Beer and Vobla

One thing any Russian beer drinker misses abroad is vobla. Vobla (Rutilus rutilus caspicus) or Caspian roach is a small fish that lives in the Caspian Sea. It’s salted and dried in the sun until it becomes semi-transparent and somewhat hard to bend. Most Russian eat it as a snack. One simply pinches off edible parts and wash them down with beer. Actually nowadays less and less people drink beer with vobla but it still is a kind of a national symbol. Something to be proud about.

Recently Sun Interbrew started a new advertising campaign promoting its beer brand “Bagbeer”. This is a local brand popular in Western Siberia. It has nothing to do with Germany except the pseudo-German name. The Bagbeer commercial features all the joys of drinking excellent German beer in Germany. But hey! They don’t have vobla in Germany! What’s more – they are so sick and tired of Russians who constantly demand vobla that they write “Achtung Nicht Vobla” on holders near beer bars.


What’s the way out? Stay at home where you can enjoy “Bagbeer” that is as good as in Germany. Here nobody will violate your right to eat vobla wherever you like.