Tiger Beer - The beast with a body

Malayan Breweries Limited (MBL), now known Asia Pacific Breweries, was founded in 1931. Tiger is the company's flagship beer and has been since its creation in 1932 in Malaysia. The beer has always been popular with Europeans, many of whom made up a large section of Malaya's beer drinking population in the early twentieth century. Such was the popular influence of the beers slogan, "Time for a Tiger", that Anthony Burgess used the same name for his first novel, something for which he eventually received a free case of the beer for (once he had achieved fame over a decade later).

Asia Pacific Breweries is indeed a "Tiger" of the Asian beer industry controlling 23 breweries in 9 countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka. They also export the beer to over 60 countries where it maintains a popular presence in restaurants, bars and supermarkets. The company is listed on the Singapore Exchange and Heineken is a major shareholder with over a 40% stake.

The beer is unique amongst its competitors in Thailand, as it happens to be a very tasty brew. It is a nice even 5% alcohol and is brewed with malt barley from Europe and Australia, hops from Germany and yeast from Holland. This is a beer with a real taste to it, perfect as an accompaniment with curry. It is brewed only in the Asia-Pacific region and is said to go through 50 more quality control tests than most other beers. Other unconfirmed legends are that it takes three weeks to make the beer and that only 10 living people currently know the recipe. What I can confirm is that the beer is hugely successful both in Thailand and elsewhere. The price is more than fair at 26 baht per 320ml bottle and it is widely available. The beer has consistently stood up against other brands and has won literally countless medals and awards and was even judged the world's best lager beer in the 1998 Brewing Industry International Awards.

Compared to most of the crap on Thai beer shelves this beer is unique. It has a long and successful history; it tastes great and is reasonably priced. It is an international beer that contrasts its rivals, especially Heineken, by offering body and flavour.