Although we usually focus on local SF beers, we have had the opportunities to try a few international beers when traveling. Uganda, the pearl of Africa, is a wonderful country full of beautiful landscapes and friendly people. If you find yourself in Uganda and in need of a beer look no further for a beer guide! Listed below are the most popular beers in Uganda:
Club Pilsner Beer
“Tastefully Different”
4.5% ABV
Brewed in Nile Breweries – Owned by SAB Miller
This tastes pretty terrible, kind of bitter but not in the ways hops are bitter, like in some sort of bad water combination making it taste bad.
Bell Lager
“Uganda’s Heritage – Premium Quality Lager”
4.0% ABV
Water, malt, corn starch, hops
Owned by East African Breweries
This beer is really light and tastes similar to a Pabst. Not super bubbly which is nice and it is smooth. Better than the club. Uganda’s oldest beer – made locally since 1950.
Castle Milk Stout
“Perfectly Smooth – Rich, Dark and Creamy”
6% ABV
Water, Malt, Maize, Hops
Brewed in Nile Breweries, Uganda – Owned by SAB Miller International – Since 1895
A nice stout – tastes like any other stout out there. Not too bitter which makes it easy to drink? The 6% is nice so you can get a buzz going if that’s what you’re looking for.
Senator Extra Lager
“The Taste of our Land”
6% ABV
Brewed in Jinja, Uganda by East African Breweries
This is one of the newest beers to come from East African Breweries. Made in 2004, this barley based beer has more of a hoppy taste than all of the other beers but it is still relatively smooth. It isn’t bad, isn’t really good, just an average of, 6% ABV beer. It is marketed to the poorest population in Uganda is should be the cheapest.
Nile Special
“You’ve Earned It!”
ABV 5.6%
Owned by SAB Miller but brewed by the birthplace of the Nile River in Jinja, Uganda
Make sure to get the Nile Special rather than the other version, the Nile Lager. The Nile Special, as my friend Rob says, gets more bang for your buck. This is because the 5.6% ABV is higher than a lot the other options when you’re out at a club or bar. It is also close to being the cheapest – A perfect combination when going out in central Kampala. When out in the nightlife this is likely to be the most popular beer you see people drinking.
Tusker
“Bia Yangu, Nchi Yangu”, means “My Beer, My Country” in Swahili
4.2% ABV for Lager and 5% for the Malt
Owned by East African Breweries and has roots back to 1922
This Kenyan beer which is one of the favorite beers in Uganda. Comes in two styles, the malt and the Premium Lager. Both are good and refreshing but the Lager comes in a bigger bottle and has a cooler look to it. Always nice to kick back with a lighter beer like the Tusker.
Eagle Extra
“Brewed with Barley Malt and the finest quality Ugandan sorghum”
6.5% ABV
Water, Epuripur Sorghum, Barley Malt, Maize Grits, Sugar, Hops
Owned by SAB Miller
This beer is great and it’s amazing the taste you get coming from sorghum grain. The 6.5% is the highest alcohol percentage you’ll see for beers in a Ugandan bar. It really tastes more like a 4% beer. I don’t know how it tastes so light considering the alcohol percentage. This is actually my favorite Uganda beer because of the alcohol percentage and taste. This beer is the first commercial beer brewed with local sorghum grain rather than imported hops. This saves SAB Miller a lot of money and this beer could make them a lot of money over the years.
Nile Gold: Crystal Malt Lager
superior quality imported ingredients
A gem of a find, Nile Gold is a quality beer. crisp, clean taste, very smooth drinking with a great after taste. A premium beer at a premium price.
Moonberg Lager:
Malt, hops, waters nothing else.
Brewed according to the German purity law of 1516, Moonberg certainly reflects this. A very nice, crisp beer which goes down very smoothly. Comes recommended by locals.
Castle Lite:
A legacy of excellence – premium quality refreshment
Brewed under licence from SAB Miller Castle Lite is a light tasting beer. Very crisp but not overly flavorful. Smells of being mass produced and distributed but is a good backup beer when pickings are slim.
The Chairman’s Extra Strong Beer was brewed in Uganda by SAB Miller. It is best served in a Bottle only at a temperature of 9 ?.The Chairman’s Extra Strong Beer has a color of Amber. Its Alcohol by Volume is 7%, which is the average for all Beer. Each bottle has 156 Calories, which is 13.3% less than the average for all Beer.
Guinness
Available in cans, kegs and bottles with nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Pasteurized. Usually called Draught; sometimes called Cold or Extra Cold – same beer, but served colder.
Launched in 1961. Pale ale malt, about 25 to 30% flaked barley, and about 10% roasted barley, with no other grains or sugars; several hop varieties, mainly Goldings (pellets and isomerized extract); a flocculent head-forming ale yeast.
Aroma is chocolate and mild roast. First taste is deliciously decadent like double chocolate cake. Now the love wears off as the nitrogen begins to settle. Flavors flatten out and the finish is clean but less remarkable.
The list above might probably be missing some items. Let us know what you think is missing & we will add it asap! Email us at info@guidetouganda.com