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What do Italian people like the most? Pizza!
And what do we like even more? Birra! (Beer)
If there's something I learned during my 21 years of Italian life is that Pizza+Beer is the best way to start an evening! It's a kind of initiation rite for the night and everyone of all ages love to eat and drink them with friends:
In the park, indoors, on a rooftop, on a date.
What about Ukraine's tradition?
Ukraine is deeply in love with pizza and it's quite easy to find pizzerias
there, (although it's quite tricky to find very good ones) and even if many Ukrainians love to pair pizza with tomato juice, it is a country fond of beer and it won't be missing on a pizza night!
So, the similarity of the two countries is to start a truly enjoyable night with a "cheers!" with friends sharing a good local beer.
During my stay in Ukraine, I managed to visit Lviv and Ternopil on the western side of the country, and both of them boast of excellent beer factories and beer museums!
What I didn't notice before is that the quality and the taste of a beer who's 100% local is full-bodied and different and you feel it til the last sip!
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MUSEUM LOCATION: Прохідна ВАТ "Львівська пивоварня", Kleparivska St, 18, L'viv, Lviv Oblast, Ucraina, 79000 https://goo.gl/maps/P2WxB1iBYbx
Did we forget about Vodka?
Maybe! My crush on beer made me absent-minded and we forgot about the related stereotype of Eastern European people drinking Vodka all day and all night long.
Good! Cancel it!
If you'll visit Ukraine you'll be surprised by their love Chai (чай,tea) and Kompot (компот, apple cider*) and by how many times they drink these during the day!
To me, it looked clear that Ukrainians are very attached to these two
non-alcoholic drinks and they drink Vodka and spirits rather for special parties and celebrations, as we do in Italy.
Is it about the glass? Is it about distance?
I deeply think that draft beer beats bottled beer 10 on 10 times.
Maybe it's a matter of personal taste, but before going to Ukraine I knew Robert Doms beer as well as few Vodka brands and I was nothing but shocked by the big difference of drinking the imported ones and having the same brand in its homeland!**
To sum up: I really recommend you to drink local draft beer instead of imported bottled beer whenever it is possible since they present much more aromatic nuances and didn't suffer long travels.
See more about Ukrainian local beers below.
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Lvivske, Robert Doms and Opillia ~
Lvivske and Robert Doms are the "blondies" who make Lviv so loved around the world. These two typical brews go back to 1715 and 1850, you'll be able to taste them for free at the Brewery museum of Lviv which collects their history and many other Ukrainian beers.
Opillia and Mykulynetske are Ternopil's original beers and if you ask yourself "how do they make beer in such a small city?" you'll have the chance to visit Ternopil's beer factory near the lake.
Then, don't forget that tasting local drinks and food is the best way to throw yourself into a country's origins and habits! Cheers!
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*hot drink made with boiling apples in water without alcohol
** yeah I know, Vodka is from Russia but daily present in Ukraine too!
images sources: http://www.suncity-travel.com, www.inyourpocket.com, wovow.org, ua-travel.info, www.routeperfect.com , google images.com.