BEER OF THAILAND

BEERS OF THAILAND

A most enjoyable topic to discuss.

 Maybe we were spoilt with ridiculously cheap beer in Malawi, but I honestly thought the beer would be slightly cheaper here. About R12-R15 (Chang – Singha) for a quart from a 7/11 or shop/store, to R20-R30 per quart from a bar. So definitely a few beers every night is out of the question for the shoe-stringing travellers!

Enough with the negative, now for the analysis;

The beers available are, in alphabetical order: Chang, Heineken, Leo, Singha and Tiger.

Chang – the cheapest of the above, most widely advertised, and most widely consumed by both Thai and backpacker alike. A full bodied lager, with just the right mix of bitterness, a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste, it can be most likened to a Black Label. The 2 mirrored elephants on its label give it a greater sense of power. After a few, they do become a bit heavy, and I’m sure would go down like nails as a regmaaker. However, with alcohol content of 6.4%, gives one more reason to prefer it.

Heineken – we’re in Thailand, we don’t drink it back in RSA,  so why here?!

Leo – the dark horse in the pack. Middle of the range price, with a distinct and pleasant agreement with the palate, would probably be enjoyed most by seasoned Hansa drinkers. If it were also 6.4%, it could very well have the edge over Chang (Then again, if it were 6.5% - it would definitely have the edge!!! Such mizers!) Snarling or smiling leopard on the label also gives it some cred.

Singha – the more well-off traveller’s choice, this beer seems restricted to 50 year old Europeans with 2 week Thai-getaway Thai girfriends. It is slightly more refined, slightly smoother on the palate, and a great beer to treat yourself with every now and again. With white label with gold griffin emblem, definitely looks the more classy, but at this stage I’ll stick to my Chang thanks.

Tiger – drank this one night in Koh Lanta just before the Job 2 Do concert, so will try put together a coherent analysis. Think it was the same price/slightly cheaper than Singha. I had changed to this after a good few Changs (see above comments), and because it has a blue label with this mean looking Tiger emblem, ready to jump you, glaring and snarling at you. Awesome label! All I can say is, beer tasted great..

So in ranking them:

1.      1 - Chang

2.       2 - The rest of the above except Heineken

3.      3 -  Heineken

What is an new discovery, and something the purists (of which South Africans always are - same like rugby etc), is drinking beer with a few blocks of ice. It is just so damn hot and humid that a beer left for 5 mins goes warm. Add to the fact that when you sit down to have a beer, you are hot, sweaty and parched - so it actually makes good sense! Although I won't be drinking beer like this all the time, it definitely adds 10 points to the refreshment factor - there really is nothing like it!!

The fact of the matter remains, whether in Thailand, Mozambique, Australia or South Africa, after a hot, humid day, with a parched mouth, there is nothing that can be more enjoyable than an ice cold beer, and where one or the other may be preferred, any one of them will always be appreciated.

Your typical beer fridge.

Just arrived in Vietnam, and the beer is WAY cheaper.. expect more analysis in the near future.