drink prices in bars

[lomuamart]

I used to drink Heineken here and was having mother of all hangovers. Someone said they still use that thermeldahide (sp?) in the process.
Anyone know this is true or not ?

Since switching to San Mig I've been ok'ish in mornings.

SJ

Over the years, I've the heard the formaldehyde "story" applying to most beers here.
"It's Chang, it's Singha, it's Heineken and so on".
I've no doubt that some brews are not as clean as we'd expect in the west and there's maybe an issue with quality control over here. But formaldehyde? Possibly, but personally I think it's a traveler's tale. If true, I'm well and truly pickled

[Vital Spark]

I agree with L. about the formaldehyde stories. I think they're generated by whichever brewer feels their sales are slipping.

I'm a die-hard Chang fan, but the quality does vary considerably. The odd bottle does (to my mind) taste slightly of whisky - which I don't like. Can't explain it, and I thought maybe it was a slightly under-washed glass, but I've tasted it at home aswell. One bottle of Singha (followed by a few bottles of Chang) really upsets my system.

I tend to avoid draught here (unless it's in a bar run by a farang) as the Thais don't understand cleaning out the pipes or getting the mixture right.

Heinneken (in my opinion) tastes like flavoured water - polite for gnats' p**s. We were given a couple of cans by a nice Thai colleague, but I don't quite know what to do with them. Maybe I'll just have them with my breakfast....

VS

PS: Hugely pleased (although I can't enjoy it) that my local micro-brewery - Earl Soham Brewery - have now taken over the old Tolly Cobbold Brewery in Ipswich. It may be bad timing, but it's great to hear that real ale is still 'alive' and kicking in the motherland.

[Nereus]

Here`s a site that may interest all you beer drinkers:

http://beerasia.blogspot.com/

[Spitfire]

Something that's puzzling on the rumours of formaldehyde usage is that many of these beers actually make it on to the UK/European/North American markets etc. Can't see it slipping past the US Food and Drug administration or the UK/European agencies that test everything.

OK, the Red Bull here and such drinks have no chance of making it on to those(European/US) markets and don't, I think.

These might be "rumours" from a very long time ago but I can't see it still happening now. I think "Myth" is a good word here.

Did find this though,


Beer - formaldehyde in Heineken beer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expert: Keith Patton - 6/13/2008

Question
I was recently told that there is formaldehyde used in beer and in particular Heineken beer? Is this true?
Thank you; I have tried urban legends, scams, etc. and cannot find an answer.
Kathy


Answer
Kathy:

I heard this same kind of thing about Singha (Thai beer) back in the 1980's. This is a case of a little information being dangerous...LOL.

Beer does contain aldehydes "Aldehydes...
There are many flavor-active aldehydes present in beer. These are formed at various stages in the brewing process and are produced by oxidation of alcohols and various fatty substances. Aldehyde levels reach a maximum during primary fermentation or immediately after kraeusening, then decrease (51). Aldehyde is reduced to ethanol by the end of the primary fermentation. If oxygen is introduced back into the process, the ethanol is oxidized back into acetaldehyde."

So some chemically challenged twit hearing the word aldehyde and formaldeyde being the only aldeyde with which they were familiar, assumed it was formaldeyde and the story was invented.

Also,at the time I heard it about Singha it was the reasoning behind the hang-over potential the beer had. What it really was was a combination of dehydration due to over consumption, and the higher alcohol content of the beer. In the case of Heiniken, only the former probably applies.

BTW there are a lot of other chemical compounds in beer that are essential to its flavor. Most are found in ales, very little are found in the less flavorful american light lagers.


Source - http://en.allexperts.com/q/Beer-2269/20 ... n-beer.htm

[Super Joe]

Haven't a clue if true, rumour or whatever.
Only thing I know for sure is when I changed from Hein to San Mig the hangovers were back to normal, the one's on Hein lasted all day!?
Was when I was first out here mind, maybe not used to the heat/more dehydrated and this was a big factor ??

I now stick to a tall glass of two white wine measures with a vodka top, and I feel brand new.

SJ

[Spitfire]

I now stick to a tall glass of two white wine measures with a vodka top, and I feel brand new.

Not much rugby player in you then SJ, you must be a lover, not a fighter.

[Super Joe]

Not much rugby player in you then SJ, you must be a lover, not a fighter

I can't fight but at the same time I don't put my arms around my mates shoulders in the pub and sing songs all night about girls parts whilst wearing a 6 inch thick stripy rugby shirt having spent the afternoon smelling their butts in scrums that are deliberately collapsed, time and time again just so the ref makes you set it up again and the whiffing process can be prolonged.

In case I wasn't clear I'm not into rugby

SJ

[Spitfire]

[Vital Spark]

Blimey SJ! White wine + vodka!

That would have me sliding under the table in no time. OK: so you're not a ruffy tuffy rugby man - I guess with that combination you're more Australian Rules?...

VS

[Super Joe]

I'm more of a soft southerner who can't handle the taste of wine, so need to dumb it down a bit. I call it a spritzer surprise lol.

SJ

[Aussie Mark]

Ladies and Gents

U are still getting the best deal in the world In Hua Hin .Just got back from Hong Kong and was paying $73 HKK dollars for a Vodka which is about $14 AUD and equals about 322 baht

yours in soooo cheap in Hua Hin lucky buggers

[hhfarang]

Drink To Your Health (yeah, right!), I wonder how much these are in the local Hua Hin pubs?

Five immunity-boosting, stress-busting cocktails.
By the Editors of Women's Health

Master plan: Use this recipe for each cocktail—just swap in a different liquor and spice.

Step 1: Make a spice-infused simple syrup. In a pan over medium heat, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons of your ground spice of choice. Once the sugar dissolves, simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool, and strain. Makes about 12 ounces.

Step 2: Create the cocktail. Use a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ground spice and 2 tablespoons of sugar to coat the rim of a martini glass. Fill a shaker with ice, 3 ounces of your chosen liquor, 1 ounce of the simple syrup, and a splash of club soda. Shake well and strain into the glass. Makes one drink.

The spirit: Absolut Vanilla

The spice: Lavender

During the "hellidays," stress levels soar higher than the star atop the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. For eons, lavender has been used to melt mental tension and relax muscles (hanging strings of lights can do a number on your back). And new research confirms that the scent of lavender can improve sleep.

The spirit: Bacardi Peach

The spices: Ginger and clove

Ginger can ward off the only things scarier than a week-long ski trip with the in-laws: cold and flu bugs. (Imbibed post-snowboarding, this drink's natural heat will thaw you out, too.) Add cloves and enjoy a concoction that tastes like peach pie and is rich in fatigue-fighting omega-3s and bone-building manganese.

The spirit: Absolut Citron

The spice: Cardamom

Spicy-sweet, exotic cardamom fires up your metabolism, so no worries about wearing a pencil skirt to the holiday office party. The Indian spice is also a firefighter, so it's a godsend for the heartburn you got scarfing down Uncle Ted's green-bean-and-fried-onion casserole.

The spirit: Tanqueray gin

The spice: Juniper

If December had a flavor, this pine-scented mix would be it. The slight bitterness makes it a tummy-soothing nightcap after an evening of gluttony, and studies show that juniper berries can prevent blood-sugar levels from spiking—so you can stay calm and composed even when you're dealing with your overbearing cousin.

The spirit: Hennessy cognac

The spice: Chili

A perfect drink to enjoy under the mistletoe. This zesty blend generates just enough heat to make your lips and tongue tingle—and to help you burn a few extra calories. Bonus: Two tablespoons of chili powder contain 88 percent of your recommended daily dosage of vitamin A, which fortifies mucus membranes to help hold off nasty winter viruses.

[chelsea]

SJ try a long island ice tea.
5 nips of white spirit, splash of coke, splash of orange juice (only done to make it the colour of Iced Tea) in a large glass.

One of them is good, two is sometimes to many, it only depends on how much you have drank before
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Island_Iced_Tea

[Super Joe]

Cheers for the tip Chels, I'll give it a go. Will it all fit in the glass with me double wines though, or should I treat it as a drink in its own right

mate,

SJ

[Spitfire]

SJ, Long Island Beach Tea is same but with cranberry juice instead of coke, nice aswell.