Hopping happy

In case you didn’t know, today is international beer day. Founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California, it has grown from a small local event in the western United States into a worldwide celebration spanning 50 countries all over the world, including Thailand. It’s the time of year when you’re encouraged to give one another the “gift of beer” by buying each other drinks, and to express gratitude to brewers, bartenders and other beer technicians.
And it’s also a great opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and sample beers from another cultures. Did you know that among the Asean member countries, there are more than 50 labels of pilsner, lager and even stout to enjoy? Our good friends from all over the community suggested some local brews with which to toast international beer day.
Laotian jasmine rice and German hops find marital harmony matrimony in Beerlao, Laos’ national brew first produced by Lao Brewery Company of Vientiane in 1973. Palatable with malt aromas and a hint of rice, Beerlao lager is best paired with seafood, white meat and spicy Laotian dishes. The brewery also offers Beerlao Light with less alcohol content and Beerlao Dark with 6.5-per-cent alcohol. While most lagers should be served cold, Beerlao is one very few that also tastes decent at room temperature.
Another beer that has been widely distributed in Thailand for a while is the Philippines’ San Miguel Pale Pilsen, produced by San Miguel Brewery. Made from imported barley malt, as well as German and American hops, it is exported to more than 40 countries worldwide. The pale yellow beer has mild malty tastes and aroma of grain and hay. It’s best supped chilled.
Singapore has been the proud owner of award-winning Tiger Beer since 1932. The pale lager sports a light, golden colour with a crisp, malty tang on the palate. It’s a light-bodied beer with medium carbonation, making it one of the easier to drink. At the 2011 World Quality Selections, organised by Monde Selection, the brand won a Gold Quality award.
When in Indonesia, look for nothing else but locally brewed Bintang pale lager. Many find the taste similar to Heineken (even the red star in the logo is reminiscent of a Heineken bottle) but Bingtang is lighter with less yeasty finish and also more refreshing, making it a great match with spicy and savoury Indonesian food. There’s also an alcohol-free version called Bintang Zero packaged in a blue bottle and Green Sands, which is a beer mixed with lime that has about one-per-cent alcohol. If you like watery and light beer, Bintang is the one for you.
Cambodia’s Angkor pale lager is the national favourite. Brewed locally at Cambrew Brewery in Sihanoukville, it boasts a rich golden colour and mild alcohol content. The beer is full bodied with soft bitterness and slight hop aroma on the nose. Its watery mouth makes it easy to drink, but it doesn’t really make for a tasty brew. Cambodia’s Klang Beer, Bayon Beer, Angkor Extra Stout and Black Panther Premium Stout are also brewed at this brewery.
If you go “beer station” hopping in Myanmar, chances are you might come across the country’s popular Myanmar Beer that comes in standard version (5.5-per-cent alcohol) and Double Strong (7.7-per-cent alcohol). This deep yellow brew premium lager is light and a bit watery with a slightly sweet aftertaste to counterbalance the alcohol kick. It is only lightly carbonated, though, and the thin white head tends to disappear quite quickly. It’s best served very cold.
Another brand worth sampling is Dragon Extra Strong. This strong lager has larger, more lingering head and more carbonation. It’s tart and light with slightly creamy finish. Over all, it’s a pleasant and refreshing beer you can enjoy chilled with or without food.
Vietnam, one of the biggest beer drinking countries in the world, is a beer lovers’ paradise with a vast variety of brews available on every corner of the street at very reasonable prices. When they say bottled water costs more than a beer in Vietnam, they’re not kidding. The country has almost 30 varieties of beer to choose from. If you like your pint dark, burnt and yet light, look for Louisiane Dark Lager, which is “balanced by New Zealand Willamette hops” and goes well with heavier, tasty foods like red meat.
Hanoi Beer was the pioneer in beer production and is famous all over Vietnam’s north. It’s so light and watery that it’s often downed like water. Other popular brands include Saigon Export, which has slightly lower alcohol content and is famous for its light and addictive taste, and 333 Premium that has gradually become famous in several other countries for its slightly sweet nose and well-carbonated, bitter aftertaste.
Vietnamese folks also enjoy home brew draft beer or “bia hoi” sold very cheaply at the kind of street side restaurants where you sit on tiny plastic chairs that are placed too close to the traffic. You might have second thoughts about ordering it but it’s definitely worth a try and you could find yourself lounging comfortably with a crowd of new friends several hours later.
Go on. Crack open a cold one and raise a toast to the International Beer Day.