There’s a whole host of new names on the local white-spirit scene trying their hand at Thailand-distilled new drinks. You’ve probably heard about the decade-old Chiang Mai-based Ma Jai Dum vodka brand by now, but there’s plenty more out there. Chalong Bay, Lamoon and Lamai are all white rums distilled from Lampun to Phuket. Head to Err (394/35 Maharaj Rd.), the Bo.Lan team’s new restaurant, to try some of these drinks mixed into local-leaning cocktails paired with easygoing Thai cuisine. Waan Noi mixes Maa Jai Dam banana spirit with shade-grown coffee and coffee liqueur (B250), while the LTBT (Lamai Takrai Bai Toey) features Lamai sugar cane spirit, lemongrass and pandan essence and lime (B220). 

 

Tapping into Thai culture, the recently opened Tep Bar (69-71, Soi Nana, Charoenkrung Rd., 098-467-2944) has joined Studio Lam to specialize in home-infused ya dong (herb-infused Thai moonshine), whether straight (like Phra Apai Manee, Ratchasri Kamram or Khaiki, B200) or in cocktails (B280). The same bar also features a traditional orchestral band playing luk krung music daily. Unlike the molam sounds that have been popular in Bangkok bars for a while now, luk krung features instruments usually found at khon performances, like ra nad (xylophone), sor au (alto fiddle) and ja kae (similar to a lap guitar). 

 

The list of locally brewed beers just keeps getting longer. From last year’s Udomsuk Brewing, Chit Beer, Sandport Brewing and Golden Coins, we’ve now got Pheebok Beer, Jo+ Beer Home Brew, Purr Beer, Triple Pearl and many more. And it’s not even that difficult to hunt down these brews anymore, thanks to events like Brewtopia at the new Silom art bar Whiteline (Silom Soi 8, 087-061-1117). Check out the bar’s event schedule at fb.com/whitelinebangkok.

 

And talking about beer, there’s never been so many craft beer-specializing bars, with at least one in nearly every neighborhood. Craft has branched out from its now-permanent Sukhumvit Soi 23 pop-up to Silom (G/F, Holiday Inn Silom, 981 Silom Rd.), while the giant Brew Beers & Ciders (30 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-255-5532.) has opened its third branch on Sukhumvit Soi 11. Beer delivery service Wishbeer has also opened a proper space near Ekkamai BTS (The Loft Ekkamai, Sukhumvit Rd., between soi 63 and 65, 02-392-1403). New player Hair of The Dog (2/F, Mahatun Plaza, 888/26 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-650-7589), meanwhile, offers an option for those in Phloen Chit, with 13 selected beers on tap that come from familiar importers like Smiling Mad Dog, Hopsession and Beervana. Make sure you catch their After Work Detox for buy-two-get-one-free from Mon-Thu 5-8pm. Ladies also get 50 percent off all night on Wednesdays. 

 

Opened in late July, The Third Pig (Soi Phahon Yothin 20, 098-965-4356. www.fb.com/The3rdPig) is a rustic bar and restaurant run by half of the team behind the well-renowned Mixology cocktail bar in Chiang Mai. The bar offers a similar food and drink concept but with a much wider menu, covering everything from spaghetti carbonara to Chinese-style pork knuckle and mussels in kang-som (spicy tamarind paste). To drink, there’s a huge list of signature cocktails like Brick House Cobbler (vodka, blackcurrant liqueur, chocolate liqueur, port wine, mixed berries, cranberry bitters and chocolate stick, B260) and Eden's Apple (Monkey Shoulder blended whiskey, peach schnapps, apple juice, cinnamon syrup, lime, egg white and aromatic bitters, B260).        

 

The Polynesian-themed restaurant Trader Vic’s (Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa, 257/1-3 Charoen Nakhon Rd., 02-476-0022) has enlivened its Sunday brunch with free-flow Mai Tai cocktails (see page 22). The Mai Tai here is created by new resident mixologist Ron Ramirez, who bottle ages his drinks with ingredients like peppermint, wild berries and earl grey tea before serving.

 

Although our local bartenders didn’t make it to the regional round of Diageo World Class bartending competition this year, there were still four winners from the Thailand round: Ton Pongpak from Why 97 (Asiatique The Riverfront, 2194 Charoenkrung Soi 72-74, 081-797-4455), Ball Sarawut from Bamboo Bar (1/F, Mandarin Oriental, 48 Charoen Krung Soi 40, 02-659-9000), Thumb Natakorn from the now-defunct Perfume Fragrance Bar and Milk Pailin from Vesper (10/15 Convent Rd., Silom, 02-235-2777). 

 

Not only has one of its bartenders been named among the best in town, but Vesper also has one of the most original drinks menus right now, focusing on botanically infused cocktails. Try a Doubting Thomas (B480)—a tea cocktail that blends lapsang souchong (a smoky black tea from Foujian province) with Ardberg (an even smokier Scotch whiskey), Aperol, sherry and bay leaf. A Thyme to Kill (B420) is also a great take on the classic negroni, mixing thyme-infused Cointreau with barrel-aged Tanqueray gin and La Quintinye extra dry vermouth. The Campari is served completely separately as jelly.

 

Another bar manned by one of the Diageo World Class winners has teamed up with French vodka label Grey Goose to create a luxury drink inspired by French nobility during the reign of King Louise XV. The result is called Grey Goose L’Aristocrate, which mixes Grey Goose vodka with Noilly Prat French vermouth and Dashfire bitters, served in a Moser limited-edition Lady Hamilton glass. At B1,200 per glass, it’s also served alongside a mille feuille.