I'm writing a personal letter to the owners of Chang Beer.

[Mr lamai]

1 hour ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I must admit I noticed it too. Chang used to be distinctive and had a particular taste and it seemed at some point to become somewhat boring.

I just had to scroll back to original message to confirm the year this was posted. 

[bluesofa]

I think you mean Chang Lager. Chang isn't beer, despite any label.

The main difference is the brewing process. Beer is top fermenting. Lager is bottom fermenting.

(No it wasn't a joke regarding 'bottom fermenting' after you've drunk it!)

[WineOh]

Anyone know where I can get a case of old chang,? Surely there is some still knocking about somewhere in Thailand.. looked a bit online and so far no luck

Edited January 7, 2021 by Liverpoolfan

[AlfHuy]

14 minutes ago, 2long said:

Although LiverpoolFan/the OP often starts threads crying out for attention and maybe doused with some made up stuff to add effect, I'm really enjoying some of the content. 

I remember the one where he drank only wine and lots of it. Then there was the one arguing about happy hour prices in Pattaya. Plus several other memorable rants. Please don't stop, even if they're made up.

 

Oh, on a side note although many Thai men and 'dirty farang' might call me a pussy for drinking weaker/cleaner/pricier beer, I know what I'm doing. The 'taste' of many cheap and strong beers comes from the chemicals added to it. Anyone on this sub-forum should know that you just can't make any alcoholic drink cheaply and quickly while maintaining quality. The cheaper it is the quicker it was made and the higher its ABV. Liver says no. LiverpoolFan says yes please.

 

'Taste' isn't just on the tongue. 

'Taste' isn't just on the tongue. 

 

True????

[Ron jeremy]

11 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Chang has always been an awful beer.

It is absolutely terrible beer

[WineOh]

Just now, Ron jeremy said:

It is absolutely terrible beer

Good for Thailand though.

are you about to tell me Singha is better? ????

[AlfHuy]

Just now, Liverpoolfan said:

Good for Thailand though.

are you about to tell me Singha is better? ????

No, a good old "Stella"

[WineOh]

7 minutes ago, AlfHuy said:

No, a good old "Stella"

At 130 baht for a small bottle at villa market no thanks.

 

but yes, stella is a decent beer

[Will27]

5 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan said:

At 130 baht for a small bottle at villa market no thanks.

 

but yes, stella is a decent beer

Duvel is my favourite but at 8.5%, It knocks me around.

Like all of the imported beers, expensive though.

 

Now I mostly drink San Miguel Zero which is only 3%.

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

The old Chang has a special place in my heart going back to my backpacker days. ????

I would like them to bring it back as it was the only beer that stood out from the rest.

The rest all taste alike. 

Chang was my preferred choice 20 years ago, not many bars had it.

You have to bear in mind the history. When they decided to rationalise the various varieties a few years back they had to consider the export market and 5% is the permitted level in many countries.

Even though Chang has changed still best of the bunch.

When I was in CM a couple of weeks ago I came across Chang Expresso, never seen it before and found it a very pleasant change from the run of the mill beers. Couldn't find it around Chonburi but managed to pick up a pack from Big C when in Pattaya at New Year.

https://www.minimeinsights.com/2021/01/07/chang-beer-generates-interest-for-its-coffee-infused-beer-with-special-mobile-store/

[Fat is a type of crazy]

24 minutes ago, Mr lamai said:

I just had to scroll back to original message to confirm the year this was posted. 

I am only in Thailand as a tourist and I just remember liking Chang as it had a bit more body or something and then one year I came and it seemed thinner and boring. 2015 or so sounds about right. We can buy it in Australia  now for forty bucks a slab but other Australian beers are better such as Coopers ale, Mornington draught , Goat etc 

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

That is even weaker than 5%, Tapper or Cheers extra if you can;t get Lao dark

Ah , Beerlao Dark , now that is like a proper beer , lager I never ever drank in the UK. Bought 2 bottles yesterday at 75 B each. Oh and Beerlao is best cold , put ice in it and the taste goes.

[toofarnorth]

7 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Chang was my preferred choice 20 years ago, not many bars had it.

You have to bear in mind the history. When they decided to rationalise the various varieties a few years back they had to consider the export market and 5% is the permitted level in many countries.

Even though Chang has changed still best of the bunch.

When I was in CM a couple of weeks ago I came across Chang Expresso, never seen it before and found it a very pleasant change from the run of the mill beers. Couldn't find it around Chonburi but managed to pick up a pack from Big C when in Pattaya at New Year.

https://www.minimeinsights.com/2021/01/07/chang-beer-generates-interest-for-its-coffee-infused-beer-with-special-mobile-store/

The off licence in town where I get my Beerlao from does Chang Expresso , I was offered it but asked for a Chang Cappuccino , I was asked to leave.

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, Bangyai said:

Switch to Lao Khao and bitter lemon. 40 degrees and after the first couple you couldn't care less about the taste .  Or anything else come to think of it.

NYE I was offered the local Laokao it also had ganja in the bottle.   We walked home and some nice soul delivered the bike back next day.

[Phuketshrew]

Let's face it all Thai beers are pretty <deleted>. Can't hold a candle to Beer Lao (especially the new IPA) or Myanmar Premium.

[ChipButty]

Macro have the check to put the price up last week, 738 baht a case

[dictater]

I also think Lao Dark has been changed. It tastes somewhat sweeter, more mollases to me now, not as smooth as it was. Cant imagine why the Lao IPA can't be kept in stock it is by far and away the best beer in the local market. 

[bluesofa]

20 minutes ago, toofarnorth said:

Ah , Beerlao Dark , now that is like a proper beer , lager I never ever drank in the UK. Bought 2 bottles yesterday at 75 B each. Oh and Beerlao is best cold , put ice in it and the taste goes.

I think we appear to be singing from the same hymn sheet here.

[foreverlomsak]

2 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

Bring back the old Chang now! 

Which old Chang

Old Classic (in lieu of the new Classic)

Draft

Export

or Light

 

In my opinion, and a few of my friends, Export was the best.

[WineOh]

16 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

Myanmar Premium.

Never had that.

Will have to order some.

[WineOh]

3 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

Which old Chang

Old Classic (in lieu of the new Classic)

Draft

Export

or Light

 

In my opinion, and a few of my friends, Export was the best.

Old classic mate. Brown bottle.

When i first arrived here it was 23 baht for a small bottle.

Exchange rate then was 73 baht to the pound.

[bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, dictater said:

I also think Lao Dark has been changed. It tastes somewhat sweeter, more mollases to me now, not as smooth as it was. Cant imagine why the Lao IPA can't be kept in stock it is by far and away the best beer in the local market. 

It's all brewed by Carlsberg, in a joint venture with the Lao government.

At least they weren't screwed by a brewing company in Thailand (something to do with elephants). They brewed Carlsberg under licence, and apparently under-declared the amount they were brewing.

It went to court - in Thailand of course - and not surprisingly Carlsberg lost big time.

The result was that a senior director of Carlsberg was quoted as saying the company would never set foot in Thailand again.

It was suggested that the reason the Beer Laos brewery is located on the main road between the Friendship Bride and  Vientiane is so the Thais can see it across the Mekong.

[foreverlomsak]

4 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan said:

Old classic mate. Brown bottle.

When i first arrived here it was 23 baht for a small bottle.

Exchange rate then was 73 baht to the pound.

Going back a good way, that was probably before they learned to clean the pipes and other machinery out.

[Orton Rd]

Krung Thep beer is great but as it's from an Asean country (what is the point?) the tax must be horrendous at 65 for a small can

[foreverlomsak]

1 minute ago, bluesofa said:

The result was that a senior director of Carlsberg was quoted as saying the company would never set foot in Thailand again.

They do have their beer back I have seen it recently but appears to be few and far between.

[WineOh]

1 minute ago, Orton Rd said:

Krung Thep beer is great

Another one i've never tried.

Looks like it's time to get my fridge stocked up again! 

[Nout]

The beers here are fizzy, carbonated headaches in a bottle. Now we can get real British, German and Belgian beers and we can get properly brewed craft beers there is no reason for a serious beer drinker to consider buying Thai bottled fizz. A cold one occasionally maybe but not to get bladders. The old Chang at over 6% was a bit of a wife beater like special brew in UK and maybe that's why it was changed...too strong.

[WineOh]

1 minute ago, Nout said:

The old Chang at over 6% was a bit of a wife beater like special brew in UK and maybe that's why it was changed...too strong.

I never hit my wife whilst I was drunk on it.

At least I don't think I did? ????
????

[bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

They do have their beer back I have seen it recently but appears to be few and far between.

It's imported privately . No involvement with Carlsberg about this.

[KarenBravo]

1 hour ago, Liverpoolfan said:

Good for Thailand though.

are you about to tell me Singha is better? ????

Probably not, but, San Miguel Light (without the lemon) is a much better beer, though, not as good as the stuff brewed in the Philippines.