Singha, Chang and Leo: about beer culture in Thailand
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The scorching heat of a radiant sun in the blue sky in Thailand is of course wonderful, but it does cause side effects such as an immense thirst. And what could be better at such a moment than a nice cool beer with the condensation drops on the bottle?
This amber-colored carbonated drink with a frothy head is one of the most popular drinks in the world for a reason. And rest assured, beer is widely available in Thailand. Even your favorite Dutch beer such as Heineken. However, it is cheaper to opt for a Thai beer.
Thailand's beer culture is unique and diverse, heavily influenced by both local traditions and Western influences. In Thailand, beer brands such as Chang, Singha and Leo are very popular and have a loyal following. These brands have become synonymous with the Thai lifestyle and are often present at social gatherings, parties and in the vibrant nightlife.
Street food and local eateries play a central role in Thai beer culture. It is common to consume beer along with a variety of Thai dishes ranging from spicy curries to grilled seafood. This emphasizes the complementary relationship between Thai food and beer.
Furthermore, there is a growing interest in craft beer and microbreweries in Thailand, although the market is still dominated by the big breweries. This trend has led to a diversity of flavors and styles, giving consumers more choices beyond traditional lagers.
Singha
The best known is of course Singha beer. You can also say Sing. That is the name for the mystical lion that appears on the logo. This beer has 5% alcohol, but you can also opt for Singha Light with only 3,5 percent. Singha is probably the most popular beer in Thailand and has a spicy and malty taste. Delicious with a spicy dish.
Singha beer, produced by Boon Rawd Brewery since 1933, is a prominent and historically significant beer brand in Thailand. It is known locally as “Sing” and is prized for its rich, malty flavor and creamy texture, making it an upscale choice among Thais. Singha also received royal approval in the 30s, symbolized by the Garuda symbol on every bottle and can, signifying the high quality of the beer.
The beer is brewed with 100% barley malt, three types of European hops and unique artesian water from the Thai brewery. This adds to the authenticity and quality of the beer, which has helped to maintain Singha's popularity both locally and internationally. The standard version of Singha has an alcohol content of 5%, while a lighter variant is also available with 3,8% alcohol.
In response to competition from Chang beer, in 1999 Boon Rawd Brewery introduced Leo, a cheaper, lighter alternative named after the snow leopard that serves as its mascot. Although Leo is cheaper than Singha, it remains more pricey than Chang. This strategy has paid off, as Leo is now one of the 'Big Three' Thai beers alongside Singha. Singha's position in the Thai beer market is characterized by its strong focus on quality, tradition and a rich history, ensuring the brand remains a respected name in both the local and international beer industries.
(Patcharaporn Puttipon 636 / Shutterstock.com)
Chang
Chang beer, which quickly became popular after its launch in the 90s, has become the best-selling beer brand in Thailand and has a significant international presence. The original Chang Classic is known for its strong alcohol content of 6,4% and the addition of rice in the brewing process, resulting in a powerful taste. Chang Export, brewed without rice, has a lower alcohol content of 5% and is mainly exported. Chang Draft, also with 5% alcohol, is available in pubs and clubs in Thailand. Chang Light, with 4,2% alcohol, is the lighter variant.
In 2023, Chang launched Cold Brew, an innovative variant brewed with a cold brewing process and sub-zero filtration, resulting in a light, refreshing beer with a malty aroma. This innovation is part of Chang's strategy to differentiate itself and offer a different drinking experience. With an investment of more than 2023 billion baht by 15, Chang aims to increase Chang Cold Brew's share of the mass-premium segment to XNUMX% of the total Chang portfolio. This demonstrates Chang's commitment to innovation and attracting a new generation of consumers.
Leo
Leo beer, brewed by Boon Rawd Brewery, has established itself as a major player in the Thai beer market. Recognizable by the leopard on the label, Leo is a favorite among expats in Thailand. Known for its fresh, light and rounded taste, this beer is even cheaper than its competitors, which contributes to its popularity. Leo has the largest market share in Thailand with 53% of total sales, followed by Chang with 37% and Singha with 7%. Leo's success is partly due to the fact that it is "less expensive than Singha and tastes better than Chang", making it the favorite choice of many locals.
The alcohol content of Leo beer is 5%. The taste is very similar to that of its 'older sister' Singha, but Leo is strategically priced cheaper. It is also offered as draft beer in pubs. The price of a small can of Leo is between 35-38 Thai Baht.
Since July 2019, Leo beer has also been available in the Benelux, thanks to the efforts of Westmill Foods Europe BV. The beer, a pilsner based on a mix of malt, hops, and Thai rice, has an alcohol content of 5%. This expansion has made Westmill a leader in the Thai beverage industry in the Netherlands.
Supermarket and alcohol
There are a number of regulations in Thailand for the sale of alcohol by supermarkets. This usually causes a lot of misunderstanding among tourists. Shops and supermarkets are not allowed to sell alcohol between 14.00:17.00 PM and 24.00:11.00 PM. This ban starts again at midnight and ends at 11.00 a.m. In short, you can only buy alcohol at Lotus, Big C or other stores between 14.00 a.m. and XNUMX p.m. But it wouldn't be Thailand if these rules were violated en masse by the small local shops where you can just go for a delicious chilled beer. So you don't have to go without your favorite drink for a moment.
Singha, Chang, and Leo beer are also available in the Netherlands and Belgium. Below you will find a brief overview of the availability of these Thai beer brands in the Benelux:
- Singha Beer: Singha, one of the best-known Thai beers, is internationally distributed and often available in various shops and Asian restaurants in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is known for its distinctive taste and is often associated with Thai culture and cuisine.
- Chang Beer: Chang, another popular Thai beer brand, can also be found in the Benelux. It can be found in Asian supermarkets, some local supermarkets, and is often offered in Thai restaurants.
- Leo Beer: As mentioned earlier, Leo beer has been available in the Benelux since July 2019. It is distributed by Westmill Foods Europe BV and is available in various Thai restaurants and takeaways, as well as from specific distributors in the Netherlands and Belgium.
About this blogger
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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and music.
Enough hobbies, but unfortunately little time: writing for Thailandblog, fitness, health and nutrition, shooting sports, chatting with friends and some other oddities.
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The restriction on buying alcoholic beverages does not apply if you buy more than 10 litres. This is to prevent alcoholism. Amazing!
I also understand that the alcohol content of Chang Classic has been lowered to 5 percent.
Chang Classic is instead of 6,4% alc. lowered to 6% alc. and the capacity of the large bottles has been reduced from 0,64 L to 0,63 L. It doesn't seem like much, but in a year's turnover for the brewery, this adds up considerably.
That was so long ago. Now you are only allowed to buy large quantities outside of the “normally allowed times” if you have a liquor sales license and buy from a wholesaler.
Arjen.
Peter,
I miss the brand: Archard beer.
Recognizable by the horse's head on the label.
It's the cheapest beer and the label reflects how your head feels the next day.
Highly recommended.
Jeffery
You undoubtedly mean Archa. I've been drinking for ages without any problem. Maybe that's on your mind?
Hans,
I think it's really on his mind.
Not used to anything.
Perhaps we both have the same experience.
When you practice a lot, you don't get a headache anymore.
I used to use Archard beer to allow less desirable visitors to return home early.
Works great and they rarely visit anymore.
Recommended !
Archa not Archard is a beer started by two brothers from Slovakia, one in Melbourne
other in bangkok . It's actually the better beer on site two is leo and in extreme note chang, singa
for me as a belgian idem heininken not to drink, fortunately i can now duvel hoegaarden here on site and
obtaining rochefort 8 and 10 that's beer. Now a lot of my friends start from here too
demark sweden and norway that drink cheap beer all the same comment the day after
rarely problems?
Noel,
Brigand is the better blond beer for me.
Also for sale in Thailand.
I myself am a fan of affigem brown.
Rochefort 8 and 10 are also fine but have side effects.
For example, it has been shown that writing other beer brands correctly becomes a problem.
Heineken then becomes heininken, for example.
Where can I buy Brigand beer in Thailand?
I see more and more Carlsberg beer being sold here in Thailand, about 30 years ago Carlsberg beer was also sold a lot in Thailand, but was then driven out by Chang beer.
Beer is a matter of taste.
It is typical that Heineken is perceived as bad while I have seen a blind taste test in a consumer program twice. In those tests, Heineken came in first and second place out of ten other beer brands available in the Netherlands.
One test team consisted of an amateur football team including anti-Heineken drinkers. That Heineken is bad is therefore purely in the mind.
Taste is largely smell and color. Only a small part of the taste is realized through the tongue and mouth.
In my employment as a market researcher, I have done many taste tests (and also experiments) for all kinds of products including beer, chocolate, mayonnaise, cakes and yoghurt. What I still remember:
– let people drink beer from a black glass with their noses closed and hardly anyone can distinguish beer with a normal alcohol content from beer with a lower alcohol content or even non-alcoholic beer;
– add 'foreign' coloring agents (which are absolutely tasteless and odourless) to a product and the product tastes different. Eg. adding a poisonous green dye to mayonnaise suddenly makes the mayonnaise unappetizing.
There are a few restaurants in this world where you can eat in complete darkness. In Bangkok, that restaurant no longer exists. You are served by blind people and I can assure you that your food tastes different if you can't see it…..
Cheers is also a nice beer, even selected as a quality beer in Brussels. 5% alcohol and in bottles of 0,64 l or the cans even in 500 cl.
Cheers (blue 4.8 alcohol) I really like, the red variant not so much (6.3 alcohol)
Ruudje
I drank Heineken in Thailand 35 years ago. And in Indonesia it was sold under the name Bir Bintang – Sterbier – (brewed under license from Heineken).
Gerard, if you take the alcohol out of the beer, you're left with water. And water is available everywhere at a very cheap price.
Leo is the number 1 beer in Isan. My stepdaughter sold over 500 cans of Leo and only less than 50 Chang at a bonfire festival. I was allowed to drink the remaining Chang, but I don't really like beer.
“Gerard, if you take the alcohol out of the beer, you're left with water. And water is available everywhere at a very cheap price.”
Vague remark, not everyone can or wants to tolerate alcohol and in the Netherlands you have delicious non-alcoholic beers with a real beer taste and foam and that is also wrong in Thailand.
Can't drink Heineken? Depends on where you drink Heineken, in the Netherlands or in Thailand. Really doesn't taste the same.
Watch out Chang beer aficionados, after consuming a few large bottles you might not be able to mount an elephant “Chang” the next day, rocking back and forth is hard with a Chang hangover.
If I have to choose Leo is my favourite. I wouldn't miss Thai beer in the Netherlands.
Enjoy with mates.
I've had bars in Phuket and Bangkok, when I came to Thailand in 1984 you had kloster beer, it had a place name on it from a German town or village no one had ever heard of, it was great beer. That suddenly disappeared, then Carlsberg opened a brewery, which was taken over by Chang, but luckily Heineken also opened a brewery, which is my favorite beer here in Thailand, Heineken I also sold the most to my bars, on 2 singha. if they don't have Heineken in a bar (rare) then I'll go one pub further.
Kloster was great beer. I found it again in a bar, I was very pleased with a friend that we once again had a Kloster in our hands. After a few sips I thought, it's really undrinkable, strange. Friend of mine didn't say anything either because it was after all a Kloster. If I looked at the expiration date, the Kloster was a year overdue. Where is the delightful Kloster?
Kloster that was perfect beer, here's a picture:
https://www.canmuseum.com/Detail.aspx?CanID=17574
As a good alternative, Tiger is from Heineken. They have that almost everywhere at least on Samui.
Tiger is a nice beer. It's from Singapore.
For me, the regular normal beer Chang is still the winner .
Some Thai beers taste like nothing at all.
Especially LEO and Horse beer, taste more like water than after beer. That's why the original heavy beer Chang is the beer for real beer drinkers.
Thailand's brewers brew it, Thailand's drinkers drink it.
As far as sales are concerned, no problem at any time.
You can buy alcoholic beverages in Thailand 24 hours a day , 7 days a week .
Rules differ here and there.
But those who have lived here for a long time know what I'm talking about.
No in the big supermarket, Yes in the drinks trade and pop and mom shops.
The same also applies on election days , and some days of faith .
For a true alcoholic , Thailand is certainly also a Valhalla .
Jan Beute.
Last Oct. at the Tesco/Lotus in KhonKaen think about 15:30hr. with 1 box of Leo at the checkout. Bad luck, we are not allowed to sell this now, only later. But if you buy 3 boxes now it's no problem??? I didn't understand anything, but with more than enough beer in stock I returned home. Thanks editors, now know the reason for this peculiar rule. I had already named it as a Tesco/Lotus sales booster. Gr. Paul Schiphol
And so it is Jan, I have sold Brand beer for more than 30 years, the number one of the Heineken chain and Chang comes closest to that, in terms of taste and experience, all those other Thai beers are made for supermarket drinkers , a real beer connoisseur drinks Chang Classic.
2 years ago I drank beer from the Namkhong brand in Laos, and I thought it was a delicious beer.
Here in Thailand I have, unfortunately, not yet encountered it!
Has anyone seen it for sale here in Thailand?
Mvg William.
NamKhong is brewed by Lao Asia Pacific Breweries in Vientiane, the second official brewery, after Beerlao of the tasty beer of the same name.
Lao Asia Pacific is – thought – a joint venture between the government and a division of Heineken, which is also brewed in Laos!
Have you ever drunk NamKong in Nong Khai, but that is also just on the border with Laos.
Not far from the Mekong, after which the beer is named.
It is impossible to know about flavors and colors, but preferably stick to the Thai Leo and Laotian Beerlao.
In my favorite pub (Wonderful 2 Bar, Pattaya), San Mig(uel) Light is the market leader, given the number of boxes supplied daily.
I believe the San Mig Light comes from the Philippines, but that should not spoil the fun. “Light” does not refer to the alcohol percentage (5%), but to the number of calories and, according to connoisseurs, also to the taste.
If you tend to bulk up a lot, it might be worth a try. It is very popular with the ladies.
When it comes to Thai food, I usually stick to water. The hot peppers don't go well with alcohol for me.
The motorcycle taxi guys in Soi 13 prefer Leo 64cl.
Dear Cor, I tried to explain to my Filipino friends what you indicate here. They don't believe that it is much cheaper with us. The advantage is really only when people go out because in the Netherlands, Belgium etc. I don't drink a bottle of beer for 1,20 euros in a top store with super live music!
Have been drinking Leo beer for years but this gives me heartburn so switched to Chiang beer and every now and then I buy a box of Tiger beer. I myself drink the small bottles with a condom around it, it stays nice and cool and drinks away better than such a large bottle.
Tiger is also my favorite, drinks nice and fresh. TIGER is by the way from Heineken, but a lot cheaper in Thailand.
in the time of Kloster you also had Amarite a draft beer but also disappeared.
and where is the time when people could still drink AMSTEL in Thailand?
Well, that you could get Amstel is a very long time ago. I remember that only some bars had Amstel , and if you visited many bars in 1 evening, the problem was that you had to change beer again. I always drink the beer of the country I visit. Never Heineken or Amstel. The first years Singha and the last years Leo.
Never drink Heineken at home, but in Thailand. Also drink Chang, I think it suits me best.
LEO and Sing also tried, but liked them less.
I think the difference is in A, malt used. Bailey is used at Chang and Heineken uses the normal grain, also used for bread, etc. Perhaps the hop concentrations vary and therefore also the taste.
At home I can find myself very well in Argus, beer from the LIDL, excellent German(?) beer. Definitely not Perlenbacher (too flat in taste) that they have and not the newly acquired Kordaat. Not my personal taste, too sweet, for pilsner..
I can have Chang, but compared to Heineken I find the taste flatter. If possible I take Heineken.
You used to have a SKoll too, it has disappeared, I think because of its very flat taste, brewed from corn.
But there is no arguing about taste and it can even vary.
If I have to choose between the 3 Thai beer brands mentioned, Leo hey plead wins followed by Singha and Chang comes in 3rd place.
Years ago, Singha released a variant called Singha Gold, a truly delicious beer that disappeared as suddenly as it came (unless it has been renamed and I missed it).
LEO comes first for me. At least there's some flavor in this for my liking. If I go somewhere and there is no LEO, then I dare to drink one glass of Chang or Singha out of courtesy, but that's it... 😉
Am drinking a large lager, have drunk all brands im Thailand from kloster to amstel. For a long time, Chang was my favorite lager. But not for a while now and it has become Singha, only drink it now only in Holland because I won't be coming to Thailand for a while, unfortunately.
In the Netherlands I am a HertogJan drinker, but the cheaper Klok and Dors are also fine. Heineken, in terms of taste, has something in it (the type of cereal?) that I don't like, but that could just as well be psychological (?).
In Thailand I go for Chang. I find Leo a bit flat in terms of taste and Singha, great beer, but just a preference for Chang. And for some reason when I think I want to slow down a bit I go for the San Miquel Light (with a piece of lemon of course). There is no substantiated logic, but I condone that for most people; advertising and rumors certainly have an influence. In the Netherlands I regularly buy a Chang beer at the Toko (or LIDL, which also increasingly have that on offer; 0.99 € per bottle, no deposit. Coincidentally, next week too)
In Laos, Beerlao.
And in Cambodia my choice goes to Ankor, actually just because of the “beer caps game”, not Anchor beer, name almost the same but the same difference in taste as Heineken vs HertogJan.
But honestly…. I find the taste differences of the normal 5% pilsner so small that I probably barely taste it. For me it's a matter of what did I ever drink first, which label do I like best, and which name sounds best.
Similar to Coca Cola vs Pepsi cola. Yes there is a difference and in the past when I was addicted to Coca Cola I tasted the difference. It was even so bad that I tasted the difference between Belgian, German and Dutch coca cola. But now….. Pepsi or Coca…. me anyway. I just like the Coca Cola story better.
Chang can also be picked up in the Netherlands next week at Lidl, I noticed in the advertising brochure
Chang messed up his own name by lowering the alcohol percentage a few years ago.
From that moment on, Chang was no longer Chang.
All the pilsner beers mentioned here and then additionally cooled with ice blocks in the glass will all taste because you will never taste deviations when it is 4gr cold.
However, there are several small brewers who produce artisanal beer which does have quality, but due to the monopoly position of the 2 large breweries, those small brewers have to brew and import their beer in the surrounding countries. Who has already drunk a Sandport, Chalawan Pale Ale, Outlaw, Stonehead, My Beer Friend or Chit Beer ... this is real beer 😉
For the big three beer brands that are brewed in Thailand, they use different ingredients than we are used to in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, etc., with water, malt (usually barley), hops and yeast, the beer in Thailand is brewed with rice instead. malt, so you can't talk about a nice glass of barley beer there.
I also don't think that if you opened a pub in the Netherlands or Belgium with one of these Thai beers as the main beer, you would have a thriving pub, because in Thailand they taste different and better than they will taste in the Netherlands or Belgium.
Kloster tastes a bit like soapy water.
How do you come to the conclusion that Singha is the most popular beer?
Thai craft beers and international brands hold 0.5-1% of the total market. In terms of brand, market leaders are Leo (53%), followed by Chang (35%), Singha (7%) and Heineken (4- 5%). Thailand mainly produces bearings which represent 99% of the market.
Tastes differ. Singha gives me a headache, Leo tastes watery. I came across Lao beer. available in several variations. I like the dark beer best and, importantly, no headaches.
Two new beers have been added, carabao and tawandang, I haven't been able to find them in the supermarket yet, but I'm curious.
In the early 90s you had Singha Gold here, a nice beer, but unfortunately it sold too little I think, so after 97 it was no longer for sale, a shame. So now I've had a Leotje for years
I have never looked at the price for a beer, because I like Leo the best and the reason is that as a Belgian beer drinker I prefer to drink Jupiler. For me, the taste of a Leo is just as delicious as a Jupiler.