Bangkok (Lonely Planet) - Andrew Burke [131]
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BEER
Advertised with such slogans as ‘Ъrà·têht row, bee·a row’ (‘our land, our beer’), the Singha label is considered the quintessential Thai beer by fà·ràng (Westerners) and locals alike. Pronounced sǐng, this pilsner claims about half the domestic market. Singha’s original recipe was formulated in 1934 by Thai nobleman Phya Bhirom Bhakdi, the first Thai to earn a brewmaster’s diploma in Germany. The barley for Singha is grown in Thailand, while the hops are imported from Germany. The alcohol content for Singha beer is a heady 6%. It is sold in brown glass bottles (330ml and 660ml) with a shiny gold lion on the label, as well as in cans (330ml). It is available on tap as bee·a sòt (draught beer) – much tastier than either bottled or canned brew – in many Bangkok pubs and restaurants.
Singha’s biggest rival, Beer Chang, pumps the alcohol content up to 7%. Beer Chang has managed to gain an impressive following mainly because it retails at a significantly lower price than Singha and thus offers more bang per baht.
Boon Rawd (the makers of Singha) responded with its own cheaper brand, Leo. Sporting a black-and-red leopard label, Leo costs only slightly more than Beer Chang but is similarly high in alcohol.
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A THAI-PILSNER PRIMER
We relish the look of horror on the faces of Thailand newbies when the waitress casually plunks several cubes of ice into their pilsners. Before you rule out completely this supposed blasphemy, there are a few reasons why we and the Thais actually prefer our beer on the rocks. Firstly, despite all the alleged accolades displayed on most bottles, Thai beer does not possess the most sophisticated bouquet in the world and is best drunk as cold as possible. Also, if you haven’t already noticed, the weather in Thailand is often extremely hot, another reason it makes sense to maintain your beer at maximum chill. And lastly, domestic brews are generally quite high in alcohol and the ice helps to dilute this, preventing dehydration and one of those infamous Beer Chang hangovers the next day. Taking these theories to the extreme, some laces in Thailand serve something called beea wún (jelly beer), beer that has been semifrozen until it reaches a deliciously slushy and refreshing consistency.
If you tire of the mainstream domestic stuff, try the decent home-brewed German-style beers at Tawan Daeng German Brewhouse or imported Erdinger, Weihenstephaner and others at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Londoner (Map; 0 2261 0238/9; basement, UBC II Bldg, cnr Soi 33 & Th Sukhumvit) brews a passable English-style bitter, and Molly Malone’s has imported Kilkenny and Guinness on tap, not to mention several other imports. And HOBS specialises in the beers of Belgium, arguably some of the world’s greatest. However, a brief warning: it is a painfully obvious sign that you have been in Thailand too long if your preference is to put ice in your draught Hoegaarden.
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Dutch-licensed but Thailand-brewed Heineken comes third after Singha and Chang in sales rankings. Similar ‘domestic imports’ include Asahi and San Miguel. Other Thai-brewed beers, all at the lower end of the price spectrum, include Cheers and Beer Thai. More variation in Thai beer brands is likely in the coming years as manufacturers scramble to command market share by offering a variety of flavours and prices.
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RICE WHISKY & RUM
Rice whisky is a favourite of the working class in Bangkok, since it’s more affordable than beer. It has a sharp, sweet taste not unlike rum, with an alcohol