By that I mean what’s considered the cheap mass-marketed swill that beer snobs in Europe look down their nose at in the same way that beer snobs in U.S. sneer at Budweiser, Miller, etc.
Stella Artois would be my vote.
I think most countries here have their own selection.
I say each European country has thier own Budweiser equivallant…
Netherlands has Heineken
Czech Republic has Pilsner Urquell
Belgium has Stella Artois
BUT each country also has the equal of a Coors, Miller etc. which is roughly the same “status” as the Bud equivallent, but the locals may well argue over the best, just as many Americans fight between CoorsMillerBud
Netherlands these could be Grolsch and Oranjeboom
Czech possibly Budweiser Budvar and Staropramen
Each of these beers has its own devotees, and while each country/region has its own speciality brews, none of the major brewers are seemingly looked down upon in general, (meaning you could go to a nice, upscale restaurant in Amsterdam and the house brew could be Heineken, Grolsch or Oranjeboom) except for those who are loyal drinkers of another brand…
Europe isn’t a single market in the same way as the U.S. is. However, one thing does unite them: their attitude to the U.S. So, perhaps Budweiser is the Budweiser of Europe.
Especially since it’s owned by a Belgian company now.
In Britain, rather than any particular brand being singled out, there is the phenomenon of real ale bores who dismiss anything called lager out of hand.
(Personally I think Stella deserves its popularity. The stuff brewed in the UK doesn’t seem as good, but bottled Stella from Belgium is really nice. Of the mass market European brands the only one I like as much is Peroni.)
I think the ‘Budweiser’ of Europe is Budweiser.
In France, and for all I know elsewhere, it’s marketed as Bud, though.
I think the people of Budweiser Budvar and Budweiser Burgerbrau would be upset at your characterization of their fine products
The term "Budweiser"is very heavily contested in Europe, as it is considered a Protected Geographic Indication in the Czech Republic. A-B grabbed it as a Germanic-sounding name and now are suing for its use in Europe; which would be analogous to a California manufacturer of sparking white wine taking the name Champagne and suing its French producers.
Yep, as part of a trademark dispute with Budweiser-Budvar (which is the Czech brewery where the American company Anheuser Busch—who makes American Budweiser—got the name to begin with)
In America, the Czech Budweiser-Budvar is sold under the name Czechvar.
ETA—Beergeek 279 was faster on the draw…
In Spain it would be Orina Caballo.
In Germany, it’s Pferd Harn.
In Italy, the local equivalent of Bud is Cavallo Urina.
I know it isn’t European, but China has:
Tsingtao and Yanjing
Yanjing is cheaper, but rates about like a Coors or Miller. Tsingtao is a German beer originally, by the way.
Last time I was in Ireland, Budweiser was insanely popular.
No accounting for taste, I suppose.
Yes, I’ve heard the one where somebody sends a sample of Bud to a lab for analysis. The results: “We’re sorry to say that your horse has diabetes.”
No doubt, the joke is told in several languages.
If you want a more amusing irony, the new Anheuser-Busch-InBev company is responsible for promoting and distributing Czechvar in the US, despite the myriad of lawsuits they have going against each other across the world.
Had not heard that, but when I was out of state a few weeks ago (Utah does not sell Czechvar anywhere in our little slice of paradise) and got a 6 pack of Czechvar I was quite disappointed…
It tasted nothing like the Budvar I enjoyed so much in the Cz. Republic. Now of course I realise the beer I was drinking there was MUCH fresher, and usually drank on draught, but I was still very underwhelmed, and dont think I would buy it again.
Incedently, when travelling in Czech, Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen, Budvar, Bernard, Krusovice etc. all seem to be fairly low-alcohol. I suppose that when you drink pivo at the rate the Czechs do, that is almost a necessity, and for someone like me, who is used to Utahs 3.2% brew, a Godsend!!!
As it happens, tonight will be a 3.2% PBR night for me, and for what its worth, I am looking forward to some cold American (if watered down) lager.
I see your Stella Artois and raise it one Krönenbourg 1664. At least here in France, “la Kro” is the epitome of low-cost, crappy beer. It doesn’t taste like an equal parts water/piss cocktail though, so I guess it’s still one step above actual Budweiser
I’ve not been to europe, but my guess would be Heineken. They’ve got multiple breweries all over europe.
For France, I would go with good old regular not 1664, normal Kronenbourg. I used to buy that by the 49 pack. It’s quite cheap.