Chang Beer 5% alcohol content whats happening

[Arth]

OK not a big drinker but when i do i prefer to drink a couple of bottles of strong beer, to get me to sleep and to avoid having to go for a Jimmy Riddle in the night.

 

But on my return to Thailand this time it seems someone has managed to get Chang down to 5% alc content.

 

Is this some forced govt initiative or have Thais turned into shandy drinking vegetarians w###### like men in southern England?

 

 

[dfdgfdfdgs]

what % was it before?

[ukrules]

They have reduced it in stages over the last few years.

 

I believe it's related to tax rates and they have been preparing for this for a long time, even though the tax rates only changed and were in fact announced recently.

[Gumballl]

ABV used to be around 6.4%.

Now, Chang is a completely different beer; it has a different taste, and in my opinion, with less alcohol, it is not worthy of the name 'Chang' (which means Elephant). May 'Lor La' (Donkey) would be a better name.

[steven100]

I think Chang is around 4.9%   and Singha beer is 5%

Lao Khao is around 48% 

[pumpjack]

chang makes you FAT

[Lite Beer]

Used to be a great beer but is now totally undrinkable.

Did you also notice that the bottles are smaller than they used to be.

 

Smaller bottles, lower strength and tastes awful but the price keeps going up.

Try Cheers Extra. 6%

[davetrout]

Might save some Thai lives on the road 

[torrzent]

Be a real man, try lao khao....

[Nowisee]

No more local thai "beer" for me until they allow the making and selling of craft beer.  I save my money for real farangland craft beers.  

[jacko45k]

7 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

what % was it before?

That was the problem, they didn't really have a handle on it but it exceeded 5%!

I find modern Chang Classic a bit bland... but of course the price is good!

[alex8912]

Best is beer Lao dark 6.5%. It's good. I've seen some 7/11's selling it as well as supermarkets. Does anyone know if you can buy a case of it in BKK somewhere ? 

[recycler]

They are just selling more water at higher prices!

[VocalNeal]

I believe the "original" Chang was 6.5% . Then there was Chang Export at 5% And Chang Gold? at ??. 

 

They consolidated/changed recipe back to Carlsberg, for the export market, and now only have Chang Classic at 5.2% 

 

It is not as sweet as some Thai beers so a bit more European or Pilsner-like in taste. 

 

I still drink Tiger as Chang for me still has a stigma of beer euphemistically known as "award-winning" meaning cheap piss. [ i have a hang over as last night I drank 6 award winners] 

[smotherb]

Have you tried Redhorse, about 8%. A Philippine beer brewed here and pretty cheap; last I saw it was at Tops

[PoorSucker]

45 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Best is beer Lao dark 6.5%. It's good. I've seen some 7/11's selling it as well as supermarkets. Does anyone know if you can buy a case of it in BKK somewhere ? 

Try Makro, they have it on Samui. 

[AhFarangJa]

45 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Best is beer Lao dark 6.5%. It's good. I've seen some 7/11's selling it as well as supermarkets. Does anyone know if you can buy a case of it in BKK somewhere ? 

In Hua Hin Makro sell it for 1530 a case. Maybe try a Makro f you have near you in BKK

[OmarZaid]

4 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Used to be a great beer but is now totally undrinkable.

Did you also notice that the bottles are smaller than they used to be.

 

Smaller bottles, lower strength and tastes awful but the price keeps going up.

Try Cheers Extra. 6%

Complete rip-off --- just like American beers --- goota be cold so you can't taste it going down eh?

[AaronC76]

1 hour ago, alex8912 said:

Best is beer Lao dark 6.5%. It's good. I've seen some 7/11's selling it as well as supermarkets. Does anyone know if you can buy a case of it in BKK somewhere ? 

Macro sell it by the crate, about 1600 baht 

[Estrada]

My cousin started the real ale pub craze in the UK with his Bruce's Brewery which pioneered the Firkin brand in about 1980. Started off with 'The Goose & Firkin,' near Borough tube,  and the next in Lewisham  called 'The Fox & Firkin' had a promo T-shirt with logo 'For Fox Sake, Buy Me A Firkin Pint.' Then they spread around London, The Phoenix (Denmark Hill), The Flounder (Holloway Road) and there were 2 others I remember, one near Portobello Road near Westbourne Park tube and one in Goswell Road. They named their 6% beers "Knee Trembler, Dog Bolter, Gobstopper" and various other descriptions of efficacy". At that time Thai beer was around 6%, but various Governments have been encouraging a reduction in strength to 5% in a vain attempt to reduce deaths from drink driving. Thai beer still has a similar alcohol content as US or European beers.

[bluesofa]

4 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Used to be a great beer but is now totally undrinkable.

Did you also notice that the bottles are smaller than they used to be.

 

Smaller bottles, lower strength and tastes awful but the price keeps going up.

Try Cheers Extra. 6%

Chang and also Leo reduced their large bottle size well over a year ago, from 630ml to 620ml. The small bottle/can is still 330ml.

No idea on Singha though?

 

Slightly OT, going back 15/20 years ago there was a Thai produced dark beer called "Tai" that I thought was very good. 7 Eleven sold it. It seemed to last only perhaps a year, then disappeared.

[nongsangcity]

they have killed a half decent drink over the past few years....5% was always on the cards....i remember a friend buying me chang in the uk in 2006...i opened it with glee....only to almost spit it out ...it was a terrible 5% the taste was nothing like the 6.4% i was use to in Thailand...yes its dropped from 6.4 to 6% then 5.5% then down to 5.2% and finally a 5%..what a shame...Thais never bought chang 10 years ago no they are all drinking it...its a sad time for my taste buds...

[Snig27]

14 minutes ago, Estrada said:

 one near Portobello Road near Westbourne Park tube 

 

The Frog and Firkin. There is one in Paris too, The Freedom And Firkin.

There were quite a number at one stage: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ccaajpa/pubs-firkin.html

[tinca tinca]

4 hours ago, davetrout said:

Might save some Thai lives on the road 

NO CHANCE....they can not take their booze  !!!

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, tinca tinca said:

4 hours ago, davetrout said:

Might save some Thai lives on the road 

NO CHANCE....they can not take their booze  !!!

While not defending drink-driving in any way, isn't the reason a lot of the population in this region seem to get drunk easily is due to their lactose intolerance - not tending to have dairy products in their diet?

I'm sure someone better informed will put me straight if I've got that wrong.

 

[Stupooey]

2 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Best is beer Lao dark 6.5%. It's good. I've seen some 7/11's selling it as well as supermarkets. Does anyone know if you can buy a case of it in BKK somewhere ? 

Makro usually stock cases of Beer Lao. A few branches scattered around Bangkok.

[crazyk]

Cheers red can is 6%

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Best is beer Lao dark 6.5%. It's good. I've seen some 7/11's selling it as well as supermarkets. Does anyone know if you can buy a case of it in BKK somewhere ? 

Yup, I'd agree with that about it being good. Very nice, very more-ish.

[Chicken George]

2 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Best is beer Lao dark 6.5%. It's good. I've seen some 7/11's selling it as well as supermarkets. Does anyone know if you can buy a case of it in BKK somewhere ? 

Macro

[Henricus]

6 hours ago, pumpjack said:

chang makes you FAT