Thai Beer 101 – serving up Singhas

“Singha beer, please!” “Large one small one?” “Large one, please!” “Ka…” Few things beat lounging on the beach or in the pool, enjoying a Samui sunset with a chilled beer in hand. We’re sure many of you will agree with that sentiment. But a far more difficult question seems to be, which Thai beer is the best?

The Easy Answer. The easy answer is any of them. You’ve already got your feet up (proverbially, of course – learn why not to do this in Thailand), and you’ve got your sunset. It would take far more than an average beer to wipe that smile from your face. Of course, when there’s the luxury of choice, and there often is, the choosing isn’t nearly so simple…

Singha. Singha is probably the best known Thai beer outside of Thailand. Partnerships with Manchester United and Chelsea Football Clubs and the F1 Red Bull Racing Team have helped to raise its international profile, but equally, so have its distinctive flavour and relatively high alcohol content. Singha is characterised by a strong malty flavour which makes it a perfect drinking companion with something like a massaman curry. (Choeng Mon’s Garland Restaurant gets our vote for best massaman). It complements salty and heavily seasoned dishes, but also happens to be the most drinkable Thai beer when had by itself too.

At some point during your stay in Thailand, you’ll probably hear an old hand sagely informing you that no one “in-the-know” drinks Singha because it “contains formaldehyde”. From what we’ve read, this is almost certainly just a myth.

One last thing you should know about Singha: it’s a pretty strong lager. While it’s been reduced from a sturdy 6% ABV to a slightly more common 5%, this is still stronger than the 3-4% lagers seen elsewhere in the world.

Chang. As common as Singha in Thailand is Chang Beer. Chang is comparable to Singha in terms of strength, but it’s characterised by a much more traditional lager taste, akin to Tiger, Budweiser and Tsingdao. This can make it more refreshing than Singha when tackling a particularly spicy dish, and probably also makes it more suitable to fish and other sea food, where you don’t want to overpower the flavour of the food with the flavour of the beer.

For some reason, we’ve found that several restaurants only stock Chang in the large bottles, and not Singha, so chances are you’ll find yourself trying it at some point even if, like us, you prefer Singha.

Leo. Leo is generously described as “non-premium”, and perhaps more frequently, “swill”. Try it if you must, but don’t fear that you’ll be missing out if you don’t!

Other Regional Beers. There are some other great beers in South East Asia which can be much harder to come across but which, if you do, you simply must try.

• Beerlao is brewed in Vientiane, in neighbouring Laos. This delicious beer is difficult to find in Samui but well worth trying if you see it. Its clear French influence rides at the forefront – crisp & floral – and a dark variety, similar in style to a German bock, is available too.
• Vietnam has some excellent beers as well, of which Beer Larue consistently stands out.
• Angkor Beer is probably Cambodia’s best offering, and not to be confused with Anchor Beer, an inferior brew.

European Beers. If you’re homesick, or just looking for a bit of variety, a fairly limited selection of beers from outside the region is available if you’re prepared to look, too. Paulaner, Leffe Blonde and Brune and Erdinger are available sporadically, both in shops such as Tesco-Lotus and selected restaurants (typically the more upmarket ones, such as in larger hotels)

Let the taste-testing begin. Of course, if you’re in the country for a few days, you should try as many as you can. You might find a new favourite. It’s also good to keep in mind Thailand’s hot climate and the speed with which you can dehydrate during the course of the day.

Always have a bottle of water to hand, and most importantly – drink responsibly, and never drink and drive. That’s what songthaews are for.

More questions? Where to buy Thai beer (and when) is just the start!

For more crucial Koh Samui detail, check out our new Koh Samui Guide – a ’read before you leave’, 75-page eBook that answers all your pre-flight questions.

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