Why is 99.9% of beer sold in Thailand bottled beer?

[nkg]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Possibly the biggest single issue is the temperature. The amount of CO2 required to pull a beer changes as the temperature goes up and down. Not a problem in a UK Pub cellar which remains pretty constant all year round. When you get the CO2 wrong, the beer is either flat or foamy, either way you get a bad pint and the bar loses much waste in every barrel.

There are systems in Europe to automatically do this, (Google Draftmore) but they are expensive and most bars find it easier to not get involved with draft, unless they or their cellar in a decent place have a constant temperature.

 

The best answer in this thread ... probably ...

[Catkiwi]

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

Pre covid, Thailand had millions of tourists, from all around the world, many of whom enjoy a cold beer in a tropical climate, whilst on their holiday.  Most were sold bottled beer.

 

The majority of expats and locals, most of the time, have no choice but to drink bottled beer.

 

With so much beer sales here, why isn't Thailand offering more tap beer?

 

Yes, there are glass and glass cleaning costs, but these would be offset by not needing to run large fridges. Many of the beer companies pay for the installation because the bar can offer their beer at a reduced price because it's on tap, not bottled.  They also supply their glasses, with their company logo.

 

It's better for the environment, and less labour intensive to the point of sale.  Eg. no fridges to stack.  Thus, more profitable for the bar, and the beer company.

 

30 years ago, I could understand why couldn't.  In 2021, it's still bottled beer here.

 

Will tap beer ever be the norm in Thailand?  

 

Beer on tap / draft beer has a much shorter shelf life than bottled beer. There are many, at least pre covid, establishments that serve draft beer but generally found in the larger pubs and not in your average tourist bar beer....

Edited February 5, 2021 by Catkiwi

[Leaver]

Many posts suggesting it's a hygiene issue that is the barrier to this method of point of sale beer delivery.  

 

So, if not in 2021, when?  

[Leaver]

10 minutes ago, Catkiwi said:

Beer on tap / draft beer has a much shorter shelf life than bottled beer. There are many, at least pre covid, establishments that serve draft beer but generally found in the larger pubs and not in your average tourist bar beer....

 

With something like 40 million tourists, pre covid, you don't think that amount of tourists could turn some kegs over before it went off?  

 

I accept it's in the larger bars, just wondering why it hasn't trickled down to the mid sized bars and more.  

[Kwasaki]

The only tap beer I drink is Guinness.

Bottled beer keeps and I take it home.

 

[Psimbo]

99.9%- where did this number appear from or is it just a WAG? 

 

Who cares how the beer is served so long as its cold? I'd rather have a smaller bottle that stays cold as I drink it than a pint glass of slowly warming beer.

 

As someone who dealt with keg beer here at one point (not in Pattaya) all the reasons pointed out above are why its not feasible for smaller bars to do it. The amount of wastage is phenomenal and the idea was binned very quickly.

 

MOST people I encounter prefer bottled beer, as pointed out above its a hygiene issue as well. 

[Leaver]

12 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

The only tap beer I drink is Guinness.

Bottled beer keeps and I take it home.

 

 

Would you drink the bottled beer that you take home, if it was in a bar and on tap, the same way the Guinness is?  

[Leaver]

8 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

99.9%- where did this number appear from

 

What percentage would you put it at?

 

8 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

I'd rather have a smaller bottle that stays cold as I drink it than a pint glass of slowly warming beer.

 

Who said anything about a pint glass of tap beer????

 

8 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

As someone who dealt with keg beer here at one point (not in Pattaya) all the reasons pointed out above are why its not feasible for smaller bars to do it. The amount of wastage is phenomenal and the idea was binned very quickly.

 

How small is a "small bar?"

 

What about the huge night clubs in the tourist areas?  Are they "small bars?"

 

8 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

MOST people I encounter prefer bottled beer,

 

What choice do they currently have????

 

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Leaver

[captainjackS]

I'm in Chiang Mai.  Several of the bars / restaurants that used to serve draught beer (Singha, Heineken, Tiger, Asahi) have switched to bottles.  Likely due to the uncertainty of when they will be legally allowed to open and sell the beer with all the covid ups and downs, alcohol bans, partial curfews, entertainment venue closures.  I like fresh beer from a keg.  But i can understand why the bar owner doesn't want to buy it and maintain the equipment when the next government-enforced bar closure could be tomorrow.

[scubascuba3]

8 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Glycol systems have come down in price a lot over recent years.  

Common for agogos to sell draft beer so is available, maybe a business opportunity for you, opening a bar with draft, start with Chang that's what the agogos do

[Disparate Dan]

11 hours ago, Leaver said:

Do you disagree with this?

of course I disagree. It's certainly not true in and around BKK. Most of my friends drink draught most of the time, partly because it tends to be cheaper at happy hours (2for1s etc).

[VocalNeal]

Hmm. I'd say that 99.9% of beer sold in North America is bottled?

 

I don't really see the message in the thread title?

Edited February 6, 2021 by VocalNeal

[Ventenio]

have you ever tried to attack 10 ninjas with cans???????  

 

last year i was ambushed and luckily I had 8 empty beer bottles on my homemade table built out of snake skin....

 

cans???  lololol  

[Kwasaki]

11 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Would you drink the bottled beer that you take home, if it was in a bar and on tap, the same way the Guinness is?  

I don't in Thailand I don't think they know how to look after it unless you go say Red Lion in CM. 

Draught Guinness is a draught and the only way it should be enjoyed for me. 

[transam]

I have had Chang and Singha on tap in LOS...

[Leaver]

9 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Common for agogos to sell draft beer so is available, maybe a business opportunity for you, opening a bar with draft, start with Chang that's what the agogos do

 

The best business in Thailand for a foreigner is no business.  ????

 

 

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, Disparate Dan said:

of course I disagree. It's certainly not true in and around BKK. Most of my friends drink draught most of the time, partly because it tends to be cheaper at happy hours (2for1s etc).

 

Have you been to Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, Chiang Mai, just to name a few other major tourist destinations in Thailand? 

 

Have you seen a lot of tap beer in these places, particularly for tourists?  

[Leaver]

5 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

I don't in Thailand I don't think they know how to look after it unless you go say Red Lion in CM. 

Draught Guinness is a draught and the only way it should be enjoyed for me. 

 

So, would this be lack of training, incompetence, or lack of care?

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

 

So, would this be lack of training, incompetence, or lack of care?

As far as Thais looking after draught beer, all of above I would say. 

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

As far as Thais looking after draught beer, all of above I would say. 

 

Is it really so difficult?

 

Edited February 6, 2021 by Leaver

[Kwasaki]

2 minutes ago, Leaver said:

 

Is it really so difficult?

 

Yes preparation and keeping pipe lines clean and correct gas pressure, correct temperature storage, daily usage amount being poured and there's a date and time parameters for the life of the keg beer.

[VocalNeal]

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Yes preparation and keeping pipe lines clean and correct gas pressure, correct temperature storage, daily usage amount being poured and there's a date and time parameters for the life of the keg beer.

 

Heineken or whichever brewery you get the taps/chiller from will come periodically to clean the pipes but a lot depends on how much you buy/sell.

[VocalNeal]

2 hours ago, Leaver said:

Draught Guinness is a draught and the only way it should be enjoyed for me. 

 

Recently on a trip to the UK I witnesses the "new" way to serve Guinness. It comes in a can which is poured into a glass. The glass is the stood on and ultrasonic generator which agitates the beer to produce the trademark Guinness head. No kegs, no pipes no fuss.

 

Called a Guinness Surger for the curious.

[Leaver]

23 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

Recently on a trip to the UK I witnesses the "new" way to serve Guinness. It comes in a can which is poured into a glass. The glass is the stood on and ultrasonic generator which agitates the beer to produce the trademark Guinness head. No kegs, no pipes no fuss.

 

Called a Guinness Surger for the curious.

 

Interesting.

 

However, whilst I like the odd pint of Guinness also, you have quoted the wrong person.  It's kwasaki that posted about the Guinness draught beer, not me.

[Leaver]

36 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Yes preparation and keeping pipe lines clean and correct gas pressure, correct temperature storage, daily usage amount being poured and there's a date and time parameters for the life of the keg beer.

 

I guess it's just easier to stand around looking at your phone, occasionally looking up to yelling out, "Hello handsum man."  ????

[Leaver]

33 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

Heineken or whichever brewery you get the taps/chiller from will come periodically to clean the pipes but a lot depends on how much you buy/sell.

 

Correct.  The beer companies supply and service, if the turn over is high enough.  

 

There are nightclubs, for example, that would easily have enough turnover, yet still only sell bottled beer.  

[Disparate Dan]

4 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Have you been to Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, Chiang Mai, just to name a few other major tourist destinations in Thailand? 

 

Have you seen a lot of tap beer in these places, particularly for tourists?  

I am not a tourist. I don't drink with tourists. But I have been to those places and quite a lot more. I still think you are talking nonsense.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Disparate Dan

[Leaver]

5 minutes ago, Disparate Dan said:

I am not a tourist. I don't even like tourists. But I have been to those places and quite a lot more. I still think you are talking nonsense.

 

It's not about liking or disliking tourists.  It's about have you seen tap beer readily available in the tourists areas that you claim to have visited.  

 

If you have no idea about the lack of tap beer in the areas that cater for millions of tourists each year, why comment?

[Sujo]

Have plenty of tap beer in the tourist bars like irish and english bars.

 

for the other bars it may be that they dont want the extra cost of having to continually clean the glasses, breakage etc.

 

i prefer bottled beer anyway.

[shy coconut]

On 05/02/2021 at 2:32 PM, Leaver said:

 

If your read my OP, you will see it's focused on the hospitality industry, and particularly mentions tourists. 

 

My OP was not focused on "take away" beer from 7/11 or the supermarket.   

 

 

Although the title of your thread doesn't indicate this, I was about to jump in saying that 

I have many tinnies on sale in shops, glad I didn't now.

 

Also it is clear that this is a bashing thread as one reply have good sound reasons to 

your question which you decided meant lazy, incompetent and dirty.

 

It seem that you had your answer to your question all along.