Beerlao Lager
Lao Brewery Co.

Beerlao LagerBeerlao Lager
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From:
Lao Brewery Co.
 
Laos
Style:
European Pale Lager
Ranked #163
ABV:
5%
Score:
72
Ranked #27,852
Avg:
3.09 | pDev: 19.09%
Reviews:
146
Ratings:
301
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 07, 2024
Added:
Mar 01, 2003
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  43
Beerlao is brewed from the best local rice and overseas high quality malt giving it a unique taste. Beerlao was launched in 1973 and has become the best selling and leading brand in Laos. It was also awarded gold medals by various international competitions. Beerlao is one of the most successful exports and is currently available in 13 countries worldwide.
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Ratings by stoutman:
Photo of stoutman
Reviewed by stoutman from Michigan

2.08/5  rDev -32.7%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
I had this one in Ventiane. Pours clear light golden with a small white head. Aroma is nearly nothing. Taste is mild sweet grainy, thin body, some wet paper as well. Definitely nothing special here. A locally popular rice beer that in my opinion is just something cold to drink.
May 28, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of GoldenEagleTrading
Reviewed by GoldenEagleTrading from Canada (BC)

5/5  rDev +61.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Very Fresh tasting, easy to drink, very enjoyable, especially on a hot day.
Clean look, pleasant smell of the hops & rice mixture. Thoroughly enjoyed, probably going to become my 'go to' beer.
Interested in trying other beer from this brand.
Mar 07, 2024
 
Rated: 3 by alexsergio from New York

Feb 15, 2024
 
Rated: 3 by BrisLoganite from Australia

Oct 15, 2023
Photo of edthehead
Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle pour into a tulip glass.
Clear golden appearance, with a foamy white head that recedes quickly to a collar. Grain, scallion, sweet tea notes. Light body and carbonation, creamy finish.
Jun 15, 2023
 
Rated: 3 by smithj4 from New York

May 24, 2023
Photo of Snowcrash000
Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany

3.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
I've had copious amounts of this stuff while backpacking around Southeast Asia about 15 years ago. Is it a great beer compared to German lagers, for example? Of course not. Does it go down crisp and easy in 35°+ degree heat and 80%+ humidity? You betcha! Seriously, from what I remember this made for a very refreshing, inoffensive lager with some doughy, grainy malt and pretty light, grassy hops. Clear golden coloration with strong carbonation. Tastes even better when drunk sitting on the pavement on tiny plastic chairs!
Apr 21, 2023
Photo of Mike747
Reviewed by Mike747 from England

4.07/5  rDev +31.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Let's not kid ourselves. This is no classic German lager, but I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like it. Surely the most inoffensive and one of the tastiest beers in SE Asia. Pours a clear, straw colour. Taste is clean up front and down the neck. Nothing remotely complex here, but it pairs excellently with any food I've tried. Imagine an Italian white (wine) that is trying hard to say nothing as you scoff down seafood linguine. This is the beer equivalent. Fresh, clean, unremarkable, unobtrusive and delicious. The problem is they go down too fast.
Apr 15, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by psoriasaurus from Thailand

Jun 17, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by GClarkage from California

Nov 30, 2021
Photo of detgfrsh
Reviewed by detgfrsh from Texas

3.81/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
From a glass bottle. Pours a clear golden color with a thin layer of white head. Toasted malt smell. Medium body with good carbonation. Toasted malt flavors with moderate sweetness and a slight bitterness on the finish. Surprisingly good!
Oct 30, 2021
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

3.37/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
500ml can into a pint glass. Alpha coding no help in determining age.

Bright crystal clear golden body. Small white head disappears quickly, no lacing.

Manages to smell sweet.

And it is quite sweet. Rice and malted barley used. So were hops, but they must have just dipped a few leaves in there. Clean and very refreshing.

Mouth between thin and medium, finish sweet with a hint of dryness.

Overall, better than expected. Although sweetness is the main factor, it isn't cloying. Had a few rice lagers recently, my palate seems to like them more than American adjunct lagers. Clean and easy drinking.This would be killer after a hard days work.
Sep 05, 2021
 
Rated: 2.87 by JonnoWillsteed from England

Jul 04, 2021
 
Rated: 2.75 by warpedrevolution from Illinois

May 07, 2021
 
Rated: 3.5 by paulish from New York

Nov 26, 2020
Photo of ZenAgnostic
Reviewed by ZenAgnostic from Texas

4.57/5  rDev +47.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
640mL bottle poured into Duvel tulip. Picked up from an asian market for around 4$. No discernable date anywhere on the bottle, but it does say MFG: JB/AC/BJAI in a small black box on the bottom of the back label, whatever that means.

Appearance - Pours impressive massive thick white soapy head with decent retention and great billowing lacing and good stick. Clear gold body with some very small floating particulates. Decent carbonation. 5

Smell - Dry grainy body with some faint hints of something sweet like maybe dark fruit or something more exotic. Even faintly citrusy even? Maybe even some alcohol. 4.75

Taste - Very smoky. Some faint characters more reminiscent of a [very diluted] barely wine. Very interesting and unique. 4.5

Mouthfeel - On the heavy side of medium bodied. Almost chewy. Is somewhat refreshing despite being just heavy and bold enough that maybe that's not exactly the right word. It's a little bit challenging to be a session if you're expecting something like an American light lager, but much tamer than any IPA. 4.25

Overall - Making me very burpy though. Much more than normal. Like those suds want to come back up. On the plus side, this is the first time I've had an asian beer that didn't have some kind of characteristic skunkiness to it. Maybe that smoky flavor covered up any flaws? At any rate, a perfectly drinkable beer. I want to take off points because I'm not sure I think it deserves a score this high, but I honestly can't tell where I can genuinely shave off any points. 4.5
Oct 28, 2020
 
Rated: 2.94 by Humanusfermentum from Virginia

Aug 27, 2020
 
Rated: 3.49 by Boone757 from Virginia

May 01, 2020
Photo of Jsteez
Reviewed by Jsteez from Utah

3.63/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
The best beer in Southeast Asia (perhaps, arguably, Northeast Asia), IMO. I've been travelling Southeast Asia for many years and this one is such a good pils, even though BA labels it a Japanese Rice Lager.
It's dry, a little spicy, crisp, and has flavor. It's medium to light bodied. Great beer, especially in Laos.
Dec 27, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by rare_bird from Michigan

Dec 03, 2019
Beerlao Lager from Lao Brewery Co.
Beer rating: 72 out of 100 with 301 ratings