Beers In Thailand-what's Your Poison.

[gbt71fa]

I am opening a sports bar in BKK, hopefuly by May/June 2006 and I was wondering whtat everybody favorite drink is. I want to have a collection of favorite brews from around the world-particular to certain places-U.S., Germany, Austrlaia, New Zealand, Japan, ect.

[howler]

I am opening a sports bar in BKK, hopefuly by May/June 2006 and I was wondering whtat everybody favorite drink is.  I want to have a collection of favorite brews from around the world-particular to certain places-U.S., Germany, Austrlaia, New Zealand, Japan, ect.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sports Bar...Beer...Finally something on this forum I have some knoweldge about

Although I hate Hienekin in the states, its actually pretty good in LOS. But usually stick to Bud Light when back home. Cant find it anywhere in Pattaya

Just curious, plan on showing American football? Going to Pattaya next week and so far dont know if I can catch the games. I'm sure BKK is a different story.

[WhiteShiva]

I am opening a sports bar in BKK, hopefuly by May/June 2006 and I was wondering whtat everybody favorite drink is.  I want to have a collection of favorite brews from around the world-particular to certain places-U.S., Germany, Austrlaia, New Zealand, Japan, ect.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sports Bar...Beer...Finally something on this forum I have some knoweldge about

Although I hate Hienekin in the states, its actually pretty good in LOS. But usually stick to Bud Light when back home. Cant find it anywhere in Pattaya

Just curious, plan on showing American football? Going to Pattaya next week and so far dont know if I can catch the games. I'm sure BKK is a different story.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heineken and Tiger are the only beers I drink here - Singha only as a last resort.

If you are planning on importing beers, look at where your customers come from, and act accordingly.

PS - there are some pretty good Danish and Norwegian beers around. ...and Scandinavians tourists are plentyful here.

[cdnvic]

I try very hard to keep people employed at the Sleeman Brewery but I'll admit to missing alot of Kiwi and Aussie beers too. (Monteiths, Macs, Speights, Carlton, VB, etc).

cv

[Jai Dee]

If you plan on stocking VB I promise I'll drop in for a couple.

[Connor McCloud]

I usually drink Tiger but am quite taken by red horse at 6.9%.

A few too many and I start howling at the moon

[gbt71fa]

I am opening a sports bar in BKK, hopefuly by May/June 2006 and I was wondering whtat everybody favorite drink is.  I want to have a collection of favorite brews from around the world-particular to certain places-U.S., Germany, Austrlaia, New Zealand, Japan, ect.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sports Bar...Beer...Finally something on this forum I have some knoweldge about

Although I hate Hienekin in the states, its actually pretty good in LOS. But usually stick to Bud Light when back home. Cant find it anywhere in Pattaya

Just curious, plan on showing American football? Going to Pattaya next week and so far dont know if I can catch the games. I'm sure BKK is a different story.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh yeah, I'll be showing American football, both college and the pros!

[gbt71fa]

If you plan on stocking VB I promise I'll drop in for a couple.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Victoria Bitter is already on my "Aussie List"

[gbt71fa]

I try very hard to keep people employed at the Sleeman Brewery but I'll admit to missing alot of Kiwi and Aussie beers too.  (Monteiths, Macs, Speights, Carlton, VB, etc).

cv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am gathering lists from farang countries: so far, for Australia, I have Victoria Bitter, Swan Lager and 4X Gold (Queensland Beer). When I get the place I am going to spend about a month ordering all these beers. I need some good German Beers, also New Zealand, England, Italian and anybody else. I will let you all know when it gets going, hopefully June 2006. Please post your favorite brews and I will do my best.

[LindsayBKK]

Fosters!! Please

or Crown Lager will be ok.

[steveromagnino]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just curious, plan on showing American football? Going to Pattaya next week and so far dont know if I can catch the games. I'm sure BKK is a different story.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh yeah, I'll be showing American football, both college and the pros!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just to clarify, will you also be showing proper sports like:

- sailing

- rugby

- boxing/K1

- rugby league

- snowboarding and skiing

or just poofter games like NFL?

For beers please have:

Kessels (nice and strong)

Lion Ice

For other refreshments (not beer)

- Shandy for the ladies

- MGD for the ladies

- Coors (for cleaning the toilet)

Edited November 4, 2005 by steveromagnino

[meom]

Oh yeah, I'll be showing American football, both college and the pros!

Great. Hope you'll have some nice cheerleaders around to share a beer with

[rio666uk]

kronenbourg 1664 - not seen that in thailand before so that would be novel.

and being from bristol, UK - i also promise to spend many baht if you could get hold of blackthorn cider.

[mrbojangles]

I don't know what other UK members like but for Bitter it's got to be Boddington's. I had some out of a can in Patters and it was pretty good (can't beat hand pulled though). I also think you can never go wrong, with the lip smackingly tasty Stella Artois

[The Dude]

The beer situation in this country is not at all good. I would like the option to have an import once in a while but that is very prohibitive here. I live in the heart of BKK and have great difficulty finding any imports at all with the exception of Corona, VB, Guiness Can and Miller Lite and GD. Those 3 imports are priced 5-6 times a sing and Guiness is a whopping 9-10 times more. To add to the misery index is the fact that upon inspecting born on dates on these brews, one finds that they are 6 months to a year old. Not exactly fresh product. I have bars in the states and know the importance of fresh product. I would imagine that what few imports are available here do not sell due to exhorbitant cost and thus sit and sit and sit. So what you're left with is the same 3 or 4 beer variety. same same same ...Heineken, Sing, Tiger....those are your bar beers pal. Stick with em pal, it's lame but it's all you got. Oh yeah, also you cannot buy a Bud in Thailand anymore. They pulled out due to an inability to keep fresh product on the shelves due to high cost due to excessive import beer taxation. Bud runs entire ad campaigns on the freshness of their products and their "born on dates". A place like Thailand tears down that whole idea

Bottom line dude is: great idea to get your sports bar happening. I would love to go and watch some AMERICAN football games sometime, especially college. Don't know though cause seems like most of the expats here wouldn't know a baseball bat if it smashed them on the head. In other words, not many americanos like us here pal. If you open the bar, do yourself a favor re: the beer though; scrap the import idea and carry Heineken, Sing and Tiger plus your breezers. It's all you're going to need and it'll keep your product fresh, cheap and profitable. Nothing worse than paying an arm and a leg for a stale, nasty VB. The Dude can't dig that no matter how many shovels he has. you dig?

[Axel]

Forget about importing by yourself. Too much trouble and you probably won't reach the minimum quantity per shipment.

For German beer go for Warsteiner and one of the two wheat beers available in Thailand. What I would look for is draught beer, of course, the supplier can install the machines etc.

[mijan24]

"Duff" and I will bring Homer for an ale or two.

[britmaveric]

Chang/Singha/Tiger - stock all free and me happy. Woops forgot cider!!!

[ratcatcher]

I tnink you have been given good advice by several members re the beers to serve (Heineken,Chang ,Tiger and Singha) IMHO, Thais know how to drink lots of beer but they have limited funds and the brewing industry in this country is controlled by two huge companies.

Thai Beverages (Chang Beer and various brands of liquor passing themselves off as whisky) The owner of Thailand's biggest liquor company,Charoen Sirivadhanbhakdi is also the richest man in the kingdom and a good buddy of President Toxin. Khun Charoen is one of Thailand’s wealthiest individuals and also owns the Imperial Hotel Group. His influence extends deeply into the government as it is said that he is close to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Therefore, he pretty much dictates the government’s alcohol taxation policies.

Khun Charoen operates Thailand’s biggest brewery, Beer Thai, and the Sang Som Group, Thailand’s biggest distillery. Thailand is one of the few remaining nations which still favors cheap, hard whisky rather than more moderate beverages.

That is why working class Thais drink crap whisky with their food rather than beer as it is actually a cheaper drunk for them.

The Boon Rawd brewery which produces Singha and Leo is run by a small family clan

Mr. Chamnong Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Vudha Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Piya Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Santi Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Vapee Bhirombhakdi

Mr.Chutinant Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Palit Bhirombhakdi

Thus with these two huge companies controlling the industry there is little chance of getting good imported beers at reasonable prices. This also applies to wine,cider, and goodquality Scotch whiskies and not the chemical imitations sold here. However the likes of these tycoons and other cronies of Toxin can afford to drink all the expensive wine and whisky that they want. Just keep it out of price range of the riff raff.

Thais are not discriminating drinkers. The stronger the better,the quicker they are flat out.

Sorry about the ramble.

Edited November 4, 2005 by ratcatcher

[gbt71fa]

I tnink you have been given good advice by several members re the beers to serve (Heineken,Chang ,Tiger and Singha)  IMHO, Thais know how to drink lots of beer but they have limited funds and the brewing industry in this country is controlled by two huge companies.

Thai Beverages (Chang Beer and various brands of liquor passing themselves off as whisky) The owner of Thailand's biggest liquor company,Charoen Sirivadhanbhakdi is also the richest man in the kingdom and a good buddy of President Toxin. Khun Charoen is one of Thailand’s wealthiest individuals and also owns the Imperial Hotel Group. His influence extends deeply into the government as it is said that he is close to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Therefore, he pretty much dictates the government’s alcohol taxation policies.

Khun Charoen operates Thailand’s biggest brewery, Beer Thai, and the Sang Som Group, Thailand’s biggest distillery. Thailand is one of the few remaining nations which still favors cheap, hard whisky rather than more moderate beverages.

That  is why working class Thais drink crap whisky with their food rather than beer as it is actually a cheaper drunk for them.

The Boon Rawd brewery which produces Singha and Leo is run by a small family clan

Mr. Chamnong Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Vudha Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Piya Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Santi Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Vapee Bhirombhakdi

Mr.Chutinant Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Palit Bhirombhakdi

Thus with these two  huge companies controlling the industry there is little chance of getting good imported beers at reasonable prices. This also applies to wine,cider, and goodquality Scotch whiskies and not the chemical imitations sold here. However the likes of these tycoons and other cronies of Toxin can afford to drink all the expensive wine and whisky that they want. Just keep it out of price range of the riff raff.

Thais are not discriminating drinkers. The stronger the better,the quicker they are flat out.

Sorry about the ramble.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is there anyway around it? They punish anybody trying to bring in imporrted beer? How much more does it cost to import beer?

[howler]

I usually drink Tiger but am quite taken by red horse at 6.9%.

A few too many and I start howling at the moon  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey...I resemble that remark

[howler]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just curious, plan on showing American football? Going to Pattaya next week and so far dont know if I can catch the games. I'm sure BKK is a different story.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh yeah, I'll be showing American football, both college and the pros!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just to clarify, will you also be showing proper sports like:

- sailing

- rugby

- boxing/K1

- rugby league

- snowboarding and skiing

or just poofter games like NFL?

For beers please have:

Kessels (nice and strong)

Lion Ice

For other refreshments (not beer)

- Shandy for the ladies

- MGD for the ladies

- Coors (for cleaning the toilet)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Poofter Games????

Prfer sailing do ya?

[aughie]

It's not worth importing but Pilsner Urquell. It's so crisp and clean I think the taste would be very refreshing. It would cut right through the Bkk humidity and smog.

[howler]

I tnink you have been given good advice by several members re the beers to serve (Heineken,Chang ,Tiger and Singha)  IMHO, Thais know how to drink lots of beer but they have limited funds and the brewing industry in this country is controlled by two huge companies.

Thai Beverages (Chang Beer and various brands of liquor passing themselves off as whisky) The owner of Thailand's biggest liquor company,Charoen Sirivadhanbhakdi is also the richest man in the kingdom and a good buddy of President Toxin. Khun Charoen is one of Thailand’s wealthiest individuals and also owns the Imperial Hotel Group. His influence extends deeply into the government as it is said that he is close to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Therefore, he pretty much dictates the government’s alcohol taxation policies.

Khun Charoen operates Thailand’s biggest brewery, Beer Thai, and the Sang Som Group, Thailand’s biggest distillery. Thailand is one of the few remaining nations which still favors cheap, hard whisky rather than more moderate beverages.

That  is why working class Thais drink crap whisky with their food rather than beer as it is actually a cheaper drunk for them.

The Boon Rawd brewery which produces Singha and Leo is run by a small family clan

Mr. Chamnong Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Vudha Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Piya Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Santi Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Vapee Bhirombhakdi

Mr.Chutinant Bhirombhakdi

Mr. Palit Bhirombhakdi

Thus with these two  huge companies controlling the industry there is little chance of getting good imported beers at reasonable prices. This also applies to wine,cider, and goodquality Scotch whiskies and not the chemical imitations sold here. However the likes of these tycoons and other cronies of Toxin can afford to drink all the expensive wine and whisky that they want. Just keep it out of price range of the riff raff.

Thais are not discriminating drinkers. The stronger the better,the quicker they are flat out.

Sorry about the ramble.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is there anyway around it? They punish anybody trying to bring in imporrted beer? How much more does it cost to import beer?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting points here. One would think with all of the Farangs in BKK that you could form a consortium and together import the favorite brews from around the world. But might not be worth the trouble. We would all love a place to have a drink from our home countries....but TIT

[bang saen guy]

What's hard to find in most bars ia a good malt whiskey. Screw beer.

[cobra]

Some microbrews would be great, (Pyramid Hef, etc)

[sierra01]

kronenbourg 1664 - not seen that in thailand before so that would be novel.

and being from bristol, UK - i also promise to spend many baht if you could get hold of blackthorn cider.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am a cider drinker too, don't like any beer, and have only ever seen Dry Blackthorn in the Red Lion pub in Chiang Mai, 130bt per 440ml can. On the can is a little label of the importer, so I called them. Much to my surprise I spoke to a very nice English lady with a West country accent, her name is Selina! They are in Pattaya, 24 cans of Dry Blackthorn @ 98bt = 2352bt. If you live in Pattaya, or are just visiting, she will deliver to you. While chatting to her I said that I liked red K, they don't have that but this month will be importing a brew made by the same people, Natcha oe something, Next time I'm in Pattaya I'm going to get a couple of cases, and maybe give this new one a looksee too.

[sierra01]

Sorry, I forgot the contact details for the cider.

Apple Honey Co; Ltd

182/21-22Soi Khaonoi

Moo 13

Pattaya City

Chonburi

20260

Tel 038377960

Mobile 068498923

[monsieurhappy]

I like a drop of cider meself and I've tried the cans of Dry Blackthorn, Yuk! Either I've lost me taste or they're filling the cans with gnats p!ss! Tastes nothing like wot you get in Cornwall. I'm really a bitter drinker, "Marstons Pedigree", wish we could get it here, but the price would be exorbitant. Have tried "Old Speckled Hen" not bad, but 180 baht a pint is pushing it. "John Smiths" now in Pattaya so will try that as soon as pos.

I think the biggest problem with importing "good" tasting beers is that the younger generation have only tasted "gnats p!ss" and wouldn't know a "good" beer if it smacked em in the face.

[ilyushin]

My favorites are Heineken and Tiger locally brewed and most imported European beers. America's long neck Buds and draft if available. I would address the draft beer drinkers or previously mentioned micro brewery like "Tawandang". Good luck and post us on the opening. Board games or indoor sports planned at your bar?