British Real Ale Lovers - Happy Christmas from Villa Market

[draftvader]

I have just got back from Villa on Pracha Chuen where they now stock:

St Austell's Proper Job

St Austell's 1913

St Austell's Tribute

St Austell's Admiral Ale

Hook Norton - about 5 different ales

Wadworths - about 5 different ales including some of their "Beer Kitchen" premium brands

Sambrooke's - Junction, Porter (and another I forget)

There were a few others but I am in overload at present due to the proximity of Proper Job to my life again!

WARNING: B236 per bottle for most....but I would pay B500 not to drink Chang, Leo, etc

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nookiebear]

Way overpriced!

[draftvader]

Way overpriced!

Uhu! Been here 6 years....seems very well priced when you consider the difference in quality and taste over the local rubbish.

[ToddWeston]

I'm glad I didn't see this before Christmas

As for the price you're correct compared to the local beer it's worth the money - thanks for the post.

[smokie36]

I'm glad I didn't see this before Christmas

As for the price you're correct compared to the local beer it's worth the money - thanks for the post.

We have a few decent ales in the fridge of which I will guzzle one or two from time to time but for a night out 236 Baht a beer is stretching it for most of us.

I will stick to Heineken I think.

[draftvader]

Luckily for me I don't drink a huge amount so am happy to splash out on the best when I do. Proper Job is one of the most accomplished beers on earth. What I lack in quantity consumed I make up for in variety tasted. PJ is a God amongst beers

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

[BestBitterPhuket]

They have the same selection in Villa Market Chalong in phuket. I bought 30 bottles so far. They have some amazing beers, such as Hook Norton's 12 Days (a strong brown ale and my favourite), Old Hooky, Flagship (IPA) and Hooky Gold (very nice golden ale). And then there is St Austell with their fantastic Tribute ale, which is a classic English bitter. Their Admiral Ale is also recommended. For those who like American styled IPAs, Propoer Job is the one to buy. Wadworth brewery's 6X is also a great bitter and so is the Horizon golden ale. The beer from Sambrooks are all good, but some might think their Junction ale is a bit low on carbonation, but I loved it.

As for the Beer Kitchen, it's not my taste, but they IPA has already sold out. It is a more modern brewery and not sticking to the traditional English recipes. Some prefer that.

I really hope they will keep selling beers from these excellent breweries, but they will probably discontinue some of the slower selling ales. St Austell Tribute and Proper Job, and The Beer Kitchen IPA are all sold out now in Villa Market Chalong.

[draftvader]

They have the same selection in Villa Market Chalong in phuket. I bought 30 bottles so far. They have some amazing beers, such as Hook Norton's 12 Days (a strong brown ale and my favourite), Old Hooky, Flagship (IPA) and Hooky Gold (very nice golden ale). And then there is St Austell with their fantastic Tribute ale, which is a classic English bitter. Their Admiral Ale is also recommended. For those who like American styled IPAs, Propoer Job is the one to buy. Wadworth brewery's 6X is also a great bitter and so is the Horizon golden ale. The beer from Sambrooks are all good, but some might think their Junction ale is a bit low on carbonation, but I loved it.

As for the Beer Kitchen, it's not my taste, but they IPA has already sold out. It is a more modern brewery and not sticking to the traditional English recipes. Some prefer that.

I really hope they will keep selling beers from these excellent breweries, but they will probably discontinue some of the slower selling ales. St Austell Tribute and Proper Job, and The Beer Kitchen IPA are all sold out now in Villa Market Chalong.

Yes, all those Hook Norton brews are excellent, the Hooky Gold would serve well chilled. The Sambrooke's Wandle is superb for warmer climates and wouldn't suffer from being served "chilled" (importantly, not COLD). I was not really taken on the Wadworths (including the Beer Kitchen stuff) but it is still a country mile better than the local stuff. As for St Austells, well I have a soft spot as 1 of the 2 real ale pubs in my Mum's village is a St Austell pub so I know the stuff well. Not as keen on the Admiral but Proper Job and Tribute are brilliant (again Tribute could be chilled).

[BestBitterPhuket]

They have the same selection in Villa Market Chalong in phuket. I bought 30 bottles so far. They have some amazing beers, such as Hook Norton's 12 Days (a strong brown ale and my favourite), Old Hooky, Flagship (IPA) and Hooky Gold (very nice golden ale). And then there is St Austell with their fantastic Tribute ale, which is a classic English bitter. Their Admiral Ale is also recommended. For those who like American styled IPAs, Propoer Job is the one to buy. Wadworth brewery's 6X is also a great bitter and so is the Horizon golden ale. The beer from Sambrooks are all good, but some might think their Junction ale is a bit low on carbonation, but I loved it.

As for the Beer Kitchen, it's not my taste, but they IPA has already sold out. It is a more modern brewery and not sticking to the traditional English recipes. Some prefer that.

I really hope they will keep selling beers from these excellent breweries, but they will probably discontinue some of the slower selling ales. St Austell Tribute and Proper Job, and The Beer Kitchen IPA are all sold out now in Villa Market Chalong.

Yes, all those Hook Norton brews are excellent, the Hooky Gold would serve well chilled. The Sambrooke's Wandle is superb for warmer climates and wouldn't suffer from being served "chilled" (importantly, not COLD). I was not really taken on the Wadworths (including the Beer Kitchen stuff) but it is still a country mile better than the local stuff. As for St Austells, well I have a soft spot as 1 of the 2 real ale pubs in my Mum's village is a St Austell pub so I know the stuff well. Not as keen on the Admiral but Proper Job and Tribute are brilliant (again Tribute could be chilled).

The Wadworth 6X is a nice session beer though, and it can also be served cold. I bought a few bottles of Hooky Gold yesterday, as I like than better than the other golden ales available here such as Wadworth Horizon and Old Golden Hen from Morland's

[smokie36]

Give me Jarl in a bottle....good lord its time for some hops!!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[draftvader]

Give me Jarl in a bottle....good lord its time for some hops!!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Just found it....not in Thailand Next time I'm in Blighty I'm going to give it a shot.

http://www.fyneales.com/shop/beers/jarl

[BestBitterPhuket]

Give me Jarl in a bottle....good lord its time for some hops!!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Just found it....not in Thailand Next time I'm in Blighty I'm going to give it a shot.

http://www.fyneales.com/shop/beers/jarl

Jarl is great, but at least we can get St Austell, Wadworth, The Beer Kitchen, Well's, Young's, Whychwood, Sambrook's. Greene King, Fuller's, Belhaven, Morland's, Shepherd's Neame in Thailand. My first day in Phuket 2 years ago, I could only find the terrible Cooper's beer from Australia.

[draftvader]

Spitfire? Where?

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

[Briggsy]

Any reports from Villa Pattaya?

[BestBitterPhuket]

Spitfire? Where?

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

The supermarket in Central Festival shopping center, in Phuket, has been selling Shepherd's Neame for about a month. They are selling Spitfire, Bishop's Finger and Double Stout, all excellent, but the price is ludicrous. Approx 300bht per bottle is insane. You can get a 500ml bottle of Fuller's ESB or London Porter for HALF the price in the same shop. It makes no sense. Hopefully they will rectify this absurd pricing.

By the way, I am having a Sambrooks Wandle Ale (sold at some Villa Markets), as I wright, and I have to say it is exceptionally good. Very sweet, low bitterness and very low carbonation. A perfect session beer! The very low carbonation is surely going to irk some of the lager and American ale drinkers, but I love it.

[BestBitterPhuket]

Way overpriced!

Its not, compared to similar Belgians and others. If you go to Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia, you will have to pay the same. This is not mass produced lager beers made out of the cheapest ingredients, but I guess it is a priority issue. I don't drink lagers or wines, only real ales and American style craft beers.

[Taggart]

Skull Splitter. 8.5% ABV. Brewed in the Orkneys. I doubt you'll ever see it in Thailand but the one year they brought it in near where I live in Canada I thought it was a fantastic tasting brew. Great reviews at beeradvocate and ratebeer. One to be on the lookout for in the UK.

[BestBitterPhuket]

Skull Splitter. 8.5% ABV. Brewed in the Orkneys. I doubt you'll ever see it in Thailand but the one year they brought it in near where I live in Canada I thought it was a fantastic tasting brew. Great reviews at beeradvocate and ratebeer. One to be on the lookout for in the UK.

Well, Orkney Brewery's Skull Splitter is in Thailand, but only in my fridge. I bought two bottles overseas and brougth them back to Thailand. It keeps for years due to its high abv. It's a great barley wine or strong beer, and I am saving the bottles for a good occasion.

One tip, wishbeer.com in Bangkok sells Fuller's Vintage Ale for 350bht per bottle which is a very good price for a limited edition vintage ale.

Other than that Abbot Reserve 6.5% abc is available in some Big C's in Phuket. Hen's Tooth from Morland (6.5%) is also available at wishbeer.com

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just wanted to say "much thanks" to BestBitter for his posts above. I'd pretty much given up checking the local market shelves around my BKK home because of never finding much interesting in the past. But your posts inspired me to go out and check my local Villa Market and Central World shelves today, and here's what I found... and tasted...

My local Villa had quite a selection of bottles all priced, oddly, at 236b apiece, as follows:

And then CentralWorld had Shepherd Neame on offer -- 299b for Spitfire and 329b for Bishop's Finger.

Must say, there's a lot of drinking there that I had no idea even existed in Thailand.

I'm not a Brit, but I love a good beer or ale or stout, no matter where it comes from. And a lot of these names/brands were unknown to me before...until now!

Edited February 1, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[BestBitterPhuket]

Just wanted to say "much thanks" to BestBitter for his posts above. I'd pretty much given up checking the local market shelves around my BKK home because of never finding much interesting in the past. But your posts inspired me to go out and check my local Villa Market and Central World shelves today, and here's what I found... and tasted...

My local Villa had quite a selection of bottles all priced, oddly, at 236b apiece, as follows:

Proper Job IPA-Villa 11-236b.jpg Proper Job IPA-Villa 11-236b a.jpg Proper Job IPA-Villa 11-236b b.jpg Proper Job IPA-Villa 11-236b c.jpg

Sambrook's Wandle-Villa 11-236b.jpg Sambrook's Wandle Ale-Villa 11-236b a.jpg Sambrook's Wandle Ale-Villa 11-236b b.jpg Sambrook's Wandle Ale-Villa 11-236b c.jpg

Sambrook's Junction-Villa 11-236b.jpg Sambrook's Powerhof Porter-Villa 11-236b.jpg

Imported Beers-Villa 11-236b a.jpg Imported Beers-Villa 11-236b b.jpg Imported Beers-Villa 11-236b c.jpg Imported Beers-Villa 11-236b d.jpg

And then CentralWorld had Shepherd Neame on offer -- 299b for Spitfire and 329b for Bishop's Finger.

Spitfire Ale 500 ml-CenWorld-299b.jpg Spitfire Ale-CenWorld-299b a.jpg Spitfire Ale-CenWorld-299b b.jpg Spitfire Ale-CenWorld-299b c.jpg

Bishops Finger Ale 500 ml-CenWorld-329b.jpg

Must say, there's a lot of drinking there that I had no idea even existed in Thailand.

I'm not a Brit, but I love a good beer or ale or stout, no matter where it comes from. And a lot of these names/brands were unknown to me before...until now!

You are most welcome! The more of us buying, the more supply will come. I have seen a lot of changes over the last year.

A couple of tips: If you are interested in a great beer bar in Bkk, then Brew Beers & Ciders is the place. I think they have around 150 different beers. It's off Sukumvit 55. Recommendations Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, a strong brown American ale, Rogue Dead Guy Ale and the sensational Young's Double Chocolate Stout. They have a webpage and they do many beer events and tastings there.

If you want to drink at home, you can buy all these and 300 more beers at www.wishbeer.com

I have bought a lot from them and it's free delivery and good service. All the beers were packed well and in good condition.

[smokie36]

Some great posts on here gents....the for all the useful info.....so far.... Keep it coming.

And yes I will try to slosh some Jarl in soon myself....;-)

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

A couple of tips: If you are interested in a great beer bar in Bkk, then Brew Beers & Ciders is the place. I think they have around 150 different beers. It's off Sukumvit 55.

Recommendations Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, a strong brown American ale, Rogue Dead Guy Ale and the sensational Young's Double Chocolate Stout. They have a webpage and they do many beer events and tastings there.

WOW!!!! Beer brothers in arms!!!

Some months back, the nice BeerVault bar in Suk Soi 15 in BKK had a monthlong two-for-one special on a whole variety of Rogue beers, which I'd never tasted before. But that month, I tried them all, and really liked the Dead Guy Ale, and LOVED the Hazelnut Brown Nectar. But alas, it disappeared from their stock not to be seen there again AFAIK.

I know HBN is available, supposedly, at a couple of other beer places around BKK for drink in, but my sense is the prices for it are 250 to 300 baht, for a regular 12 oz bottle. So I haven't gone out hunting for it at those prices, too hard. I see Wishbeer's website is offering Dead Guy for 200 baht and HBN for 210 baht per bottle.

As for Young's Double Chocolate Stout, it was one of the bottles I brought home from the store this past weekend, and it was the first one I opened to try. Wonderful!!! I knew nothing about it, didn't know the brand, but with that name, couldn't pass up a try. What could be better together than chocolate and beer (flavors)!

FWIW, when I can't have any of those, my tastes run to Guinness or Beer Lao Dark.

[draftvader]

Assembled enthusiasts! I have an cunning plan to get some of these stunning beers for less money (it might not work but let's give it a go anyway).

I contacted WishBeer through their "Make a Wish" page to request Twickenham Fine Ales - Naked Ladies and got the response

"Thanks for the wish! This beer is not imported in Thailand yet but we'll let you know when it is!"

which got me thinking about whether they were importing or not. I went to check my, proudly, displayed empties from my Christmas Carnage and realised that it it the same importer for both WishBeer and Villa Market. Being that Villa sells at B236 and WishBeer sells at 170-190 for most British Brews (bar Wychwood) I suddenly thought to simply "wish" for all the beers at Villa from WishBeer. Even if they price the same we can still get the wonderful free deliver over B2,000 and 10% off over B4,000 which would (pun intended) make them cheaper still. It is understandable that WishBeer's costs are lower as they don't have to display their bottles in premium real estate. This does depend on whether Villa have bought all the stock and have pushed for this themselves or not but I still think that WishBeer might have seen these beers but maybe didn't know enough about British Beer at the time so bought "safe" (i.e. Fullers, Youngs, Morland, Greene King, Wychwood).

Crazy thinking, but it would only take a minute for each of us to do (well, I've already done it!).

Whatever the result I'm still chuffed to bits to have access to all this premium beer in Thailand. Keep it coming!

[BestBitterPhuket]

Assembled enthusiasts! I have an cunning plan to get some of these stunning beers for less money (it might not work but let's give it a go anyway).

I contacted WishBeer through their "Make a Wish" page to request Twickenham Fine Ales - Naked Ladies and got the response

"Thanks for the wish! This beer is not imported in Thailand yet but we'll let you know when it is!"

which got me thinking about whether they were importing or not. I went to check my, proudly, displayed empties from my Christmas Carnage and realised that it it the same importer for both WishBeer and Villa Market. Being that Villa sells at B236 and WishBeer sells at 170-190 for most British Brews (bar Wychwood) I suddenly thought to simply "wish" for all the beers at Villa from WishBeer. Even if they price the same we can still get the wonderful free deliver over B2,000 and 10% off over B4,000 which would (pun intended) make them cheaper still. It is understandable that WishBeer's costs are lower as they don't have to display their bottles in premium real estate. This does depend on whether Villa have bought all the stock and have pushed for this themselves or not but I still think that WishBeer might have seen these beers but maybe didn't know enough about British Beer at the time so bought "safe" (i.e. Fullers, Youngs, Morland, Greene King, Wychwood).

Crazy thinking, but it would only take a minute for each of us to do (well, I've already done it!).

Whatever the result I'm still chuffed to bits to have access to all this premium beer in Thailand. Keep it coming!

That could work. They have a huge selection of famous and not so famous beers, but most are quality beers. I would say that most of the "new" Villa Market ales are of good reputation and quality, and they would fit nicely into Wishbeer's product range. However, the beers that really need a price reduction are the Shepherd's Neame beers. They are terribly overpriced at 299-320bht, which is almost twice as much as a Fuller's ESB or London Porter at the same supermarket.

Another interesting beer that I have only seen at bars in Phuket, is Brain's from Wales. Those are excellent, but I have never seen them in any supermarket. They normally come in cans. So far I have only seen the stout, Brain's Black and SA Smooth a 4% abv version of the Brain's SA, containing a floating widget for that "draught feel" (yes, I know the CAMRA guys don't like it, but it tastes great!).

A question to the ones familiar with BKK and Pattaya. Is Marston's Pedigree on sale there in supermarkets? I have heard it is, but never seen it. Marston's beers are great as well, especially their flagship Pedigree, Burton Bitter and Oyster Stout.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I would say that most of the "new" Villa Market ales are of good reputation and quality, and they would fit nicely into Wishbeer's product range. However, the beers that really need a price reduction are the Shepherd's Neame beers. They are terribly overpriced at 299-320bht, which is almost twice as much as a Fuller's ESB or London Porter at the same supermarket.

Just on the retailing end of things...

As far as I've seen, it's only the Central stores that are stocking Shepherd Neame varieties like Spitfire Ale and Bishop's Finger at 299 and 329b, respectively, for a 500 ml bottle.

I didn't see any of those at Villa. But Villa is stocking a bunch of other imports by St. Austell, Wells, Young, Sambrook and others at 139 or 236 baht per bottle.

Edited February 3, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[BestBitterPhuket]

Assembled enthusiasts! I have an cunning plan to get some of these stunning beers for less money (it might not work but let's give it a go anyway).

I contacted WishBeer through their "Make a Wish" page to request Twickenham Fine Ales - Naked Ladies and got the response

"Thanks for the wish! This beer is not imported in Thailand yet but we'll let you know when it is!"

which got me thinking about whether they were importing or not. I went to check my, proudly, displayed empties from my Christmas Carnage and realised that it it the same importer for both WishBeer and Villa Market. Being that Villa sells at B236 and WishBeer sells at 170-190 for most British Brews (bar Wychwood) I suddenly thought to simply "wish" for all the beers at Villa from WishBeer. Even if they price the same we can still get the wonderful free deliver over B2,000 and 10% off over B4,000 which would (pun intended) make them cheaper still. It is understandable that WishBeer's costs are lower as they don't have to display their bottles in premium real estate. This does depend on whether Villa have bought all the stock and have pushed for this themselves or not but I still think that WishBeer might have seen these beers but maybe didn't know enough about British Beer at the time so bought "safe" (i.e. Fullers, Youngs, Morland, Greene King, Wychwood).

Crazy thinking, but it would only take a minute for each of us to do (well, I've already done it!).

Whatever the result I'm still chuffed to bits to have access to all this premium beer in Thailand. Keep it coming!

That could work. They have a huge selection of famous and not so famous beers, but most are quality beers. I would say that most of the "new" Villa Market ales are of good reputation and quality, and they would fit nicely into Wishbeer's product range. However, the beers that really need a price reduction are the Shepherd's Neame beers. They are terribly overpriced at 299-320bht, which is almost twice as much as a Fuller's ESB or London Porter at the same supermarket.

Another interesting beer that I have only seen at bars in Phuket, is Brain's from Wales. Those are excellent, but I have never seen them in any supermarket. They normally come in cans. So far I have only seen the stout, Brain's Black and SA Smooth a 4% abv version of the Brain's SA, containing a floating widget for that "draught feel" (yes, I know the CAMRA guys don't like it, but it tastes great!).

A question to the ones familiar with BKK and Pattaya. Is Marston's Pedigree on sale there in supermarkets? I have heard it is, but never seen it. Marston's beers are great as well, especially their flagship Pedigree, Burton Bitter and Oyster Stout.

[BestBitterPhuket]

I would say that most of the "new" Villa Market ales are of good reputation and quality, and they would fit nicely into Wishbeer's product range. However, the beers that really need a price reduction are the Shepherd's Neame beers. They are terribly overpriced at 299-320bht, which is almost twice as much as a Fuller's ESB or London Porter at the same supermarket.

Just on the retailing end of things...

As far as I've seen, it's only the Central stores that are stocking Shepherd Neame varieties like Spitfire Ale and Bishop's Finger at 299 and 329b, respectively, for a 500 ml bottle.

I didn't see any of those at Villa. But Villa is stocking a bunch of other imports by St. Austell, Wells, Young, Sambrook and others at 139 or 236 baht per bottle.

Yes,Central is selling the Shepherd's Naeme beers at an overprice. I used to think that the Greene King at Big C was expensive at 179 bht per bottle, but that is a bargain compared to Shepherd's Naeme. The absurd fact is that, Shepherd's Neame is a big commercial brewery making good beers, and their bottles are retailing around the same price as Fuller's in Europe.

[Taggart]

For those who enjoy chocolate stout you may want to try Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout if you see it on the shelves. Some of the Porter's have a subtle chocolate taste as well. Fuller's London Porter would be an excellent example.

A couple of outstanding imported chocolate stouts I've had from the U.S., (south of my border) are Southern Tier Imperial Choklat Stout and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.

[BestBitterPhuket]

For those who enjoy chocolate stout you may want to try Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout if you see it on the shelves. Some of the Porter's have a subtle chocolate taste as well. Fuller's London Porter would be an excellent example.

A couple of outstanding imported chocolate stouts I've had from the U.S., (south of my border) are Southern Tier Imperial Choklat Stout and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.

I enjoy Chocolate stouts immensely and the favourite being Young's Double Chocolate stout which in my book is the gold standard in that category. They have that and several others at Brew Beer & Cider in Thonglor sukumvit 55, including Rogue Chocolate Stout and 150 other beers and ales. These can also be bought at www.wishbeer.com.

I have not tried Sam Smith's Chocolate Stout, but I am sure it's good. I have tried their famous Taddy Porter and it was great. Sam Smith's Imperial Stout was not quite to my liking though.

[Kilgore Trout]

Assembled enthusiasts! I have an cunning plan to get some of these stunning beers for less money (it might not work but let's give it a go anyway).

I contacted WishBeer through their "Make a Wish" page to request Twickenham Fine Ales - Naked Ladies and got the response

"Thanks for the wish! This beer is not imported in Thailand yet but we'll let you know when it is!"

which got me thinking about whether they were importing or not. I went to check my, proudly, displayed empties from my Christmas Carnage and realised that it it the same importer for both WishBeer and Villa Market. Being that Villa sells at B236 and WishBeer sells at 170-190 for most British Brews (bar Wychwood) I suddenly thought to simply "wish" for all the beers at Villa from WishBeer. Even if they price the same we can still get the wonderful free deliver over B2,000 and 10% off over B4,000 which would (pun intended) make them cheaper still. It is understandable that WishBeer's costs are lower as they don't have to display their bottles in premium real estate. This does depend on whether Villa have bought all the stock and have pushed for this themselves or not but I still think that WishBeer might have seen these beers but maybe didn't know enough about British Beer at the time so bought "safe" (i.e. Fullers, Youngs, Morland, Greene King, Wychwood).

Crazy thinking, but it would only take a minute for each of us to do (well, I've already done it!).

Whatever the result I'm still chuffed to bits to have access to all this premium beer in Thailand. Keep it coming!

That could work. They have a huge selection of famous and not so famous beers, but most are quality beers. I would say that most of the "new" Villa Market ales are of good reputation and quality, and they would fit nicely into Wishbeer's product range. However, the beers that really need a price reduction are the Shepherd's Neame beers. They are terribly overpriced at 299-320bht, which is almost twice as much as a Fuller's ESB or London Porter at the same supermarket.

Another interesting beer that I have only seen at bars in Phuket, is Brain's from Wales. Those are excellent, but I have never seen them in any supermarket. They normally come in cans. So far I have only seen the stout, Brain's Black and SA Smooth a 4% abv version of the Brain's SA, containing a floating widget for that "draught feel" (yes, I know the CAMRA guys don't like it, but it tastes great!).

A question to the ones familiar with BKK and Pattaya. Is Marston's Pedigree on sale there in supermarkets? I have heard it is, but never seen it. Marston's beers are great as well, especially their flagship Pedigree, Burton Bitter and Oyster Stout.

I have noticed that many of these great looking English ales have an ABV of around 4%. Is that normal for British ale?

I guess I am used to US microbeers where ales usually vary in ABV from 5.5-8%.

For the money they charge here, just seems a bit low to me. At least with Rogue etc. you don't have to drink as much.