During my tenure in America I have sampled many different types of beer ranging from the mega brands like Budweiser to many specialty and regional beers made in micro breweries. It may sound like I may be a connoisseur of sorts – not true. Nevertheless, there is one brand of beer that I really enjoy. It has as much to do with my fond Russian memories as it does with the quality of the product itself. For those that know which beer I’m talking about, you may agree in part; for the uninitiated, I am speaking about Baltika – the only Russian beer that managed to penetrate the tough US market.

One of the best things about Baltika beer is that it comes in many varieties which are easily recognized and categorized by numbers 0 through 9. For example, Baltika #0 has all the flavor of a great beer without the essential ingredient that most of us look for in a beer – alcohol! On the other hand, Baltika #9 is a strong Pilsner with a hint of malt and an alcohol content of about 8 percent – this is their strongest offering as far as I know. Both ends of the spectrum are well represented and for those of us that want something in between these extremes, Baltika has us covered. Generally speaking, the higher the number the greater the alcohol content, with the exception of number 6 which is a Porter that contains seven percent alcohol by volume (ABV). Baltika #2,# 3, and #5 are Euro Pale Lagers with an ABV between 4.7 and 5.3. Number 8 is a wheat beer similar to a Hefeweizen style and has an ABV content of five. In some ways, this simple way of categorizing, the beer, combined with a nice level of quality, make for an interesting shopping and drinking experience.

The best part of Baltika’s product assortments is that I can easily find at least some varieties of Baltika within a few miles of where I live. When I first came to America, I could only find Baltika at a Russian or European grocery stores. If you were lucky enough to find it, you’d also pay a premium for it. Thanks to the ever-expanding global market, capitalism, and luck, I can now find my favorites at the local grocery and party stores. In Michigan, for instance, Baltika #7 and #9 is sold at Meijer which is one of the largest grocery chains in the state, it is also sold in many liquor stores. By the way, my favorite Baltika is #7, which resembles Heineken, but I would easily drink numbers three through nine. Even though my drink of choice is red wine, every now and then I crave beer; Baltika is perfect for combating both: my craving for beer and feeling nostalgic about Russia. Give it a try next time you are at your local party store!