Thursday, March 8, 2012

Bia Hoi @ Old Quarter, Hanoi

Bia Hoi which means "Fresh Beer" in English, is Vietnam's version of draft beer. Each morning, large beer barrels and kegs are distributed by the local breweries such as Hanoi Brewery, Viet Ha Brewery and South East Asia Brewery to thousands of Bia Hoi outlets. 

Unlike canned or bottled beer, Bia Hoi has no additives or preservatives. Hence, it is essential to consume everything on the same day and as early as possible before the flavors begin to stray. 
Bia Hoi has an alcohol content somewhere between 4 to 4.5% and it only cost 5,000 VND per glass ( ~ less than RM1 or 72 cents to be exact! ). This might be the world's cheapest beer!
Bia Hoi Corner situated between Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien streets is the gathering place for beer drinkers. It is truly a luxury to sit on a tiny plastic chair, watching the world go by. 
 This unpasteurized and unpreserved brew was light, slightly bitter and had a subtle notes of malt and rice. 

After a few glasses of Bia Hoi, we were enlightened and ready to start exploring Hanoi's charms.

Verdict: TOTALLY SMITTEN

Bia Hoi Corner
Address: Intersection of Luong Ngnoc Quyen and Ta Hien Streets
**Bia Hoi outlets are often nameless, so look for store with a large sign reading Bia Hoi.

18 comments:

  1. Ooh we're heading to Hanoi in November, and now thanks to you we know something else to check out! Do share more k..heh

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    1. You are most welcome! I'll try my best to post everything I've tried in Hanoi... I'm a very slow blogger.. heheh

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  2. I love that atmosphere in Vietnam of squatting on those tiny plastic stools huddled together eating or drinking to your pleasure.

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    1. Yes... Hanoi is such a beautiful city - old but charming...

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  3. I missed the beer drinking during my trip to Vietnam last month bc nobody was interested in this, so did more of exploring the sightseeing sights and food. Wish I would have seen this post earlier, then I could have gone out doing this on my own. I do indulge in beer like once a while and I would have been a great experience.

    Having said this, I think I did see the little stalls with people squatting and enjoying food.

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    1. Don't worry... you can go with me next time. =) The beer was better than I expected. It may look pale but the flavor was spot on!

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  4. ooo, i've only been to ho chi minh city, but not to hanoi yet. looking forward to reading about your adventures here =)

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  5. the best thing about vietnam is that they use a very low stool...
    wonder why?

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    1. I wonder why too... maybe is cheaper to produce. =)

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  6. Oh gosh! That is really really cheap! The love those short stools! Reminds me of primary school!

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    1. I think it is shorter than primary school chairs!!! think kindergarten chair. hhehheheheh

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  7. 70 cent per mug of beer? it's like the chinese tea in malaysia! :DD

    Latest: Mamak or Indian?

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    1. Yes!!! Tell me about it... food inflation...

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  8. Ooh a lot of caucasians enjoying the world's cheapest beer! but was it good to your taste?

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    1. I actually like it a lot. It tastes better than a lot of local beer. =D

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  9. Well I really like these photos and they make me feeling best.

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