Beer With Or Without Ice

[garrya]

I have recently been out with some local family members and friends, all of them are Thai.

As I am a European I never drink beer with ice but they do. They all stack ice in their glasses and pour the beer on it.

I think that beer has its own unique flavour and the ice waters it down.

I, of course, declined putting ice into my glass and they all looked at me with rounded-eyes and than I had to explain them my point.

I just can't take up with the idea of drinking my beloved beer watered down with ice.

What's your point of view?

[TommoPhysicist]

The beer here tastes like 'kee', adding ice to dilute the bad taste is a good thing.

[jamesbrock]

I'm not a big drinker nowadays, but I'm pretty much on the fence with regards to ice in beer. If we're outside, and it's a stinking hot day, I'll plop a few cubes in there, just to keep it colder longer. At night I won't.

I'd much prefer an ice cold Magners though, and will have that over beer whenever I can get it - with ice, of course!

[garrya]

The beer here tastes like 'kee', adding ice to dilute the bad taste is a good thing.

Hmm, even if you don't like the beer here that diluted something just tastes really bad.

[DrTuner]

Depends on the temperature of the drinking environment, intended time to use emptying the glass and temperature of beer being served. Sitting lazily on verandah in Isaan -> ice, sitting in a beer baar -> no ice.

Although I have to say Chang Classic without ice wouldn't go even in a beer bar, too bitter without diluting. Draft and Export - versions are ok without ice. I usually drink Beer Lao and if not available, Chang Export.

[MrJohnson]

Now that the temperature outside is hovering around 40C I can see the point of putting ice into my beer. It stays colder for longer. I actually think that beer is too bubbly and after a glass or two I feel rather bilious. As the ice melts it takes some of the gases out of the beer. This is good too. As to having to explain to the Thais why or why not I drink my beer in a particular way is inconsequential. Just as it was when I returned some time ago for a visit to the country of my birth, where the drinking of beer is more a religion than a pastime. I got some strange looks and some sarcastic comments. The way I drink my beer, as long as it does not impact you, is my own business, was my reply.

[garrya]

I'm not a big drinker nowadays, but I'm pretty much on the fence with regards to ice in beer. If we're outside, and it's a stinking hot day, I'll plop a few cubes in there, just to keep it colder longer. At night I won't.

I'd much prefer an ice cold Magners though, and will have that over beer whenever I can get it - with ice, of course!

I agree, a few smaller cubes would not hurt.

[phuturatica]

I'm a lady so I rarely drink out of the bottle. It's also too gassy so I have a glass. It gets warmer quicker I have found so I just put a few ice cubes in there to keep it chilled.

[zzaa09]

Mostly just a cultural indoctrination [ice in the beer].

You'll notice, though, that that the average Thai beer drinker will down his/her glass very quick....not allowing the beer to be diluted.

From an old association of Thai beer drinkers, I believe they would never consider taking the golden brew at refridgerated or room temps even if the counter reasoning was brought to there attention. Neither here nor there, just the way that beer is consumed here.

[cooked]

Anything that reduces the alcohol content of my beer must be kept away I tell you., keep it away.

Why not invent an ice bucket? Revolutionary, I know.

As far as the taste goes, a couple of slugs of whiskey to help it go down always helps I find.

[ripstanley]

The only place for ice is surrounding the bottle. Never in with the beer. They also invented refrigerators and freezers to make beer cold. I drink long necks. I use a stubby cooler to put my glass in. I lived in Darwin so the heat does not worry me. You learn to drink quicker so the beer does not hot.

[LucidLucifer]

I'd rather drink warm beer than put ice in mine. I realise the thought of warm beer might equally disgust some people (of course, cold is better) but ice in it.......no, no way!

As cooked has just said, anything that reduces the alcohol content should be kept far away.

[smokie36]

I like my beer served by a stubbie. Yes I have an opening for a new Oddjob....

[brit1984]

I don't drink beer but I like to have a few ice cubes with my red Fanta

[LucidLucifer]

I don't drink beer but I like to have a few ice cubes with my red Fanta

As long as you don't drink the green one.........gross

[hotandsticky]

I would only add ice to beer if I was desperate. Routinely adding ice seems pointless if the beer is cold enough in the first place.

[hotandsticky]

An alternative:-

[DP25]

If I'm drinking outside I'll always use ice. Chang is pretty strong already so a little bit of watering down doesn't bother me.

[hotandsticky]

If I'm drinking outside I'll always use ice. Chang is pretty strong already so a little bit of watering down doesn't bother me.

I think you will find that even by adding ice, the abv will be 6.4%

[brit1984]

If I'm drinking outside I'll always use ice. Chang is pretty strong already so a little bit of watering down doesn't bother me.

If the alcohol content is a concern, I suggest you join me on the red Fanta

Red Fanta is really tasty and, unlike beer, does not have those fighting with chavs and waking up next to a ladyboy (allegedly) side-effects

[cdnvic]

I'm not a big drinker nowadays, but I'm pretty much on the fence with regards to ice in beer. If we're outside, and it's a stinking hot day, I'll plop a few cubes in there, just to keep it colder longer. At night I won't.

I'd much prefer an ice cold Magners though, and will have that over beer whenever I can get it - with ice, of course!

Same, without the ice.

[DP25]

If I'm drinking outside I'll always use ice. Chang is pretty strong already so a little bit of watering down doesn't bother me.

If the alcohol content is a concern, I suggest you join me on the red Fanta

Red Fanta is really tasty and, unlike beer, does not have those fighting with chavs and waking up next to a ladyboy (allegedly) side-effects

I'll stick with beer. I don't fight with anyone and have never woken up next to a ladyboy. I'd rather drink ice water than Fanta if I'm not going to drink beer.

[Ulysses G.]

I'm not a beer snob. I like lager, but ice ruins it completely for me.

[ivan96822]

No ice, whatsoever. I prefer my beer very cold, so I will usually put about eight or fourteen of them in the freezer for a half-hour before drinking. I can and do drink warm beer if I have to, but combining the beer with ice would dilute it and definitely take away the buzz factor.

[MaxwellsDemon]

An alternative:-

Except good whiskey deserves a little room-temperature water.

[DocN]

Ice in champagne or red wine, anyone?

It is A SIN!

If it gets warm to fast...DRINK FASTER!

[whybother]

Anything that reduces the alcohol content of my beer must be kept away I tell you., keep it away.

Why not invent an ice bucket? Revolutionary, I know.

As far as the taste goes, a couple of slugs of whiskey to help it go down always helps I find.

Sometimes I prefer a couple of slugs of whiskey and to just skip the beer.

[TommoPhysicist]

You are also forgetting the other good reason to have ice in your beer.

The girl wearing short shorts who places it there and flirts with you at the same time.

More ice please!

Ow eek naam kang kap!

[poanoi]

I prefer cold beer without ice, and i prefer cold beer with ice if my option is warm beer

[seasia]

I like my beer very cold but don`t like ice in it.

I try to mostly stick to the places I know that serve their beer very cold.

If drinking at home I`ll put a bottle or 2 in the freezer for a while before drinking.

I do have ice with my Coke Zero/Pepsi Max though.