US, East Kent Goldings Hops, Fuggles Hops, Danstar Nottingham Homebrew Yeast, Irish Moss.

9. VALAISANNE WHITE IPA 6 –

The White IPA is a combination of two beer styles: wheat & IPA. The yeast used in wheat beer with notes of banana and clove perfectly complements the fruity aroma of the Cascade, Citra, and Simcoe IPA hops. The inspiration for this beer seems to have come from Valais’ two separate regions – the Upper and the Lower Valais. Jointly, these two regions form the unique Valais.

10. TRAM-MÄRZEN 5.1 –

Non-filtered, an amber beer speciality,  Tram – Marzen 5.1 is brewed with Wiener-, Pilsner- and Dark Caramel malt, and Saaz Hops. Like many other swiss beers, this has a malty taste and comes bottom-fermented.

Don’t Miss These Swiss Beers

You might not want to miss these swiss beers as well :

Apart from the above mentioned swiss beers, I would surely want for you to know these definite tries for a beginner in the swiss journey.

• MIELFIORE 4.6
• MEULE 6
• Chopfab Draft 4.3
• Kitchen Brew Lager 4.6
• Dr. Brauwolf’s Rye IPA 4.6

Some Famous Swiss Side Dish With Beer In Switzerland

* Rosti –

Rosti is a very popular swiss side dish made of mashed potatoes. Its creamy, buttery and soft delight are what makes it the favorite of many (yeah, me too.) Paired with a swiss beer cup, this melts hearts.

* Papet Vaudois –

Papet Vaudois is a hot pot recipe. An excellent side dish, Ppaet Vaudois consists of a hot pot with leeks and potatoes. The secret to a good Papet Vaudois is to cook the leeks and potatoes until they are mashable enough.

* Berner Rösti –

Berner rösti is a traditional Swiss variety of rösti originating from Bern. This type of rösti differs from the standard rösti due to the addition of diced bacon, and the potatoes are coarsely grated. It’s made with a combination of boiled potatoes, diced bacon, butter, and salt.

* Malians –

Maluns is a traditional Swiss dish originating from Graubünden. It’s made with potatoes, flour, butter, and seasonings. The potatoes are boiled in their jackets at least a day before the preparation so that they can cool down, which causes some of the starches to convert to sugars and the potatoes will easily form into the desired lumps the next day.

* Fondue –

Fondue is a Swiss dish made by melting some of the best cheese from Switzerland dishes is served in a communal pot over a portable stove heated with a candle or spirit lamp and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks.

* Raclette –

Raclette is a traditional Swiss dish that consists of melted cheese, cocktail gherkins, onions, and a variety of other pickled fruits. It is best paired with beers of a fruit variety and as such an amber Weiss will provide the perfect combination.

Beer Events In Switzerland

With around 1,212 breweries in Switzerland, the country beats the United Kingdom to have the most significant number of breweries. This amount has increased, enormously in the past few years.

One of the most responsible reasons for this delightful figure is the efforts of the swiss people and breweries to enlighten and invite the world to try their beers. These beer events and celebrations bring together people from every corner of the globe.

Not only do these festivities mean fun for its visitors but also feed the country’s culture to new and open minds. Tourists become a part of these events with zeal and get to know the locality of the country’s drinks and other staple choices. 5th August is celebrated as ‘International Beer Day.’

Swiss Beer Day –

This prestigious event is celebrated on 29 April. A big day for the Swiss people, This annual event came into existence in 2012 and is celebrated on the last Friday every April to commemorate the anniversary of this national association.

Let It Beer Festival –

More than 40 breweries take part in this event every year. People from all over the world attend this festival, visiting from every part of the globe. Definitely, the best time to be in Switzerland is around this festival. You’ll get to taste many, many types of beers and Swiss drinks.

Zurich Beer Festival –

From September 16 – to 18 everything in Switzerland revolves around the best Swiss beer in Zurich. Visit this event to find yourself surrounded by Swiss beer lovers from all across. Numerous breweries present over 300 various kinds of Swiss beers.

Mostly Asked Questions

Final Word

Swiss beers are a delightful experience for you. At any given time if you ever happen to visit the country, make sure you do try out these (or any other I haven’t mentioned here,) beers before leaving.

With a glass full of swiss beer, sitting under the pleasant sunlight, this could be your perfect get-together idea. Meet and greet new people – the people of Switzerland are very fond of using beer dates as a chance to befriend and socialize.

Let me know your vivid and memorable experience with the Swiss Beers. Have you ever been to Switzerland? Ever had a swiss beer before? Should I know about any other beers I must include in the list?

Do let me know in the comments section. Be sure to drop in a comment. I would love to hear from you.

Happy drinking, my lovely readers.