wolf5370

Beer Lao is avaiable (in CM at least) - both light and dark. Small bottle in a bar is about the same price as a large bottle of Singha. Archa is quite good too - actually the cheapest of the main beers here. Chang is probably the most popular (especially with Thais it seems). Heineken and Asahi also available (yuk to the first, the other is nice but not so common) - and Tiger (from India I think).

Leo is my 'go to' beer, but Chang is my runner up.

Alan2005

Beer Lao is one of the best beers in the world. If it's available then nothing else should be touched.

Never really understood the snobbery with heineken though, it's one of the most consistent beers available in Thailand - you know what you are going to get. This can't be said of Chang, where one bottle can taste different to the next. It's also too strong for the climate imo, but that's just my preference.

wolf5370

No snobbery, I just don't like the taste of Heineken - never have. We sell it in my cafe, along with the other beer mentioned (except the Japanese one), but the only beers that sell well are - Leo, Chang and Singha. Beer Lao is quite expensive, so it sells very poorly (better sales in bar-land down town as a few bars sell it there for 100%+ mark up!). Heineken sells poorly in the cafe - a friends bar (local not in town bar area) sells well, but only to a couple of customers that drink like fish. In my cafe, it sells sparaodically - mostly German, Brit and American customers buy it - Thais drink the Thai stuff (or more often than not, water).

//Edit: Added...

Yes, Chang is really quite strong. The problem (?) in Thailand is that beer usually comes in the big 640ml bottles which encourages you to drink one glass after another - and its rare that one has to queue at the bar for a round. Thais drink it with ice (a lot of ice) so this slows them down. Thai men also sit in groups witha bottle between them - expats and tourists have a bottle each.

Alan2005

None of my Thai friends really drank beer (although when they did it was heinekin, but that was only because it was on draft and far cheaper by the jug than anything by the bottle). Usually, if we were out drinking it was rum + soda/coke or whatever.

I live in Canada now, and you should see how much they charge for a shot of seng song in thai restaurants. Often you can get a decent single malt for the same price

wolf5370

Yeah, I had a Thai restaurant in the UK some 15 years or so ago. A bottle of Mekong (same as Sang Som) was 18 Gbp a litre bottle even back then, in the UK - I could buy it in Bangkok on trips for less than 1Gbp.

Most Thai men of middle age or above seem to drink Thai run and soda/water - younger men drink beer or 100 Pipers (JD or Jonny Walker when showing off) - and the drunks and poor drink Lao Kow. Incidently, they now sell Lao Kow in my local 7-11 at 35baht a bottle (small beer size).

When I shoot of to Burma every few months or so, I bring back a bottle of Burmese Whisky (special reserve is less than 4Gbp/Ltr) - which is real whisky (not rum) - it's an acquired taste - to which I have Can only bring back 1 bottle though and my Spanish friend and I usually polish it off the following Friday night. Oh, I like it with Oishi Lemon and Honey Tea.

God, makes me sound like a sot! I only drink every other weekend with friends - honest! Hic

bakedbean

Wolf, is Archa a new beer in Thailand? I don't remember seeing that one in Phuket when we lived there. Last time we went back (and probably for the last time) was in May this year. Mr bakedbean always liked Leo beer the best. He liked the price also

wolf5370

Not sure if it is a new brand, but it has only really appeared in Thailand in the last few years. Not a lot of bars serve it (don't know if it's available as draught) - but supermarkets and 7-11 stock it. I too prefer Leo, but go to Archa when Leo and Chang is out (sometimes happens in my local 7-11).

Jackwow

No its not. Yes they should.

It is quite a pleasant beer though and as I'm in Laos at the moment I've quaffed quite a few in the last few days. Also ridiculously cheap at about Baht 50-60 for a large bottle!

flares

Been supping Chang for the last few days in Phuket. Gonna try Leo as not a great fan of Chang/singha. Off to see the Gibbons today!
sf

nonthaburi

Red horse is another one .
And years ago I remember the Thai Beer that was pure knockout fuel , the advert was that it hit you like a Thai boxer and they sponsored the boxing too.
It did just that.