10 popular beers in Vietnam that domestic and foreign tourists should try

Warning: Beer products are only intended for people over 18 years of age.

1. Overview of Vietnamese beer

Beer first came to Vietnam in the 19th century, brought by the French. At that time, beer production was done entirely by hand, which made the process of brewing beer very slow but highly perfected. Two major beer brands entered the scene during this time, including Habeco (Hanoi Beer) and Sabeco (Saigon Beer).

The Vietnamese beer industry did not develop much until after the country gained independence. Then the government started to make changes in the tourism industry, which gave a boost to the beer industry. The fuel for tourism brought in a lot of foreign tourists and foreign business owners, and this led to a lot of foreign beer being imported and many other beers being brewed in Vietnam.

Today, the Vietnamese beer industry is quite large and developed both in technology and commerce. Beer has an indispensable place in Vietnamese culture. It is not only associated with a party, but also with many events, celebrations, friendly meetings and reunions. In fact, Vietnamese business owners often invite customers to drink beer when they are discussing business deals. For Vietnamese people, beer is a social drink. They prefer to drink beer in glasses rather than drinking it in cans or bottles. People in the “inner regions” like to add ice cubes to their beer.

2. Canned and bottled beer in Vietnam

Canned and bottled beer typically takes longer to ferment than draft beer. The beer is first fermented for 5 to 7 days, then processed and fermented again for about 6 days. Next, the beer is treated with compressed air, water, steam and carbon dioxide.

In Vietnam, canned beer is more popular than bottled beer. Some canned and bottled beers are local and some are imported. Beer is served in bars and pubs, but the most “Vietnamese” way to drink beer is to sit outside on the sidewalk and be served beer by local pubs all over the streets, on plastic stools set up around tables on the sidewalk.

3. List of 10 popular beers in Vietnam that domestic and foreign tourists should try

Let’s take a look at these 10 popular beers with Websosanh.vn!

3.1 333 Beer

333 Beer was first produced in 1893 and was originally called Beer 33. Later, another 3 was added. 333 canned beer is most popular in the South.

333 beer is one of the most popular beers in the country, this beer was brought to Vietnam by the French, who borrowed the recipe from the Germans. Locals often call 333 beer Ba Muoi Ba.

Currently, 333 beer is having a promotion program “Tet gifts full of deep affection” until December 31, 2022, with the chance to win 5 taels of 24K gold when drinking 333 beer.

Reference price: 275,000 VND/carton of 24 cans 330ml

3.2 Hanoi Beer

Bia Hanoi is the most popular beer in Northern Vietnam. It is brewed and served straight, has a delicious and crisp taste. It is easily found in Hanoi and the Northern region in general but not so much in the South.

Hanoi Beer is produced by Habeco Brewery and is also a legacy of the French.

Reference price: 282,000 VND/carton of 24 cans of Hanoi yellow label beer 330ml

3.3 Saigon Green Beer and Saigon Red Beer

These are relatively light beers produced in the South but found all over Vietnam. Saigon Beer has an alcohol content of over 4% depending on the type and has a very distinctive Asian rice flavor.

Saigon Green Beer, also known as Saigon Lager, is a clear pale yellow beer with a refreshing citrus aroma. It has a spicy malt flavor and leaves a slightly sweet aftertaste. It goes well with spicy food.

Saigon Red Beer is the premium version of Saigon Green Beer and has a slightly higher alcohol content. It is pale yellow in colour and has a bitter aftertaste. It is refreshing and has medium fizziness.

Currently, Saigon Beer is having a promotion program “Opening Lager on Tet – Brilliant Golden Luck” until January 10, 2023 when buying a can of Saigon Lager beer (330 ml can), with the prize being 1 tael of 9999 gold.

Reference price: 260,000 VND/carton of 24 cans of Saigon Lager beer 330ml

3.4 Larue Beer

Founded in 1909 by the French, Larue beer is named after Victor Larue, founder of the Brasseries et Placieres de L’Indochine Brewery. This beer was popular with American soldiers during the Vietnam War as Tiger beer.

Today, Larue beer is produced by a subsidiary of Heineken. It is pale yellow in color and has no odor. It is slightly sweet and has a bitter aftertaste.

Reference price: 260,000 VND/carton of 24 cans 330ml

3.5 Huda Beer

The name Huda beer comes from Hue (Hu) and Denmark (Da), produced by Hue Brewery. Huda beer is only available in Central Vietnam. It is available in canned, bottled and draft forms.

Now owned by the Carlsberg group, this lager won a silver medal at the 2013 World Beer Championships. It has a distinctive taste with great flavour.

Reference price: 266,000 VND/carton of 24 cans 330ml

3.6 Zorok Beer

With an alcohol content of 5%, Zorok beer has a very strong taste. It is produced by SABMiller and is available in cans and bottles. The beer is pale yellow in color and has a mildly sweet taste. It also has a refreshing aroma and a good amount of carbonation.

Zorok beer is a beer for health lovers. Brewed in Binh Duong province, each bottle of Zorok beer has 150 calories, 16% less than regular beer.

Reference price: 244,000 VND/carton of 24 cans 330ml

3.7 Heineken Beer

This beer is not a new name. As an international brand, Heineken has now become a formidable competitor in the already crowded beer market in Vietnam. This beer has a unique taste and is sold in beautifully designed cans and bottles in most of Vietnam.

Reference price: 455,000 VND/carton of 24 cans of Heineken Silver beer 330ml

3.8 Tiger Beer

Tiger Beer is brewed by Heineken Asia Pacific, this beer originated in Singapore and is popular in more than 60 countries around the world. It is a pale lager with an alcohol content of 5%.

Tiger Beer produces five different varieties and is one of the cheapest international brands available in Vietnam. In addition, Tiger Beer Group regularly organizes music events in Vietnam.

Reference price: 410,000 VND/carton of 24 cans of Tiger Crystal beer 330ml

3.9 Draft beer

Draft beer is the most popular beer in Vietnam. Draft beer is brewed for 7-10 days, so it has a shorter shelf life. It is pasteurized and has a lower sugar and alcohol content than other beers. No preservatives are used during the fermentation process. After fermentation, draft beer is poured into tanks, then sterilized with compressed air and warm water, sodium hydroxide and hot steam. Draft beer is then cooled with carbon dioxide gas. This is the type of beer found on sidewalks throughout Vietnam.

3.10 Craft beer

Craft beer is made with a lot of skill and care and is often very expensive. Some of the famous craft beer producers in Vietnam include Platinum, Pasteur Street Brewing, East West Brewing, Winking Seal and Heart of Darkness. Craft beer is brewed from all sorts of ingredients such as cocoa beans, local fruits, coffee beans, passion fruit and durian. The brewing process is very complex and meticulous, so craft beer is often very expensive.

This beer is produced by Asia Pacific Breweries and is considered a premium beer everywhere else in Asia, but is the cheapest international beer you can buy in Vietnam.

Reference price: from 40,000 – 150,000 VND/bottle

4. Conclusion

Beer may remind you of college parties, or old men sitting around a table, discussing topics of the past. However, everyone will agree that no party or scene is complete without some good beer to go with it. Beer is everyone’s favorite drink to cool down and refresh after a long day. In fact, most of Vietnam’s nightlife is based on beer. This makes Vietnamese beer cheap and plentiful. Vietnam has a wide variety of beers to suit every taste. Whether you drink light beer or you prefer something stronger, whether you want to enjoy and experiment with local beers or stick to tried and tested international brands, whether you want aged beers or draft beers, Vietnam has it all!