American Bars

[keo]

14 hours ago, heybruce said:

Regarding Craffity, I posted " I checked in November, it was closed, and it looked permanent. "  Can you refute that?  If not, how is it misinformation?  Also, how are you current on their birthday when you've never been there?

 

I would hate to rob anyone of a craft beer experience because you give Trip Advisor reviews greater credibility than they deserve.

 

If we're nitpicking on errors, I stated that Beer Lab, not Beer Republic, told me Brewdog was from Australia.  I also corrected what is a minor point for those who don't nitpick.  Beer Republic doesn't have Brewdog IPA, stop posting misinformation!

 

Crafitty - I've already refuted it. In this day and age it's possible to keep abreast of what is going on somewhere without actually going there, thanks to the all seeing eye that is social media. Maybe try it sometime?

 

While I agree that there is no better substitute to actually going to a place and experiencing it for yourself, when there is review after review saying the service sucks, staff are rude - it would suggest to me that there is some credibility to these claims. I've heard similar from a good friend who went there. Maybe I'll go and find out for myself one day? 

Beer Lab, Beer Republic, same sh*t - overpriced beer served (badly) by people with very little knowledge of what they are serving, or how to serve it correctly (see beavercreek's probability analysis). Although there are plenty of good looking single girls to be found at Beer Lab, it's got that going for it.

 

Hey, no bad blood, Brucy! Let's kiss and make up over a few pints at the Parallel Universe Of Lunar 2 On The Hidden Moon? Your shout! Alternatively we could go keep beavercreek company and share some of those Heineken 3 packs?!

Back on topic - there is a bar in Santitham called "Walk In". Never been, but it looks nice, serves "Thai import". Heard that the prices were more reasonable there. Anyone been?

[heybruce]

34 minutes ago, keo said:

 

Crafitty - I've already refuted it. In this day and age it's possible to keep abreast of what is going on somewhere without actually going there, thanks to the all seeing eye that is social media. Maybe try it sometime?

 

While I agree that there is no better substitute to actually going to a place and experiencing it for yourself, when there is review after review saying the service sucks, staff are rude - it would suggest to me that there is some credibility to these claims. I've heard similar from a good friend who went there. Maybe I'll go and find out for myself one day? 

Beer Lab, Beer Republic, same sh*t - overpriced beer served (badly) by people with very little knowledge of what they are serving, or how to serve it correctly (see beavercreek's probability analysis). Although there are plenty of good looking single girls to be found at Beer Lab, it's got that going for it.

 

Hey, no bad blood, Brucy! Let's kiss and make up over a few pints at the Parallel Universe Of Lunar 2 On The Hidden Moon? Your shout! Alternatively we could go keep beavercreek company and share some of those Heineken 3 packs?!

Back on topic - there is a bar in Santitham called "Walk In". Never been, but it looks nice, serves "Thai import". Heard that the prices were more reasonable there. Anyone been?

I do check social media.  I find reviews of places that have been closed for years.  That's why current, on the ground reports are useful. I went to Craffity last fall, the place was clean, the beer good, and the staff friendly, but I was one of only two customers.  My biggest concern was it wouldn't last.  When I went back in November and saw it closed, I assumed that concern had been realized.

 

Beer Lab and Beer Republic sell imported beer for prices that are typical in Chiang Mai.  There are costly legal impediments to bringing in craft beer, even the stuff brewed in Thailand.  Beer Lab is hit or miss on quality, but I've never had a problem with quality or service in Beer Republic.  The atmosphere isn't for everyone, but if you want quality craft beer on tap you don't have too many choices.

[heybruce]

11 hours ago, beavercreek said:

Almost zero single girls in those high priced dirty glass places...as if many of the customers even care....all the losers are out on Sat night, too, especially this time of year.  Blue Sky is tolerable for the price, but I would like to know why Tiger is 20 more than Leo, while it is actually priced less at Tops.  70 for a dive Leo or 67 for a Hieny at home....there needs to be just a little something besides mosquitoes to make it worth my while.  But, yes, drinking with a group can be a lot of fun.

You come across as a serious cheap charlie who would be a real drag to hang out with.  Maybe you should drink at home alone.

[beavercreek]

I don't see any need to hang out with the illegal workforce, visa struggle, Obama loving crew, that works an hour for ONE BEER.  I could drink six Heineken's on M St in DC for an hour's take home pay...thirty years ago.

 

You stated, yourself, that the place was empty and obviously not sustainable.  There are serious pour and freshness problems at Republic, and they actually have a number of customers..all given discounts to write positive reviews...still plenty of bad ones.

[AaronLV]

37 minutes ago, beavercreek said:

There are serious pour and freshness problems at Republic

Which is why I choose not sale craft beer on tap.   Not enough volume to empty those Kegs quick enough, I also like craft beer but I don't want to drink the end of every keg before it goes bad.   Most Thais don't understand bad beer so it doesn't matter.  In the almost 3 years we have been carrying craft beer we have had two stale bottles, and our supplier gave us fresh ones no questions asked.   We did carry Paulaner at one point and I lost two cases of bottled beer because they shipped them near the expiration date and wouldn't replace them when I called them out on it.  We take care of our customers so our suppliers need to take care of us when there is a problem.

 

Sorry I brought Craffity up, never had a problem there.  I know they just put in more taps, so I mentioned them, I haven't been there in about 4 months.  It is a small place two owners running it, doesn't take much at the prices to cover overhead and keep the cash flow going month to month.  They have had some parties where they were packed.

[beavercreek]

22 minutes ago, AaronLV said:

Which is why I choose not sale craft beer on tap.   Not enough volume to empty those Kegs quick enough, I also like craft beer but I don't want to drink the end of every keg before it goes bad.   Most Thais don't understand bad beer so it doesn't matter.  In the almost 3 years we have been carrying craft beer we have had two stale bottles, and our supplier gave us fresh ones no questions asked.   We did carry Paulaner at one point and I lost two cases of bottled beer because they shipped them near the expiration date and wouldn't replace them when I called them out on it.  We take care of our customers so our suppliers need to take care of us when there is a problem.

 

Sorry I brought Craffity up, never had a problem there.  I know they just put in more taps, so I mentioned them, I haven't been there in about 4 months.  It is a small place two owners running it, doesn't take much at the prices to cover overhead and keep the cash flow going month to month.  They have had some parties where they were packed.

But it is obvious that they will have pour and freshness problems, but yes, the Thais don't understand beer, but they have less understanding of how the mechanics of a tap and refrigeration system work.  You could turn every swimming pool in the country into a catfish pond, and it wouldn't bother them a bit.  There are Guineas breweries in Malaysia and now, the US, I guess Diageo know better than to put one in here.

[heybruce]

1 hour ago, beavercreek said:

I don't see any need to hang out with the illegal workforce, visa struggle, Obama loving crew, that works an hour for ONE BEER.  I could drink six Heineken's on M St in DC for an hour's take home pay...thirty years ago.

 

You stated, yourself, that the place was empty and obviously not sustainable.  There are serious pour and freshness problems at Republic, and they actually have a number of customers..all given discounts to write positive reviews...still plenty of bad ones.

I don't know where to find the crew you are referring to.  If I did I might hang out with them, they'd probably be more fun than some of the bitter retirees who choose to live in Thailand yet complain endlessly about every aspect of life here.

 

I've been to Beer Republic a few times since their remodel, I've never been served a bad beer.  I rarely give online reviews any attention, they are usually dominated by cranks and/or biased reviewers.

[keo]

1 hour ago, AaronLV said:

Which is why I choose not sale craft beer on tap.   Not enough volume to empty those Kegs quick enough, I also like craft beer but I don't want to drink the end of every keg before it goes bad.  

Nonsense. A well maintained draft system with the kegs kept refrigerated 24/7, will keep the beer good until the last pour. Kegs don't "go bad" if kept properly, any more than bottles do. The problem here is some bars don't keep their kegs refrigerated, but instead store them outside and run them through a cooling coil. Neither do they keep their lines/taps clean. Not good.

 

Draft beer is around 20% cheaper by volume than bottled beer, at the wholesale level. Unfortunately, for the consumer, this is rarely reflected at the retail level, and instead ends up as a bigger margin for retailer. 

 

Seems like My Beer Friend is the only place offering reasonably priced beers (200THB/420ml). I guess he can afford to given that he is effectively the importer/distributor and the retailer. Can't comment on his beer - haven't tried it since he has started importing it. Anyone here care to comment? Grumpy Old Men looks like a nice wee bar.

[beavercreek]

10 minutes ago, keo said:

Nonsense. A well maintained draft system with the kegs kept refrigerated 24/7, will keep the beer good until the last pour. Kegs don't "go bad" if kept properly, any more than bottles do. The problem here is some bars don't keep their kegs refrigerated, but instead store them outside and run them through a cooling coil. Neither do they keep their lines/taps clean. Not good.

 

Draft beer is around 20% cheaper by volume than bottled beer, at the wholesale level. Unfortunately, for the consumer, this is rarely reflected at the retail level, and instead ends up as a bigger margin for retailer. 

 

Seems like My Beer Friend is the only place offering reasonably priced beers (200THB/420ml). I guess he can afford to given that he is effectively the importer/distributor and the retailer. Can't comment on his beer - haven't tried it since he has started importing it. Anyone here care to comment? Grumpy Old Men looks like a nice wee bar.

Never seen a bar in LOS that had nearly the capability and will to do that, and actually very few in the States.  Only been drinking since Ford was President.

 

Saw the external keg thing in Cambodia, and those drafts were better than the best both!es of Chang or Leo ever served...and 50 cents?   Was very skeptical, too.  Maybe the pressure is more important than the temp, and they had sense enough to not have it in the direct sun.  Perfect!y chilled, too.

[sharktooth]

Used to drink in The Diggers in Edinburgh when I was a Lad. Always seven Bar men on every night and one in the cellar. They always used to say “it’s all in the pipes” I.e, keep the pipes clean.

[beavercreek]

16 minutes ago, sharktooth said:

Used to drink in The Diggers in Edinburgh when I was a Lad. Always seven Bar men on every night and one in the cellar. They always used to say “it’s all in the pipes” I.e, keep the pipes clean.

A lot fewer worries about temp there in Scotland, too.  But, that has been a detrement to cold beer in Thailand, as folks from the UK seem to have a poor understanding of refrigeration, which is life and death in parts of the States, and obviously just death for scores of bars here that don't know the difference in cold lousy beers, and warm lousy beer, which is significant.  Ice in beer is the dumbest thing I have seen since the brothers smoking seeds in the 70s.

[heybruce]

11 minutes ago, beavercreek said:

A lot fewer worries about temp there in Scotland, too.  But, that has been a detrement to cold beer in Thailand, as folks from the UK seem to have a poor understanding of refrigeration, which is life and death in parts of the States, and obviously just death for scores of bars here that don't know the difference in cold lousy beers, and warm lousy beer, which is significant.  Ice in beer is the dumbest thing I have seen since the brothers smoking seeds in the 70s.

The logic of ice in beer is simple:  It's easier to drink cold bad beer than warm bad beer.

 

Good beer is completely different.

[narkeddiver]

I have a feeling that beavercreek is KhonKaenKowboy’s twin brother ; ) 

[landtrout]

3 hours ago, narkeddiver said:

I have a feeling that beavercreek is KhonKaenKowboy’s twin brother ; ) 

 

     "Banned of Brothers" is more like it!

 

    He's working on his fifth username (that I'm aware of, there may have been more...), and each assumed identity has been as wildly misinformed and hilariously clueless as the next.

    Some might deem that pitiable I suppose, but I personally consider Thighlander/bangmai/KKK/Buddy Dean/beavercreek's crude fever dreams to have been pathologically instructive over the years!

 

   Keep 'em coming, Eggman! I have so much to learn.......

[scottiejohn]

6 hours ago, landtrout said:

  "Banned of Brothers" is more like it!

 

    He's working on his fifth username (that I'm aware of, there may have been more...), and each assumed identity has been as wildly misinformed and hilariously clueless as the next.

Spot on comment(s), could not agree more.  The underlying identity and stupidity always shows through in the end.

"kegs kept refrigerated 24/7, will keep the beer good until the last pour. Kegs don't "go bad" if kept properly, any more than bottles do."  Yea if they are never opened.

 

[Justfine]

Pipes have to be cleaned every week and beer kegs should be in cool room all times.

 

Otherwise you are drinking cat piss.