Why Is Beer Lao So Good(and Thai Beer So Awful)?

[jellymeister]

Friend of mine claims that :

-Beer Lao was originally brewed by Czechs under Ruskie supervision in Lao 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?

All I know is I can drink tons of beer Lao without hangover and a couple bottles of any beer from thailand gives me a nasty headache.

Over to you experts!

[angiud]

Maybe: Lao was a french colony so they left technique to brew a good beer (french beers not so bad)

[patklang]

Does any one know where to buy beer lao in Pattaya,tried a couple of suggestions and cannot find any warehouse.I know a couple of bars that sell Beer Lao but its 75-95 baht and i want to buy a case at wholesale price.

[highchol]

Maybe: Lao was a french colony so they left technique to brew a good beer (french beers not so bad)

yeah right, one of Adolfs reasons for invading was to get at their beer stocks.

[jackdanielsesq]

I do good on Chang - a lot of beer uses rice - Budweiser, Kirin, etc, but I do sometimes forget how many I have consumed or start on the G&T or Single Barrel, which might have some influence. Having a good time also causes headaches. Forgetting to eat of course is the single largest contributor to hangovers. One gets hungry, and as the alcohol calories are empty, we drink more. Bad move.

BR>Jack

[DP25]

Beer Lao started as a joint venture between French and Lao businessmen. Beer Lao also contains rice, all the beer manufacturers do it here because it's cheap and that's what grows in the climate, not because they are forced to.

[a2396]

Maybe: Lao was a french colony so they left technique to brew a good beer (french beers not so bad)

yeah right, one of Adolfs reasons for invading was to get at their beer stocks.

Invading France or Czechoslovakia? To get at Pilsner Urquell, one of the world's best? Maybe? However Der Führer was not a big drinker, but did occasionally enjoy a light beer. No doubt he had other reasons for conquest.

[H2oDunc]

Why should your OPINION on whether a beer is good or bad be the standard ? I quite like Thai beer since going to a Thai BBQ and drinking nothing but Archa beer. You either like something or you don't. If it was as bad as you say it would not last very long as nobody would buy it!

[highchol]

Why should your OPINION on whether a beer is good or bad be the standard ? I quite like Thai beer since going to a Thai BBQ and drinking nothing but Archa beer. You either like something or you don't. If it was as bad as you say it would not last very long as nobody would buy it!

no mate, we still buy it, just moan a bit more though!

[Briggsy]

Welcome to the wonderful world of protectionism. The big three brewers/distillers have a very cosy relationship with the government.

Want a beer other than those brewed by the big 3? Fine, if you can pay punitive import taxes. ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, you say? Sod that, This is Thailand.

[a2396]

Why should your OPINION on whether a beer is good or bad be the standard ? I quite like Thai beer since going to a Thai BBQ and drinking nothing but Archa beer. You either like something or you don't. If it was as bad as you say it would not last very long as nobody would buy it!

They buy Thai beer because there is little, if any other choice. How many imports do you see at 7/11? ZERO. There is only one cafe where I live, that I can buy beer Lao or any other import, and they are double the price of Thai beer.

[DP25]

Huh, according to wiki Beer Lao is now 25% owned by TCC (Thai Charoen Corp), which is the company that makes Beer Chang.

Edited June 21, 2009 by DP25

[kurnell]

Thai beer is definately diabolical. Singha, Chang, Leo, Archa, Cheers.

I know only one expat living in Thailand that drinks any of the above where finance isn't an issue. That's gotta say something about the taste of Thai beer. Why they can't get it right? Probably the same reason why they can't get a lot of other tings right, i.e. Thais will always believe that they are smarter than everyone else as some weird part of their culture despite evidence that proves contrary.

[trucking]

Leos not so bad. Singha is the love it or hate it beer.

[wolfmanjack]

Cheers Xtra is good beer and is finally getting easier to get.

[mahtin]

Mecca is not a black box in Arabia.

[anon7867763]

BEER LAO IS A JOINT COLABORATION WITH CARLSBERG THEREFORE THE SUPERIOR BREWING TECHNIQUE

CARLSBERG ARE CURRENTLY OVERSEEING THE BUILDING OF THE 2ND BREWERY.AS DEMAND CURRENTLY IS A LOT HIGHER THAN SUPPLY , HOPEFULLY THIS WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM

IF I DRINK 10 THAI BEERS I CAN HARDLY WORK THE NEXT DAY.IF I DRINK 10 BEER LAO - NO PROBLEM !

CHEERS

[kurnell]

BEER LAO IS A JOINT COLABORATION WITH CARLSBERG THEREFORE THE SUPERIOR BREWING TECHNIQUE

CARLSBERG ARE CURRENTLY OVERSEEING THE BUILDING OF THE 2ND BREWERY.AS DEMAND CURRENTLY IS A LOT HIGHER THAN SUPPLY , HOPEFULLY THIS WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM

IF I DRINK 10 THAI BEERS I CAN HARDLY WORK THE NEXT DAY.IF I DRINK 10 BEER LAO - NO PROBLEM !

CHEERS

I CAN HEAR YOU!

[mahtin]

I was not fortunate enough to drink Beer Lao last night, so keep it down please.

[Briggsy]

I dedicate this thread to all Thai smugglers.

[mahtin]

1 down, eleven to go.

Enjoy your night

[Briggsy]

Look Mum, no duty paid stickers.

Stop it, stop it.

[spysee]

I know this might not be too popular with most members here, but I love Leo. I think its one of my favourite beers. Its way to cheap to taste as good as it does. In my opinion ofcourse

[onnut]

it is not that Thai beers taste bad, its just the next day a bad Hangover will be inevitable!

I will not be drinking Thai beers again after last week drinking Chang, worst hangover in history the next day.

[DP25]

BEER LAO IS A JOINT COLABORATION WITH CARLSBERG THEREFORE THE SUPERIOR BREWING TECHNIQUE

Beer Lao was good long before Carlsberg got involved. Originally it was Laos and French when founded in 1971. Carlsberg only got involved after 2002 when it, along with the makers of Beer Chang, each bought 25% of the Lao Brewery Company. The remaining 50% is owned by the Lao government.

[Datsun240Z]

I love some Thai beer, so don't know what's wrong with you guys? And I come from the land of Heineken, so I know what's good beer.

[spysee]

it is not that Thai beers taste bad, its just the next day a bad Hangover will be inevitable!

I will not be drinking Thai beers again after last week drinking Chang, worst hangover in history the next day.

Chang always give me a hang over. Its called a chang over. Singha tastes like shit but doesnt give me a hang over

[katana]

Loxley and TCC, both Thai companies, have in the past both owned 25% stakes each in the Lao Brewery Company and it has for long periods been 50% foreign owned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lao_Beer_Company

[anothertorres]

Archa works for me. always a hangover from Singha and Chang. Leo not too bad. with that being said, i rarely get a hangover from Thainekin, and that's my usual restaurant order.

if i want to get hammered, i can rely on a few large bottles of Archa and a gallon of water.

[henryalleman]

Friend of mine claims that :

-Beer Lao was originally brewed by Czechs under Ruskie supervision in Lao 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?

All I know is I can drink tons of beer Lao without hangover and a couple bottles of any beer from thailand gives me a nasty headache.

Over to you experts!

What many people don't seems to know that the quality of water and air play an very important role in beer making, that's one of the reasons why heineken taste different in every country.

Interbrew the biggest brewer in the world had the plan to relocate the brewery of Hoegaarden about 100 k to an bigger brewery to save costs. After one year of failing to brew the same quality and taste they reopend the old brewery again.Problem was salved.

I can give you and detailed technical explenation but it will be too boring