MBS Thailand,
I have been residing in SEA for over 4 years and I can honestly say that there are very few things of my Western life that I miss. Pickled Onion Monster Munch remain the holy grail for me, along with a decent roast dinner and ‘proper’ chips. All have been available, in one way or another, but the one thing that has eluded me is decent real ale.
Tony, along with business partner Ronald, started their business selling to hotel minibars and has grown to be the largest supplier of imported beers, wines and ciders in Thailand. They also hold exclusive rights for the distribution of the breweries we investigate below. MBS Thailand is your one-stop shop for all your favourite brews!! They are incidentally, the only company to offer draft beers, ciders, wine, prosecco, cocktails and sangria, in a 20-litre keg, but today we focus on the beer.
I was asked to review ales from 2 brewery companies, most of which are old familiar friends and Greene King and Marstons being breweries that I used to drink from in the Home Counties. I’ve even been to the Greene King brewery in Bury St. Edmunds on more than one occasion, having worked with them many moons ago. Wychwood, owned by Marstons, is the UK's largest, organic brewery, based in Oxfordshire.
All cases contain 24 x 440ml or 500 ml. Purists may prefer a draft ale, but frankly speaking, I’m pretty pleased with the results from a can. No concerns over bottom-of-the-barrel dregs, or less than hygienic practices.
Starting at the ‘lighter’ end of the cornucopia of ales, the Greene King IPA is what I would describe as an entry-level IPA. Generally speaking, ironically, I find Indian Pale Ales have a rather acrid bitterness, to my tastebuds, and something I steer away from, but this particular beer is smoother and less hoppy than a typical example. Slightly nutty on the nose, which follows through to the palate.
I would put the Hobgoblin Gold into a similar category, having the same kind of characteristics, but with much more pronounced white flowers on the nose and a relatively delicate taste with a lemony vibe.
Next up was something I have not had in FOREVER, an Irish cream, in this case, the Wexford Irish Cream from Greene King. The widget in the can means the pour creates an attractive cascading effect, resulting in a solid, creamy head and an amber body. The flavour profile is very delicate, malt biscuit but most notably, the mouthfeel is pleasant, soft and creamy. This would be a good beer for those who don’t love a dark bitter, but want to venture away from a lager.
For the first time, I tried Ruddles County Ale. This was pleasantly surprising as a lighter bitter that I was not familiar with, and immensely drinkable. Balancing just the right amount of ‘bite’, slightly carbonated again, with a gorgeous gold colour and foamy head. Enough hops to give it depth, with a lingering, slightly fruity aftertaste. Dangerously easy-drinking as the sunsets over the sea.
Marston’s Pedigree ale was next. The colour is an enticing amber, with a small, fast to disappear head, with a vivacious carbonation. Whilst it doesn’t have lots going on in the nose, it has a taste of malty caramel, with a dry, not bitter finish. This would be the perfect patsy for my beloved roast dinner, or indeed any traditional, British Pub Grub.
In my early beer swilling days, Old Speckled Hen (Marston’s) was one of the most popular pours and what I would drink when ‘punters’ would buy me a pint (I worked in a bar, before you get any ideas…). Sipping on this was like being wrapped in an old, familiar sweater. The roasted malt gives it the delightful body, with a slightly higher carbonation than some of the other ales. The finish is fruity with a slight bitterness.
Bombardier has a lovely pour, leaning towards amber in colour, with a creamy head. This is slightly more toasty in style than the last beverage, with a bit more complexity, warm nutty notes marry well with fresh, crisp apple acidity to strike the perfect balance. The hoppy finish, completes the symphony.
For my money, the next beer was the highlight of my tasting experience. As you see from the picture, ruby is the perfect description of this Hobgoblin. Sporting a rich, yeasty, nutty and caramel aroma, these all followed through to the taste. I actually did a happy dance, as the flavours caressed my tastebuds. Hobgoblin Ruby is rich with brilliant depth, without being overwhelming. Hands down, my favourite of the lot and my case is already on order!
Abbott Ale, another old favourite from Greene King has a LOT to answer for. Over 10 years ago, I went to a particular pub for the first time, alone, in a village to which I had just moved. 5 pints (1/2 litre glasses) later, I bade a cheery farewell to the landlord, with an echo in my footsteps of “any bird that can drink 5 pints of Abbott Ale and walk out of here, is welcome any time”. I’m not sure if that was referring to the strength of the beer (5% proof), or the cleanliness (or lack) of the pipes… nevertheless, it became a firm favourite, with lots of fruit character, rich, malty notes and a balanced hopiness.
Moving to the darker end of the spectrum are a couple of stouts. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, similarly sporting a widget to give that nitro experience, with a more latte coloured head than the last, has all of the traits of a good stout, with the addition of a lovely, chocolatey flavour. More like raw cacao, than processed chocolate, to give a depth of flavour, without being cloying, in the slightest.
Belhaven Stout (the brewery acquired by Greene King in 2005) has a deep black colour, with an off-white head, a slight coffee aroma thanks to the roasted barley, malty, nutty depth of flavours and a slight bite – think Guinness with balls! This one is definitely up my street.
With the above selection, even for the die-hard Singha and Chang enthusiasts, there is definitely something for everyone. Watch this space for more to come!
With distribution around the country, you are able to order wherever you are - my delivery arrived at a villa in Koh Chang, so your beer needs will be met, whatever your location.
To order, visit the site below.
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