Why are there no locally brewed ales?

[Deck Ape]

In my neck of the woods there is only Guiness at 190/ can and Coopers sparkling ale at 100/ small bottle.

Would a small scale brewery do well in LOS? Brewing good dark ales, preferably?

[mediamanbkk]

The Londoner is a brew pub and I believe there is at least one German brauhaus

[dirtydog]

Need to bottle I think 1 million bottles per year to get a license, no license means your illegal.

[Marmite the Dog]

Would a small scale brewery do well in LOS? Brewing good dark ales, preferably?

Because the laws here are stupid (obviously) and any small brewery that distributes its beer outside of the premises has to brew a ridiculous amount of beer (over 1 million litres of beer if I remember correctly) to validate its license. Then there's the 100k that the brewer has to pay for the meter on EACH tank to ensure those amounts are actually brewed.

Of course, its all down to Chang and Singha not wanting any competition, but all that meant was that the only competition they do get is from big companies who can take large chunks out of their market share (Heiny, San Mig etc) rather than the small independent brewers who would have a negligible effect on their market share.

There are a couple of micro-breweries who do make draught beer for other places (illegally though) such as the lot who make it for Tropical Murphy's on Koh Samui, but their beer (as most micro-brewery beer in TL) is made from powdered malt and is a bit pants.

[Deck Ape]

and any small brewery that distributes its beer outside of the premises has to brew a ridiculous amount of beer (over 1 million litres of beer

I see. Is the ale any good at the Londoner?

[passengers]

and any small brewery that distributes its beer outside of the premises has to brew a ridiculous amount of beer (over 1 million litres of beer

I see. Is the ale any good at the Londoner?

Not awful, not good. Drinkable when 2-for-1 during happy hour...

[Adolf]

shame about the beer situation in Thailand as Singha and Chang is just awful piss.

[robuzo]

and any small brewery that distributes its beer outside of the premises has to brew a ridiculous amount of beer (over 1 million litres of beer

I see. Is the ale any good at the Londoner?

Not awful, not good. Drinkable when 2-for-1 during happy hour...

That's been pretty much my take on it exactly for a couple of years. Last Wednesday I was in there and the "bitter" wasn't even drinkable. My mate didn't even finish his first pint, switched to the so-called "pilsner" which was its usual "Not awful. . . drinkable" self. I've experienced an off batch or two in there over the years, but last week it was terrible. Disappointing.

[peterpan]

The two Tawang dengs in BKK, brew some great beer, but as marmite said they have to brew a certain amount for on site consumption, no off site sales at all, and there is an upper limit as well, to safe guard the major brewers.

Pitiful really but the right politicos get paid to ensure the laws stay in place so the fat cats get rewarded and everybody is happy, except the consumers. On the other hand Thais wouldn't know a decent beer if it came up and fondled their scrotum's.

[robuzo]

The two Tawang dengs in BKK, brew some great beer, but as marmite said they have to brew a certain amount for on site consumption, no off site sales at all, and there is an upper limit as well, to safe guard the major brewers.

Pitiful really but the right politicos get paid to ensure the laws stay in place so the fat cats get rewarded and everybody is happy, except the consumers. On the other hand Thais wouldn't know a decent beer if it came up and fondled their scrotum's.

Japan had the same idiotic "minimum production" laws for years. Once they were lifted microbrews exploded. The big companies still lean on their distributors to try to stop the micros going national, but a couple of good ones have managed. Hope springs eternal in Thailand, but Boon Rawd can probably twist arms even better than Kirin.

[Marmite the Dog]

The two Tawang dengs in BKK, brew some great beer

Very funny

[peterpan]

Whats funny about that? its easily a world class beer. although he could sell it as piss weak Pommie beer with addition of lots of water if thats what you like.

[Marmite the Dog]

its easily a world class beer

Are you on drugs?

[Deck Ape]

On the other hand Thais wouldn't know a decent beer if it came up and fondled their scrotum's.

a sexually satisfying brew.. would really make women redundant

[Missismiggins]

shame about the beer situation in Thailand as Singha and Chang is just awful piss.

Oh I don't know but 5 bottles of Chang and a half a glass of Lao kao seems to beat 6 pints of Macla or LCL to me! (Federation brewerey certified urine)

Or for those with a more discerning palette - Coors, or BUD, urine available in bulk! (Chilled preferably) or that other shit that is available here....San Miguel...I wouldn't feed the dog that....(funnily enough, dogs get quite pissed on Chang - at leat mine do)

[crazy dog]

The Holland beer hall on param song (big windmill outside) brews some very odd lager, but the dark beer they do is really very good. It has one of the biggest stages in bkk and the shows are pretty good.

[Missismiggins]

In my neck of the woods there is only Guiness at 190/ can and Coopers sparkling ale at 100/ small bottle.

Would a small scale brewery do well in LOS? Brewing good dark ales, preferably?

There are loads of locally brewed ales, well beers, Chang, Singha, Cheers, Leo the urine list goes on...but thyey are all brewed locally, as is Carlesberg, Heineken, Coors, San Miguel - The question really should be " Why are there no DECENT" beers brewed locally ! Then the reply could be that Thais only drink cheap shit piss to invoke a coma at minimum cost. You could of course compare like for like - a decent beer in the UK? a warm flat pint of "real ale" ? I d rather drink pigs piss!

[madjbs]

^ Shut up, you quite obviously have no idea what you are talking about

[BigRed]

shame about the beer situation in Thailand as Singha and Chang is just awful piss.

Oh I don't know but 5 bottles of Chang and a half a glass of Lao kao seems to beat 6 pints of Macla or LCL to me! (Federation brewerey certified urine)

Or for those with a more discerning palette - Coors, or BUD, urine available in bulk! (Chilled preferably) or that other shit that is available here....San Miguel...I wouldn't feed the dog that....(funnily enough, dogs get quite pissed on Chang - at leat mine do)

You got a bite Adolf.

[Muadib]

Phuket Ale is supposed to be very good, I wouldn't know as the guy who bottles it is out of stock... Something about Thai excise taxes...

[madjbs]

^ Are you talking about "Phuket Beer"?

Again, it is not an ale.

[Marmite the Dog]

Phuket Ale is supposed to be very good

Phuket Beer is dreadful. It used to be the free beer at the Sheraton buffet.

[English Noodles]

Need to bottle I think 1 million bottles per year to get a license

Because the laws here are stupid (obviously) and any small brewery that distributes its beer outside of the premises has to brew a ridiculous amount of beer (over 1 million litres of beer if I remember correctly) to validate its license.

I often thought about the question in the OP, I now know the reason, never knew that, and it's very very interesting.

[English Noodles]

Maybe someone with the correct connections could get a 'special' concession.

[MangoPeeler]

There is a brewery behing Index/Carrefour in C Mai and there used to be one inside Don Muang Avoid Archa and any beer under 24 baht unless you like alcogum Beer Lao is excellent when available and Heineken and Fedrer ok for swill Asahi at Supermarketprices not bad and a quick look atTops C mai revealed dozens of beers at Euro prices Of course discerning punters go for Thai Calret akaLaocao or the Napoleon of Crime Regency if diluted with petrol almost takes the taste away The tax system is skewed and as corrupt as the rest of LOS But Ruddles in the rain on Leo in the sun I'd rather have abottle in fron of me than apre-frontal lobotomy