Palm Beer

Recently we've noticed a new beer around town - Palm Beer. The name made us wonder if it was another beer from Southeast Asia and the restaurants we've seen it in, such as Co., Spina and Onda, didn't give us much of a clue to its origins. So we did a quick google and learned it was actually from Belgium.
 
How is it beer from Belgium's largest family brewery - they've produced beer since 1747 - never made it to America? We asked the importers, Latis Imports, how this could be. Turns out they two ex InBev (the company that bought Anheiser Busch) guys who were keen to bring Palm to the U.S. It first arrived in NYC in November 2007 and started wide distribution last year. Now you can buy it at Whole Foods, Food Emporium and Gourmet Garage, as well as tons of restaurants around town.

So what makes Palm so good? For starters, the brewery is still an independent family brewery and we should support those kind of establishments. And they put out a damn good beer. Palm is an ale made in the traditional style but it's lighter and more approachable. It's also creamy, great for a hot day and drinks well with food, hence its popularity with restaurants. If you haven't tried it, we think you'll find it worth your while.