0
0
Travelling through Asia is as exciting as it gets. New countries, new cultures and new tastes happen constantly. It is not just the food though, that will excite your palate. Asia is a fantastic continent to try new and delicious beers. Outside of the Middle East, the continent has quite a huge beer selection. Each country or region has its own beer, some even have more than one. It can be hard deciding which is best but here is my list of the Top 10 Beers in Asia.
10. Angkor
Locale: Cambodia
Alcohol volume: 5%
Cambodia’s beer market is dominated by three brands, Angkor, the annoyingly named Anchor and the very appropriate, Cambodia. Whilst all are more than drinkable, Angkor is the standout. Often bars will sell only one of the options, especially on draft. This means that your choice is often made for you. When possible though, I always go for Angkor and it is certainly my number one choice when buying beer from a supermarket. I have had many happy times drinking the small cans of this strong hop-tasting beer.
9. Bia Huda
Locale: Hue, Vietnam
Alcohol volume: 4.7%
Vietnam is a fantastic country for beer-lovers. It is cheap, the locals love a drink and most importantly, every city seems to have its own beer. Should you travel north to south or vice-versa, you get the opportunity to try new brands every few days. One of my favourites was Bia Huda which is commonly found in Hue, a city in the country’s midlands. Produced in association with Carlsberg, this crisp-tasting lager goes perfectly with the city’s spicy and often greasy cuisine, or better yet as a great way to cool down after exploring many of the amazing temples on offer there.
8. Lion
Locale: Sri Lanka
Alcohol volume: 4.8%
Forget about the taste for a second. Without a doubt, the best thing about Lion is the packaging. I doubt there are many beers around that are as cool as this. The gold can with the huge lion emblem makes for something a bit different. As for the flavour, well that is not too shabby either. The beer is slightly sweeter than most with a slight hint of fruit. Very easy to drink, which is perfect for the scorching Sri Lankan heat.
7. Bia Saigon
Locale: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Alcohol volume: 4.3%
There is a lot of competition to be the best beer in Vietnam, but for me, Bia Saigon edges it. It is a real thirst-quencher with its light yet malty flavour (considered by some to be too watery) and also goes perfectly well with the Vietnamese cuisine. Popular noodle dishes like Pho don’t need to be over-powered by the accompanying beer. Best served ice-cold, which is why you see so many locals drink it with ice. Bia Saigon was for me, the standout in a country full of excellent beer.
6. Kingfisher
Locale: India
Alcohol volume: 4.8%
India, like Sri Lanka, doesn’t have a huge beer culture. Alcohol is often hard to find, especially as a tourist, and locals tend to drink much stronger stuff on the occasions they do drink. Having said that, that doesn’t stop India having a fantastic tasting beer in Kingfisher. Clean, crispy and soft on the palate, Kingfisher is a great accompaniment to the deliciously, spicy curries that you will eat so often during your time in the country.
5. Tsingtao
Locale: China
Alcohol volume: 4.7%
It may not always be a hit with the locals but Tsingtao is a pretty awesome beer. Often shunned in place of higher-priced, western imports because well, its China, Tsingtao given the chance is as fresh and tasty a beer as you will find. Pronounced “Qing-dao”, this beer can be found all over the world if you look hard enough. Tsingtao is easy to drink, no strong aftertaste and a bit sweet. It goes great with the likes of barbecued meat or noodle dishes that can be found all over China.
4. Bintang
Locale: Indonesia
Alcohol volume: 4.7%
Despite being primarily a Muslim country, that doesn’t stop there being a high demand for beer in Indonesia. That market is absolutely dominated by Bintang. Brewed in a partnership with Heineken, something that the taste pays testament to, Bintang is most likely the only beer you will drink during your time in Indonesia. Whether you are escaping the craziness of Jakarta or relaxing on the beach in Bali, an ice-cold Bintang is perfect for that occasion.
3. Tiger
Locale: Singapore
Alcohol volume: 5%
Back home, Tiger is my go-to beer, when available that is. However, nothing beats drinking it in the sweltering Singaporean (Or Malaysian) heat as you chow down on a delicious plate of greasy fried noodles. I am thinking Wanton Mee and a Tiger to go with it, amazing! Although available in an increasing number of varieties, the original is most definitely the best. Light-tasting and easy to drink, without any overpowering flavours, Tiger will always be a favourite of mine.
2. BeerLao
Locale: Laos
Alcohol volume: 5%
It feels like you can’t go anywhere in Laos without seeing at least one backpacker donning a BeerLao branded t-shirt or vest. This, however, only pays testament to the beer’s popularity. Time Magazine named it “Asia’s best beer”, not a bad accolade for a beer brewed in one of Asia’s lesser-known and more sleepier countries. You will be hard-pressed finding someone who doesn’t like BeerLao. Subtle in flavour and easy to drink, the manufacturers promise that only the best imported ingredients go into the making of BeerLao. This kind of care and quality make it one of the best, not only in Asia but in the world.
1. Chang
Locale: Thailand
Alcohol volume: 5%
The holy grail, the pinnacle, whatever accolade you throw at Chang, it deserves it. I have loved this beer since my first sip back in 2014. So many amazing memories have been made (and lost) drinking this beverage. Chang has some stern competition in Thailand with both Singha and Leo vying to be the country’s main premier beer brand. It often seems like tourists have their beer, the one that they enjoy above all others and stick to that. For me, it will always be Chang. I often find myself craving the experience of sitting on the beach or by the roadside at a food stall, sipping on this amazing beer.
It was a difficult choice deciding which beers would and would not make the list. This only pays testament to how many great brands there are across the continent. Asahi from Japan and both Red Horse and San Miguel from the Philippines were two that narrowly missed out but are a must-try should you get the opportunity. This is only my opinion though and what I consider to be the best beer in Asia, might not even be the best beer in Thailand according to some.
Let me know in the comment box below, what your favourite beer in Asia is!
Great post for us as we are beer lovers!!thanks for sharing.
Uou didn’t mention Beer Lao dark. Now THAT is a beer
to badly