1. Inedit

France, 4.5% ABV, B450
Spanish on 4
A co-creation by Damm brewmasters and the sommeliers of Ferran Adria’s El Bulli, Inedit is an aromatic white beer made with barley, malt and wheat, designed specifically to be enjoyed with food. It’s also served in a wine glass, so you can appreciate its light body and complex aromas of liquorice, orange peel and coriander. A handful of places are now stocking it in Bangkok, but the cheapest deal we found so far is at Spanish on 4. Oh, and note that it comes in a 750ml bottle, so it’s not actually as expensive as it sounds.

2. Ventinus Eisbock

Germany, 12% ABV, B250
Beer Vault
Germany is already known for its eiswein (wine made from frozen grapes that yield concentrated sugars) but is perhaps less famous for its frozen beers. The story goes that decades ago, a specialty beer by the folks at Schneider froze during shipment. The accident was well recieved and the Aventinus Eisbock was born. A heavy, very wheaty and very boozy beer, the Aventinus has a dark color and stacks quite a foamy head. It’s definitely a beer lover’s beer, with a large body and flavors of chocolate, dried fruits and a hint of vanilla.

3. Kwak

Belgium, 8.4% ABV, B240
Beer Vault
A Belgian golden ale, this is a heavy, boozy beer that’s not for the faint of heart. It does, however, have some nice aroma of flowery hops, a spice and even hints of toffee. It’s a pleasing reddish color and is usually served in a specialty glass that looks like it belongs in a science lab: a tall tube with a bowl shaped bottom and a flared top. It comes on a wooden stand because it would tip over otherwise. If you like Duvel, you might like this.

4. Tripel Karmeliet

Belgium, 8.4% ABV, B210
Beer Mansion
Tripel is simply a word often used to describe Belgian beers that are strong pale ales. This one pours with a big, fluffy, white head that you’ll be loathe to mess up. It’s also very aromatic with a heady combination of yeastiness, lemon and candy. The taste is less complex, but still packs some citrus, spice and yeast, along with a nice, creamy texture.

5. St. Louis

Belgium, 3% ABV, B150
The Aston
St. Louis does lambic fruit beers. Lambics are fermented with natural yeasts in the enviroment, rather than brewer’s yeast. After an initial fermentation, fruits such as cherries, raspberries, blackcurrants and more are introduced, and the alcohol content is purposely kept low so that the fruit flavors shine through. The fruitiness of the beer is countered by a slight sourness. The Aston carries St Louis cherry, raspberry and peach.

6. Waterloo Tripel Blonde

Belgium, 7.5% ABV, B260
Beer Vault
Another Belgian tripel, the Waterloo is a boozy but relatively light and well-rounded beer with lots of hops and tart fruit flavors like green apple, along with a slight bitterness. At Beer Vault, it’s served in a special ceramic mug with a handle to keep it cold. If you like pilsner, you might like this. Waterloo also does a dark beer, also carried by Beer Vault.

7. Yebisu

Japan, 5% ABV, B260
Pint Beer Park
While Bangkok is awash in Asahi and, to some extent, Sapporo, Yebisu is harder to come by. They used to be Japan’s oldest beer producers, and then they got bought out by Sapporo and became their luxury beer. It’s made entirely from malt—that is malted barley—making it rich in flavor. It also has a moderately bitter aftertaste. Oh, and don’t let the snobs make fun of you. The “y” in Yebisu comes from a now obsolete kana character, and the beer is actually pronounced ebisu.

8.Fuller’s London Porter

United Kingdom, 5.4% ABV, B230
The Aston
Fuller’s London Porter is a multi-award winning brew, which was originally created from a blend of brown and pale ales. The result is a strong, dark beer that has a rich, complex flavor with hints of chocolate and a creamy finish. You can also get hold of Fuller’s London Pride (also B230), which is a more straight up mainstream pale ale for those who like a lighter, slightly more bitter beer with a pleasant afternote of citrus.

Essentials

The Aston, Crystal Design Center, 1420/1 Praditmanoontham Rd., 02-102-2323. Open Tue-Sun 5pm-midnight
Beer Vault, Four Points by Sheraton, Sukhumvit Soi 15, 02-309-3000. Open daily 11-1am
Beer Mansion, Mansion 7, 244/7 Ratchadaphisek Soi 14, 084-022-7222. Open Sun-Thu 6pm-12:20am, Fri-Sat 6pm-2am
Pint Beer Park, Park Lane Ekamai, 18 Sukhumvit Soi 63 (Ekkamai), 02-382-0071. Open daily 11am-midnight
Spanish on 4, 78/80 Silom Soi 4, 02-632-9955. BTS Sala Daeng. Open Sun-Thu 11-1am, Fri-Sat 11-2am