Brewery: Heineken Vietnam Brewery

Origins: Central Vietnam

The Story Of Biere Larue 

While the staple Bia Saigon is most common, another historic beer remains perhaps one of Vietnam's most underrated beers - that is Biere Larue.

Back in the late 1800s, the French presence in Vietnam meant that its influence had begun to permeate and blend into the local culture. One of which is the export of beer to Vietnam. This eventually kickstarted a century long fascination by the local population with the beverage.

A Frenchman by the name of Victor Larue was one such spark to this beer revolution.

| Read: Vietnam's Most Underrated Beer - Biere Larue Original

The Indochina Brewery. (Image Source: Doanh Nhan VN)

In 1875, Larue, a former marine, would start a small brewery by the name of Brasseries et Placieres de L’Indochine Brewery, which later grew to become the Glacieres Brasseries d'Indochine, also known as the BGI Brewery or Indochina Brewery.

His first label was the "33" Export Label beer, which was named after the 33-centilitre glass bottle that it was served in. This became a big hit with the foreigners in Vietnam. After Vietnam's reunification, this was later renamed "333" beer, as a means to distance itself from its colonial ties, and would even spur the first national homegrown local beer - Bia Saigon.

However, less is known about a second label created by Larue in 1909 that still exists today in Vietnam - the Biere Larue, which takes its name of course, from Victor Larue.

Vietnam soldiers were particularly fond of Biere Larue. (Image Source: RVNHS) 

A bottle of Biere Larue when it was the best-selling beer in Vietnam in the 1960s. (Image Source: RVNHS)

The beer was at the time a rice beer made using a European brewing recipe that made it popular amongst the locals, often affectionately nicknamed "the tiger beer". In fact, for the better part of the mid 1900s, Biere Larue had largely overtaken the inaugural "33" beer. Unlike "33", Biere Larue was crafted in special batches and was often made specifically for the Vietnam Armed Forces. These bottles would even have the tiger logo replaced with the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces crest, with the national colors on the back of the bottle.

A vintage ad for Biere Larue, then produced at the BGI Brewery and often known as the "Tiger Beer". (Image Source: Nhac Xua VN)

Post-reunification, the local government took a bigger hand in the local beer brands. "33" (and later renamed "333") came to be owned by state-run Saigon Beer Company (or SABECO), and later Thai beer company, ThaiBev, being sold side by side with the popular Bia Saigon. The Biere Larue label, today a malt barley beer, on the other hand came to be owned by the Dutch beer giant Heineken Vietnam, with production having shifted to Central Vietnam at the Heineken Vietnam brewery.

Biere Larue remains the most underrated beer label in Vietnam.

Biere Larue currently comes in three labels - the Biere Larue Original, Special and Export.

| Read: Two Biere Larue's Face Off: Biere Larue Original vs Biere Larue Special

Today, Bia Saigon, which was created in 1992 in response to the local government's desire for a homegrown national beer, is by far the most commonly sighted and comes in a wide range of labels.

Yet, Biere Larue, which got its start as Victor Larue's original special small batch label in 1909, continues to be retailed across Vietnam and remains one of Vietnam's most underrated beer. 

Kanpai!

@111hotpot