by Ryan Kuhn
Ryan proposes what kind of beer each region in Breath of the Wild would enjoy.
It’s Ryan writing a blog again, so that must mean something beer related is coming…
Well, you are right–I am going to teach you about beer in Zelda. I am going to look into the different regions within Breath of the Wild and determine a beer style based on the people, the environment, and pure speculation. We are going to crash the brew caves and homemade bars to find what people are brewing whenever Link randomly walks into their houses.
Hope you ate some carbs and are ready for another bar crawl of beer in Breath of the Wild!
Akkala
Taking this the alphabetical route, we will start with Akkala. Here is where we get the Tech Center and all of the Ancient Gear from a robot that can't seem to figure out who Link is.
So, let's think of a beer that is old school in style with a new upgrade: steam beer. This beer is a take on a lager, but it is different enough to give traditional lager a new feel. The most common steam beer in our world is Anchor Brewery’s Steam® Beer–yes, they coined the term–where they took the style from miners trying to make beer on their roofs, and they succeeded. For the homebrewers in Akkala, they can make their beer with less effort and better technology but can still ferment on their roofs if they want.
In our world, a popular steam beer is the California Common, but let's call this world’s version the “Akkala Common.” This beer has plenty of flavor from the different malts and a slight mintiness from the hops. Akkala Common will leave you refreshed and ready for more, almost as much as the Brewthers-in-Law did with their version.
Central Hyrule
This used to be a region of prosperity and different sections that served the castle to the north, and there is a beer style, barrel aged, that fits what once was a bustling area. Barrel-aged beer isn't a super common home style, but it fits perfectly here.
Before the Calamity, no one would have thought that anything bad would happen that close to the castle, so they made their beer ready to last after aging a few years in barrels.
What could go wrong?
Well, as Link runs around escaping the Guardians in the area, he may happen to find a barrel of beer that has aged longer than originally planned. This now super smooth stout comes out almost as molasses since it has aged 100 years. There will be plenty of flavor in a beer everyone could enjoy.
Eldin
I am going to toot my own horn here; I think that I made the right beer style for this region: the Goron Spice Ale. This is a beer that pairs perfectly with any rock steak. It is a sweet malt-forward beer that then comes up with a nice spice kick of serrano and poblano peppers. This is a beer that a Goron and Hylian can enjoy together, but don’t take my word for it: check out this episode of Brewthers-in-Law to hear what the rest of the AZP family thought.
Faron
In the Faron region, there is plenty of green growing in this area. With the climate in the area mimicking the West Coast of the U.S., I feel the style of beer would be similar. If you don't know the style, West Coast beers (mainly IPAs) have a feel of citrus and pine (I am sure pine trees grow in this area with all of the other trees).
A West Coast IPA is a very distinct beer that could have a juice quality, but to make itself stand out more (like a West Coast IPA would), Faron’s beer would add other flavors–and a lot of them. If you want an example of this, look for Stone IPA out of San Diego (or check out this episode of Brewthers-in-Law).
Gerudo
We all know the Noble Pursuit is the drink of choice for those relaxing in the desert, but what are we homebrewing? I feel a lager or kolsch would be the easy answer, and I am sure there are plenty made there to drink cold and to refresh those in the desert.
But what else could the Gerudo make? The answer is the beer cocktail. Yes, I am going to take it all and make it into one drink. By taking a lager and adding it to the Noble Pursuit, you get all of it in one. This is only a drink locals know to combine and most definitely won’t share it with either voe or vai outside of Gerudo Town. Think a Beer-a-Rita with a whole beer sitting in your margarita but still way better.
Hebra
Yes, it is cold, and, yes, a cold beer sounds horrible, but let a homebrewed beer change your mind. A Rito out there has a stout that will warm your soul that they made in their own roost.
Not just any stout, though–a very strong stout. A stout that, after a few, you don’t even feel the cold (not because you are too cold but because the beer is too strong). This stout tastes of coffee and chocolate and, though served cold, warms the feathers. Take it from the Rito–they know how to handle the cold here.
Lanayru
From the cold mountain to the flowing river, from the Rito to their predecessors the Zora (weird, I know), we have a drastic change in the style of beer. The Zora have a culture and style of seclusion from Hyrule but are still supportive (depending on your Zelda game).
The hops grown in this area are very different from the rest of Hyrule and give a similar style to another set of hops grown in our world. New Zealand hops have a style of their own that you either love or hate. Lanayru is similar; not many Hylians have a taste for this pilsner found brewed in many Zora homes, but, hey, it is their loss.
Necluda
In the final region, I am going to toot the horn of my “brew”ther-in-law, Mike, who made Koko’s Specialty coming out of Kakariko Village. This beer style is made with smoked honey and simple malt base, and it is a beer that you have to learn from Koko herself, along with all the other recipes she has.
If you don’t believe me, listen to our podcast to hear everyone’s reaction.
Beer comes in many ways and styles, and there is one made for each person out there–you just have to find the right region.
I hope you learned of new styles and maybe something that piqued your interest. No matter where you live, you can find a style that works for you.
If you have any thoughts or questions on beer, you can check out our Brewthers-in-Law podcast, or you can reach out to me on Twitter @rambokuhn or find me on TikTok @WiseOldOwlsBrew to find and talk anything beer, Zelda, or fun. Cheers!
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