Beer Styles

What is a Thai lager? It's a pale, bottom-fermented beer of medium alcohol strength, classified by experts under the style International Pale Lager. Singha, Chang Classic and Leo all belong to this group, even though each brand maintains its own character.

Singha is considered the stronger, maltier of the three and is often described as more bitter. Leo also comes from the Boon Rawd house and is seen as milder and lighter. Chang Classic is the brand of rival ThaiBev and is often experienced in Thailand as soft and easy-drinking. These are taste impressions, not measured values. Anyone tasting the three side by side will notice the differences mostly in the finish.

How does it compare to a German pilsner? The Thai lager is less bitter, less hop-aromatic, and drinks more easily. A pilsner lives on its bitterness; a Thai lager lives on its chill. This style profile gives ranges for the whole style, not figures for any single brand.

Alongside the lagers, Bangkok has a small craft scene. It brews pale ale, IPA, wheat beer and the occasional stout, sometimes with tropical fruit. Next to the mass-market brands, it remains a niche phenomenon.

Incidentally, the term lager here refers only to the fermentation method, not the strength. It comes from the German word for storing: the beer matures cold for an extended period after fermentation. At around five percent alcohol, the Thai brands sit right in the middle of what brewers worldwide typically aim for with pale lager.