A quick review of the beers of the Philippines ranked in descending order from the mediocre to the terrible. I am sensitive to preservatives and fusel alcohols, and they give me a wicked headache without the drunk. Some of this has to be due to the heat here, which I think affects fermentation temperatures. That, and I always see it being transported from the brewery on the back of flatbed trucks in the mid-day sun.
San Miguel Pilsner (or SMB): The Filipino classic. It's your basic macrobrew pilsner. Nothing about it really stands out, and I guess they designed it that way. Not content as a brewer, SM is involved in everything from mining to fabrics. Their focus on quality is evident.
San Mig Light (SML): The light version of San Miguel tastes like nearly every light beer you've had, except with more preservatives or fusel alcohol. I need about six of these to get a good hangover from whatever is in it. I also need to take a Zantac before my first beer.
Lone Star: "Very warm, robust...with just a buttery high-note of all-weather coolant... and there we go. Darkness." The Texas original, only not. Made under license by the same brewery that makes Colt 45 and Beer Na Beer.
Red Horse: One of the cheapest local beers, the taste drove me to try balut. I don't know if it is any worse than Lone Star. Both taste more like a batch of mixed chemicals than beer.
Not Yet Tried
Colt 45: This veteran of parties beneath a highway overpass is produced under license by the same brewery that licenses Lone Star.
Beer Na Beer: Perfect beer for the Wednesday night cock fights.
So to sum up, your best options will likely be your only options: SMB or SML. If you are really on a budget, skip beer and buy a bottle of Tanduay Rhum.
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