Thailand is a country known for its distinctive cuisine with a unique flavor profile that is at once spicy and also often fuelled by the use of aromatic herbs. Whether its Pad Thai, Tom Yum, Pad Krapow or Green Curry, it is a country whose flavors are unmistakable.

Like many other Asian countries, beer wasn't immediately native to the country and up until 1933, only imported beers was available (and not very accessible at that). Today, the country boasts over 20 different beers that you can find at any one time. However, local alcohol production laws set the pace for the country's growth when it comes to what is available. Due to the restrictive laws and the inability to advertise alcohol, the craft beer scene remains fairly minute due to the lack of ability to scale beyond microbrewery sizes.

Bangkok's vibrant streets are where you're going to find some of the most distinctive flavors in Asia. (Image Source: iStock)

In contrast, the early movers to the beer game in Thailand have become some of the biggest local companies, with three labels that are particularly dominant, known as Thailand's Big Three - Singha, Leo and Chang.

Today, we try Thailand's Big Three and tell you what we think! As an added bonus, we're joined by two friends from Thailand, who've joined us to give us their thoughts.

Let's delve a little into the history of beers in Thailand first.

A Brief Tour Of Thailand's Beer History

As we mentioned earlier, there wasn't any locally produced Thai beers up until 1933, which was around the time that a man named Praya Bhirom Bhakdi got the first Thai beer brewery up and running. It was called the Boon Rawd Brewery, which till today produces the nationally popular Singha Beer (which locals affectionately call "Sing").

The early days of Boon Rawd Brewery which kickstarted the beer industry in Thailand in the early 1930s. (Image Source: Boon Rawd)

It was said that the entrepreneur was first introduced to beer in 1929, when he had attended a meeting with a German business partner. As the story goes, the first mouthful of beer was enough to convince Bhakdi of the merits of beer as a beverage and the huge opportunity that existed in Thailand. This inspired Bhakdi to make the pilgrimage to Europe to learn the ropes and bring back to Thailand the expertise needed to getting a brewery up and running - he's now often thought of as the Godfather of Thai Beer, and Sing remains one of the most (if not the most) popular Thai beer.

Late to the beer game? No worries, just pull off an English Premier League sponsorship. (Image Source: Chiang Rai Times)

Since Sing popped the cap open on Thailand's beer industry, others have emerged, namely Chang in 1995, which rose quickly from big marketing campaigns and selling a higher proof beer at a lower price, while Sing also created a second label, Leo.

Other regional brands have eventually also emerged such as Phuket's Phuket Beer, Siam Beer, Amarit Beer, are some examples, however they are produced either for export, or by foreign-owned breweries, and are generally small in terms of market share.

The craft beer scene is incredibly minute (but not non-existent!) as a result of local liquor production laws that requires significantly huge production and sales volumes in order to qualify for a license to produce beer.

Singha Pale Lager, Boon Rawd (Singha), 5% ABV - Review

Singha (or "Sing", which is how locals actually call it) is the grand-daddy of Thai beers as we've mentioned. It kick started what was previously a non-existent industry in Thailand. Its roots are touted to be European which served as the basis to Boon Rawd's brewery, producing a 100% barley malt beer that is designed to have a rich body and creamy, malty flavors. Of the Big Three, it is the most pricey (by a bit).

The name Singha comes from the Sanskrit word "Singh" which translates to "Lion", hence the golden lion emblem representing the brand. In several South Asian folklores, from Hindu to Indonesian and Thai, the Singha is a powerful mythological creature that represents benevolence and protection.

The Singha is a mythological creature that symbolises protection and benevolence, which you'll not only find on Singha's beers but also all around South Asia.

Above the conspicuous golden lion, you'll also see on every beer and can a royal warrant, called the Garuda. When it first popped on the scene in the 1930's, it was so enjoyed that it became officially endorsed by the Thai King Rama VIII, which is why you'll see a royal Garuda at the top of ever can or bottle. It signifies the high esteem in which the brand is accorded recognition of its quality. Boon Rawd is the only Thai brewery to hold the Garuda.

Singha's desire to maintain this quality has meant that all Singha beers are brewed in Thailand for quality control and is not produced anywhere else, whether by Boon Rawd or a contract manufacturer. This is as Boon Rawd claims that the 100% artesian water used can only be found at its brewery - you might think this is marketing fluff, but hopheads will quote you many instances where a brewery changes location and somehow loses its taste. In fact, Boon Rawd at one point had attempted to use breweries in Europe but ultimately decided that its lagers were best made in Thailand.

So as they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!". Aside from 100% barley malt, that artesian water, it also uses three kinds of European hops.

Tasting Note

Color: Gold

Aroma: Noticeably more hefty and malty, with richer honeyed, it is smoother and silkier, more creamy - think caramel creme.

Taste: Heftier, again. On first sip it is more well-balanced. Each sip is rounded with natural honey, caramel, cereal, and then of course a more zesty vibrance of grapefruit rinds and then a herbaceous hoppy bitterness. This isn't particularly sweet, rather a more gentle sweetness but overall a rounded maltose candy sort of profile. It is richer and darker, with a deeper spearmint menthol freshness.

Finish: Clean, but the richness of the malt comes through. It is again darker with natural honey.

My Thoughts

👍👍👍

Singha isn't particularly sweet and shines through with how rich it feels. It has a strong biscuit-y malty flavor that gives it alot of heft and a silky, creamy texture. It's altogether rounded and well-balanced between sweet and bitter, neither being too overpowering. If you're someone who is wary of strong hoppy beers, Singha has got your back - it's neither too sweet nor bitter, with a generally appealing honeyed maltiness and an extremely appealing creamy texture.

Our Thai friends told us at the end of our tasting that Singha was by far their favorite - in fact they weren't even aware that they both liked Singha and had to announce it at the same time by way of a simultaneous fingerpointing at their favorite beer of the three. They also told us that locally, Singha is still the top hit.

Leo Lager Beer, Boon Rawd (Singha), 5% ABV - Review 

Having dominated the scene for a hot minute, Boon Rawd decided to expand into a lighter and more affordable alternative, probably in response to the growing competition from Chang. Boon Rawd's response was a debut of Leo (referring to the Snow Leopard which it uses as a mascot) in 1999, just four years after Chang's debut.

It is cheaper than Singha but still remains pricier than Chang and is mostly a rift off of Singha's reputation but as mentioned, was designed to give Chang some competition and fill the more price sensitive segment. The strategy mostly worked and Leo is now one of the Big Three Thai beers alongside its more muscular brother Singha. 

Tasting Note

Color: Pale Gold

Aroma: Classic lager notes of light honey, bright citrus, alittle bit of candied lemon, and a light herbaceousness and grassiness. Very bright and light.

Taste: Wheat and straw honey, the cereal and grain notes are fresh and raw. It's mostly bright, smooth and lightly sweet with no bitterness. It's also lightly fruity and zesty of lemon and passionfruit. It is generally bright and light, and the honey here is alittle more sweetened.

Finish: Short and clean, with light hints of cereal milk.

My Thoughts

👎

A very light beer in all aspects - its aromas are bright and citrusy but thin, while on the palate, the mouthfeel is again more watery and light. It is an easy drinker though, with next to no bitterness whatsoever, albeit it has a very confectionary sort of sweetness that is alittle plasticky. The cereal notes are apparent but again lack depth and are very grainy. It is smooth but not nearly as flavorful. It's decent but appeals to more price consciousness drinkers going for a lighter beer.

Our Thai friends give this a thumbs down! We're largely in agreement. Pony up a little and you could go for Singha or Chang.  

Chang Classic Lager Beer, Thai Beverage, 5% ABV - Review

For decades, Singha had a dominant grip on the Thai market, but in 1995, a new competitor emerged - Chang.

The name "Chang" comes from the Thai word for "Elephant", an animal that is held sacred and with great respect in Thailand. As you can see on the can, its logo is that of two elephants facing one another across a fountain. I suppose the two elephants are friends given the brand's tagline "We Brew Friendship".

The Chang brand came as a result of Thai Beverage's founder, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's desire to tap into the lucrative Thai beer market, having seen Singha's success. He was already at the time running other alcoholic ventures in Thailand and with his industry experience and having partnered Carlsberg, he was ready to launch the Chang brand in 1995, brewed in the Ayutthaya region of Thailand, located some two hours away from Bangkok.

Ayutthaya is an ancient and historic area in Thailand, sitting some 2 hours away from Bangkok. (Image Source: Bucketlistly Blog)

Charoen's rise to the top was a testament to his shrewd business acumen, pulling off many aggressive bets that allowed him to grow Thai Beverage into a behemoth. At one point in the late 1980s, Thai Beverage's royalties payment to the country's excise department would account for 5% of the entire country's national budget. 

When it came to Chang, his acumen proved astute. He focused on producing a beer that was not only cheaper but also featuring the highest alcoholic content at the time. He topped it off with huge marketing campaigns, the flashiest of which was Chang's sponsorship of the Everton Football Club in the massively popular English Premier League. This was a lethal combination and quickly rocketed Chang to huge success, quickly snatching 60% of the local beer market by 2000, eclipsing even Singha.

ThaiBev sure knows how to create a strong beer and some much needed buzz. (Image Source: Football Shirt Culture)

Several events transpired during Chang's history, namely Carlsberg pulling out of a joint venture with Thai Beverage, and Singha's response to Chang with their more affordable Leo brand, as well as a consolidation of all Chang variants into a single Chang Classic label. Today, Chang vies for the top position with Singha, with various polls reporting Chang as either largest or second-largest.

Chang had used to keep their local Chang Classic beers at 6.4% ABV, adding rice to the mix in their ingredients alongside barley malt, and previously had variations such as Export, Draught and Light. Today all of that has been consolidated into a single Chang Classic that is kept at 5% ABV. At one point there were rumors that you could find Chang beers up to 10% ABV and even inspired the term "Chang-over" given the alcoholic kick.

Tasting Note

Color: Bright Gold

Aroma: Immediately more zesty - grapefruit and pomelo, with the usual barley notes. More hoppy bitterness develops over time here. It is not very sweet nor malty, and fairly bright and citrusy.

Taste: This has more body, it's sweeter as well but with more depth and is less bright. Overall richer, with more hoppy bitterness and a darker maltier flavor. Think honey oat biscuits with a side of peppermint.

Finish: Long, more bitter and hoppy, but with richer malt and darker honey.

My Thoughts 

👍👍👍

This sits somewhere between Singha and Leo - it's intermediately heftier, sweet, malty and herbaceous. This was the winner for us as it was brighter than Singha whilst not substantially less creamy, and also packs more weight and flavor than Leo. That combination of a brighter profile and a good amount of flavor punch made it stand out amongst the three.

Our Thai friends told us that they find Chang less rich than Singha but also remarked that Chang is generally more well-liked by the international audience and perhaps more broadly has hammered alot harder on marketing and as such has more international awareness.

Overall 

On the whole all three lagers were generally good beers - no duds here. They are all remarkably well-balanced between sweet, malty and hoppy bitter flavors, with no clear bias towards any specific profile.

Perhaps where they more distinctively differed was in terms of richness and creaminess, from light to intermediate and heavy, despite all three featuring the same 5% ABV (I wonder if it's deliberate as "5" is said as "Ha" in Thai, and "555" is often used as an abbreviation for "Hahaha").

Without further ado,

Here's our rankings:

1. Chang Classic Beer 👍👍👍 - International Favorite

1. Singha Lager 👍👍👍 - Local Favorite

3. Leo 👎 - Decent, but really just skip it for Singha/Chang

It's a split decision! Chang is alittle brighter, while Singha is luxuriously rich and creamy. I would say that Chang is probably better suited to a wider range of palates, but if you're down for some spicy Pad Thai or Tom Yum, you might want to go with Singha which works great as a velvety quencher. Leo's decent, but really light, you're better off ponying up that little bit for Singha or Chang.

As they say in Thailand,

Chon Gâew! ("Bump Glasses", pronounced as Ch-own Kale!)

@111hotpot