Discovering Valmiermuižas: Your Next Best Friend in Craft Beer

If you’re on the lookout for an extraordinary craft beer experience, let me introduce you to Valmiermuižas (pronounced VAL-meer-MWOY-zhahs), a remarkable Latvian brew that has captured my heart – and taste buds. Unfortunately, this exceptional beer is not available for export, not even to countries in Western Europe, which remains a mystery to me.

Years ago, I found myself calling Riga home for three years, during which Valmiermuižas became a staple in my daily life. To say I was a fan would be an understatement; I practically lived off this artisanal beer! After relocating to various spots across Europe, including Italy and Germany, I made numerous attempts to order some cases of Valmiermuižas. Yet, the prices quoted were prohibitively expensive, reaching into the hundreds of dollars. Perhaps one day, when I have a comfortable financial cushion, I’ll manage to indulge in my favorite brew, but that time hasn’t arrived just yet.

The primary motivation behind this post is to shine a spotlight on this fantastic craft beer and to encourage fellow beer enthusiasts visiting Latvia—or even neighboring Estonia—to seek it out and savor its unique flavors. It’s truly an experience not to be missed!

As I prepare for my impending move back to the United States in a few months, I have to wonder if I’ll ever be able to enjoy Valmiermuižas again. If I couldn’t figure out how to get it while living in Germany, my hopes for finding it in the U.S. are rather slim.

So, if you find yourself in Latvia, make it a point to track down Valmiermuižas. You might just find your new favorite beer, and who knows? It might just lead to a lifelong friendship! Cheers!