Brewing discontent: Frothy passions erupt when Thai craft beer goes big

[swerver]

Bring back Amarit

Amarit.

You must be an oldtimer, most Thais I talk to don't know what the name means.

In my early says in Thailand you could get Sing which I thought tasted like formaldehyde, sort of like Bamle Ba in Vietnam, neither of which I could get past my lips. Luckily at that time in Thailand there was Amarit a beer that tasted okay and did not make you feel filled up like Sing did. It was not a big seller in Thailand because Sing advertising overwhelmed it so in the end the brewery made a contract with the German brewery Kloster to take on Sing advertising and it made an inroad because foreigners in Thailand were mire familiar with a name like Kloster. That was the last I did see of Amarit so I changed to Kloster and then (30 yrs ago) I gave up all alcoholic drinks because it plaid hell with my blood pressure.

[WatUp]

Nothing for the big guys to fear. If microbrew was legal here they would still be at least double the cost of the mainstream piss. That's because they are using proper ingredients and not rice to keep the cost down. Right now a good craft beer is 160bt and I give the local guys props for producing a nice beer but this is all blackmarket and they aren't paying taxes. If legal they need to skimp on the premium ingredients a bit but still produce a far superior beer but once the tax is put on it they will be well beyond your normal Chang drinkers budget. So really they should just change the laws and help grow the industry. The big guys will barely lose anything. A Chang probably costs like 3bt to make but taxes, dist, etc... bring it up to the 30bt range.

[tonglen]

My hometown of Colorado, USA has some of the most liberal laws on Brewing and Distilling which has given rise to some the most amazing beers and spirits in the USA. They started small and developed almost a cult following. The larger breweries have taken notice and either purchased them or had their numbers decreased greatly. That's competition. Small breweries in small Thai towns are sadly missing.

The only thing I hate more than lousy beer are beer snoots. I love all beer: Pabst to Duval. It's like comparing a Mustang to Ferrari: Don't.

Edited February 4, 2016 by tonglen

[Johpa]

what happened to kloster beer? used to be in many bars

Yea, I gave up most of my beer drinking in Thailand once Kloster disappeared. These newer brands like Leo and Chang are simply undrinkable for me. I pretty much stick to Sang Som and soda these days.

[jim cortesos]

Some day the big asian brews will see a big market in ..IPA'S because everybody likes refreshing suds...I am a dreamer..Yes I remember Amarit ...and rare Khun Pan..Amarit was good.To your health!

[Maybole]

Where is their outlet?

[Ricardo]

Is this the same as the beers from the long-established German Micro-Brewery in Chiang Mai, which I believe finally ceased-production a couple-of-years ago, that used to be an excellent beer compared to anything made by the big Thai brewers ?

But couldn't get much distribution, even locally, you used to have to go to drink it at source, as we did regularly despite the quality of the food, they also used to have a good live-band in the evenings, playing Isaan-folk-music on electric-instruments !

I'd love to see that return again !

[doode]

On Koh Kret there's a microbrewer, his beer is very delicious. Half pint is 100 Baht, he sells mostly Weizen, IPA, Koelsch and Amber. Its Chit beer, coming from the boat just turn left and walk some 50 meters. You will not be disappointed.

Another- Stone Head Beer- is brewing in Cambodia now, Koh Kong. He will import this beer to TH as well as "imported" beer. At least there are some choices...

If going to VILLA or TOPS, I prefer Kaiserdom Kellerbier, that's from y hometown (very surprisingly for me!). Its 1 liter cans for 195 THB, that's fair enough.

[williet98248]

Leo has a slightly sweet finish which is much better than the sour taste of Heineken and Beer Singha. I will pick a beer Leo if available, Singha over Heineken just because Heineken is more expensive; tastes the same.. At home my everyday beer is San Miguel Pale Pilsen. Occasionally for a treat I buy an import ale at an exorbitant price. The average beers here are swill. Too bad the large brewers have a lock on the market. Craft beers will improve the market. I would drink more beer if better beers were available at a decent cost.

[JohnnyJazz]

So far Thai beer has been very good for me. I find it absolutely disgusting, whatever the label on the bottle. For the past two years I haven't drink a single one and lost 15 Kg in the process. I honestly can't complain

[spiderman]

When I lived in Thailand in 03 there was a central Bangkok place with decent English ales - London Pub I think - is it still around? Tawandang was great.

[exalll]

When I lived in Thailand in 03 there was a central Bangkok place with decent English ales - London Pub I think - is it still around? Tawandang was great.

Yes, Londoners home-brewed beer was not bad. Technically, they relocated last year, but as they relocated to somewhere half-way to Lao, effectively they closed

[cracker1]

For those of you visiting Samui there is a very good locally made beer available only from the brewery in Chaweng area. I visited in November last and they had 4 different beers and I have to say I found them all delicious. The owner, I think, was English, and he told me he was not permitted to sell to be taken away from the premises. If you want to try some thing different I can recommend this place.

[robertson468]

Everyone here is wittering on about "beer". This is not beer, it's lager and when Chang reduced the alcohol content of their LAGER, it was the worse move they could make. To me it is now tasteless dishwater. Damn your hides Sir for spoiling a half reasonable LAGER.

[Thian]

So far Thai beer has been very good for me. I find it absolutely disgusting, whatever the label on the bottle. For the past two years I haven't drink a single one and lost 15 Kg in the process. I honestly can't complain

Me too, lost 10 kg since i stopped drinking beer in Thailand and it saved me many headaches. Sangsom Coke is my drink now but i dont drink it often.

The whitebeer in Tawandang isn't the same as Hoegaarden or Erdinger or PAulaner, there's a big difference. I don't drink it and why don't they give a slice of lime with it?

[Roota]

Biggest problem with beer in Thailand is nasty transport and storage conditions. Find a Leo within 2 weeks of brewing (all cans and bottles have dates) that's been treated well and it's perfectly pleasant light lager.

The laws are still extremely restrictive here for small independent breweries, but that's not so much a Thai thing as an Asian thing. Even South Korea for instance only recently started allowing craft brewing. And the situation is gradually changing for the better here, which is more than be said for some of our neighbors. Malaysia, for example - only two licensed brewers in the whole country, with no prospect of any more.

[Ricardo]

Everyone here is wittering on about "beer". This is not beer, it's lager and when Chang reduced the alcohol content of their LAGER, it was the worse move they could make. To me it is now tasteless dishwater. Damn your hides Sir for spoiling a half reasonable LAGER.

Chiang Mai German Micro-Brewery's 'dunkel' was definitely not a lager, any more than Beer Lao Dark is, but yes their Oktoberfest Special was certainly a lager, and a very acceptable one.

I concur completely, regarding Chang's latest actions, I'm hoarding my last few bottles of Chang Export, as being better than nothing !

One can only hope that ASEAN may be able to break the current log-jam, as indeed the OP suggests might be happening.

[Gonsalviz]

what happened to kloster beer? used to be in many bars

Good question. When I first came to Thailand, there was Singha and Kloster. Actually there was another brand, but by the late 80's it was hard to find. I drank Kloster and enjoyed its hoppy flavour -- fairly nice European style. Singha had a reputation back then of being very inconsistent in its alcohol volume and was therefore not recommended.

Why doesn't one of these breweries dig out the Kloster recipe and at least give us the choice to drink something that isn't the boring homogenized crap common to every Thai beer. I refuse to buy Leo and its twin brothers (all Thai beer) anymore and have settled on Beer Lao -- light or dark -- they're both superior to anything made in Thailand IMHO.

That other beer must have been Amarit. It was my fav until it died out.

[jim cortesos]

Drink water..last time in Thailand it was lots coconut water in cartons UFC? Good? It's hot..Wine in a box at 900 thb per 5 liters They are selling tonic in cans at 7/11 amazing..Just not a booze country maybe that will change when the cartels see the huge profit in making high quality beer and wine's. Plus all the money they are loosing.All imported expensive..! Never see big trucks rolling around stocking up the pubs there like in farang land where I live..Have to give up my culture when in Thailand that's good!

[Snig27]

I'm so sick and tired of the beer mafia here. A couple families controlling the law on who can and can't brew beer here is a nice way to corner the market and not allow competition. What are these families afraid of, a little competition of better tasting beer. Beer choices here suck................

I go home to the pacific northwest every summer for a few weeks - I visit my parent's local mom and pops every night grab a couple craft beers from their massive beer cooler with about 400 local varieties. Man it is fun!

Try Wishbeer in Suk 67, or any of the Brew bars, they have a huge range of beers from all over the world.

[berybert]

Is there any such thing as good tasting beer ? Most of it tastes like piss and the only reason I and most people drink it is to get drunk and let my hair down for a couple of hours.

Wheat beer has got to be the worst tasting liquid known to man along with IPA'S. Beer snobs will tell you they are what life is all about. Most of them wear tweed jackets with leather elbow patches, say no more.

Give me a pint of Thai piss any day.

[jim cortesos]

It's the Thai-Farangs whom come and go that whine about beer quality in Thailand.Rightly so..Most xpats and Thai's whom live there all the time have no choice so' mai pen rai' Cheer's in a can? please'.Cheers beer 'is a inside joke with a Uk. pal whom lives there. A case of poor mans 'Leo beer is a lot cheaper than my snobbish wine and scotch taste.Maybe I should adapt and go back on sud's?Strange 'Big Mac's that I avoid in farang ville I avoid. Yet the Big Mac's in Bangkok taste great..Uber is taking thb cash..lol

[connda]

Large 'stakeholders' will attempt to drive that 'stake' right though the newly beating heart of this industry in it's infancy. Expect infanticide. This will not be allowed to happen.

[tominbkk]

I'm so sick and tired of the beer mafia here. A couple families controlling the law on who can and can't brew beer here is a nice way to corner the market and not allow competition. What are these families afraid of, a little competition of better tasting beer. Beer choices here suck................

I go home to the pacific northwest every summer for a few weeks - I visit my parent's local mom and pops every night grab a couple craft beers from their massive beer cooler with about 400 local varieties. Man it is fun!

Try Wishbeer in Suk 67, or any of the Brew bars, they have a huge range of beers from all over the world.

Haha I avail myself once in a while to a wishbeer order. I'll get a mixed 12 pack of rogue beers. Kind of a spendy luxury though.

[roo860]

Is there any such thing as good tasting beer ? Most of it tastes like piss and the only reason I and most people drink it is to get drunk and let my hair down for a couple of hours.

Wheat beer has got to be the worst tasting liquid known to man along with IPA'S. Beer snobs will tell you they are what life is all about. Most of them wear tweed jackets with leather elbow patches, say no more.

Give me a pint of Thai piss any day.

That about sums it up!!!