I was down at Dan Murphy's bottle shop this weekend and decided I was going to splash out a bit and spend the extra $15 or so to buy my favourite beer in the world - Asahi Super Dry. It's around $56 a case compared to around $40 for good local beer. Shit local beer like VB and Tooheys New is around $30 a case. Anyway, just as I was about to pick up the case of Asahi, my wife tells me its made in Thailand. WHAT!!! THE!!! F**K!!!???
I check it and she's right - it says "Product of Thailand" on the bottles and cans. The carton also has "For Export Only" written on it. I am completely stunned and shocked. I knew that many European brands were now brewing their beer "Under strict supervision" (bullshit) in Australia, and some even in Canada (just so they can still claim its "Fully Imported"), but I thought Asahi were different. I was wrong.A few weeks ago I bought a case of Kronenburg 1664 from the same Dan Murphy's. I was very happy to get it for just $42... until I got home and drank it. The first sip tasted very plain, and very familiar. I tasted it again. It tastes exactly like Crown Lager. Maybe a little bit more stale. I check the bottle. OMFG - its brewed in Australia by Fosters. That to me makes it Fosters, not Kronenburg.
The reason is in the ingredients. What is the main ingredient in beer? Water.
Does water from Melbourne taste the same as water from the French Alps? No.
Does water from hot humid Thailand taste the same as water from the Japan Alps? No.
Heineken, Stella, Kirin, are all doing the same thing. I believe Becks is still made in Germany. All tragic victims of globalisation. But at what expense? I don't know about anyone else, but I for one will not stand for it. I will no longer buy a beer unless it is genuinely brewed where it originally was brewed.
So I bought my second favourite beer - James Boags Premium. A wonderfully flavoured Tasmanian beer. Made with Tasmanian spring water, hops, barley and all local fresh ingredients. A good honest beer. If I ever drink Asahi again, I guess it will be in Japan.
Here is a list of beers brewed in Thailand: http://www.pattaya-food-drink.com/beers.htm
This blogger says the Thai beer is much worse. Lucky I didn't buy it.
