In Pursuit Of Drinking Clean, Non-Expired Singha Beer

Watch that bottling date of Singha beer, a staple of Thai culture. Why? Let a true beer lover explain: Drinking locally made beer is a pursuit hes has. In Thailand the choices continue to diminish. Singha lager beer is one beer he’s had an affair with for over twenty years during his vacation visits over the year.

In the mid 1980’s brewmaster Peter Mittman gave him an elaborate tour of the facilities. He was impressed that they were the largest user of Czech Saaz. hops in the world, using them exclusively in their lager. He was even more impressed by his experience in the beer tasting room. It was a long session.

Much has changed in twenty years. They have lots of competition from other international breweries. They seem to be on the rebound. Both in competitiveness and quality. For a period they seemed to decrease their hop levels to compete with other international market intruders, now they seemed to have found their mojo with refreshing hop levels as an Asian lager.

By Charlie Papazian, Examiner

The Thai beer market has always been one of fast turnaround and low inventories on the distribution and retail level. Two reasons: High inventories of stock are neither profitable nor affordable for many who sell beer. The other reason: It’s hot and tropical and beer spoils easily in the heat.

Singha has an easy to read bottle date on the label. This has always been an indication of what quality you’re going to get in the bottle, when in Thailand. Finding beer two to three weeks from bottling date is best. Beyond that you begin to take our chances.

Singha lager has a notable malt character. Oxidation and age seems to take its toll with the emergence of a stale caramel/vegetal character. There are lighter lager competitors that when aged and over the hill begin to exhibit a wet paper oxidative character in both aroma and flavor.

Recently tasting beer while in Thailand and bottled in October and November (four to eight weeks past) Singha had a notable, but still drinkable stale caramel/vegetal character. Yesterday I had a fresh cold draft, which was mostly clean and refreshing and I would have enjoyed another, if it weren’t for the butterscotch/diacetyl aroma and flavor that slowy emerged.

It wasn’t the breweries fault – it was a result of beer tap lines that hadn’t been clean. Bacteria buildup and the first afternoon beers will usually be rank with this character and by evening it diminishes somewhat. Unless sellers of tap beer regularly clean their beer hoses/lines.

I looked around and noted that most everyone else was drinking out of bottles of Singha. So did I.

Via Examiner