Thai Beers - which one is your favorite ?

[Gillyflower]

16 hours ago, bunnydrops said:

I like Thai beer. After trying them all, I am down to drinking one bottle a week. Had to admit, none were enjoyable, but will give you a buzz.

I'd be careful if I were you!

[KhunLA]

39 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Pedantically, today Beer Lao could be classified as a Thai beer [even though it really isn't], as most of the Beer Lao sold in Thailand is bottled here.....not being the case up to 5-6 years ago. 

Don't know about that ... and can't find anything that states that.

[Speedhump]

3 hours ago, proton said:

Dropped from the original 6.3% when in brown bottles, now tastes like dishwater, why do they do it and how low will it go?

Yes I never tried it before it was 5%, but In general anything at 6% or more is not really a distance beer (to drink all day) and I've never liked the slightly sweet cloying edge to most strong ales after the first one or two. Horses for courses, I guess.

4.8 is fine but near the low end for me (4.0 being definitely not worth the effort).????

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, superal said:

extract from above ,

For small breweries, it requires production of at least 100,000 liters (852 barrels) but no greater than 1,000,000 liters (8,520 BBLs), and stipulates that all beer must be sold on the premises. At the same time, the minimum amount for an industrial license was increased from one million liters to 10 million liters (85,200 BBLs) per year, as well as requiring that the brewer demonstrate available capital of at least 10 million baht ($320,000) ,

The best beer I have tasted in Thailand was in the Pullman hotel in Khon Kaen . They brewed their own blond German beer which was quite strong . However I doubt if they ever came close to the minimum production levels required as mentioned in your article .  

Defiance is a beautiful and necessary thing, when faced with corruption and stupidity. Hopefully, we will see more of it, in the months and years to come. 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, dddave said:

Great, in depth post.  I'd love to read a write-up by you  about the amazing con Thai Bev pulled on Carlsberg back in the early 2000's. They got Carlsberg to build them a brand new brewery which was to produce Carlsberg in Thailand, then when the plant was finished, reneged on the contract and produced their own Chang instead.  Carlsberg, which was once a pretty big player in the market pretty much disappeared.

I remember those days. Far better beer than the local junk. I am not permitted to say what action I would have taken against the Chang owners, if it were my company, on this forum. Suffice to say, it would not be legal action. 

[Nickelbeer]

17 hours ago, Hellfire said:

As a true alcoholic, I am not supposed to know those geographical nuances. The best beer one can buy in Thailand (the cheaper options) is LAO beer. IMHO.

The Beer Lao IPA is one of the best I have tasted. As noted, it’s a Laotian brew and not Thai. The minimart downstairs in the condo complex doesn’t want to stock it because it is a “LImited Edition”.  They should make it a regular product, it is EXCELLENT!!!

[Hummin]

When Chang and Leo beer top the list, them you know ,,,,,,,,, ????????????

 

I rather not drink at all, even I have to admit after a ling day riding, I do have couple when there is nothing else. Even a big bottle warm Chang poured in to a glass with ice. 
 

My fav beer after a long day, is Heineken because it is almost the only available beer most places worth drinking. 

[spidermike007]

There is a very good reason why most drink Thai beer with ice. Watered down, it tastes less obnoxious, and it is less obvious how spectacularly inferior it is. It is  astonishing that they cannot do better. Are they deliberately trying to make junk? 

[Hummin]

24 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

There is a very good reason why most drink Thai beer with ice. Watered down, it tastes less obnoxious, and it is less obvious how spectacularly inferior it is. It is  astonishing that they cannot do better. Are they deliberately trying to make junk? 

Im not fan of Carlsberg either, but try Singha Reserve special edition, you might get surprised.

[Toolong]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Thai beer is only rivaled by Serbian beer, and the mass produced American beers, in terms of the very low quality. Poor grade of hops, barely, and the production process seems to be entirely lacking in pride. Typical of the big monopolies. Even a large production beer, like Beer Laos blows away any Thai beer, hands down. Thailand desperately needs a vital craft beer movement, and the youth are ready to mount it. If only the dinosaurs would stop protecting their "bankers" and move out of the way. In other words, allow some progress, you mindless simpletons! 
 
Boon Rawd Brewery, which makes Singha, and ThaiBev, which brews Chang, the country’s best-selling beer, are owned and run by two of the wealthiest families in Thailand. Through longevity and political influence, these two breweries have dominated Thai beer for nearly a century, forcing out or crushing any competition, foreign or domestic. And we all know how they easily accomplish this. 
 
Thaopipob Linjittkorn, or Thao as he is more popularly known, a lawyer and homebrewer, was very publicly arrested in 2017 for making beer. He used that publicity to win an election to Parliament in 2019, along with 80 other members of the Future Forward Party. This progressive, pro-democracy party included in its platform a detailed plan to deregulate the beer industry, as well as a proposal for the legalization of marijuana, citing both as ways of putting money into the pockets of small businesses and local farmers. 
 
The opposition that Future Forward was up against is a military-backed, hardline government that supports the duopoly with strict regulations that allow it to control over 99% of Thailand’s estimated 180 billion baht ($5.8 billion) beer industry. The duopoly was originally made untouchable with the first Thai Liquor Control Act in 1950, a law which has been amended several times since to push legality even further out of reach of any small brewer. Prayuth's administration has done much to reinforce the isolationist and nationalistic policies that Phibul established in the 1940s and ’50s, and has called again and again for citizens to display a certain level of “Thainess,” which the PM defines in part as unquestioning loyalty to the government. Do not be disobedient! 
 
For small breweries, it requires production of at least 100,000 liters (852 barrels) but no greater than 1,000,000 liters (8,520 BBLs), and stipulates that all beer must be sold on the premises. At the same time, the minimum amount for an industrial license was increased from one million liters to 10 million liters (85,200 BBLs) per year, as well as requiring that the brewer demonstrate available capital of at least 10 million baht ($320,000).

Just to make sure small brewers were thoroughly intimidated, the rewrite also increased inflated penalties. Fines were increased from their original, almost quaint 200 baht ($6) for possession of bootleg alcohol to 10,000 ($300). For actually brewing without a license, fines were increased from 5,000 baht ($150) to a range of 50,000–100,000 baht ($1,600–$3,200), plus jail time. Reporting in 2017, The Bangkok Post estimated that in order to meet the new regulations, a brewer would need to have a billion baht—around $30 million—in start-up capital. 

 

For some, craft beer is associated with anti-establishment politics. “It’s very similar to the French Revolution, which started from a cafe in Paris, where people drank coffee,” says Taopiphop. “The fuel of the revolution is not coffee any more, it’s craft beer.” Taopiphop adds that, after the 2014 coup in Thailand, many pro-democracy activists chose to meet in Bangkok’s craft beer bars.

 

If only the younger Thais were allowed to express themselves, be inventive, be creative, be industrious, and use their smarts and ambition, Thailand could have a future. Craft beer is needed here, and so are the young entrepreneurs. But, that future appears to be suppressed at every turn by dinosaurs, who only answer to money, money, and even more money. Money is the God of lesser men. The money first attitude is holding back Thailand on so many levels. 

At Bangkok’s Dok Kaew House Bar, a craft beer bar based in a 100-year-old house – which owners say is also inhabited by five ghosts – locals perch at the bar sipping pale ale and cider. Co-owner Nuttapol Sominoi hopes for change. “It’s a monopoly, a closed market, where there is no competition,” he says.

 

Thailand was signatory to an ASEAN charter some time ago, that allowed for the importation of alcoholic beverages across all ASEAN borders, tax free. We should be seeing Bintang, Beer Lao, Bia Saigon, Bia Huda, Bia Ha Noi, Dagon, Saigon Special, 333, and many other good beers on ALL supermarket shelves now. What happened? Likely the same goons who prevent the craft beer industry from exploding here, got to the same corrupt goons, and stopped it in it's tracks. A broken charter. No problem. No wonder we only have access to super low quality local beers, and a small number of imports. 
 
I heard this. Anyone know if this is true? Beer Lao was originally brewed by Czechs under Russian supervision in Laos with no additives and 30 day natural fermentation. Thai beer purportedly contains 30 per cent rice (mandated by government to increase Thai rice sales in country) and many additives to accelerate fermentation to 3 days. He cites Heineken in Malaysia as an example, as the taste and hangover is completely different (ie. better) than the Heineken of Thailand. Any brew-experts here who know the truth? 

I think you & I would have quite an enjoyable chat over some decent beers.  Well, interesting for me, maybe! ????

 

(And FWIW, I personally go with Asahi in cans these days. You get a fine brew & they're still 330ml, unlike stuff from the local big monopoly shysters who surreptitiously cut it to 320ml a few years ago. 'We saw what ya did!')

 

[The Hammer2021]

Whats going  on with this stream of threads  about Thailand  which might seem normal until you realise the poster isn't in Thailand? It all seems a bit obsessive.

 

[khomlong1]

21 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Leo #8 is pretty good.

 Miss English Ale. None where I live.

[Baron Samedi]

Chang made one hell of a comeback ????

[jastheace]

reading through the comments, I'm sort of happy that it is not just me that finds Thai beers somewhat less than palatable. believe me, they were ok 20 years ago, not great, but ok. now i just go for which ever is the best regarding availability, price and alcohol content. hopefully they will never get so bad taste wise, that lao kao becomes tempting...

[RafPinto]

22 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Sorry guys, not allowed to show full images promoting alcohol.

Can you show some alcoholics instead? Latest pictures from soi 6?

[RafPinto]

I drank Thai beer before but always gave me a headache.
Now I stick with Hoegaarden or Asahi and no more complains.

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, Hummin said:

Im not fan of Carlsberg either, but try Singha Reserve special edition, you might get surprised.

Singha reserve. A bit like saying Frogs Leap reserve. Or Tisdale Reserva. Or Mogen David single vineyard. Or Mateus Special edition. 

 

When is a reserve not a reserve? When it is produced by a mass producer, in ridiculous quantities. 

[Sparktrader]

Copper craft

[Soda Soda]

I really liked Kopper but not seen it for a while.

Now I try and find Stella. The difference to Thai beer is amazing.

[DBath]

23 hours ago, DJ54 said:

Chang if Thai beer…. Tired a few times to choke down a Leo…

 

if country oriented Belgium has some great beers… ah and America Buttwiper Not! Original Coors

for nostalgia cause 70s wasn’t licensed to sell east of the Mississippi…

 

Grandpa in law always had a frig full of Coors original nothing else for family and guests..

 

us 21 ish year olds who were on the lower end of the pay scale early in life enjoyed a many free beers in the converted garage man cave (admiral in those days)....his drink of choice whiskey on the rocks. 

The first beer I ever had was an ice cold Coors Banquet (in the can) after a hot summer day working on my grandparents farm. Will never forget how good that tasted - I was about 10 years old. Here in Spain I drink mostly San Miguel, Alhambra and Galicia Estrella. 

[Kwasaki]

I use to like Green King bitter beer in UK heard today in a London pub it's £8.06p a pint. ????

 

So I'm happy with the Chang large bottle working out at £1.12p.

 

I pay around 48 for large bottle beer at home.

Pay 52 having beer sitting outside a massive & pops shop. 

Pay 60 in the restaurant I go to in our village. 

 

Chang has stayed much the same taste to me over the years of change I would like it to be only 3% vol alcohol.

 

[Mavideol]

by the variety of answers about different beer taste it appears that beer and women are similar, each and everybody has a different taste/opinion, is a blonde better than a brunette, is a tall one better than a short one is a heavy/fat better than a light/slim one, are Asian women  better than Western women  555

[Kwasaki]

1 minute ago, Mavideol said:

by the variety of answers about different beer taste it appears that beer and women are similar, each and everybody has a different taste/opinion, is a blonde better than a brunette, is a tall one better than a short one is a heavy/fat better than a light/slim one, are Asian women  better than Western women  555

Well that could apply to many things, cars, motorbikes, houses and furniture etc etc.

[proton]

3 hours ago, DBath said:

The first beer I ever had was an ice cold Coors Banquet (in the can) after a hot summer day working on my grandparents farm. Will never forget how good that tasted - I was about 10 years old. Here in Spain I drink mostly San Miguel, Alhambra and Galicia Estrella. 

Surprised to see Estrella (not Galicia one) in Tops, but at 99 baht for a small can it can stay there.???? San Miguel wheat beer is good, have it in 7/11 55 baht

[DBath]

13 hours ago, proton said:

Surprised to see Estrella (not Galicia one) in Tops, but at 99 baht for a small can it can stay there.???? San Miguel wheat beer is good, have it in 7/11 55 baht

Galicia is pricey here as well at almost double the cost. Alcampo and Carrefour often have decent promos on San Miguel and Alhambra, so I drink those two mostly. Plus they both offer it in 100CL bottles, which I prefer.

[Ralf001]

At home - Outlaw Brewing showdown IPA.

At a bar - Leo #8.

[Mavideol]

On 6/5/2022 at 1:28 PM, Kwasaki said:

Well that could apply to many things, cars, motorbikes, houses and furniture etc etc.

the post was about beers thus compared to women as both are consumables 555

[Lemsta69]

On 6/4/2022 at 1:39 PM, spidermike007 said:

Defiance is a beautiful and necessary thing, when faced with corruption and stupidity. Hopefully, we will see more of it, in the months and years to come. 

not gonna happen anytime soon man. meanwhile you're just p***ing in the wind.

[Lemsta69]

9 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

At home - Outlaw Brewing showdown IPA.

At a bar - Leo #8.

ser I don't think we're allowed to talk about craft beers in here because they're *cough* too expensive *cough*

 

I've had a couple of glasses of Thai craft beer at the Sheepshank on the Chao Phraya. not bad but the higher alcohol content (6.5% iirc) knocked me around a bit.

 

that's a great little spot is the Sheepshank. I recommend it to anyone that has a few baht in their pocket.

 

47 Phra Athit Rd, Chana Songkhram, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200

[Ralf001]

 

1 minute ago, Lemsta69 said:

ser I don't think we're allowed to talk about craft beers in here because they're *cough* too expensive *cough*

Nothing in the thread title nor OP about not talking about craft beers or costs.