I FOUND a couple of bottles Beer Lao in Kanchanaburi the other day. I could probably have found more but two was my ration this time. It was a beer that I had enjoyed immensely when I was in Laos some years ago. Since then Carlsberg and it’s Thai partner have each acquired a 25% stake and ramped up production. Back in the mid-nineties the pubs around the fountain in Vientiane and the rustic place along the Mekong River would be sold out by 9.00pm.
Despite and ABV of 5% it is an easy drinking beer with a refreshing, fruity flavour. Brewed with indigenous rice varieties, Hallertau hops, German yeast and French malted barley. It’s quite low on hops so it may lack bitterness for some people but it doesn’t have the tinny aftertaste that other beers in the region have. I’m sure it’s more widely available than I presumed, I just never looked so I never saw it. But I will be looking out for it in future.
THE LABEL doesn’t say brewed in Rutland anymore. I’m sure it used to, even though Rutland had ceased to exist in all but the hearts and minds of the people that lived there. England’s smallest county had been absorbed into Leicestershire in 1974 but proud Rutlanders would have none of it. Stationary still proclaimed the the towns and villages remained in the county of Rutland.
And so did beer labels, Ruddles brewery was a proud Rutlander. It was was established in 1858 in the village Langham, although it didn’t become Ruddles until George Ruddle bought it in 1912. Over the years it had several owners but in 1997 it was bought by Morlands who moved the brewery to Abingdon. Which was a bit of a shame because that was the same year that Rutland regained its status as a county.
Morlands struggled for three years to get the flavour right until they, in turn, were bought by Greene King. In 2000 the brewing process was moved again. This time to the Green King Brewery in Bury St Edmonds.
As any good brewer will know, without the Langham well water there really was no chance of copying the original flavour. Greene King is a good brewery and they didn’t even try. The recipes used today are not the same as those used by the original brewery.
It would be silly of me to say I remember the old Ruddles County well, I don’t. It’s been too long since I last tasted it and besides, not remembering is a fitting tribute to any alcoholic beverage. But I do remember that I liked it a lot.
The current version is not bad either. It has a dry bitterness, which I like, and to all intents and purposes are the characteristics that I enjoyed in it’s previous incarnation. This has a fruity, hoppy aroma, which are characteristics that I wouldn’t have stopped to think about back then, and an ABV of 4.7%. It also has the ability to go down rather well after a long day at the office.
It may not be the beer that made the name world famous but it is still a good one to have around.
The youtube movie is and old Ruddles TV ad featuring the Bonzo’s Vivian Stanshall. The DVD is Neil Innes affectionate poke at the Beatles
• Singapore: The Pump Room is launching their first Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Wednesday 2nd July 2008 at Keppel Club in aid of The Lupus Association Singapore. Information and application forms can be found here
• Hong Kong: A new pub called The Wheel has opened at 26 Hollywood Road. That's almost opposite The Globe. It has six TV screens for watching sports and a small range of bottled beers including Spitfire and Old Speckled Hen. • Hong Kong: 10 May Eugene Pao plays classic rock.
$288 including one free drink.
Grappa's Cellar
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This website is dedicated to life's essentials, a cozy pub, a decent pint, perhaps a little bit of music and a bite to eat.
I FOUND a couple of bottles Beer Lao in Kanchanaburi the other day. I could probably have found more but two was my ration this time. It was a beer that I had enjoyed immensely when I was in Laos some years ago. Since then Carlsberg and it’s Thai partner have each acquired a 25% stake and ramped up production. Back in the mid-nineties the pubs around the fountain in Vientiane and the rustic place along the Mekong River would be sold out by 9.00pm.
THE LABEL doesn’t say brewed in Rutland anymore. I’m sure it used to, even though Rutland had ceased to exist in all but the hearts and minds of the people that lived there. England’s smallest county had been absorbed into Leicestershire in 1974 but proud Rutlanders would have none of it. Stationary still proclaimed the the towns and villages remained in the county of Rutland. 
