Beer

"Liquid Gold"

[ Bieha ]

© Nightlife -  Travelers' Net
Text and Pictures by Michael Bjorklund

It's important to consume lots of liquids when you spend time in sunny Thailand. Especially if you're not used to the climate. Although most of that liquid should be water, there's also room for a beer or two. Here's a brief look at the most common brands of beer you can find in the bars and supermarkets.

	Singha is the heavily adver- tised domestic beer which all the tourists has to try. And by all means, they should. It has a somewhat sweet taste and if you're a slow drinker it has a tendency to go flat. Drink it fast like you're supposed to and you'll be ok.		Heineken is always Heineken. However, this particular beer is brewed under license in Thailand and it's not an exact copy of it's European cousin. But relax, it's close enough. The "Heineken feeling" is there and you will not be disappointed.
	LEO is not as common in the bars (yet). It's a domestic beer which is worth a try. You'll find it in most supermarkets and if it's served well chilled it's a worthy challenger to Singha Beer. Don't overlook this one when you're here!		Beer Chang is the Thai version of Carlsberg's Elephant Beer. (Chang = Elephant). For some strange reason this version is a lot better. It's a strong beer but you can not detect that in the taste. Be careful with this beer. A beer which runs down this easily and holds 8-9% alcohol is dangerous.
	Carlsberg is strong in Thailand and their beer is found in all the bars. Sometimes a little cheaper than Heineken. Just ask the Thai staff in a bar for a "Bieha Cassberg".