Brew Review: Tiger Beer

Today, while discussing Asian beers, I was asked the following question: do you prefer Kirin to Sapporo.

Allow me to suggest an experiment. Next time you eat sushi, instead of reaching for a frosty Kirin or Sapporo, drink Budweiser. That’s right. Event after I lambasted President Obama for drinking the stuff, I’d like you to try some with your next serving of gyoza. Don’t worry, it’s for an observation.

I’m willing to bet a boat-load of sushi that what you washed down your toro with tastes virtually the same to your preferred Japanese brew; fizzy, yellow and better served as cold as possible if it must be served at all.

What I’m getting at is that we seem to put these thinly-veiled equivalents to our own mass-produced beer on pedestals just because they’re brands from other countries. It doesn’t matter if I prefer Kirin to Sapporo; they’re practically identical.

What I’m searching for is a beer of Asian descent then leaves the fizzy, yellow universe behind and strives to have a full-bodied flavor. Today’s review does not fit the bill, so please, I beg of you, help me find an Asian beer that doesn’t suck.

Tastes: Tiger Beer from Asia Pacific Breweries was launched in 1932 as Singapore’s first locally brewed beer. And in the subsequent years it has remained a lifeless, easy-to-drink lager lacking anything vibrant or interesting…like taste.

I got mine: on special at Lost Leaf. If I had this chilling in my beer inventory I’d try to get rid of it quick too.

Goes with: absolute thirst. If you’re so thirsty that you just have to have a cold drink, regardless of any reservations you may have about drinking it because you know good beer and this isn’t it, I can see how Tiger might be an option.

Verdict: Singapore should have just named Tiger “Beer” and gotten it over with. Anything other than a generic name is false advertising.