Red Stripe

Red Stripe is an interesting beer.  First, i have never tasted any other beer that is so distinctive, yet so drinkable.  Even if you aren't holding that squat little brown bottle (more on that in a second), you can tell by the taste it is Red Stripe.  Most distinctive beers like that only allow for a few drinks until the lack of carbonation, or the hoppy-ness, or the bitterness, or something gets to you.  Not Red Stripe, you can nock those babies back all night.  As I did on my honeymoon in Negril, and those were draft Red Stripes, and very yummy at that.
The Red Stripe recipe we drink how was originally brewed in 1938 in Jamaica.  They had a recipe before that, but it was a slightly heavier beer and as I can imagine didn't go over well in the warm climate of Jamaica.  It was first imported into the United States in 1985, and it was imported in a normal long neck green bottle.  No shit!  American's didn't take to it, and those that had traveled to the home of the rastafari didn't think it was the same thing due not being the stubby brown bottle they drank on the island.  Soon Red Stripe changed to there original painted label short brown bottle and the rest is history.  It has gone on to become a great selling beer in the States.
I can remember my first Red Stripe on native soil like it was yesterday.  We flew into Montego Bay and had to take a two hour bus ride to the western side of Jamaica.  About 1/3 of the way there we stopped at a little house that served beer.  Which is very common down there, it seems every 5th house along the main road is a pseudo bar.  We had a beer there and took some road pops for the ride.  Man did that first Red Stripe in Jamaica taste great, ice cold with a view of the ocean.  I preceeded to drink my fair share of Red Stripe for dinner, snack, lunch, breakfast, and evening for the balance of that week.  Red Stripe is still one of my favorite beers to drink.  Come to think of it, I am not sure if there is another beer I like better then Red Stripe, I need to start drinking it more!   "Hooray Beer!"