British Real Ale Lovers - Happy Christmas from Villa Market

[BestBitterPhuket]

Yes, that is the norm. You also have "milds" and some bitters with an abv of 2.8% to 3.5%. The low alcohol makes these "session beers", which means that you can enjoy many of them without getting too drunk. You can have 3 or 4 in a weekday without getting a hangover or you can have 1 or 2 without leaving your car behind. Also, alcoholic drinks are taxed according to alcohol strength, and thus making the low alcohol beers cheaper.

For me, I like the fact that I can drink many of these and enjoy the fantastic taste without getting too tipsy.

Another interesting fact is that the most popular American beers used the British beers as inspiration, such as pale ales, IPA, stout and porter, red ale etc, but they put their own spin on it by adding a lot more alcohol and very different (and more aggressive) hops. The taste of an American IPA bears little resemblance with an original IPA, but they are each good in its own way and the appeal to different people. I like American beers a lot, but I can also see that drinking too many of them is addictive, in the sense that the taste is so powerful, that they will make almost any other beer taste bland. It's like eating spicy thai food and curries every day. When you then eat some English or Japanese food, it will taste very bland.

Rogue beers are fantastic, but they have some strange ones that are less good too, like the voodoo bacon beer.

Edited February 4, 2014 by BestBitterPhuket

[Kilgore Trout]

Yes, that is the norm. You also have "milds" and some bitters with an abv of 2.8% to 3.5%. The low alcohol makes these "session beers", which means that you can enjoy many of them without getting too drunk. You can have 3 or 4 in a weekday without getting a hangover or you can have 1 or 2 without leaving your car behind. Also, alcoholic drinks are taxed according to alcohol strength, and thus making the low alcohol beers cheaper.

For me, I like the fact that I can drink many of these and enjoy the fantastic taste without getting too tipsy.

Another interesting fact is that the most popular American beers used the British beers as inspiration, such as pale ales, IPA, stout and porter, red ale etc, but they put their own spin on it by adding a lot more alcohol and very different (and more aggressive) hops. The taste of an American IPA bears little resemblance with an original IPA, but they are each good in its own way and the appeal to different people. I like American beers a lot, but I can also see that drinking too many of them is addictive, in the sense that the taste is so powerful, that they will make almost any other beer taste bland. It's like eating spicy thai food and curries every day. When you then eat some English or Japanese food, it will taste very bland.

Rogue beers are fantastic, but they have some strange ones that are less good too, like the voodoo bacon beer.

Thanks for the great info!

I would love to sit and drink a few of these session beers (and I'm sure I soon will), but at that price it will be a seldom event.

[BestBitterPhuket]

I can't believe it! I bought Young's Double Chocolate Stout at Villa Market today!! Only 139bht!!!

Villa Market may have a new purchasing manager who is either a Brit or a British educated Thai. We are in heaven!

[draftvader]

I can't believe it! I bought Young's Double Chocolate Stout at Villa Market today!! Only 139bht!!!

Villa Market may have a new purchasing manager who is either a Brit or a British educated Thai. We are in heaven!

Don't say that. I'm dieting after my Xmas excess!

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

[BestBitterPhuket]

I can't believe it! I bought Young's Double Chocolate Stout at Villa Market today!! Only 139bht!!!

Villa Market may have a new purchasing manager who is either a Brit or a British educated Thai. We are in heaven!

Don't say that. I'm dieting after my Xmas excess!

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

How about a strict diet on Young's Chocolate Stout, Hook Norton's Hooky Gold and Sambrook's Wandle Ale?

[BestBitterPhuket]

Young's Double Chocolate Stout at 139bht at Villa

VS

Shepherd's Neame Double Stout at 329bht at Central

Who wins?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

No SN Double Stout at CentralWorld the other day... So I guess Double Chocolate wins for me...

I guess I'll have to scout out the other Centrals around my area, and see if others have a better selection than CW.

BTW, I stopped by my local Foodland tonight, and took a look at their beer section. Pretty weak by comparison, and nothing much new or different in months/years.

Coopers Extra Stout bottles for 95b, Beer Lao regular for 49b, and Beer Lao Dark for 52b. Some Sapporo's, and some German offerings.

[smokie36]

Yes, that is the norm. You also have "milds" and some bitters with an abv of 2.8% to 3.5%. The low alcohol makes these "session beers", which means that you can enjoy many of them without getting too drunk. You can have 3 or 4 in a weekday without getting a hangover or you can have 1 or 2 without leaving your car behind. Also, alcoholic drinks are taxed according to alcohol strength, and thus making the low alcohol beers cheaper.

For me, I like the fact that I can drink many of these and enjoy the fantastic taste without getting too tipsy.

Another interesting fact is that the most popular American beers used the British beers as inspiration, such as pale ales, IPA, stout and porter, red ale etc, but they put their own spin on it by adding a lot more alcohol and very different (and more aggressive) hops. The taste of an American IPA bears little resemblance with an original IPA, but they are each good in its own way and the appeal to different people. I like American beers a lot, but I can also see that drinking too many of them is addictive, in the sense that the taste is so powerful, that they will make almost any other beer taste bland. It's like eating spicy thai food and curries every day. When you then eat some English or Japanese food, it will taste very bland.

Rogue beers are fantastic, but they have some strange ones that are less good too, like the voodoo bacon beer.

Few beers I would pay 300 Baht for on Thonglor but if they had Darkstar American Pale Ale I would pay 400,

Just don't tell my girlfriend! :-D

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BestBitterPhuket]

No SN Double Stout at CentralWorld the other day... So I guess Double Chocolate wins for me...

I guess I'll have to scout out the other Centrals around my area, and see if others have a better selection than CW.

BTW, I stopped by my local Foodland tonight, and took a look at their beer section. Pretty weak by comparison, and nothing much new or different in months/years.

Coopers Extra Stout bottles for 95b, Beer Lao regular for 49b, and Beer Lao Dark for 52b. Some Sapporo's, and some German offerings.

-

Edited February 4, 2014 by BestBitterPhuket

[BestBitterPhuket]

No SN Double Stout at CentralWorld the other day... So I guess Double Chocolate wins for me...

I guess I'll have to scout out the other Centrals around my area, and see if others have a better selection than CW.

BTW, I stopped by my local Foodland tonight, and took a look at their beer section. Pretty weak by comparison, and nothing much new or different in months/years.

Coopers Extra Stout bottles for 95b, Beer Lao regular for 49b, and Beer Lao Dark for 52b. Some Sapporo's, and some German offerings.

Cooper's Extra reminds me about Guinness Foreign Extra, which is vile. I am not sure if it is "brewed" in the same way though. Guinness Foreign Extra is just a strong pale ale, brewed on location (places like Nigeria, Kenya, Malaysia, Singapore), in which Guinness extract/powder, shipped from Ireland, is added.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I tried a couple Cooper's bottles before here in BKK, and didn't come away as a big fan... But I can't remember if the Extra Stout variety was one of them I tried or not.

If I had tried it and liked it, I'm sure I would have remembered. Beer Lao Dark, on the other hand, I certainly know and like.

But BLD is in a whole different, milder, lighter league from brews like native Guinness or even the Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

Edited February 4, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[draftvader]

Yeah, I can sink a Beer Lao Dark in a tight corner. Curiously though it does taste better just marginally below ambient (not in April). It does have quite an interesting flavour when allowed to offer them up and it does taste like some thought went into it.

I did say "tight corner", didn't I?

Coopers was my "best choice" 5 years ago here but it will never see the light of day for me now. It doesn't offer anything over Beer Lao Dark and is twice the price!

On another note I have discovered a Thai Micro Brewery in touching distance of BKK....anybody interested?

[Kilgore Trout]

Yeah, I can sink a Beer Lao Dark in a tight corner. Curiously though it does taste better just marginally below ambient (not in April). It does have quite an interesting flavour when allowed to offer them up and it does taste like some thought went into it.

I did say "tight corner", didn't I?

Coopers was my "best choice" 5 years ago here but it will never see the light of day for me now. It doesn't offer anything over Beer Lao Dark and is twice the price!

On another note I have discovered a Thai Micro Brewery in touching distance of BKK....anybody interested?

Which micro brewery is that? Is it the one in dao kanong?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I guess it also depends on how one defines "micro brewery"...

AFAIK, the folks at The Londoner Pub in BKK brew a couple varieties of their own onsite, but it's just for sale on-tap there. Same with Tawandaeng Pub on Rama III near Chongnonsi. And same with a place called Est. 33 on Rama IX that's owned by the Singha Corp. But none of them bottle and sell their brews off-site AFAIK.

I think a place called Holland Brewery on Rama II is doing the same thing as well.

http://properbeermate.blogspot.com/2011/08/holland-beer-brewery-bangkok-thailand.html

BTW, here's an interesting website on the subject I hadn't noticed before:

http://homebrewthailand.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=56

This site used the term "brew pubs", which probably is a more accurate description of the places I've mentioned above. Unless any of them are bottling and selling their own beers unbeknownst to me.

Are there any real micro breweries here that actually have their product available for sale commercially?

I'm not sure how you'd define Phuket Beer (which I've never tried, but doesn't seem to get much good word) in that regard:

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

Since 2005, Phuket Beer has been brewed at San Miguel Brewery in Thailand under the supervision of Tropical Beverage Company. In 2005, importer Phuket Beer USA established the Phuket Beer brand in the United States.

Phuket Beer has no additives or preservatives and is produced in small batches every 2-3 months to ensure freshness. It is 5% alcohol-by-volume (AVB) and has 21 international bitterness units (IBU). Phuket Beer is available in 330 ml cans and 330 ml bottles.

...................

Phuket Lager received the first gold medal ever for a beer from Thailand at the 2006 Monde Selection Awards. Following this, it was awarded gold medals in 2007-2010 from the organization, earning the honor of High Quality Award for its three consecutive medals.

Edited February 5, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[BestBitterPhuket]

I guess it also depends on how one defines "micro brewery"...

AFAIK, the folks at The Londoner Pub in BKK brew a couple varieties of their own onsite, but it's just for sale on-tap there. Same with Tawandaeng Pub on Rama III near Chongnonsi. And same with a place called Est. 33 on Rama IX that's owned by the Singha Corp. But none of them bottle and sell their brews off-site AFAIK.

I think a place called Holland Brewery on Rama II is doing the same thing as well.

http://properbeermate.blogspot.com/2011/08/holland-beer-brewery-bangkok-thailand.html

BTW, here's an interesting website on the subject I hadn't noticed before:

http://homebrewthailand.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=56

This site used the term "brew pubs", which probably is a more accurate description of the places I've mentioned above. Unless any of them are bottling and selling their own beers unbeknownst to me.

Are there any real micro breweries here that actually have their product available for sale commercially?

I'm not sure how you'd define Phuket Beer (which I've never tried, but doesn't seem to get much good word) in that regard:

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

Since 2005, Phuket Beer has been brewed at San Miguel Brewery in Thailand under the supervision of Tropical Beverage Company. In 2005, importer Phuket Beer USA established the Phuket Beer brand in the United States.

Phuket Beer has no additives or preservatives and is produced in small batches every 2-3 months to ensure freshness. It is 5% alcohol-by-volume (AVB) and has 21 international bitterness units (IBU). Phuket Beer is available in 330 ml cans and 330 ml bottles.

...................

Phuket Lager received the first gold medal ever for a beer from Thailand at the 2006 Monde Selection Awards. Following this, it was awarded gold medals in 2007-2010 from the organization, earning the honor of High Quality Award for its three consecutive medals.

I am not a big fan of lagers, but the Phuket Beer surely outclasses Chang, Singha or Leo by a mile. However, it is not very available other than in bars and restaurants. I have never seen in it on the supermarket shelves in Phuket.

[draftvader]

In bed right now so brief. Facebook "Chit Beer" on Ko Kret. He's really a nano brewery! Needs to improve but there is promise and he's passionate!

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

[BestBitterPhuket]

I just tasted the Sambrooks Powerhouse Porter again for the second time only. It is incredible. Its like a session porter, and probably what porters originally looked. It is not black, but deep brown like the original porters. I doubt the taste is the same though, but it tastes quite different from the mainstream modern porters, especially the American porters. If you mixed a brown ale with a stout, I would imagine you would get this result in terms of color, and originally the porters were a mix of two beers...even though not the beer I mentioned.

[draftvader]

I just tasted the Sambrooks Powerhouse Porter again for the second time only. It is incredible. Its like a session porter, and probably what porters originally looked. It is not black, but deep brown like the original porters. I doubt the taste is the same though, but it tastes quite different from the mainstream modern porters, especially the American porters. If you mixed a brown ale with a stout, I would imagine you would get this result in terms of color, and originally the porters were a mix of two beers...even though not the beer I mentioned.

Delicate and strong. Have you had the Junction yet?

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

[draftvader]

https://www.facebook.com/Chitbeer

I had his American IPA. Big criticism would be that they are not settled when he serves them and are far too bitter. I bought home a couple of bottles and let the sediment drop and they were much better. Still too bitter but really not too shabby for the B100 price. Best of all it is supporting a seriously nice, entertaining and passionate Thai man who is one of a small few who is giving it a go.

[draftvader]

So, let us know about other Micro-Breweries. What is this one in Dao Kanong?

[Kilgore Trout]

So, let us know about other Micro-Breweries. What is this one in Dao Kanong?

The one in Dao Kanong is the Holland brewery on Rama !! mentioned earlier. Haven't been there yet but I assume it's somewhat similar to Tawan Daeng; German style lagers (although TW does have a weiss ale).

Not bad but I certainly prefer English or Belgian ales or US micro ales.

BTW, tried the Youngs Choc. stout yesterday; excellent!!

[BestBitterPhuket]

I just tasted the Sambrooks Powerhouse Porter again for the second time only. It is incredible. Its like a session porter, and probably what porters originally looked. It is not black, but deep brown like the original porters. I doubt the taste is the same though, but it tastes quite different from the mainstream modern porters, especially the American porters. If you mixed a brown ale with a stout, I would imagine you would get this result in terms of color, and originally the porters were a mix of two beers...even though not the beer I mentioned.

Delicate and strong. Have you had the Junction yet?

Sent from my phone, hence brevity and gypos

Yes, I have but only once. I need to try it again, but my first impression was good. Very low carbonation and low bitterness. I liked it, but some may feel its too flat, but to my it reminded me of a hand pumped ale.

[BestBitterPhuket]

https://www.facebook.com/Chitbeer

I had his American IPA. Big criticism would be that they are not settled when he serves them and are far too bitter. I bought home a couple of bottles and let the sediment drop and they were much better. Still too bitter but really not too shabby for the B100 price. Best of all it is supporting a seriously nice, entertaining and passionate Thai man who is one of a small few who is giving it a go.

Well, the American IPA's are brutal on the bitterness. Last year I tried Nogne O #500, which is an American style "imperial" IPA which weighs in at 100 IBUs and 10% abv. Very very bitter, but still surprisingly drinkable. Beer from Nogne O brewery is awailable all over Europe and US, and wishbeer has 4 or 5 of them, but at 495bht per bottle.

[GrantSmith]

I tried a couple Cooper's bottles before here in BKK, and didn't come away as a big fan... But I can't remember if the Extra Stout variety was one of them I tried or not.

If I had tried it and liked it, I'm sure I would have remembered. Beer Lao Dark, on the other hand, I certainly know and like.

But BLD is in a whole different, milder, lighter league from brews like native Guinness or even the Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

I'm surprised the company that imports Cooper's doesn't import their Dark Ale...It's like Beer Lao Dark but has a stronger flavor profile with some delightful chocolate notes... But I grew up on Cooper's in my formative years and have a soft spot for it. Having just returned from a trip back home, I got to sample some of the craft beer revolutionaries that are popping up, hopefully we can see them in Thailand in there near(ish) future.

I'm not a fan of the Extra Stout, it's somewhere between Guiness and Khlong Water - wich depending where you sit on the tasting spectrum could be fantastic

I've used Wishbeer once, only disappointing thing was 3 of my beers were expired, customer service from the owner was handled very well I might add. Thoroughly enjoyed the BrewDog lineup that I purchased and would definitely go back for them, I was left a little "neither here nor there" on the Rogue beers that I got.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I just tasted the Sambrooks Powerhouse Porter again for the second time only. It is incredible. Its like a session porter, and probably what porters originally looked. It is not black, but deep brown like the original porters. I doubt the taste is the same though, but it tastes quite different from the mainstream modern porters, especially the American porters. If you mixed a brown ale with a stout, I would imagine you would get this result in terms of color, and originally the porters were a mix of two beers...even though not the beer I mentioned.

Delicate and strong. Have you had the Junction yet?

That would be these two, Powerhouse Porter and Junction, both 236b at my local Villa.

Meanwhile, as for Phuket Beer, I have seen it before stocked at Villa as well, 55b at the time... not sure about currently.

Edited February 6, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Kilgore Trout]

I tried a couple Cooper's bottles before here in BKK, and didn't come away as a big fan... But I can't remember if the Extra Stout variety was one of them I tried or not.

If I had tried it and liked it, I'm sure I would have remembered. Beer Lao Dark, on the other hand, I certainly know and like.

But BLD is in a whole different, milder, lighter league from brews like native Guinness or even the Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

I'm surprised the company that imports Cooper's doesn't import their Dark Ale...It's like Beer Lao Dark but has a stronger flavor profile with some delightful chocolate notes... But I grew up on Cooper's in my formative years and have a soft spot for it. Having just returned from a trip back home, I got to sample some of the craft beer revolutionaries that are popping up, hopefully we can see them in Thailand in there near(ish) future.

I'm not a fan of the Extra Stout, it's somewhere between Guiness and Khlong Water - wich depending where you sit on the tasting spectrum could be fantastic

I've used Wishbeer once, only disappointing thing was 3 of my beers were expired, customer service from the owner was handled very well I might add. Thoroughly enjoyed the BrewDog lineup that I purchased and would definitely go back for them, I was left a little "neither here nor there" on the Rogue beers that I got.

Beer Lao dark is not bad, but its not an ale.

Would like to rty some different Coopers though; I found the sparkling ale better than the pale ale.

[GrantSmith]

Cooper's do have a couple of others in their portfolio; a Pilsner, a lager, a low carb (which is awful), a light, a vintage - which is a kin to an IPA - and a 150th anniversary ale...

With the exception of the low carb - which was brought out a time when they were a "thing" in Australia - they're pretty decent beers, the Vintage is not a session beer at over 7% ABV it's quite heavy on everything..

[BestBitterPhuket]

I tried a couple Cooper's bottles before here in BKK, and didn't come away as a big fan... But I can't remember if the Extra Stout variety was one of them I tried or not.

If I had tried it and liked it, I'm sure I would have remembered. Beer Lao Dark, on the other hand, I certainly know and like.

But BLD is in a whole different, milder, lighter league from brews like native Guinness or even the Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

I'm surprised the company that imports Cooper's doesn't import their Dark Ale...It's like Beer Lao Dark but has a stronger flavor profile with some delightful chocolate notes... But I grew up on Cooper's in my formative years and have a soft spot for it. Having just returned from a trip back home, I got to sample some of the craft beer revolutionaries that are popping up, hopefully we can see them in Thailand in there near(ish) future.

I'm not a fan of the Extra Stout, it's somewhere between Guiness and Khlong Water - wich depending where you sit on the tasting spectrum could be fantastic

I've used Wishbeer once, only disappointing thing was 3 of my beers were expired, customer service from the owner was handled very well I might add. Thoroughly enjoyed the BrewDog lineup that I purchased and would definitely go back for them, I was left a little "neither here nor there" on the Rogue beers that I got.

Which Rogue beers did you try? Did you try the Hazelnut Brown Nectar? One of my favourite beers of all time, even though it tastes like nectar with an 6.3% abv.

[GrantSmith]

I had the Dead Guy Ale and the Juniper Ale, both very typical American Pale Ales with the Juniper Ale having the added Juniper Berry which was a bit 'steely' for me.

Didn't try the Nectar, was imagining some heavy sweet nutty type flavour that wasn't going to do it for me. I was in the mood for pale ales.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The Rogue HBN is wonderful, smooth, great flavor... But not overly sweet, and certainly not heavy. It truly is a "nectar" of beers.