#12
Her er lidt om Thai Beer. Jeg savner faktisk Kloster Beer. Hvad er der sket med Federbrau? De reklamerede ret kraftigt i sin tid. Happy reading.
Beer is the one alcoholic beverage that matches well with pretty much any Thai dish, and it is very popular with locals and tourists alike, all over Thailand. In Thailand the bottles you are most likely to be served come in the following sizes: 330 ml bottles or cans (11 fluid ounces, 1 ounce short of American-sized), or 640 ml (21.6 fl oz – a US quart equals 950 ml, or 32 fl oz). Venues that tend to be more casual and people-friendly (bars, open air cafes, beach shacks, etc.) tend to carry the larger bottles, while restaurants, especially nicer restaurants and tourist venues, tend toward the smaller American-sized bottles, or they will carry both small and large sizes and ask you to choose. Cans are normally found at beachside cafes and bars, roadside or neighborhood bars, and the like.
Beer is normally served ice cold, but Thais usually drink it over ice cubes. This is due to a couple of factors: cold beverages rapidly become tepid in Thailand’s sweltering tropical heat, and Thai beers are high in alcohol, by American standards anyway, so diluting the brew with a little melted ice still leaves the drinker with a brew of considerable strength (although the taste is diluted as well). It is very common to serve beer with an accompanying insulated ice bucket and tongs, and if the server pours your beer for you, be prepared to stop them before ice cubes are added to the glass, as poring over ice will be an automatic movement on the server’s part.
Alcohol of any kind is not served on Buddhist, public, or official government holidays, Royal birthdays, or on election days, although hotels and resorts will make exceptions. Very high numbers of highway wrecks and deaths attributed to alcohol consumption peak during holidays, when many from the cities head out to the countryside, the beaches, or the mountains, so the government does what it can to limit alcohol sales during those periods. The minimum legal drinking age in Thailand is 20, checking of ID’s is rare, and alcohol cannot be sold between the hours of 2 pm and 5 pm, as this is the time that students are getting out of school or university and on their way home (it removes the temptation for youth to stray from the correct path). Retail sales of alcohol in supermarkets, convenience stores, etc. are also banned between midnight and 11am. Restaurants and bars are not affected, and smaller, non-chain stores are often willing to ignore all of the rules. Bars generally quit serving between midnight and 2 am, but if there is a bribe paid to local officials, or if the business has a low enough profile to warrant late hours, they will serve later. There is a subculture of illegal after-hours clubs, often located in second floor walkups, which serve all night long, with many of them not even opening up for business until 3 or 4 am.
Every year in Bangkok (and now spreading to other cities) from late October through mid January or so is the Thai Beer Festival. It occurs when the rains finally cease and the cooler “winter” weather arrives in Bangkok. Think of it as the Thai version of Oktoberfest, where different breweries showcase their best beers. The festival is roughly three-months long and held in public venues all over the city, the most popular being the huge paved courtyards surrounding Central World Plaza shopping mall in the central shopping district of downtown Bangkok. All of the larger breweries set up color-coordinated areas to promote their beers; Singha for example features an all-yellow area, while Heineken is all-green. All types of foods and snacks are available, especially grilled items like pork ribs, Isaan-style chicken, whole barbecued pigs on spits, etc. Think meat and think non-vegetarian. Most sections will have a stage where cultural shows and performances mix with bands of all types, and if the stage is empty, there will be a dazzling sound and light show underway. Prices aren’t that much cheaper than they would be in a bar or restaurant, but the entertainment is first-rate. On Friday and Saturday nights the sections are packed to the gills and only those patrons that arrived early are assured a seat.
As in the States, in Thai cities and tourist areas there is a slow increase in the number of brewpubs, where beer is brewed on-site in the bar or restaurant. In Bangkok the most popular two are Tawandang Brew House and The Londoner Brew Pub. Tawandang has thrived for 10 years, and brews a Lager, a Weizen, and a Dunkel (the most popular, although few critics rave about any of the three). What fills this huge venue is the non-stop entertainment on the stage and the dancing on the floor. The Londoner Brew Pub has more success with their brewing, producing quaffable Pilsner Lager and Thailand’s only English-style Cream Bitter. Hua Hin Brewing Company, attached to the Hilton in Hua Hin, brews Sabai Sabai Wheat Ale and Elephant Tusk Ale; their selections can rotate through the year. Chiang Mai German Microbrewery in Chiang Mai produces a fairly large selection, including Bock, Dunkel, Dunkel Weizen, Lager, Pilsner, and Weizen.
Madam Mam’s has two of the better Thai beers on their drink menu: Singha, which is pronounced “Sing”, and Chang, which is pronounced like it looks, and means “elephant”. It is no coincidence, since these two are also the only two Thai beers readily available in the States. The pronunciation for the word meaning “beer” in Thai is adopted from the English, spelled bia, and pronounced bee’-yah.
Singha (or Bia Singh as it is known; the “ah” on the end is silent) is the second most popular beer in Thailand, and the most popular Thai beer globally. It’s brewed by the Boon Rawd brewery in Bangkok, Thailand, and named for the mythical lion it represents, which is known for force, stability and grace. The brewery was founded in 1933 by Boonrawd Srethabutra, who learned his trade from Bavarian brewers. Boonrawd was later awarded the royal titular name Phiya Bhirom Bhakdi by King Rama VII. The brewery is still owned by the 3rd and 4th generations of his descendants. In Thailand, if you don’t specify the beer that you prefer, especially as a Caucasian tourist, you will usually be given a Singha automatically.
Singha beer is brewed in Bangkok using malted barley and hops, with no added rice or corn, which keeps it near to the Bavarian-German ideal. Until a few years ago it was brewed to 6.2% ABV (alcohol by volume), but in recent years the strength has been reduced to 5% ABV – this is a common trend domestically. The brewery continues to brew a 6.5% “super strength” label called Thai Beer for the domestic market only, and it is one of the maltiest of the Thai brews, aimed at the crowd that wants the most alcoholic bang for the buck. Boon Rawd also brews Singha Light Beer (3.5% ABV), Singha Gold, Singha Soda Water, Singha Water, Leo, a non-premium beer at 5% ABV, and Leo Super, a 6.5% alcohol beer. Leo, Leo Super, and Thai are all aimed at the consumer who wishes to drink beer economically.
Bia Singha has won a gold medal at the World Beer Championships, and the Beverage Testing Institute gives it a 91 rating. It has a clear, bright golden-amber color. “Fresh sourdough bread and dried lemon and faint coconut milk aromas. A frothy, zippy entry leads to a dryish light-to-medium body of honeyed lemon, rye toast, and straw flavors. Finishes in a long, very refreshing citrus zest and praline fade with balanced bittering hops. A super quaffer.” BTI. What stands out on tasting is the flavor; it is a German style lager – probably first cousin to a Warsteiner. It’s not too light and not too full bodied, well balanced, but the underlying flavor is hoppy, dry and robust – enough to stand its own against a spicy Thai curry, and refreshing in tropical heat.
ThaiBev is Boon Rawd’s main competition, enjoying a recent 70% share of the beer drinking market, and in 1994 introduced a new pale lager named Beer Chang. Chang is brewed for the domestic market at 6.4% ABV and for the export market at 5% ABV. However, the two “versions” are actually different beers, the export beer being a 100% malt beer like its domestic draught sibling, while the Beer Chang sold in-country in Thailand contains some rice in the brewing profile. In 2004, the company introduced Archa beer, at 5.4% ABV, which won a gold medal at the 2007 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA); it was aimed at the growing beer market that preferred a lighter beer. In 2006, the company came out with Chang Light, 4.2% ABV, and Chang Draught in bottles, at 5% ABV (to compete more with Singha head-on). ThaiBev has also introduced Federbräu, a 4.7 ABV German style lager, in 2009. Additionally, ThaiBev produces Sangsom and Mekhong liquors, the two most popular liquors in the country. ThaiBev used to brew Carslberg under license domestically until Carlsberg backed out of their deal with ThaiBev, and some see Federbräu as a replacement for losing Carlsberg.
Bia Chang has won a Gold Medal at the World Beer Championships, and has received a 90 rating from the BTI (Beverage Testing Institute). Their review reads thusly: “Bright golden color. Honeyed raisin toast aromas with a hint of lychee follow through on a crisp, smooth entry to a dryish medium body with a hint of apple, nut, and a solid roasted grain character. Finishes with a crisp, balanced earthy hop and pizza dough fade. A very nice food beer.” BTI. Other reviewers have said this: “Very clear, golden yellow in color, with very tiny, persistent bubbles. Light head that dissipated quickly after pouring. Soft citrus, apple cider, and honey; additionally a biscuit-like, rice quality, perhaps from the malt. Very soft apple, carbonation is not intense but it is refreshing on the palate. Tingling sensation on tongue and light acidity.” One thing Chang is noted for in Thailand (remember, this is the 6.5 ABV version) is the famous “Changover” you’ll feel the next day, if you over-consume that is.
Thai Amarit Brewery in Pathum Pani, just north of Bangkok, was recently purchased by San Miguel Brewery, based in the Philippines, but also brewing in Spain. Amarit previously brewed Bangkok Beer, a lower priced pale lager for the export market. Now they also brew San Miguel and San Miguel Light, both crisp and refreshing lagers which are gaining in popularity, especially the Light version. You are most likely to find both San Miguel labels in tourist bars rather than in Thai neighborhood bars. Both are bottled at 5% ABV. Amarit has also started producing Phuket Beer, which has won Gold Medals from 2006 through 2010 in the category of Best Lager under the selection process of the Monde Selection organization based in Brussels, Belgium, and has won three gold medals in Barcelona. Phuket originally made three types of its “Pearl” label: Dunkel, Lager, and Wheat, now, under Amarit, it just has the lager. It was originally known as Phuket Island Beer, and is considered Thailand’s first regional brew. Phuket, at 5% ABV, is sold in Bangkok and in Phuket, but is now being exported as a premium Thai label. ThaiBev’s Federbräu Beer and Amarit’s Phuket Beer are the only Thai beers that are brewed according to the German beer purification laws, or Reinheitsgebot. Amarit also brews Siam Beer and Klassik Beer, both solidly aimed at the low price market.
Asia Pacific Breweries is licensed to brew Heineken domestically in Thailand, following the exacting recipe of the original. Heineken is one of the cleaner tasting brews in Thailand, and at 5% ABV, is stronger than it is in the States. It is also the most expensive of the common brews in the country, so it tends to be more popular with tourists, expats, and upper middle class and upper class drinkers. Tiger Beer, at 5%ABV, is a famous brand from Singapore that is gaining popularity, with a slightly more refined flavor than Chang. Part of its promotion campaign in the last few years is that Tiger is the “Asian Beer of the Arsenal Football Club” (English Premier League football (soccer) is incredibly popular in Thailand).
Mittweida is smooth and refreshing premium beer brewed by Boon Rawd in the typical malty Thai style, but with a nuance of hops on the finish. The 1874 recipe comes from a brewery in Mittweida, Germany and Boon Rawd originally thought it could compete with Heineken. Limited availability problems have been compounded by Boon Rawd’s deal to start brewing Kloster. Kloster is another German brand brewed under license in Thailand, aimed at the upscale market and at the numerous German tourists. Asahi is a premium Japanese beer brewed under license in Thailand, aimed at the upscale market and at Japanese tourists, of which there are many.
There are several minor labels in Thailand including Cheers Beer at 5.6 ABV, The taste has been termed smooth, sweet or fruity, reminding some of the white beer Belgian brand “Hoegaarden”. It targets those who might appreciate a quality brew at a budget price. Red Horse is also a new brand from San Miguel/Amarit with a whopping 6.9% ABV and a bargain price tag. Siam Sato leads the low price-high hangover ration pack at an amazing 8% ABV. Blue Ice Beer is Thailand’s answer to the ice beer craze that hit the States years back.
One last popular beer in Thailand is not brewed in Thailand at all, but across the border in Laos. Beer Lao is every Thai beer aficionado’s favorite brew, but it can be difficult to find in Thailand. Everyone that visits the north tries to find some from the Chong Mek brewery right across the Thai border at Nong Khai and Udon Thani. Produced by the talents of Czech-trained brewmaster Sivilay Lasachack it was created in 1973, partly due to a nationalization scheme by Lao officials. Currently it is half-owned by the socialist government and half by Danish brewer Carlsberg. Beer Lao comes in two varieties: dark, or Beer Lao Dum, at 6.5ABV and slightly more bitter, giving it an ale-like edge. They also produce a 5% ABV lager that seems almost like a pale ale, which is very highly rated by connoisseurs.
As with any nationality and a combination of spirits and ethnic food, the accepted recommendation is that it always tastes best when consumed with the spirits produced in the same region. So it is with Thai cuisine. If you plan on drinking beer with your Thai food at Madam Mam’s, be sure you order a Singha or a Chang. It will add considerably to the overall dining experience.
