Have a beer at home......

[jacko 8,813]

Now we have all seen those guys drinking Chang infront of the 7-11.

Maybe me in a year or two......

 

But for those of us who don't go out as much as we used to, but still love a cold beer after tilac has cooked a nice spicy meal, (that sure has developed a beer only thirst)...what is our tipple of choice?

 

Heinekin is good, but overpriced.....

Singha isn't that good and hence also overpriced.....

Chang makes me throw up now and again, I think there is some quality control issue.

Tiger sends me daft if I drink one or 2 above the norm.....

 

I found Leo tolerable at restaurants, but when I can get it I have developed a taste for Archa....picture of a pony or horse on the label. About 280 baht/case, 12x640cc bottles.

 

I hope beer Lao becomes readily available soon.

 

Oh and I put ice cubes in it so what do I know about taste?

Edited July 9, 2006 by jacko

[BigDUSA 71]

Back in the olé days, I used to drink a man's drink, Carlsberg now I drink Tiger and Heinekin. I tried the others and don't care for them.

[wacmedia 277]

Hi,

 

Never drank Leo, what's it like ? Beer Lao will put the cat among the pigeons if it is as good as people say. Germans are supposed to be behind it and the Germans have some great beers.

[Dungheap 243]

Beer Lao in bottles is a fine drop.

[Florida Guy 0]

I was in Vientianne as well as Issan (Udon Thani) last November and drank quite my share of Beer Lao and found it to be a great tasting beer. With their projected increase in production I wouldn't doubt it will be readily available all over LOS before too long. As for production figures and ownership, I pulled this off their website:

 

Lao Brewery was established in Laos in 1971 and began its production in 1973, originally known as Brasseries et Glaci è res du Laos (BGL). The BGL was formed as a joint venture between the French investor and some local investors (85%-15% shareholding each) with the total investment of US$3.75 million and had maximum production capacity of 3 million litres per year of beer. At the initial stage, two trademarks of beer were formulated namely LARUE contained in a large bottle of 0.66 litre and "33" export contained in a small bottle of 0.33 litre.

 

Following political change in Laos in 1975, the Lao government bought back all the overseas shares and since then the BGL has become a state enterprise under the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts called Lao Brewery Co. Ltd. (LBC). From 1993 the company became a joint venture between the Government, with a 49% share, and Loxley (public) Co. Ltd. and Italian Thai (public) Co. Ltd. holding a combined share of 51%, with registered capital of US$ 20 Million. With the employees up to 300 people, the company produced 30 million litres per year. Moreover, LBC was upgraded recently through the addition of a new automatic brew house and packaging lines.

 

In the beginning of 2002, the two Thai investors decided to withdraw its share from LBC which then gave the Lao Government back total control of the company. Subsequently, Carlsberg Asia, a unit of Denmark 's Carlsberg Breweries AS (K.CRL), and TCC, a Thai company who is Carlsberg's partner in Thailand , each agreed to acquire a 25% stake in LBC. The remaining shares are still held by the government of Laos . Due to being a pro-active market player with control of 99% of the market share, the company has a yearly production of 63 million litres and expects to reach 120 million litres by the end of 2005 year. Today, the company has 493 employees and its value is estimated at US$56 million.

[jacko 8,813]

Back in the olé days, I used to drink a man's drink, Carlsberg now I drink Tiger and Heinekin. I tried the others and don't care for them.

I was a Carlsberg drinker for a long long long long time...used to peel and fold the foil top wrappers into rings for the girls. Not sure what constitutes a man's drink from another though?

 

I sort of feel that your favourite beer is the one you get used to.....unless it is basically crap. The old aquired taste syndrome....Guinness when I am in the UK, Labatts when in the USA....then there are some I just cannot handle, Tiger is one sadly, seems to send me daft, I get crazy drunk. My father warned me off it from his time in Malaysia in the army....maybe 1950s. I never listened and first came across it in the Middle East.....never had a hangover like that before!

Edited July 9, 2006 by jacko

[jacko 8,813]

Hi,

 

Never drank Leo, what's it like ? Beer Lao will put the cat among the pigeons if it is as good as people say. Germans are supposed to be behind it and the Germans have some great beers.

It isn't that great, but I started ordering it when in restaurants where a large Heinekin was 180 baht, a Singha 160...or a Chang at 70! Don't trust Chang so I noticed this Leo stuff about 80 baht and started drinking it. As I have said, you can get used to a beer unless it is really crap.

[wacmedia 277]

Hi,

 

Think Thailand and Laos have signed some type of trade agreement which will allow Laos to export into LOS without high tariffs so Lao beer should be reasonably priced and good quality. Have to try Leo next time, I like Chang but will agree with posters who say the strenght seems variable. Most of the beers in LOS seem OK to me.

[MrMango 667]

I drink lao Beer when I am in Issan, and I like it - Good beer at a reasonable price.

[mlay 5]

I'm a Tiger fan !

[heymarky 0]

Which is the weakest? As we drink so much more in Pattaya than normal, it would make sense to go with the weakest

[Braveheart 0]

Whatever is available is fine by me. I do like damn near all brands of beer and truly have no real preference.

[Sailfast 503]

I like the taste of Sing Ha. I just purchased a couple of cases here in the US and it had that "skunky" taste that imported Heiny sometimes gets. I won't be getting any more here at home but I drink it often in LOS.

 

Anyway, I am not the type of drinker to fall into a habit. I like to change it up. Leo is OK, Chang is nice. You may see me drink a Guiness, then Carona w/ lime, then a JW Black on the rocks, then a rum and coke, then maybe a nice merlot.

 

I am a big fan of Newcastle Brown but if makes me sneeze (no kidding). McCewens (sp?) is nice, but harder to find, here at home. There are hundreds of fine beers brewed here in the US and I try new ones all the time, but, never get into a habit of drinking just one.

 

Yes, my friends laugh at me when I order.

 

Sailfast

Edited July 9, 2006 by Sailfast

[Gary 4,118]

I too have developed a taste for Archa. I drink at a small, actually a coffee shop on a mountain near where I live. The Thai owner is a good friend of mine. The shops next door have a choice of Chang or Leo. I don't like Leo and the Chang is too kick ass for me.

 

I am now running strong in the Cheap Charlie contest. I take boxes of Archa to the mountain and my friend keeps them in the refrigerator for me.

[spacebass 0]

The best deal is just to go with the best value local brew , the others are just ramping it up on hype. No one would give you a light for a Heineken in the UK, (although it is nearly half the strength as here as are most ordinary beers).

 

Here I think the most underated beer is the one with what looks like LN on the can 'Thai Beer' and one of the cheapest, around 34bht a big bottle however it is 6.5% and does blow you away and is slighty suspect on the hangover front.

 

I also thing Singha is quite good, it has a good 'hopsy' palate when the bottle is opened and the first sip is taken. it is however well overpriced for a local brew at around 50 bht.

 

I think I would drink Singha but for the rip off price but now I have settled on 'Cheers' not the best beer but not bad and I would say a Bargain at sometimes as low as 30 bht (Rayong Big C) for a big bottle.

 

So a bargain that doesn't hurt too much.

 

I really cannot understand why anyone would drink Chang with its reputation for bad chemical hangovers. I also tried Chang Light (4.5%!!) the other day.... Gross.

 

[mrbill2 6]

G'DAYPLAYMATES,

Being strickly a beer man from way back ,i always drank SINGHA GOLD because of the lower alcohol % that way i'd see out most of the day on a binge ??? but they took it off the market ( fuck those reponsible ) now i feel the efects from drinking the 6 plus % that they all have now .......mrbill2

[Soi7 1]

I'm a Tiger fan !

Smart man there 50 games over 500 and this is after 5 seasons of losing 90 of more Leland gets much of the credit but the young Pitching staff has come together. The addition of Kenny Rogers did not hurt either.................... Oh shit this is a beer thread ?? Sorry guys I will close the door on my way out

[Cennn3 0]

No one would give you a light for a Heineken in the UK, (although it is nearly half the strength as here as are most ordinary beers).

Heineken in the UK is imported from Holland and is a very good beer, they no longer make it in the UK on license, it is 5%.

[dotcom_OD 0]

One thing about Pattaya is that the proliferation of beer brands are all over from pub to beer bar.....

 

I had an opportunity to try VB at FLB and Misty's and liked it, so did friends that I turned them on to it...

 

Lennie's has San Miguel which when served cold will always be a favorite of mine, goes well with food too...

 

One beer that eluded me was Tetley, I tried asking for it at several bars and did not find it...

 

I tried Leo, Singha (both kinds) and Chang when it was offered to me by the boat captain on the way in from a day's fishing to the pier at Pattaya...One thing I can say, from the setting sun and being tired from a long day, it tasted good to me, Captain Dang was drinking all he could from the moment we lifted anchor to docking at the pier...LOL

 

Now, back in San Francisco, a popular Thai restaurant the Three Seasons at the Marina district served me Beer 33....Wow that is some good beer....I wonder if that is the beer Lao that you call it???....

[jacko 8,813]

I am now running strong in the Cheap Charlie contest. I take boxes of Archa to the mountain and my friend keeps them in the refrigerator for me.

I like the taste of Chang, but I have had 3 incidents of being very ill after drinking it.....(not every time I drink it note).....so I gave up on it.

 

Cheap Charlie contest.....bring it on!

 

I send my lady out on the motorcycle to bring back a case of Archa from the nearby shop as it is 30 baht more if I go there. Farang factor.......

 

I nearly had her send some over with her friend coming over from Korat until she found it 10 baht less here.

[nidnoyham 30]

For me, the lack of ale in LOS, is an inconvenience, but not life changing. I think the beer is stronger to allow for the ice that the locals always put in it. By the time that has melted, your 5%+ is down to less than 4. I bought my GF some Chang in U.K and she didn't like the taste. Singha seems to be the same as in LOS, though.

 

There has to be a market for imported ales, but perhaps the Thai's would tax it off the market. The Aus' beer VB is the nearest thing to a non lager, I have had in LOS.

 

The price of beer in the U.K, does make the local beers seem a bargain for the first week or so, then you start to compare between brands. The thought that you can get sloshed for just £3, does give it a novelty factor :-)

[kolobos 0]

For those who easily get a hangover, try drinking Mig Light...it is 5%, tastes of water and I cannot believe for a second you could get whacked on it! ITS KACK...Singha for me

[MIGHTYONE 309]

Can't beat a nice cold "Nelson" back here in England

[som nam na 0]

Tried beer lao in Gullivers in Bangkok and it was ok .... but the price at 110 bhat a small bottle was expensive and dearer than the heinekin. Made me start to think that some of the regular joints in BKK are expensive ....hope it doesn't apply to Pattaya

[rockinjerry 2]

OK. Been thinking about posting, telling you my story, and asking a question.

 

I am a beer drinker. I believe in drinking beer from the country that I visit. Why? I can drink Budweiser at home, or Heiniken.

 

Anyway, I drank Singha on all my trips. I went to the toliet 2 or 3 times a day and my bowels were loose, very loose. One day I farted and it was super wet and soiled my underwear. Lucky I was still at the hotel to take care of the problem.

 

I just chalked the loose bowels to the change in diet, never thinking it had any connection to the Singha beer. However, on this last trip I hooked up with a buddy from USA who now lives in Thailand. We were both drinking beer. Conversation got around to Singha. " Do you drink Singha all the time here?" He asked me if I suffered from any stomach problems while in Thailand. No, but my bowels are loose and I hit the toliet 2,3,4 times a day as opposed to only once at home.

 

He says, Could be the Singha as there are no preservatives (or their is preservatives in it? I forgot?) Anyway, he said he only drank Heinken or Tiger beer and suggested I switch to see if it made a difference. I did switch and it did make one helluva difference! Got back to not being loose and only went once, maybe twice a day but still layed that on diet change with Thai food.

 

Anyone experience this?

 

Rockin'