The Scoop: Thailand’s Newest Premium Beer “Federbräu”

I’m quite excited as a beer lover. Doesn’t happen every day that a new premium beer is launched in Thailand. That’s exactly what is going to happen: Under the brand “Federbräu” Thai Beverage, owner of Chang beer, is launching a beer it’s labeling as premium all around. Heineken watch out. Federbräu will be the only beer distributed in Thailand which strictly adheres to Germany’s legendary Reinheitsgebot.

As you know, we have a thing for beer. You can argue about the design of the Federbräu logo, but the investors are aiming high: They’re going for “high status, desired lifestyle, responsible adventurism, traditional luxury and active enjoyment.” All in a bottle of beer.

How it tastes? Got two cans, a large and a small bottle standing here. Federbräu tastes … How about a smooth, balanced blend of bitterness and sweetness? You’ll soon find out yourself.

Literally translated from German Federbräu means “feather brew” – suggesting a light smooth taste? Already start worrying how Thais will pronounce that Federbräu …

See? There, printed on the goodies: “Federbräu is a premium blond beer made to a traditional European style recipe from all natural ingredients. The name Federbräu translates from the German as feather brew – signaling its delicate flavor and refreshing finish.”

That’s not the only German on the merchandise: Natürliche Zutaten, you’ll find printed on the bottles and cans. Natural ingredients.

“Federbräu,” a promotion brochure reads, “represents an upscale high quality premium beer whilst encapsulating the ideals of spirited confidence and social inclusiveness, paired with approachability and freedom.” Safe Adventure. Whatever.

More importantly: The master brewer assure us that Federbräu is actually the only beer distributed in Thailand which strictly adheres to the standards set by the Reinheitsgebot, Germany’s Purity Law of 1516, which stipulates that only the natural ingredients of barley-malt, hops, yeast and brewing water are used in the brewing process.

At an alcohol content of 4.7%, they praise it as a smooth and refreshing golden beer with an authentic European taste, perfect for upscale Thais.

The brand will spend 200 million baht in the first 9 months for an all-out 360 degree marketing campaign.

Expect to see Federbräu everywhere.

Beer Chang though tries to avoid any affiliation with its newest upmarket offspring. “Brewed and Bottled by Cosmos Brewery, Ayutthaya, Thailand,” is all the cans and bottles say.

Very small print somewhere mentions Thai Beverage, owner of significant brands including Chang beer and Mekhong and Sang Som rum.

ThaiBev is one of the largest beverage alcohol companies in South East Asia listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange with a market capitalization in excess of 4 billion U.S. dollars.

Money Thailand could have had, but as we all remember leading anti-Thaksinist and fervent Buddhist Chamlong had a problem with the ThaiBev on the Thai Stock Exchange.

We’ve seen many talked-up premium beers in Thailand – only to soon disappear. Mittweida anyone?

ThaiBev seems to have the stamina to pull this one through.




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April 25, 2008 | Filed Under Food & Drink, Nightlife & Entertainment 

Comments

15 Responses to “The Scoop: Thailand’s Newest Premium Beer “Federbräu””

  1. sip on May 3rd, 2008 10:58 pm

    It’s about time something better came along, can’t wait to try it! :-)

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  2. J.C. on May 9th, 2008 4:37 pm

    I’ll wait till I can taste it – judging a book by its cover it looks like a sissy beer – but who knows – it needs a macho make-over with tigers, leopards and lions, maybe a bull or a buffalo (???), gunz and grenades or sumthin.

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  3. Siam Sunshine on May 26th, 2008 7:10 pm

    Anyone up for a beer festival in Bankers? Sounds like a great idea to me, I’d go every day :lol:

    Siam Sunshine.

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  4. BangkokDan on May 27th, 2008 10:17 am

    Count me in.

    When’n'where?

    BangkokDan

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  5. ThaiCrisis on May 28th, 2008 1:34 pm

    I tried it last night.

    And because I’m a scientist, in a way, I had on my table a bottle of Heineken too. ;-)

    Therefore, I was able to … “balance” my views with a glass of each.

    So? I’m not a beer expert, but okay, it’s okay. There is a little “taste,” clearly different.

    The beer girl told me “like Heineken but less alcohol” as her sale pitch. I was a little bit disapointed by the 4.7%.

    Actually I love the fresh Vietnamese beer (bia hoi) at 1.5 %.

    Anyway. Next test to do (as a scientist of course): The “endurance test” and “secondary effects test,” by drinking a few bottles of it. ;-)

    By the way, after your article, I’ve tried too the “crab curry” at Somboon.

    Okay. Good. But, but … strong secondary effects. This stuff is a real delikatesse. It’s so heavy! To eat one plate of it is just plain suicide.

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  6. BangkokDan on May 28th, 2008 2:25 pm

    Thanks for that report from the beer front ThaiCrisis.

    Still haven’t opened my bottles and cans …

    Regarding the crab curry, oops, forgot to mention that it’s kind of heavy … while there are primary and secondary secondary effects …

    BangkokDan

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  7. BangkokDan on June 5th, 2008 2:12 pm

    Opened those bottles, tried the beer.

    My unimportant verdict? This brew won’t be around for long.

    Flat dull taste. No zest, no freshness. A taste as gray as the logo’s gray.

    If all natural tastes like this I prefer chemicals.

    What a downer.

    But then again, maybe I had gotten a pre-release brew. Some friend described it as slightly sweet. Couldn’t make out any sweetness. Probably worth to try a fresher version.

    BangkokDan

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  8. It’s EURO 2008 Showtime! on June 7th, 2008 5:21 pm

    [...] The Dream Hotel, Bangkok’s premium Boutique Hotel, shows the matches with some Federbräu promotion and “special Euro [...]

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  9. helmut on August 14th, 2008 11:24 am

    This “German” beer tastes very strange, bad and dull. A Thai friend told me it tastes like soya milk.

    I think one of the richest men in Thailand thinks that the local beer consumers are dumb and they get convinced by a huge marketing campaign.

    He should better invest those millions in R&D, quality ingredients and testing. And why doesn’t he just take Tawadaeng beer as a “status quo.”

    One other thing: Beer Kloster disappeared from the shelves of 7/11 a few month before the arrival of Federbräu.

    Anybody knows the reason?

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  10. chang dek on August 15th, 2008 3:11 am

    From some of the print ads I saw it looked like Federal Brew was a new line of Polo shirts, and I thought I was sober at the time, most impressed by all the branding I am seeing all over bangers but I still dont know what it is? Someone is feather brained?

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  11. dave on October 16th, 2009 5:22 pm

    I think you’re all wrong about Federbräu. I think it’s the best beer brewed in Thailand. And, of course, that’s not saying much. Thai breweries have a lot to learn. Federbräu cannot rival some of the brews from the American Pacific Northwest microbreweries.

    But, try it! I think it’s the best Thai beer so far.

    (BD: I hope I’m dead wrong dave, I hope. Maybe a new recipe? Will give it another try.)

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  12. dave on October 23rd, 2009 5:51 pm

    OK, now that I’ve downed about 30 bottles of Federbräu, I’m not quite so impressed. The flavor seems to vary from bottle to bottle: sometimes it seems rich and full, sometimes it seems just flat and rusty.

    Must be differences in my tasting apparatus.

    Maybe I’ll just go back to Chang and wait for something better from Thai brewers.

    (BD: See?)

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  13. Beavis on October 23rd, 2009 8:20 pm

    Is this the stuff they keep calling Fedder Boy on the radio?

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  14. GmanFoo on October 25th, 2009 1:58 am

    @Helmut Why would someone need “millions in R&D” to brew a beer based on the German purification law. Shouldn’t there be enough R&D been done and readily available since 1516?

    Once I accidentally sat together for with 5 German brewmasters who were employed by Thai breweries – 2 Kloster, 99 Mitweida, 3 Hofbräuhaus, 1 Paulaner and ? – numbers indicate my personal ranking.

    Check out Kulmbacher alcohol free beer at Villa if you want the taste during a breakfast w/o the punch.

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  15. Archa Beer vs. Federbräu - Jokkels Thailandblog on January 9th, 2010 2:57 am

    [...] dieses Bier bei den Thais verkauft, bei Farangs ist die Marke fast immer unbeliebt, außer bei dem Das Bier wird nach deutschem Reinheitsgebot von der Cosmos Brewery, Ayutthaya, Thailand gebraut, [...]

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