Beer in thailand

[wilson steer]

When I first arrived in the L.O.S. I began to drink a great deal Of Singha beer but the following day suffered severe hangovers. The symptoms were nausea, headache, shaking hand and a mixture of anxiety and depression. This went on for a while until someone told me that chemical additives are mixed in the beer to preserve it in the hot climate. This additive was said to be formaldehyde.

I switched brands and now I drink only Chang beer. I drink as much as I want with no hangover except a slight tremor in the hands.

I have heard that when American sailors come to Pattaya, they are instucted not to drink Singha and to stick to Heinekan and Carlsberg.

Does anyone have anymore information on additives in Thai Beers and whether the sailors story is fact?

[Rambutan]

I had the same experience!

When I have had just a few bottles of Singha, I woke up in the morning feeling like I have had al whole box of it.

Drink now HEINEKEN only and feel better. I am shure this Singha is not kosher. I doubt that the factory owners will drink it themself.

I know people drinking only Singha in vast amounts. They must be somehow adicted to thoose additives.

[robertT]

Better yet...why not shit can the beer altogether. Try vodka, soda and fruit juice with lots of ice...guaranteed no hangover...just keep a jug of water by the bed for the drooth.

We need to get more vodka drinkers on board to lower the bar prices. Plus the ladies like a tipple as it doesn't <deleted> with their shape like beer does.

[Roger13]

I never have any problems with Heinekin & Leo.

Carlsburg always gives me a bad Headache

I prefer the taste of Kloster but that also

gives me a slight headache.

I would be really interested to know if my

experiences are due to Additives.

Roger

[Simon]

Hi all according to stories I've heard singha cannot garuntee the strength on the label - contains a preservative as WS states if formadehyde? only a chemist could tell you, it's not all brewed atthe same brewery regardless of what they tell you so there4 they cannot garuntee continued quality assurance.

I've been out and done bottle after bottle as we all have, I've been out again and blinded on half a dozen bots, as for chang I can't drink that it seems to have a lingering after taste, and herd of elefants going through your head in the morning.Having said all that has anybody else tried that Thai Beer (thats it's name) relatively new it goes down like honey and gets my vote over the rest of them, not available in all the bars yet but your bar to get it in, alternativly 30baht in the supermarkets enjoy.

[used_motor]

Having said all that has anybody else tried that Thai Beer (thats it's name) relatively new it goes down like honey and gets my vote over the rest of them, not available in all the bars yet but your bar to get it in, alternativly 30baht in the supermarkets enjoy.

Thai beer is leo with a different label, the same as Super Leo, all the same beer. I read an aricle in the Post where the company that makes it admitted the fact.

I've gone off Leo to Heineken so I can function the next day.

Does'nt give me the shits either.

[wolf5370]

Don't know how true this is, but...I heard the formaldehyde story was true to an extent. In that it is not an additive to preserve the beer, but a preservative added to lubricant in the bottling/canning plants where bacteria attacks the lubricant. formaldehyde has, supposedly, been found in tiny amounts due to this (presumeably along with the lubricant). I don't know if this amount, if it is indeed true, is in anyway harmfull (?).

Anyone confirm this story? ???

Although, bearing in ind that lager is completely chemical, it is probably not surprising that it reacts differently with different people as different people have different chemical tolerences.

Stick to fruit based alchohol or real ale/porter(if you can afford real ale/porter in LOS!)

[bon1]

maybe i'm the only one, but even heineken gives me wicked hangovers here in thailand. really trying to switch over to drinking vodka/rum/gin/whisky, but it's pretty hard to beat a cold beer in this weather... also, if you go out to pubs or whatever, it get's pretty expensive with mixed drinks... :cool:

[wilson steer]

In Taiwan there is a beer called Kingway beer that is marketed as 'The Formaldehyde-Free Beer' on advertisments. Although I guess only small amounts of this substance is used either in the bottling process or the actual beer mash stage it has an effect on the human body.

Only 6.1mg exposure per day is considered carcinogenic.

[tutsiwarrior]

<deleted> it...I say stick to a neutral spirit like vodka with mixers. With lots of ice a better hot weather drink than beer. With a concerted effort on the market perhaps we can get a local distillery to produce a local brand that would be available everywhere for cheap and get the locals away from the evil swill that they call 'whisky'.

Salud and bottoms up...

[plachon]

Am really glad someone has broached this topic at last. It's long been a plausible sounding story that Singha put formalin in their beer to preserve it, even before Chang, Leo, Beer Thai, Heineken, Carlsberg, etc. came on the market. After all, it does a bloody good job in preserving corpses down the mortuary and animal specimens in bottles, and it's well known that unscrupulous market traders use it on veggies and other perishable goods to keep them looking fresh, so why shouldn't

it be put in beer to stop it spoiling? After all, look at Singh and Chang's  shelf-life in the shops, often kept in the direct sun for months, if not years!

I gave up drinking Singh about 7 years ago after experiencing one too many killer HO, and have never liked any of the other beers on the market, bar Heineken, Carlsberg and Carlsberg, which are OK, but nothing great. I'm sure Chang is full of Formalin too, as it's got that same bitter taste as Singh and lasts forever. The only 2 decent beers ever brewed in Thailand were Amarit NB (impossible to find) and Black Tiger Beer, common around 3-4 years ago, but now like gold dust, at least here in Isaan (a few places in Nong Khai serve it, but 300kms roundtrip is a long way to go for a beer!)

In desperation a few years ago i got a family member back in UK to send a Boots beer kit out to Thailand and made 40 bottles, about half of which exploded under the stairs. The rest was not half bad and left a great smell round the house that made me "kidteung" my local pub back home for weeks. Anybody know where to buy beer kits in Thailand (business idea for someone!)

Cheers,

Plachon

[Rinrada]

Saturday night is the last night.....but our "Excape Committeeee " survived Friday....Good beer (i prefer quiet now -L-A-G-E-R)but no chang-Sing, although they say they will try for next year...

FYI...

http://www.camra.org.uk/SHWebClass.asp?WCI=ShowCat&CatId=226

The International Bar at GBBF continues to provide a focus for the discerning drinker unafraid to try something a little different. Beer drinking is no longer a parochial affair where drinkers reject anything that is not a local brew, we've learnt a lot since CAMRA not only fought to protect our brewing heritage but also opened the consumers' eyes to the wide range of ales brewed in this country. Bières Sans Frontières hopes to break those barriers down even further with a glimpse of the globalisation of beer.

Over the past five or so years we have had beers from over 20 countries....more.......

[Simon]

Hi all

yes I know Rinrada and thats pissed me off coz I can't get there even though I'm just a few stops away on the tube from olympia working on the wharf, but I've still got the memories & glasses from last year so that will have to do until next year. Last year I had a couple of pints of d/m called 'golliwog' (politically incorrect I know) but hey! it's only an ale, top notch too but I can't remember the brewer, it's from the west country any ideas?

Plachon, fortunatly my corner shop (tesco's) does black tiger as does (big C) so I stock up before I get to north buriram, that alone seems to make the trip worth while.

Used-motor, cheers for that info about leo/thai beer I'll check it out in 'depth' over a couple of nites when I get back in dec thanx.

Regards S.

[wilson steer]

I have some news with regards formaldehyde in beer.

It appears that there there is formaldehyde in both singha and chang beer although tiny concentrations, not enough for the human senses to detect, but enough for your central nervous system to detect.

It has also come to light that the best beers as regards fewest additives are Leo and Thai beer, and as a previous posting recommended Thai Beer at 6.5% is pleasantly palpable.

My next order shall be for Thai Beer, not Chang even though the Thai beer bottle size is less by 10cc!

[ianh68h]

I have to agree with all the negative comments about beer in Thailand. Even Heineken has a bad effect and I'm not a big drinker (and I don't like spirits). I have never seen "Thai beer" but have recently found "Federbrau" which is the same price as Heineken, 4.7% and a refreshing change with no obvious after effects. Has anyone else tried it? Brewed in Ayutthaya but listed ingredients (if you can trust them) are just water, barley, malt, hops, and yeast. It says "all natural ingredients" on the can.

[Payboy]

5 years is a long hangover.....

[lordsux]

I got the best beer in Thailand

[TheDon]

Sounds like we got a few rookies here, when I come over in January I will show you how a real man drinks, Singha is great, in fact all beer is great

[Samuian]

My Vote goes for Margarita, Caipirina, Daiquiri, Gin Tonic (rarely) and any Vodka based long drink (Screw Driver, Watermelon & Vodka).... well and yes if available Kloster, for a thirst quencher ice cold LEO or Chang...

[MonkeyHouse]

The hangovers might be something to do with the heat over here, dehydrating!

Before you go to bed swallow 2 nurofen along with a pint of water and you will be fine when you wake.

Singha is fine with me however chang can be a nasty hangover.

Edited July 28, 2008 by MonkeyHouse

[pampal]

I tend to stick to import beers here

[MonkeyHouse]

I tend to stick to import beers here

But they taste like crap! I would have to say singha is the only nice tasting beer in thailand but i guess we all have different tastes.

[tmd5855]

Tried all the beers and they all made me feel a bit grotty. Try and sip a beer next day made me feel nauseous. Found the only beer that does not give me HO is Tiger. Not see it mentioned anywhere in previous posts??

[fred2007]

Sounds like we got a few rookies here, when I come over in January I will show you how a real man drinks, Singha is great, in fact all beer is great

Get of the grass Don I guess you never had a decent beer in your live How are you going to show us how to drink ?

[petitechevre]

well anyone who likes micro brew beer will tell you theres def something wrong with singha.. chang and leo taste like poop

As far as beer goes. im scared to drink anything but heineiken here..

It's good though, they have Beer Lao which is aweeeeesome for thai standards

[JSixpack]

<font color='#000000'>I have some news with regards formaldehyde in beer.

It appears that there there is formaldehyde in both singha and chang beer although tiny concentrations,

And your reliable source for that contention is? This whole thread has no evidence cited. In fact, there's none. Keep in mind that Singha is exported around the world. It's the very same brew.

not enough for the human senses to detect, but enough for your central nervous system to detect.

My central nervous system loves Singha. In fact, it and my taste buds have always much preferred Singha over all other Thai beers.

Enough of this urban myth. Cheers!

[Buzby]

I have to agree with all the negative comments about beer in Thailand. Even Heineken has a bad effect and I'm not a big drinker (and I don't like spirits). I have never seen "Thai beer" but have recently found "Federbrau" which is the same price as Heineken, 4.7% and a refreshing change with no obvious after effects. Has anyone else tried it? Brewed in Ayutthaya but listed ingredients (if you can trust them) are just water, barley, malt, hops, and yeast. It says "all natural ingredients" on the can.

Federbrau came on to the market earlier this year. It is (allegedly) brewed using the German Beer Purity Law.

Not a bad tipple but never drank enough of the stuff to find out about the hangover.

[Crushdepth]

When I first arrived in the L.O.S. I began to drink a great deal Of Singha beer but the following day suffered severe hangovers. The symptoms were nausea, headache, shaking hand and a mixture of anxiety and depression. This went on for a while until someone told me that chemical additives are mixed in the beer to preserve it in the hot climate. This additive was said to be formaldehyde.

I've heard this story quite often, but I don't know if its true (I've also heard that its crap). But for whatever reason, regular Singha gives me a shocking hangover, even 2-3 glasses has a noticeable impact the morning after. There's 'something' in it! Any other Singha beer is ok, its just the regular that nocks me around.

Another story I've heard (from a reasonably reliable scientist, though beer is not his field) is that it has glycerine in it. Supposedly, if you turn a cold bottle upside down you can see it running off the bottom. But I've never checked because I usually refuse to drink it! Maybe, someone here can do the experiment and report back?

[bartender100]

Last trip over i stuck to SM lite, the best thing thats happened to the beer market in Thailand. 5%,but not so filling,no hangover,and a great taste.

[ukrules]

I've only ever drank Heineken beer here, I tried Bulmers cider a few times but there was something wrong with it.

If I drink Bulmers which has gone off it will make me suddenly sick within about 1 hour (literally puke it all back up), after this I am fine and can continue drinking another beer.

I came across this in a Bangkok bar about a year ago but I suspect it's the same all over. Back in the UK or Ireland I can drink many pints of Bulmers/Magners without any problem nor hangover.

Also I couldnt taste any difference in the good stuff and the spoiled stuff, except when it was coming back up !