Turkmenistan the strange country in Central Asia, home to some of the world´s most bizarre rules and laws and the Gate To Hell, but Turkmenistan is also a very liberal country when it comes to alcohol.
Which might surprise some people since Turkmenistan is mostly a Muslim country with more than 90% of the population being Muslims.
Some of the most common Local Turkmenistan beers in this strange country in Central Asia.
More Turkmenistan Beer
Still, Turkmenistan is one of the most liberal Muslim countries in the world.
But now the local government have started to limit alcohol sale, and from 2021 will alcohol sale be banned for sale outside Restaurants and bars on Saturdays and Sundays.
The drinking age in Turkmenistan been raised from 18 to 21 and drinking will be illegal in city parks, public squares, forests, beaches, train stations, airports, seaports, government offices, underpasses and elevators.
The government says all these new rules are an attempt to promote healthy living in Turkmenistan.
While beer is a popular drink in Turkmenistan, so do Turkmenistan also make their own wine and vodka plus excellent Brandy.
The Turkmenistan Brandy was a positive surprise and is well worth a try if you are ever in this part of the world.
Be aware that almost all Turkmenistan beer is very weak in percentage, so if you are going for a night out in Turkmenistan, will be local beer or brandy be the best option.
Which Turkmenistan Beer is worth a try.
Berk1 12.
Style: Pale Lager 4,4%
Sold in Bottles, both green and clear, but it´s the same beer—the most common beer in Turkmenistan together with Zip.
Berk1, Pours clear gold with a white head that fades after a minute or so. The aroma is pale malt, phenols, grass.
Taste is watery, malt, light bitterness. Not bad considering where in the world you are.
Aroma: 5/10.
Appearance: 5/10.
Taste: 6/10.
Overall: 6/10.
Berk1 comes in both green and clear bottles, but it´s the same beer.
Berk1 one of the most common beer in Turkmenistan
A small bottle of Berk1 12 on the way to gates of hell in Turkmenistan.
Berk1 11.
Style: Pale Lager 3,9%
Sold in cans and 1,5liter plastic bottles.
A very similar beer to Berk1 12, just a bit weaker percentage with alcohol.
Aroma: 5/10.
Appearance: 5/10.
Taste: 5/10.
Overall: 5/10.
Berk1 11 1,5L plastic bottle Turkmenistan Beer
Gulberg.
Style: Pilsener 3,4%
Sold in bottles.
Pours deep cloudy golden liquid, medium very stable frothy white head, Aroma: yeasty, very subtle commencing infection, malty, medium hoppy, just an average Pilsener but weak.
Aroma: 3/10.
Appearance: 4/10.
Taste: 4/10.
Overall: 4/10.
Gulberg a Turkmenistan Pilsener, but weak
Tac Premium
Style: Pilsener 4,2%
Sold in bottles.
Pours a slightly hazy gold with a large, foamy white head, long retention. The aroma is moderate fragrant floral hops with a husky and a bit grainy, one of the best beers in Turkmenistan.
Aroma: 3/10.
Appearance: 4/10.
Taste: 5/10.
Overall: 5/10.
Tic Premium, maybe the best Pilsner in Turkmenistan.
Zip 5
Style: Pale Lager 3,2%
Maybe the most common beer in Turkmenistan.
Sold in both cans and bottles.
Pours clear golden, big, dense white well-lacing head. Sourish malts, yeast, hay, butterscotch, wet cloth on the nose. Light body. Average carbonation. Malty taste, a decent beer to drink, but weak.
Aroma: 5/10.
Appearance: 4/10.
Taste: 6/10.
Overall: 6/10.
Zip 5 a common Turkmenistan beer
Zip 4.
Style: Pale Lager 4,4%
Taste exactly the same as Zip 5, just with a bit stronger alcohol percentage. But not as available as Zip 5.
Aroma: 5/10.
Appearance: 4/10.
Taste: 6/10.
Overall: 6/10.
Zip 4 taste the same as Zip 5, just a bit stronger.
Zip Gold Draft Beer.
Style: Pale Lager 4,2%
Only Sold on Tap, the only place in Turkmenistan I could find a draft beer in Turkmenistan was at the English Pub in central Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. And it´s cheap, about 1 USD a beer.
Pours Clear golden, with a tiny head. Buttery cellary nose. Sweet and quite malty with medium body, a really easy draft beer to drink.
Zip The only draft beer in Turkmenistan.