The World has met San Miguel Beer

I feel really strange to be writing this. For starters, I am not fond of drinking alcohol, more so beers, I just find them too bitter for my sweet tooth. However, during lunch with several of my colleagues B, R and D (all of us were of different nationalities), they started discussing one of their favorite topics, alcohol. B who is Bulgarian asked R if they have a national beer, similar to the ones Bulgaria has, Kemenitza. R said that they do have a national beer of their own (the name has totally evaded me). And of course we all know the leading beer here in Amsterdam, Heineken. So I thought I might as well mention the most famous beer in our country. I told them that the last time we went to Barcelona, I was actually surprised that they were serving San Miguel Beer which is the number one beer in the Philippines. R, who I know to be a liberal drinker (to the brink of being an alcoholic – KIDDING!!!), said that he likes San Mig a lot and always thought that it’s a Spanish beer. He also said that he drinks San Mig occasionally here in Amsterdam as well. When I told R that San Mig is in fact from Manila, he couldn’t believe it, he even told me that he will check the label the next time he has a bottle of San Miguel.

After hearing that from R, two things came to mind. 1st, I never realized that San Miguel beer was that popular, I always thought that it is readily available in Southeast Asia and USA but not in several countries here in Europe. 2nd, San Miguel beer with its name sounding as Spanish as a name can get, is becoming popular for being a Spanish beer.

I just can’t wait to give R the “I told you so look” once he realizes that San Mig is indeed from Manila. Although I personally couldn’t attest due to my aversion for alcohols, but from what I have observed, San Miguel is one of the many fine products the Philippines has produced. I really do think that San Miguel has a lot of potential and can grab bigger success with the proper global marketing.

As for me, I may have tried San Miguel beer once or twice in my entire life and found that like any other alcohol drink, it doesn’t suit my taste, this still doesn’t make me any less proud that the San Miguel I have known my entire life is known and loved by the world.