Beer
(Contributed
by Trevor Ranges)
Part
2
Big
Beer Hall Style
Knowing better than to fall for the titles of faux-breweries
such as Coliseum Brew Arena (which served the standard
4 beers plus one, last time I foolishly walked through
their doors) we headed down to Brew Pavillion on Ratchada
and then over to Tawaen Daeng on Rama III. Both breweries,
styled in the fashion of German beer halls, seat thousands
of patrons who can watch live entertainment while
knocking back tasty German Lagers. Relishing a change
in style, our judges savored the medium bodied, amber-brown
Dunkel and tart, fruity Weizen served at each brewery.
Both establishments produced highly refreshing and
drinkable beers, crafted by German brewers and, we
assumed, under the strict tradition of the German
beer purity law, Reinheitsgebot (and if not, it was
certainly fun to say after 5 hours of steady beer
consumption). At this point, the judges found all
the beers equally wonderful, and the "winner" of the
German Brewery tasting was not the beer itself but
the 5 liter towers of beer available at Tawan Daeng.
In addition to the German lagers available at these
two breweries, we discussed the relatively wide selection
of quality imported German beers available on tap
at select locations around town. The beer garden at
Suan Lum night bazaar serves Paulaner, Erdinger, and
Schneider Weisse, to name a few. Also available at
select stores are a surprising number of imported
bottled and canned beers like Weihenstephaner, Veltin,
Warsteiner, and Schwarzer Drachen.
Two for One!
The following night, the die-hard members of the drinking
team made our way over to the Londoner on Sukhumvit.
Several of us had tasted their beers on prior occasions
and did not have particularly fond memories. However,
once we discovered that it was Wednesday, which happened
to be 2-for-1 night, we were willing to give them
another shot. Having drunk massive amounts of lager
the previous night, we were eager to sample the Londoner's
Pride Cream Bitter, one of the few types of ale available
in the Kingdom. We were fortunate to have four judges
present that night, as our waitress ludicrously informed
us that the two-for-one policy did not allow us to
have one beer of each style. The even number allowed
us to swap, and after one Bitter and one London Pilsner
33 we were satisfied with our round. While the pilsner
was well balanced yet mildly sweet, the ale was "less
offensive than I remember" and "worth ? a buy-one-get
one, but not at full price; 20 baht less than I can
get a Guinness for across the way". The ale received
mediocre reviews from our team, which, having no English
judge was uncertain if it should be served so lightly
carbonated.
Would you like some cheese with that beer?
Our next stop that evening was Tony's Entertainment
Complex. Upon entering Tony's, we were immediately
put off by the thumping Thai-pop and incongruous day-glow
d?cor. Nonetheless, we were there for the beer, so
we found a "quiet" corner and ordered up a round of
Tony's Black, Tony's Brown, and Tony's Golden. Despite
our tacky environs, we found the beers surprisingly
good. Tony's Golden was a mild, but refreshing pilsner
and the Brown a light bodied and smooth brown lager.
The Black, even under dark lighting, didn't appear
to be exactly black, and its rich, fruity, and sweet
flavor set off a debate as to whether the beer was
a high alcohol porter or perhaps a German bock. Regardless,
we agreed the beers were all very palatable, although
rather expensive for 130 baht for 1/3 liter. When
the bill came and our teetotaler was hit up 130 baht
for a small water, we felt a bit had. Our experience
soured further when, upon exiting the establishment,
we realized we could have saved our ear drums and
our pocketbooks by drinking ? price beers in Tony's
outdoor "beer garden", 4 small steel chairs and two
tables set beside Petchaburi road.
Before you get on that plane!
Ready to leave Thailand because you think you've discovered
all the imported German lagers, had your fill of the
Thai brands, and can't find a decent ale? Before you
get on that plane you should swing by the Brew House
on the 2nd floor of Terminal Two at Don Muang International
Airport. Brew House carries four hand-crafted beers
with names befitting of the American Micro-Brew style
represented by their best offering, the Head Butt
Strong Ale. The light-coppery pale ale has a crisp,
tangy flavor and a floral hoppy aroma reminiscent
of California's Sierra Nevada. The Killer Bee Lager,
Mama Bull Pilsner, and Twister Wheat Beer were each
quaffable in their own right, but it was the Head
Butt, unique among all beers brewed in Thailand, that
caught our attention. Brew House is arguably worth
a trip to the airport just for a taste, but definitely
as an excuse for arriving at the airport early when
picking up visiting friends.
But the Best Beer of All…
You guessed it: Free Beer! To celebrate our success,
and unfortunately dispel a tasty rumor, we dropped
in the Bull's Head, on Soi 33, for Sunday 'Toss the
Boss'. We walked into the bar hoping the recent reduction
in Guinness prices would allow us to try our luck
at winning some free Irish stout. Sadly, we were only
able to score a few free Heinys and Carlsbergs. Nonetheless,
we are grateful for the Guinness Promotion, halving
the exorbitant price normally charged for this love-it-or-hate-it
velvety brew. Available along with Kilkenny red ale
at Dubliner, Irish X-Change, and O'Reileys.
