Chang Beer changed again.

[ChiangraiTony]

To the OP... You raise some good points. Especially about the Gold label award that was apparently issued when the beer was with the original recipe.

I just have one correction to your initial post and that is that the large bottle of Chang Classic was 640ml and then changed to the current 630ml. The label indicating the alcohol content went from 6.4% to 6.1% to 6.0% to the current 5.8%. That's 5 changes in about 1 years time period. (You didn't mention the 6.1%).

From a consumer perspective I'm disappointed with the Chang company. I believe that they didn't have to keep their customers out-of-the-loop and in the dark by waiting to discover the changes by themselves. What ever happened to companies caring about the most important thing, customer loyalty?

It seems obvious that the reason for the changes have something to do with the company's cost and their profit.

Although, I will add that I have had conversation with some that say Chang plays with the labeling information but not the original recipe. (I personally haven't noticed much change in the taste)

I don't know if there is any truth to that rumor, but what I do know is that Chang Company has lost me as a customer because of their lack of transparency before changes are made and then released. To go from 640ml to 630ml and from 6.4 % to 5.8% and then raise the price... This is my justification for moving on to another brand of beer. Besides, there are many better tasting beers on the market.

[Doc46]

No idea why anyone drinks that crap with a plethora of fine import beers available everywhere in LOS...

So why do you drink that imported crap?Is it for the taste or is it that it cost more and show of that you can pay more than your Thai neighbours? I drink because I like the taste of a certain drink may that be Chang or Leo or Wild Turkey and my Fav 3 Hoefijzers Pilsener from Holland and XXXX from Aus.

[fxe1200]

Look at it, my letter to the Singha Brewery. Forget Chang, but the Singha and Leo is quite nice, when delivered fresh.

Singha makes an advertisement for L. A. , but here in the South of Thailand, in Hat Yai, they, the SINGHA BEER BREWERY, is not able to send down fresh beer. What do you think dear beer connoisseur? We here in the South receive beer, which has been sitting in the sun for two weeks or more with temperatures of 30 degrees centigrade. The beer is virtually dead. They, the SINGHA BREWERY, cannot manage, until today, that the beer is being sent right after the filling down to Hat Yai, just to preserve the fine bubbles and the sweetness of the beer. Beer has to be stored in a cold and dark place. When do I get this into your skulls? I love Singha Beer and also LEO, but I want fresh beer even here in the South. How come, that they can send satellites into space, but you are unable to send some fresh beer to Hat Yai. Thai business as usual, mai pen rai? Shift your butt, I buy me beer directly off the truck at Muang Panich in Hat Yai, and still get old "piss" as the brits would name it. Do something!!!!

Singha Beer Hi Walter, thank you very much for your feedback. We, on behalf of the company, would like to apologize sincerely for the inconvenience and difficulty with the sales service in Hat Yai. We are aware that the Southern sales division has just been replaced and hence the service you have experienced may not have been extended well enough. We have raised this issue to the Southern team and will ensure that the problems you’ve been encountering will be taken into action and resolved as soon as possible.
Could you please give us some information about the name of your outlet, address/location and contact number, and we will put the matter in professional hands. Thank you and have a good day

[Chalard]

I saw today that Heineken is reducing its standard bottle size from 330 ml to 325 ml and other Thai Brewers are doing the same....

And will they also reduce the price too..!!!

I don't think so..!!!

Why would they? New tax, keep the price the same requires a slightly smaller bottle. Stop blaming beer companies. If you are that concerned about it talk to government.

I was just being cynical, but maybe u didn't notice the ..!!!

Anyway it's just the usual corporate greed..!!!

Edited May 17, 2015 by Chalard

[wump]

Cheers over plenty of ice does the trick for me when I'm feeling cheap. Red Horse has a punch and is also for cheap when I'm feeling cheap and nasty, but is harder to find. Chang Export is for special occasions, like when I have some money.

Never heard of that beer, do you know if it is available in Chiang Mai and what sort of alcohol strength it comes in at? Cheers.

Which one? Cheers is local, Red Horse is a foot-in-the-door San Miguel brewery newcomer. The latter packs a nice punch at 6.9%, is cheap at around 47 Baht but is hard to find. Cheers works with ice in a glass. Sorry but I've no idea of availability of either in CM.

Lol what a drunkard you are. Can't even pay attention to the label on the bottle at all. Red Horse has been 6.0% for at least a year, before that it was some 6.5%. You got 2 years old data. Well done and cheers!

[Chalard]

Look at it, my letter to the Singha Brewery. Forget Chang, but the Singha and Leo is quite nice, when delivered fresh.

Singha makes an advertisement for L. A. , but here in the South of Thailand, in Hat Yai, they, the SINGHA BEER BREWERY, is not able to send down fresh beer. What do you think dear beer connoisseur? We here in the South receive beer, which has been sitting in the sun for two weeks or more with temperatures of 30 degrees centigrade. The beer is virtually dead. They, the SINGHA BREWERY, cannot manage, until today, that the beer is being sent right after the filling down to Hat Yai, just to preserve the fine bubbles and the sweetness of the beer. Beer has to be stored in a cold and dark place. When do I get this into your skulls? I love Singha Beer and also LEO, but I want fresh beer even here in the South. How come, that they can send satellites into space, but you are unable to send some fresh beer to Hat Yai. Thai business as usual, mai pen rai? Shift your butt, I buy me beer directly off the truck at Muang Panich in Hat Yai, and still get old "piss" as the brits would name it. Do something!!!!

Singha Beer Hi Walter, thank you very much for your feedback. We, on behalf of the company, would like to apologize sincerely for the inconvenience and difficulty with the sales service in Hat Yai. We are aware that the Southern sales division has just been replaced and hence the service you have experienced may not have been extended well enough. We have raised this issue to the Southern team and will ensure that the problems youve been encountering will be taken into action and resolved as soon as possible.

Could you please give us some information about the name of your outlet, address/location and contact number, and we will put the matter in professional hands. Thank you and have a good day

Hopefully they are true to their word...

[wump]

Look at it, my letter to the Singha Brewery. Forget Chang, but the Singha and Leo is quite nice, when delivered fresh.

Singha makes an advertisement for L. A. , but here in the South of Thailand, in Hat Yai, they, the SINGHA BEER BREWERY, is not able to send down fresh beer. What do you think dear beer connoisseur? We here in the South receive beer, which has been sitting in the sun for two weeks or more with temperatures of 30 degrees centigrade. The beer is virtually dead. They, the SINGHA BREWERY, cannot manage, until today, that the beer is being sent right after the filling down to Hat Yai, just to preserve the fine bubbles and the sweetness of the beer. Beer has to be stored in a cold and dark place. When do I get this into your skulls? I love Singha Beer and also LEO, but I want fresh beer even here in the South. How come, that they can send satellites into space, but you are unable to send some fresh beer to Hat Yai. Thai business as usual, mai pen rai? Shift your butt, I buy me beer directly off the truck at Muang Panich in Hat Yai, and still get old "piss" as the brits would name it. Do something!!!!

Singha Beer Hi Walter, thank you very much for your feedback. We, on behalf of the company, would like to apologize sincerely for the inconvenience and difficulty with the sales service in Hat Yai. We are aware that the Southern sales division has just been replaced and hence the service you have experienced may not have been extended well enough. We have raised this issue to the Southern team and will ensure that the problems you’ve been encountering will be taken into action and resolved as soon as possible.

Could you please give us some information about the name of your outlet, address/location and contact number, and we will put the matter in professional hands. Thank you and have a good day

Now this is just stupid...

firstly nothing happens to the beer at 30-40 °C if it is in a brown bottle and

secondly beer gets heat-treated anyway so it won't make no difference... only in your head.

Edited May 17, 2015 by wump

[Saan]

As always when I start sampling exotic foreign beers, I landed on Chang beer, because it had the highest alcohol content. I don't get a headache like other people, I just go sleep all afternoon so it is long off my list. I drink Archah now, or Leo when I have some cash. Chang is based on rice fermentation unlike any Western beer, leave it alone.

By definition beer can't be rice based. It then wouldn't be beer!

Beers are 70-85% Pale barley malt with adjuncts to make the different flavours. even wheat beer is only 25-30% wheat the rest is barley. Rice has been used as an adjunct by many brewers including in the West. Think Budweiser. It doesn't necessarily make a bad beer.

Tsingtao, my favourite Asian beer is also made with a rice adjunct and one of the few beers I can drink with food.

By the way, does anyone know if it is available in Chiang Mai?

Depends really on what you class as "Tsingtao" there are so many varieties. Usually the only ones I have seen are the really low alcohol stuff in the big green 640mL bottles, starts around 2.8% ABV and some go to 4.5%. However, if anyone knows where to get those little 330mL dark brown bottles that have about 5.6%, that would be appreciated. Then the best Tsingtao ever is the 330 mL Black bottles, the Tsingtao Stout, even nicer than a Guiness. (But never seen that available around here)

So given that Chang looks like it is diluting itself, anyone have any good recommendations for a strong local brew these days that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? (I am not interested in Singha, Archa, Leo, or any of the other Chang varieties...is there anything else to wean myself away from this sadly weakening brew?)

Hopefully find some alternative to Lao Kao, but the way things are going, who knows, maybe start brewing my own.

I've not tried Tsingtao stout but my favourite tipple in Chiang Mai is Beerlao Dark which if fairly readily available. It is certainly worth a try if you like a dark lager.

[recycler]

With most Thai beers if older than 1 to 3 months the taste goes bad, in colder climates that takes much longer.

Maybe you just had an older bottle, they don't really bother about "First In First Out" anywhere in the distribution chain, nor the restaurant or shop, so it can happen that you get an old bottle.

Who keeps beer around longer than a week? let alone a month or 3

It's some of those mum and paps chops.

And their suppliers.

Only at 7Eleven and some of these chains they have fridges that are filled from the back, so in that one it's always FIFO, you don't know what happens behind that fridge again.

[maidee]

chang LIGHT ?

[wump]

To the OP... You raise some good points. Especially about the Gold label award that was apparently issued when the beer was with the original recipe.

I just have one correction to your initial post and that is that the large bottle of Chang Classic was 640ml and then changed to the current 630ml. The label indicating the alcohol content went from 6.4% to 6.1% to 6.0% to the current 5.8%. That's 5 changes in about 1 years time period. (You didn't mention the 6.1%).

From a consumer perspective I'm disappointed with the Chang company. I believe that they didn't have to keep their customers out-of-the-loop and in the dark by waiting to discover the changes by themselves. What ever happened to companies caring about the most important thing, customer loyalty?

It seems obvious that the reason for the changes have something to do with the company's cost and their profit.

Although, I will add that I have had conversation with some that say Chang plays with the labeling information but not the original recipe. (I personally haven't noticed much change in the taste)

I don't know if there is any truth to that rumor, but what I do know is that Chang Company has lost me as a customer because of their lack of transparency before changes are made and then released. To go from 640ml to 630ml and from 6.4 % to 5.8% and then raise the price... This is my justification for moving on to another brand of beer. Besides, there are many better tasting beers on the market.

Chang has NEVER been 6.1% on the label. Also, I think the reducing from 640 to 630 ml came at the same time when they were reducing the alcohol content. So it is just 2 changes (6.4 to 6.0 and 6.0 to 5.8%) and not 5 changes.

[stephenterry]

Look, the only decent Thai strong lager is 'Cheers Extra' red can stocked in 7-11 and Tesco/BigC supermarkets. 490ml 6%. Price is reasonable, forget how much, maybe 47 baht.

Add ice if you want, the taste is still good, or even a slice of lemon/lime. My staple home beer for yonks. Forget the rest, they're liquid crap. As for Lao lagers, drink too much and you wish you hadn't next morning.

Now if you're talking about draught lagers, try the Good View village restaurant, CM It's on the opposite side of the road from Windmill/Enorme. Top of the range, Carlsberg, and decent food at reasonable cost. Opens 5pm, gets busy around 7-8 when the live band starts. And no, I don't have any business interest - just as a regular customer.

[wump]

You should try Red Horse... much nicer flavor, same alcohol content and same price but bigger bottle (640 ml). Not available in 7 but usually they have it in Family Mart.

[stephenterry]

You should try Red Horse... much nicer flavor, same alcohol content and same price but bigger bottle (640 ml). Not available in 7 but usually they have it in Family Mart.

I've also seen RH bottles in BigC - as I don't usually buy bottles because cans fit the beer fridge better, never gave it a whirl. Next time I stock up, I'll give it some stick.

And as an addendum - The Cheers Extra lager (red can) is the tasty one - not the Blue Cheers cans or bottles, which are yuk.

[Nowisee]

Is it a "rational" reason to leave Thailand because the beer sucks?

[Ace of Pop]

Ive no time to read Labels, that takes up quality slurping time , when i slow down im too pissed to read them anyway....

[northernphil]

Ok Not a lager drinker in England nor here. But of all the local beers I find Singha Light is the best.

[Saan]

I saw today that Heineken is reducing its standard bottle size from 330 ml to 325 ml and other Thai Brewers are doing the same....

And will they also reduce the price too..!!!

I don't think so..!!!

Why would they? New tax, keep the price the same requires a slightly smaller bottle. Stop blaming beer companies. If you are that concerned about it talk to government.

It's a price hike by stealth, whatever reason.

When does it stop - at 10 ml bottles?

[Skeptic7]

Chang was my favorite brew before the change from 6.4 to 6.0, but has SUCKED ever since. i agree 100%...the Gold Medal Award labels should be removed. i have written to Chang on their website twice last year telling them to change back to the original formula, but in usual Thai fashion...no reply at all.

[Skeptic7]

chang LIGHT ?

has sucked since day one. if you are so inclined to drink a Light Thai beer...Singha is a much better choice

[Skeptic7]

chang LIGHT ?

has sucked since day one . Singha Light is a much better choice

[lvr181]

Putting ice IN your beer? Therefore watering it down? Ur kidding!

Chill the bottle or the can.

[sandyf]

Chang beer has changed again, down to 5.5% and in a new bottle. Only the Classic version remains, others have been discontinued. I had some from the green bottle the other day and it really has gone downhill.

"The company has already given up the distribution of several beer products – Chang Light, Chang Export and Chang Draught.

The Chang Classic brand will be used for both the domestic market and export markets around the world.

“We have also launched the new look Chang Classic bottle, with a more elegant and very nice contour and good hand-feel. The new Chang Classic will be easy to drink with only a 5.5-degree alcohol level, down from 6 degrees previously.

“The new beer is in line with the company’s strategy to deliver products that meet customer needs,” Soon said. The bottle’s colour has also been changed from amber to green to attract more premium and younger drinkers of 20-35 years of age, down from 25-44 previously. The new Chang Classic bottles come in two sizes – 320cc and 620cc – at prices of about Bt34-Bt37 and Bt53-Bt55, depending on the retail outlet."

http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/thaibev-consolidates-all-beers-into-chang-classic-to-shake-up-market/112288/

[duanebigsby]

Cooked you should check out how they make Leo .

Think you'll find thats rice based :-)

neither Chang nor Leo are "rice based" beers. You will find that they are barley based beers with a rice adjunct of between 10-15%

similar to Singapore Tiger Lager which is a gold medal winning beer and very palatable.

Budweiser in the states has more rice than Chang.

beers are barley based with adjuncts of wheat, rice, rye,oats and assorted grains and different roasts of barley malts like crystal malt, chocolate malt, Munich malt, etc, like coffee roasts.

I've brewed a few beers with rice as an adjunct and there is nothing wrong with it.

If you have more rice than barley it's not even technically called "beer."

[The Big Mango]

Glad we cleard that up then

[jamie2009]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/ThaiBev-consolidates-all-beers-into-Chang-Classic--30267087.html

Changed again 5,5%, I had a couple last night like drinking fizzy water, no taste, nought, just like drinking Leo, spoilt a great beer.

[Captain_Bob]

My wife (Thai) actually likes the "new" 5.5% Chang better. Could not drink the original 6.4% without a Changover next day. I'm a Leo guy but agree the slightly less alcoholic Chang has a cleaner taste and less druggy vibe than before. As long as ThaiBev doesn't overdo the concept, dropping bottle size and alcohol to silly levels it might actually give Leo a run for its money.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/ThaiBev-consolidates-all-beers-into-Chang-Classic--30267087.html

[Red13]

Looks as if the alcohol content has been further reduced to 5.2% so I'm enjoying a can of 6% "Cheers" instead.

[jayceenik]

15 hours ago, Red13 said:

Looks as if the alcohol content has been further reduced to 5.2% so I'm enjoying a can of 6% "Cheers" instead.

 

Yes. I was a Chang drinker for years but when they lowered their alcohol content twice I switched to Cheers Red.

[Thunder26]

Now it is 5%