Singha Beer

[fauxtarga]

(smells like you know what, tastes like you know what).

←

I didn't find it that bad.

[misscindy]

I revived this thread because I've got a question about Singha that I'm hoping someone can answer.  I understand that they are changing the bottles from the short bottle to a more standard long bottle.  And, I only see the lager, rather than the malt liquor, in the long bottles.  I like the malt liquor--ummm, gooood--but I don't like the lager.  Have they stopped making malt liquor?  Please, in the name of Billy Dee Williams, say it ain't so.

←

The "malt liquor" was never really a malt liquor at all, it was always a lager and was labelled a malt liquor because of regulations related to the ABV - some places insist that any beverage made from malt that is above a certain ABV be labelled as malt liquor. So I would be suprised that there was any difference between the two other than the label.

(malt liquor as a beer style commonly refers to a lager that has the ABV pumped up by other fermentables, usually corn, with little to no hop presence - Singha is really a strong lager and is an all malt brew)

←

I'll be the first to admit that my beer knowledge is lacking. But, I do understand that lager and malt liquor are not mututally exclusive and that malt liquor is lager, with a higher alcohol content. I think that malt liquor and lighter lagers are both bottom fermented resulting in higher sugar levels, which gave Singha malt liquor a sweet, spicy flavor I like. (I swear the stuff labeled lager and the stuff labeled malt liquor tastes different to me...is that impossible?) I think the reason Singha changed the bottles is to expand their market. Perhaps they also changed the brewing process to meet expected higher demand...I dunno.

[His Nibs]

in all fairness.... Tiger is definitely better than Budweiser (US). But then we all know that the fresher the beer, the better it tastes! (Fresh budweiser not withstanding... I'm talking about brew-pubs here! )

[eje]

I'll be the first to admit that my beer knowledge is lacking.  But, I do understand that lager and malt liquor are not mututally exclusive and that malt liquor is lager, with a higher alcohol content.  I think that malt liquor and lighter lagers are both bottom fermented resulting in higher sugar levels, which gave Singha malt liquor a sweet, spicy flavor I like.  (I swear the stuff labeled lager and the stuff labeled malt liquor tastes different to me...is that impossible?)  I think the reason Singha changed the bottles is to expand their market.  Perhaps they also changed the brewing process to meet expected higher demand...I dunno.

←

I haven't seen the new bottles here, yet; but, haven't been out for Thai food for a month or two.

I will have to keep an eye out.

I don't go out of my way to buy Singha; but, it is one of the few Asian beers I like. (For some reason the taste of most Japanese beers really turns me off. Do they use rice or other variety grains in them?) It would be a shame if they had changed the brewing process or taste of Singha.

Edited March 1, 2005 by eje (log)

[nr706]

I'll be the first to admit that my beer knowledge is lacking.  But, I do understand that lager and malt liquor are not mututally exclusive and that malt liquor is lager, with a higher alcohol content.  I think that malt liquor and lighter lagers are both bottom fermented resulting in higher sugar levels, which gave Singha malt liquor a sweet, spicy flavor I like.  (I swear the stuff labeled lager and the stuff labeled malt liquor tastes different to me...is that impossible?)  I think the reason Singha changed the bottles is to expand their market.  Perhaps they also changed the brewing process to meet expected higher demand...I dunno.

I agree that the main difference between lagers and malt liquors is the alcohol content. The whole top-bottom fermented thing really doesn't apply - many ale yeasts sink to the bottom, and (I'm assuming) some lager yeasts form a kreusen at the top of the fermenting vessel [and there are differences between lager and ale yeasts]. And the sweetness level really isn't relevant, either - any brew can be stopped fermenting at a given sweetness level - also the choice of yeast can influence it - some yeasts give up at lower alcohol levels, others can keep going.

[Rien]

I find Singha highly variable. Some bottles taste a lot worse than others. If you've only tried it once and strongly disliked it, perhaps try again. This may have to do with freshness ... and, perhaps, with the actual variables in the product. One thing to be said for Bud and other Macro-Brews, they have skilled enough brewers that they've got consistency down ... you could give them a bucket of raw sewage and stale wonderbread, and they'd turn it into Bud. Hell, that may be their secret.

I also find Singha, like a lot of beers from countries hovering around the equator, benefits from an icy chill. In Thailand, in fact, it's common for people to drink their beer over ice. No kidding.

I wouldn't say it's above average - what's the average? Are we talking quality divided by bottles consumed? If so, yeah, perhaps it is above average considering American macros and domestic product from most of Latin America and, I'm guessing, China. Cold, it'll do the trick ... though I'm with the concensus that it's not a particularly grand lager.

rien

[eje]

...which gave Singha malt liquor a sweet, spicy flavor I like.  (I swear the stuff labeled lager and the stuff labeled malt liquor tastes different to me...is that impossible?)  I think the reason Singha changed the bottles is to expand their market.  Perhaps they also changed the brewing process to meet expected higher demand...I dunno.

←

Finally got out to a Thai restaurant and tried some Singha for the first time in a while. It was the "Lager" in the new long neck bottles. I'm not gonna swear it's different, 'cos as rien sez, it is a pretty variable beer. Plus, I was a little hung over from St. Patrick's Day and the restaurant had a big bouquet of Stargazer Lillies which were torturing me with their overpowering scent. However, to me it tasted drier and seemed lighter in body than I remembered. When Singha is good, I always associate a slightly sweet champagne like flavor with it. To me this had more of the characteristics I associate with Japanese Beer.

Erik