20 Refreshing Asian Beers You Must Try!

Jan 12, 2023

When you think of the word ‘beer’, the first thing that comes to mind might be a big Western brand like Guinness or Heineken. But did you know that there are many amazing Asian beer brands out there? Today, we’ll be sharing details of some of the best Asian beers on the market!

#1 Taiwan Beer (Taiwan)

Starting our list off we have Taiwan Beer, a beer brand that is unsurprisingly based on the island country of Taiwan. It is a lager beer made using locally grown Formosa/Ponlai rice and has a rich amber colour. With its countless international awards, Taiwan Beer is globally recognized as a good quality beer as well as a symbol of Taiwanese culture. Taiwan Beer is our favourite beer as it's rather light and smooth, and is great for social occasions.

Taiwan beer

#2 Tsingtao (China)

Tsingtao’s history in China dates back over 120 years when British and German settlers first brewed beer in Qingdao. This malty beer is quite unique because it is made using water from Laoshan Mountain, renowned for its purity, creating a light and refreshing beverage. Fans of Tsingtao beer claim that it is the best beer to drink when eating hot food.

Tsingtao beer (Chinese beer)

#3 Tiger (Singapore)

Singapore’s Tiger beer possesses the same qualities that you see in a lot of good Asian beers: light, refreshing, and filled with a symphony of flavours. They are part of the Heineken group, and their brewery is a popular tourist destination in Singapore.

Tiger beer (Singaporean beer)

#4 Sapporo (Japan)

Sapporo is a household name in the international beer scene, evidenced by the fact that it is the number one selling beer in the US. It is the oldest beer brand in Japan, and its crisp but light flavour makes it a crowd favourite among the Japanese people.

Sapporo Beer (Japanese beer)

#5 Asahi (Japan)

If a quality beer is what you are looking for, then you can’t go wrong by choosing Asahi. Hailing from the land of the rising sun, this smooth-tasting rice lager is often viewed as the gold standard for Asian beers due to the high quality ingredients used. Several variants of Asahi beer exist including Asahi Super Dry, Asahi Draft Lager, and Asahi Stout. Asahi is rather common in the West and one of our favourite beers that is available on tap in many pubs and bars.

Asahi Beer (Japanese beer)

#6 Chang (Thailand)

Are you low on budget but you’d still like to crack open a cold beer with the lads? Well then let me present to you Chang beer. This Thai beer brand is well-known for being among the most affordable Asian beers out there, and gives me fond memories of past holidays to Thailand. It is a strong American-style lager perfect for eating spicy food, and it presents a great bang for your buck.

Chang beer (Thai beer)

#7 Bintang (Indonesia)

Translating to “Star Beer”, Bintang beer is the number one beer brand in Indonesia based on sales volume. They are a part of the Heineken group, so it is no wonder why this beer tastes similar to Heineken.

With numerous international awards, Bintang beer has cemented itself as a major player in the Asian beer market. They also have a low-alcohol beer variant called Bintang Radler that is especially popular among women.

Bintang beer (Indonesian beer)

#8 Singha (Thailand)

Singha beer has the unique distinction of being officially endorsed by the Thai royal family back in 1939 when King Rama VIII approved the use of the royal Garuda symbol on its bottles. It is a pretty good full-bodied beer made from artesian water and premium barley malt.

Singha beer (Thai beer)

#9 Snow Beer (China)

Despite being relatively unknown outside of China, Snow Beer is in fact one of the best-selling beers in the world. The flavour and texture of this beer are nothing to write home about, but its affordable price tag means that you will often find it on lists such as this one.

Snow beer (Chinese beer)

#10 Kirin Beer (Japan)

Kirin Beer is a light and aromatic beer brewed using only the best ingredients available. Many Asian beer lovers nominate Kirin Beer as the best beer to pair with Japanese food, especially Japanese barbeque (otherwise also known as Yakiniku). We also find that it pairs up well with sushi dishes.

Kirin Beer (Japanese Beer)

#11 Anker Beer (Indonesia)

Brewed for the first time back in 1932, this full-flavoured golden pilsener is considered by many to be the highest quality Indonesian beer on the market. Anker Beer has a very strong taste profile, not unlike European beer brands, and it’s relatively harder to find compared to other popular Indonesian beers such as Bintang and Bali Hai.

Anker beer (Indonesian beer)

#12 Kingfisher (India)

Kingfisher is one of the largest beer brands to be based in India. They have 8 different variants available for purchase, with the two most popular being Kingfisher Strong and Kingfisher Premium. The former is a very strong & sour lager beer with a high alcohol content of 8%, while the latter with its 5% alcohol content is a much lighter drink more akin to other Asian beers.

Kingfisher beer (Indian beer)

#13 Harbin (China)

Harbin beer is a pale lager beer brand based in its namesake city of Harbin in Heilongjiang province. As the oldest beer brand in China, it has perfected its brewing technique over the years, resulting in a beer that is much less watery than other Asian beers.

Harbin Beer (Chinese beer)

#14 San Miguel (Philippines)

Next up on our list we have San Miguel beer, the number one beer in the Philippines. Not to be confused with the Spanish San Miguel beer, the Filipino San Miguel is a medium-body golden lager that possesses a balanced and moderate taste.

Fun fact: the owners of San Miguel beer, San Miguel Corporation (SMC), also own the most successful basketball team in the Phillippines called the San Miguel Beermen.

San Miguel (Filipino Beer)

#15 Cass Beer (Korea)

Cass Beer is a popular American-style lager based in South Korea. It is best served ice cold and has a sturdy white head. Many view Cass Beer as being the best beer to have when eating greasy food.

Cass Beer (Korean beer)

#16 Hite Beer (Korea)

Another one for the hot food lovers out there, Hite Beer is a rice-based pale lager that pairs perfectly with spicy meals. It is probably the most well-known Korean beer brand internationally and is considered a no nonsense option to go for.

Hite Beer (Korean beer)

#17 Saigon Beer (Vietnam)

With a 184-year history, Saigon Beer is regarded by a lot of people as one of the best Asian beers on the market. This golden-coloured lager is made using rice and barley, and with its light and refreshing taste Saigon Beer is absolutely perfect for a nice sunny day.

Saigon beer (Vietnamese beer)

#18 Suntory (Japan)

Similar to Asahi, Suntory beer is a premium-quality beer brewed in Japan. They are famous for using advanced brewing techniques to create their magnificently delicious and aromatic pilsner beer. Add to that the rich foam on top of the beer and you have yourself the perfect alcoholic drink.

Suntory Beer (Japanese beer)

#19 Angkor Beer (Cambodia)

Named after the spectacular Angkor Wat temple, Angkor Beer certainly deserves its title as Cambodia’s national beer. It is often confused with Anchor Beer, but unlike the bland Anchor Beer, Angkor has a fuller flavour profile complimented by soft hints of sweet malt and grassy hops.

Angkor Beer (Cambodian Beer)

#20 Leo (Thailand)

Similar to other Thai beer brands, Leo beer is famous for being refreshing and affordable. It possesses a crisp flavour profile with hints of sweetness, along with strong carbonation and a nice aroma. Many are also of the opinion that it is better than the other popular Thai beers, Chang and Singha.

Leo Beer (Thai beer)

Final Word

And there you have it! As you can see, there are many underrated Asian beer brands from great Asian breweries you can choose from. Each one has its unique characteristics, so definitely don't be afraid to try as many as you can find!