Beer has always been a dependable, thirst-quenching drink for Northern Europeans. Southern Europeans could grow grapes in their warmer climate and went down that path instead. The reason for drinking beer or wine rather than water, tea or coffee was easy.

Water was usually contaminated with urine and faeces and people did not know that boiling it cleansed it and beer and wine were brewed with boiled water and it would bear without going brackish, because of the alcohol in it. Tea and coffee were either unknown or too expensive.

These regional tendencies carry on to this day although they stem back thousands of years. The lines have blurred with international travel and trade, but they are still obvious to see.

I now live in Asia, where people drink as much| as they do anywhere else in the world, but each time I go for a beer, guaranteed, 100% guaranteed, someone, an Asian, will say: "White men love their beer, don;t they".

This is not intended as a criticism, it is a statement of amazement. Where I live Asians drink a local whiskey. They have all heard of white men drinking beer, but in the countryside, where I am, most people have never experienced personally.

Having said that, advertising is making beer gain ground each year especially among the young and here are a few new accessories to make your beer-drinking experience more pleasurable.

The first is a collapsible beer glass, also known as the port-a-pint. This 'glass' collapses to fit in your pocket, so that if you are ever stuck for a clean glass on your travels you have your own.

It certainly raises a smile and is a great conversation starter in any country you happen to be. The port-a-glass comes in a carry case to keep it clean.

How about if you need both hands while you are holding a beer but are not near a table? The floor is frequently not safe, so you have to neck your beer and not savour it. What if you could wear something around your waist like a kangaroo pouch, but which would hold your beer safe? You can now, if you have a 'Hoodle'.

How about a belt for beer drinkers? You've seen roofers with hammers and other tools hanging off their waist? Well, this is similar. The Beer Belt will hold six tins or bottles, will take an opener and has a zippered pocket for a credit card and a cell phone, in case you run out some way from replenishments.

Alternatively, you could get a Radio Controlled Beer Cooler. The cooler can hold 12 bottles or tins and can be called from up to 30 feet away. You click a button and have it come to you and all the while, the beer remains cool. Fantastic for sitting in the backyard, eh?

If you get pleasure from a beer you will love any of these unusual presents for beer drinking aficionados. Great gifts for your Dad or boozy old uncle too. If you would like to know more search the Net.