Vietnamese beer
Asians are still regularly bleating over the adverse effects of Western colonialism. And they are very often right to do so.
But one of the very positive impacts was the introduction of beer – a drink that is usually the perfect accompaniment with Asian cuisines, and can be very refreshing in the hotter climates that characterise much of Asia.
There is ancient evidence of brewing in most Asian countries using rice and other grains. But the modern Asian beer industry was established by Europeans in the 19th century.
The first modern brewery was established in British India in 1830. German settlers founded the Tsingtao Brewery in China in 1903.
German brewing practices were especially influential in Japan, with companies like Kirin, Sapporo, and Asahi being founded in the late 1800s.
So one of my missions on the present visit to Vietnam has been to discover the country’s beer. The Frenchman Victor Larue opened a brewery in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in 1875.
This small brewery was the origin of what is now known as the Saigon Beer and Beverage Joint Stock Company (SABECO). The brewery grew and expanded over time, eventually becoming a large factory and merging with BGI in 1927 before being taken over by the government after the Vietnam War.
As with many things in Vietnam, when it comes to beer there is a north/south divide in this long and skinny country which is shaped like an “S”. Immense cultural differences are hardly surprising in a country that stretches about 1,650 km north to south.
As far as I could tell there are two main Vietnamese beers, Hanoi beer and Saigon beer. I started my tasting with some Saigon beer which struck me as having a crisp and bitter flavour, like a traditional lager. In contrast, the Hanoi beer had a more rich and rounded flavour.
Which is the best? Preferences in beer are a matter of personal taste. But I did prefer the Hanoi beer.
There are many reasons for drinking beer. And relaxation is certainly one of them. To add to the relaxation, during my tasting I was descended upon by some masseuses. Despite my best efforts to repel their advances, I surrendered to one who provided an excellent massage of my back, neck and head.
So this experience seemed to be beer, Vietnam style!