What’s in a name? That may very well be, I think, dependent on the observer. Take Bavaria Holland Beer, for example. At face value, the name seems a little odd. Bavaria, after all, is in Germany, not the Netherlands, hence the qualification of “Holland Beer”. This got me thinking, though. A brand name is an important thing to most consumers, even when all other things are equal.

To most Americans, though, Bavaria Holland Beer is not a major brand name. It is in the Netherlands, however, at least according to the brewery. They say, and I quote:

Bavaria Beer has been brewed in Holland since 1719 and it has been a family owned and operated brewery for the last 280 years.

The Second Largest Brand in Holland and sold in over
82 countries worldwide.

The brewery produces over 60 million cases of beer annually.

Extra credit if you can name the number one brand of beer in Holland. Ah, I knew you could. Bavaria is a Dutch pilsner in style, and as you might have guessed, it’s what I like to call a Heineclone. I.E., it’s a lot like Heineken. And why not? Heineken is one of the world’s best selling brands, a much better alternative in my opinion to Budweiser. Heineken is a light colored, very drinkable pilsner with a delicate hop finish and a crisp malt body.

Bavaria is much the same, but it has one big advantage. It’s cheaper. A lot cheaper, selling locally to me for $7.99 a 12-pack, or $15.49 a case. Just like Heineken, Bavaria is sold in those nasty green bottles, but I didn’t have any problem with skunking when I brought some home. How did it taste?

Bavaria Holland Beer pours to a pale gold color with a thick creamy head and a light crisp malt nose. The palate is smooth and clean, creamy, very drinkable with a delicate biscuity malt flavor. The finish is oh-so gently bitter with a dry balancing hop flavor that lingers very lightly on the tongue. I found this to be a quaffable Dutch pilsner that Heineken lovers should surely enjoy.

But would they? Names, after all, are important, and many beer drinkers are extremely brand conscious. So I decided to use a friend, a confirmed Heineken fanatic, as a guinea pig. I had told him about Bavaria, indicating that he might want to try it. But he didn’t. So, one night I deviously mentioned that I had some in the fridge, and this would be a great time to sample Bavaria.

I poured him a small glass of Heineken and an equally portioned glass of Bavaria. As part of my experiment, I told him that the Bavaria was the Heineken, and vice versa. That said, he immediately declared the superiority of the Heineken, which of course was the Bavaria. Had he truly known which was which, I am sure he would have favored the Heineken. Names do, it seems, mean a lot after all.

The moral of the story is, of course, to keep an open mind. Don’t judge a beer by its name. If you drink Heineken, why not give Bavaria a try? You’re sure to enjoy it, and you’ll have some extra cash in your pockets. Which, if you like, you can spend on a bottle or two of La Trappe, another great Dutch beer.



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