Reportedly one of the oldest drinks in the world, beer dates back thousands of years ago. Ingredient remnants were discovered on ancient pottery once used for fermenting grains into alcohol. Beer manufacturing was introduced to Asia with the development of the first modern brewery in India in the 1820s, built to supply East India Company administrators and soldiers. Thus, Lion Brewery was born. Soon after, breweries in Japan, China and Thailand sprung up. Using rice instead of barley, they imitated lighter lager beers, which are now prominent in American beer culture.

Kirin Ichiban

Brewery: Kirin Brewery Company, Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan)

Style: Japanese Rice Lager

ABV: 5 percent

Price: $1.89/12 oz. bottle

Mugs: 0.5/4

If you ever wondered what the Japanese version of Natural Light was like, this pretty much sums it up. The cheapest of American lagers may even be better than this imported brew. Upon first pour, all of the head quickly dissipated. The smell is almost nonexistent, as well. It tastes extremely light and carbonated, with almost a stale flavor. Per bottle cost is cheaper, and the quality is seemingly lower than your traditional American lager. Stick to domestic beers if you have the option.

Beerlao

Brewery: Lao Brewery Company (Vientiane, Laos)

Style: Euro Pale Lager

ABV: 4.9 percent

Price: $1.99/11.2 oz. (330mL) bottle

Mugs: 1.5/4

Instead of barley, this lager uses locally grown jasmine rice. However, it’s mixed with imported German hops and yeast, creating a medley of international ingredients. The smell is very faint. The taste leaves much to be desired, though, lacking any real flavor, but packed with heavy carbonation. It could, however, be used as a refresher on a hot day in Laos while eating something spicy.

Singha

Brewery: Boon Rawd Brewery, Ltd (Bangkok, Thailand)

Style: Euro Pale Lager

ABV: 5 percent

Price: $2.49/12 oz. bottle

Mugs: 2.5/4

To stand out from its competitors, Singha is advertised as ‘100 percent barley malt beer’ instead of a rice replacement, as is common in several other Asian brews. But compared to the others, this one has a rather crisp taste. It smells slightly sweet, which translates into an equally sweet taste. The thick malt adds body, but is then offset by mild, hoppy bitterness. The most complex of the three, this is a refreshing and sessionable lager worth a try.

— Compiled by Lucas Sacks, staff writer, ldsacks@syr.edu

Published on October 6, 2010 at 12:00 pm