Beer isn't native to Vietnam, it was introduced to the southeast-asian country by the French, but quickly became exceptionally popular with locals as it was easy to produce, drink, its refreshing quality a godsend in Vietnam's hot weather. Before beer, the tipple of choice for locals was rice-based moonshine. When a shortage of rice occured in the 60's, the government dictated that rice was only meant for food and not alcohol, which also helped propel beer's popularity. Today Vietnam is one of the world's top 10 largest beer markets. 

Vietnam is a country with a wide diversity of beers. (Image Source: Beer VN)

Something of interest about Vietnam's beer scene is the existence of regional influences. In the south, Bia Saigon produced by ThaiBev-run SABECO is outstandingly popular; in the central region, Larue and Huda have the people's heart, and then in the north, Bia Hanoi from Carlsberg-operated HABECO takes the lead. As you might guess, each of these beers have their own styles and nuances that befits the regional palate preferences.

It might also be interesting to note that across these breweries, at least one common thread is that the Vietnam government is a sizeable shareholder in them, alongside which is typically an appointed foreign beer partner such as ThaiBev, Carlsberg and Heineken.

Today, we're heading to north Vietnam, Hanoi, to try our hand at some Bia Hanoi.

(Image Source: Fine Art Printery on Etsy)

Let's take a quick look at the history of Bia Hanoi. 

When the French got to Vietnam in the 1800s, a bunch of them started beer breweries to cater to foreigners who came to inhabit the country. In the south, Victor Larue started the Indochina Brewery in Ho Chi Minh, while in the north, Alfred Hommel started the Hommel Brewery in 1890. 

When Vietnam gained independence in 1945, the local government took back control of key businesses which included beer breweries - the Indochina Brewery became the Saigon Beverage Co or SABECO (which later created the Bia Saigon brand), while Hommel Brewery became the Hanoi Beverage Co or HABECO (also referred to as Hanoi Brewery). The beer coming out of Hanoi Brewery was thus renamed Bia Hanoi.

As part of the independence efforts, the new local government felt particularly strongly about locals having access to what was seemingly a foreign-only source of enjoyment that was up till that point too expensive for locals - they wanted the locals to get to enjoy beer as well. This would require beer prices to become far more affordable.

To reduce the price of Bia Hanoi (affectionately nicknamed Bia Hoi, which means "fresh beer"), production capacity was dramatically increased and production cycles dramatically shortened. The low alcohol beer was no longer pasteurised (making it a draft/draught beer, versus Bia Saigon which is a pasteurised lager), it was brewed daily with short fermentation times and distributed hastily in reusable metal kegs rather than glass bottles.

There's even a complementary local iconic novelty called the Bia Hoi cup (a thick, inconsistently shaped, green glass) which came to existence in support of locals enjoying Bia Hoi. 

Consequently till today, Bia Hoi remains a popular local favorite in Hanoi, and is also one of the cheapest beers in the world.

Let's give it a go!

Bia Hà Nội (Bia Hanoi), HABECO, 4.4% ABV - Review

Color: Jasmine Green Tea

Aroma: Exceptionally fresh! Fresh and aromatic but gentle classic draught notes - honey, jasmine, citrusy yuzu. It's bright and floral with no bite whatsoever. There's a certain "farmhouse" quality to it, somewhat akin to freshly churned butter.

Taste: Smooth, light, bright and mellow. It's very gentle and easy to drink with notes of light citrus, tending towards lemon tea, honey, vanilla and white florals, with a touch of black tea tannins. It is distinctively not very fizzy and with just a very faint bitterness.

Finish: It gets heavier and denser now, with notes of jasmine green tea with honey, with a tad bit of light acidity towards the end.

My Thoughts

True to its reputation it really is distinctively fresh - that is bright, gentle and aromatic with easy notes of white florals, honey and citrus. The texture is smooth and light and finishing the whole can in a gulp is ridiculously easy. There is next to no alcoholic bite. There's some complexity as it gets denser towards the finish, almost an amplification of the profile of the aroma and the initial palate. It's incredibly enjoyable, refreshing and works as a great food companion or simply a thirst quencher for a hot day. 

If you're comparing this to some of the other local beers, take for example Bia Saigon or Larue, you'll find Bia Hanoi (or Bia Hoi) distinctively fresher, more aromatic, and lighter with a more pronounced "raw" or "farm"-y aroma and taste. It's easier to drink and comes across less alcoholic.

A tip for those looking to try Bia Hanoi is to drink it quickly after pouring it out - this maximises the distinctive and popular freshness that is associated with the brand. When left out, it tends to lose its freshness and becomes more tannic and astringent and isn't nearly as enjoyable as consumed fresh.

Definitely try this if you're in Hanoi!

Kanpai!

@111hotpot