Super Drunk Tramp

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Now we have come the end of our SE Asia adventure I if think it’s time for a beer blog. I will give a brief review of each beer we have sampled and then give my top five pick of the pops countdown at the end. Some of the photos also document my travelling weight loss; I got weighed on one of them machines outside a 7/11 the other day and I reckon I have lost nearly two stones in five months. But don’t worry everyone, I have eaten like a fat girl at a cake shop for the last few weeks and I’m now starting to gain a few pounds again! So here goes:-

1. Tiger

This is a beer that is pretty well known back in the western world but with its headquarters in Singapore it was the perfect beer to start to trip. Most beers in Singapore are priced at about £6 for a bottle. We found a dirty little bar in Chinatown where we could get one for £1.80 so we shared. At 5% it is a good solid pale lager but for some reason it’s quite expensive in SE Asia compared to others. The one and only Tiger of the trip.

2. Chang

Chang means elephant in Thai and is also the beer, I love both varieties. I first experienced Chang Beer on a skiing trip to Italy when I was 16 years old. My friends and I only knew it as the elephant beer back then and thinking we were cool we all sank about six pints. Let’s just say it was not easy flying down steep black run the next morning. Some of my football friends have also nicknamed me ‘Chang’ after ordered many very frequently in a Thai restaurant. At 90p for a big bottle it’s cheaper than Singha and is a better choice than Leo if you want to get drunk. It does, however, have a higher alcohol content than both and you can tell in the taste and the next morning. Chang leaves an awful hangover which is better known in the backpacker world as a Changover.

3. Singha

An excellent beer which is brewed at produced in Thailand. A lovely pale lager and with a 5% alcohol content it has a much clearer and crisper taste than Chang. For some reason though it is much more expensive drink Singha in Thailand with a big bottle costing around £1.50. An excellent beer if you wish to splash the cash.

4. San Miguel

For some reason in the middle of the Khao San Road in Bangkok, European beers were much cheaper than the local beers of Singha, Chang and Leo and it gave us an excellent chance to flavour this Spanish beverage. A lovely pale lager it brought back instant memories of Spain and my best mates stag do last year. One of Janes favourites back home.

5. Angkor

Brewed just a stone’s throw away from the famous temples after which the beer is named, Angkor is light pale beer with a taste of hops, corn and a hint of fruits. It was a decent beer and very cheap at 30 pence. The cans also came with old style ring pulls which brought back some great memories of stealing my Dads cans of stones bitter.

6. Saigon

Vietnam’s most popular brand of beer and a great choice. Another pale lager with a sweet taste and a malty flavour. It was an excellent introduction to Vietnam and goes down easier than Cristiano Ronaldo in the box. A top choice.

7. Biere Larue

A French influenced beer which is nice golden coloured beer with a malty taste and easy to drink. I also liked the tiger on the bottle. Be careful not to drink too many though can leave an evil headache the next morning.

8. Halida

A northern Vietnamese beer brewed in Hanoi. Another pale SE Asian lager which is pretty similar to the others with a malty taste. As I can remember it was pretty cheap.

9. Huda

The city of Hue was annihilated in the Vietnam War but the Americans did leave one decent lasting souvenir of a decent brewery. Huda beer was a lovely beverage after a hard day exploring the war torn city in the intense humidity. The most impressive thing was the price, at 30 pence for a big bottle it was easily the highlight of our trip to Hue.

10. Huda Export

The big brother the previous brew, Huda Export is just slightly higher in alcohol content and at only five pence more a bottle it’s the smart choice if you want to get a big squiffy darling!

11. Bia Hoi

Literally translated to fresh beer, Bia Hoi is so much than just the poor man’s drink, it’s an institution. Sitting on small plastic chairs at the side of busy road is something not to be missed in Vietnam. The beer is not strong and you would have to drink a lot to get drunk, but at 15 pence a glass one could lose many hours just watching the world go by.

12. Lao Cai

I can’t even really remember drinking Lao Cai. I do remember that we were in Sapa and it was slightly more expensive that the rest of the beers in Vietnam. Not one to get excited about.

13. Bia Hanoi

A stronger tasting beer than most I have had in SE Asia, it had more of a darker colour and malty flavour that the rest. The closest thing to a bitter I’ve had but still a million miles away. Its seems ok to start with but then the taste diminishes the more you drink. Distinctly average at best.

14. Beer Lao

Brewed in the capital Vientiane, this 5% golden light beer is made from locally grown jasmine rice and hops and yeast that are imported from Germany. This is an excellent beer, strong but not too strong, its gets you pissed quickly but it doesn’t seem to give you a hangover. At 60 pence for a big bottle it just leaves you wanting more and more and more. Perfect.

15. Leo

Back in northern Thailand we decided to try Leo. It’s slightly cheaper than Chang and not as strong, but after two bottles on our last night in Pai, Jane fell into a plant pot. A good time beer and a decent cheaper choice.

The Top Five

5. Huda

Huda just makes it into the top five ahead of Chang for two reasons, its loads cheaper and doesn’t have the changover effect. An excellent beer.

4. Saigon

Saigon is a great beer and for me is brilliant memory of what a fantastic country Vietnam is. It’s cheap, easy to drink and overall class beverage.

3. Bia Hoi

It’s more about the atmosphere than the actual taste of the beer, but drinking at Bia Hoi Junction in Hanoi is something that I will never forget and will always miss. The frantic city, the smell, the mopeds whizzing past and the travellers all around telling drunken tales. Something which has to be done.

2. Singha

You what what you pay for in this world and there is a reason Singha is more expensive than the rest, it’s a beautiful beer. Sweet tasting but still strong enough to get you pissed. An overall excellent beer even for the extra twenty pence.

And at number 1.

Beer Lao

I don’t think I can say much more about how much I love Beer Lao, but I would like to share with you a recent FB conversation I had with our good friend Neil Thomas who visited Laos last year. I think it sums it up quite nicely:-

Neil Thomas- “ Ahhhh Beer Lao. My soul mate. The chilled out drink of the gods. It’s the sweet sweet taste of freedom. An amber angel sent from heaven to nourish the soul with golden fizz. It keeps you cool on hot days and warm on cold days. It’s a well earned reward after a hard day of doing nothing. It’s better than stroking dogs. It’s better than fish and chips. It’s up there with gravy in the hit parade of earthly pleasures. I’ll be back to see you soon Beer Lao. For we have unfinished business my golden friend 😊”

Me: I don't know if I can beat 'stroking dogs', but I is will say this; Everytime I take a sip I feel like angels have been sent down from the Laos Gods to stroke my balls and play with my nipples! For me it’s up there with the finer things in life, such as, mushy peas, marmite on toast, roast beef and Yorkshire puddings, scoring a goal, playing with lego and the smell of fresh cut grass. I can now understand why the Laos folk sit around sleeping and doing nothing all day, it’s because they have created and found the meaning of life. They can't top it. It’s a tonic for the soul! :-)

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Photos

1. Tiger Beer
Singapore - the first beer on the first day

2.Chang
CHANGTASTIC

14. Beer Lao
The beer of the gods!

Comments

[jen+neil]

changover :)
We Chang-ed at Thai House last night and thought of you both. Safe trip to the land of Coopers and James Squire xx

[Mum]

Heavenly Beer!
Great Blog Paul! Are you sure its only beer thats made you feel so good??

[Patrick]

Fantastic blog
Great beer blog. and I must say I also enjoyed Singha when I was in Singapore. Will look out for Beer Lao in November when I head to Asia again.