Beer guru Jeff Evans spells out the points of distinction of some of the leading players in his A-Z (well almost) of imported brews
Affligem Blonde (6% abv)
When the Affligem abbey brewhouse in Belgium was looted during World War II, the monks abandoned brewing and contracted out production of their strong, nourishing ales. Their beers are now brewed by part of the Heineken group, but are class products, this Blonde being soft, sweetish and spicy.
Contact: Speciality Brand Development (01932 853834)
Alternatives: Alaskan Smoked Porter (USA), Amstel (Netherlands), Anchor Steam Beer (USA)
Budweiser Budvar (5%) Lagers of the world, look and learn. Here's a Czech beer with a genuine "lagering" period. No fewer than 90 daysof cold conditioning create one of the smoothest, cleanest, most flavoursome beers. Not to be confused with the US beer of similar name.
Contact: Budweiser Budvar UK (020 7554 8810)
Alternatives: Beck's (Germany), Belle-Vue Kriek (Belgium), Bitburger lager (Germany), Brooklyn Lager (USA)
Chimay (7%-9%)
The Trappist monks of Chimay produce three types of strong beer. The red cap (7% abv) is malty and fruity; the one with the white cap (8%) is golden and defiantly hoppy; the one topped in blue (9%) is rich and port-like.
Contact: James Clay (01422 377560)
Alternatives: Coopers Sparking Ale (Australia), Ch'ti biére de garde (France), Cantillon lambics (Belgium)
Duval (8.5%)
Once seen crudely described in an off-licence window as "rocket fuel from Belgium", this inspirational golden ale is frighteningly quaffable with its zesty bitterness and pear-like fruit character.
Contact: James Clay(01422 377560)
Alternatives: Delirium Tremens abbey beer (Belgium), Diebels alt bier (Germany), Duckstein alt bier (Germany)
Erdinger (5.3%)
The world's biggest wheat beer producer makes one of the most accessible, yet enjoyable, weissbiers. A mellow and pleasantly spicy beer from just outside Munich.
Contact: James Clay(01422 377560)
Alternatives: Elephant Beer strong lager (Denmark)
Faxe Premium (5%)
A sweet, honeyish premium lager from Denmark, often sold in rather surprising one-litre cans.
Contact: Cains (0151 709 8734)
Alternatives: Franziskaner weissbier (Germany), Früli fruit wheat beers (Belgium)
Goose Island IPA (5.9%)
A stunning American-style IPA from Chicago, brim-full of juicy, fruity hop character but brilliantly balanced.
Contact: James Clay (01422 377560)
Alternatives: Golden Monkey Belgian-style tripel (USA), Grimbergen abbey beers (Belgium)
Hoegaarden (5%)
The flag bearer for the Belgian wheat beer style. Cloudy-yellow in its chunky tumbler, andfragrant with coriander and bitter orange peel, this is a drink even for those people who declare "I don't like beer".
Contact: Interbrew UK (01582 391166)
Alternatives: Heineken, Holsten Pils
InBev (Interbrew)
The world's largest brewery is driving on the speciality beer sector with lots of money behind imports like Belle-Vue fruit beers, Hoegaarden and the Leffe abbey brands.
Jenlain (6.5%)
The best-known of France's bières de garde (beers matured at the brewery), Jenlain has much in common with British ales but reveals a remarkably spicy character.
Contact: Pierhead Purchas-ing (020 8320 4467)
Alternatives: Jever dry pilsner (Germany)
Korenwolf (5%)
Coors' answer to Hoegaarden, imported from the Netherlands' Gul-pener brewery. This time there's not just barley and wheat in there: there's also rye and spelt (another type of wheat).
Contact: Coors Brewers (01283 511000)
Alternatives: Kronenbourg Blanc wheat beer (France), Kaltenberg König Ludwig Weissbier (Germany), Küppers Kölsch (Germany)
Lowenbrau (5.2%)
A genuine Bavarian lager, full-bodied and smooth, with a pleasantly lemony flavour. No longerproduced in the UK, so you're guaranteed proper Munich beer.
Contact: Refresh UK (01993 890800)
Alternatives: La Chouffe strong ales (Belgium), La Trappe abbey beers (Netherlands), Leffe abbey beers (Belgium), Liefmans fruit beers (Belgium), Lion Stout (Sri Lanka)
Moretti (4.6%)
Bog-standard Italian lager, somewhat overshadowed by the rarer but classier Baffo D'Oro (4.8% abv) and two double bock stablemates Doppio Malto (7%) and La Rossa (7.2%).
Contact: Ubevco (01306 880028)
Alternatives: Maisel's weissbier (Germany)
Nastro Azzurro (5.2%)
Italy's leading pilsener-style beer; classy, smooth and underrated, if not particularly demanding.
Contact: Birra Peroni (020 7483 9040)
Alternatives: Nessie whisky malt beer (Austria)
Orval (6.2%)
One of the world's most challenging of beers, it is malty and strong yet bone dry, boldly hoppy and surprisingly acidic. Another monastery speciality.
Contact: James Clay(01422 377560)
Alternatives: Okocim strong lager (Poland)
Pilsner Urquell (4.4%)
The world's first pilsener and still a great beer, despite "advances" at the brewery in the last decade or so that have destroyed the traditional lagering practices. The buttery malt is a joy on the tongue and that tangy hop finish lingers and lingers.
Contact: Ubevco (01306 880028)
Alternatives: Palm strong ale (Belgium), Pikantus strong wheat beer (Germany)
Quadrupel (10%)
The strongest beer from the La Trappe brewery in Holland. Since its sale to Bavaria brewery, the monastic brewery can no longer be called Trappist, but its beer remains on form. After the brewery's malty, nourishing Dubbel and hoppy, fruity Tripel comes this spicy, warming treat with a marzipan flourish.
Contact: Bavaria UK (0870 444 6842)
Alternatives: Quilmes lager (Argentina)
Rodenbach Grand Cru (6%)
King of the thirst quenchers. This oak-aged sour red beer is not for the unwary but, once the dry, acetic, fruity taste has been acquired, it can like chilli be strangely addictive. Leaves your mouth shell-shocked.
Contact: James Clay (01422 377560)
Alternatives: Radeberger pilsner (Germany), Römer Pils (Germany)
Schneider Weisse (5.4%)
This wheat beer from just north of Munich bears all the hallmarks of the weissbier tradition: darkish in colour, hazy, a touch sour but full of apple and clove flavour. Try the stronger Aventinus from the same family brewery for an amazing combination of sweet malt, bananas and spices.
Contact: James Clay (01422 377560)
Alternatives: Samichlaus Christmas lager (Austria), Schlenkerla smoked beer (Germany), Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (USA), Silly Saison (Belgium), Staropramen lager (Czech Republic)
Trappist Beers
In addition to the Chimay and Orval beers mentioned earlier, the other four Trappist monasteries between them produce some outstanding beers. Look out for dubbels (malty and dark), tripels (golden and hoppy) and other strong beers from Achel, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren.
Contact: Belgian Beer Import (01483 740984)
Alternatives: Timmermans fruit lambics (Belgium), Tripel Karmeliet abbey beer (Belgium), Trois Monts bière de garde (France)
Unibroue
An imaginative Canadian brewery currently serving the British beer market with homages to the Belgian industry. Blanche du Chambly (5% abv)is a white beer in the Hoegaarden mould, while La Fin du Monde (9%) is orange-hoppy in the tripel style.
Contact: James Clay (01422 377560)
Vieille Provision (6.5%)
The leading example of the Belgian "saison" style. This type of beer was traditionally brewed in spring to be stored untilsummer, when it was rolled out to slake the thirst of farm labourers. Crisp, herbal and gently bitter, from the Dupont brewery.
Contact: Beer Direct (01782 303823)
Alternatives: Val-Dieu abbey beers (Belgium)
Weihenstephan
Available in cloudy (Hefe-weiss, 5.4% abv), dark (Dunkelweiss, 5.3%) and clear (Kristallweiss, 5.4%) forms, this popular wheat beer comes from the oldest brewery in the world (established 1040), which is now part of the University of Munich.
Con