Beer Lao Dark

[tamada]

Sam Adams aint anywhere near 20%. I had 20% beer at the African Nations Cup in Takoradi, Ghana last year and it was so strong, we had to cut it 50/50 with Sprite. It tasted like a super-concentrated Carlsberg Special from way back and almost made you gag. We had a Yorkshireman who skulled 2 tall cans neat, calling us all wusses. Some time around 4 am, he walked through a plate glass window and f*cked up our party bit time but he wasn't too cut up about it. But the hangover... oh my God, what a beauty!

[tamada]

American beers are generally in the 1.8% to 3% bracket which is the maximum allowed for 'beer'. The stronger stuff like Sam Adams and Icehouse are specifically labelled 'Ales' and can legally be anything between 5% and 8%. When I lived in the US, I usually drank Icehouse or Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Then I started 'importing' Caffrey's to feed my addiction.

[tamada]

http://www.brewdog.com/

Does me head in nicely....

[beer monkey]

its our Aussie Brothers that like weaker stuff like Fosters....although they have some good stuff on offer too.

Really? Such as?

And don't say Coopers. Leo is miles better.

OK OK i will tell you.....there is Ermmmm ....Errrrr....well that ermmmmm the ermm errrr... i will get it in a minute.....

[beer monkey]

Sam Adams aint anywhere near 20%

Sam Adams have a brew 'Triple Bock'...over 17%, also they do a very special brew at 25%...not your average mans tipple i will grant you but they do do some very strong stuff.

[FrazeeDK]

a friend brought down some LaneXang (bottles) from Vientiane a couple of weeks ago.. A slightly cheaper brew than Beer lao Lager, and a bit different taste... I'd say LaneXang is a Beer Chang equivalent targeting the low-end consumer with a bit more alcohol. During the same visit, another friend brought down a full 12 bottle rack of Beer Lao lager my personal favorite... I detected no discernible change in the taste of the beer which I drank regularly when living in Vientiane for 5 years... I'm still waiting for ASEAN to enforce the low-tariffs they agreed to on alcohol that should have taken effect back in 2008... That's why the Lao built that additional Savannakhet Beer Lao brewery, to export into Thailand..

[Marmite The Dog]

I'm still waiting for ASEAN to enforce the low-tariffs they agreed to on alcohol that should have taken effect back in 2008... That's why the Lao built that additional Savannakhet Beer Lao brewery, to export into Thailand..

It's the Laotians who have asked for an extension on the low-tariffs as they feel their market isn't mature enough to cope with the expected influx of Thai beers and that Beer Lao will take a bit of a battering.

I know that Beer Lao is a far superior beer than any made here, but that doesn't mean that the Thais will actually buy much of it, for two reasons. One; it's not 'Thai' and two; they wouldn't know a good beer if it bit them on the arse.

It reminds me of a time in the Dubliner (Bangkok) when I asked the waitress if they had any Beer Lao. She told me with a certain smugness that we were in Thailand, not Laos and that they only sold Thai beers. I didn't have the heart...

[FrazeeDK]

you're right Marmite, the Lao did say that.. Seeing as how 95% of Beer Lao is currently brewed for domestic consumption, and the new Savannakhet brewery will more than double capacity, I'd conjecture that the Lao big boys probably got paid off by the big Thai brewers. Those old commies are all about "bird in hand cash" as opposed to looking at the future. As for Thais not knowing good beer, you'r probably right there too!! If however, Beer Lao is brought in with only a 5% tariff on top of a wholesale price for a 640 ml bottle (about 24 oz), I'd figure retail price in Thailand with a 5-8 baht profit would be 25-29 Baht, beating almost all Thai Beer hands down.. And for poor Thais, that's the bottom line... cheap with a higher alcohol content..

[Marmite The Dog]

Maybe that's why they've just launched that stronger LaneXang stuff, to cater for the immature Thai palette?

[old-timer]

American beers are generally in the 1.8% to 3% bracket which is the maximum allowed for 'beer'

yes, they sell that in the uk as well - but in the uk it's called shandy

with regard to beer lao dark - i found it doesn't keep very well - if it's anywhere near the sell by
date it taste stale. although may i add that it's a delightful brew when it's fresh and ice cold.