Bia Hoi - The Best Beer in Vietnam
Beer, from the streets of London to the mountains of Vietnam it is everywhere. Being British, we are very familiar with the bubbly golden beverage; from pilsners to stouts, craft brewed small batch to cheap and mass produced, we drink and love beer in all its forms. Vietnam shares our love for beer; Every street stall sells it, every restaurant, shop, club, pub and street food vendor will have cans and bottles on standby. No matter what time of day or day of the week there will be groups sat on small stools throwing back a cheeky bevy.
Vietnam has several large scale breweries, many backpackers will have enjoyed cans of Saigon, Hanoi or Truc Bach Beers. But, there is another brew, a cheaper, fresher beer, totally unique to Vietnam…
Let us tell you about Vietnam’s greatest invention - Bia Hoi…
"Mot, hai, ba, yo". Cheers Vietnam!
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What is Bia Hoi
Bia hoi is a light, lager beer, served on draught in a glass. Literally translated, bia hoi means “fresh beer” and the drink certainly lives up to this name! Brewed and delivered daily, the beer is always fresh and has little in the way of preservatives or chemical additives. Anything not finished at the end of the day is tipped away, you will not get “old” beer hoi. It is a simple zesty beer without any bells or whistles but has a refreshing and moreish taste.
The beer is served fresh and the kegs drained and refilled daily. Bia hoi is not a strong beer typically topping out at around 3% abv. Bia hoi is light and refreshing, perfect for beating the muggy heat of Vietnam. The fresh beer, lack of preservatives and low alcohol content mean that you can have a long night out on the bia and not feel too bad the next day. Any backpacker who has been through Thailand will know the dangers of being “kicked by the elephant” - aka drinking too much Chang beer. Bia hoi however, is much more forgiving if you get a little wild on a night out.
From our point of view, as long term backpackers, bia hoi drew us in as it is incredibly cheap. Bia hoi can cost as little as £0.15 a glass. In the heart of the tourist district of Hanoi (The Old Quarter - read more about it here), we were still only paying 13,000 VND (£0.40!) per glass. The servings are over half a pint at around 350ml, so it is not like you're only getting a thimble of beer either!
The History of Bia Hoi
Like the baguettes of banh mi, and the pot of feu that became pho, bia hoi can trace its roots to the colonial French. Like much of Asia, Vietnam traditionally drank rice wine spirits until, under the yoke of the colonial French, they discovered a taste for the Western tipple of beer.
When the French left in the 1950’s the Vietnamese taste for beer did not leave with them. Vietnam began to produce its own beer but struggled with supplies for the glass and metal used in bottles, and casks. The solution was: fresh beer on delivery and reusable glasses. The beer was brewed fresh, delivered in a metal keg and served in washable recycled glasses. The keg would then be picked back up by the brewery and refilled ready to repeat the process again!
For more information on the history of bia hoi and the brewing process make sure you check out Flavours of Hanoi’s blog on the subject, it is a great read!
Where to find Bia Hoi
Bia hoi can be found all over Vietnam but is most common in the north, especially in the capital of Hanoi. You will find bia hoi being served from small streetside bars and in drinking halls. Some restaurants and “posher” bars will serve bia hoi but disguise what it is; if you see “local draught beer” on the menu at a low price - it is probably bia hoi. We would recommend seeking out a proper bia hoi joint - just look out for the red and yellow “Hanoi Bia Hoi” sign. Once you have your eye in you will see these signs everywhere. If you are unsure just run through the checklist:
Red and yellow sign? - Yes!
Tiny Plastic Chairs or Stools? - Yep!
Glasses that have definitely been around the block? - Check!
Frequent chants of “Mot, Hai, Ba, Yo!” echoing from tables full of intoxicated locals? - Tick!
Trays of jugs and glasses full of freshly poured golden beer? - 100%
Congratulations you have found bia hoi!
You can find bia hoi across Vietnam but it becomes less and less common as you travel south. The main brewery for bia hoi seems to be the state owned Hanoi Brewery so as you leave the north the availability of the ultra cheap, fresh beer drops.
In Hanoi we were shocked that backpackers seemed to flock to “Beer Street” rather than the local bia hoi joints - bia hoi is so much cheaper! Once upon a time “Beer Street” was the street full of bia hoi bars but the backpackers and tourists took over and now it is just another bar street.
There is cheap beer on Beer Street and even some very cheap bia hoi but, lots of the places will only sell it if you buy (expensive) food from them. For a real experience, make sure you track down a proper beer hoi place. We don’t want to put you off Beer Street, it is great fun, but it is a totally different vibe from a bia hoi joint.
We had some great nights out at two different bia hoi places. Read on to find out where these are!
Old Quarter Bia Hoi
Our first bia hoi pick is an Old Quarter staple - Quán Bia Hơi Bát Đàn (try saying that after a few glasses). You can find Quan Bia Hoi Ban Dan here. This place serves up bia hoi at 13,000 VND a glass and is an institution of the area. It is permanently busy serving locals and visitors alike. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the staff welcoming and the beer fresh and delicious.
The only drawback of Quan Bia Hoi Bat Dan is that, if there are only two of you, the food can be a bit pricey. The portions are enormous and are definitely set up for banquet eating so it can cost a bit to eat if you are solo travelling! The solutions are simple - either just come for a drink and get some peanuts or get a group together at your hostel before heading out! For all of our food and drink recommendations in Hanoi’s Old Town check out our blog here.
Also, if Quan Bia Hoi Bat Dan is full, just head across the street to Cửa hàng Ngọc Linh another great bia hoi spot!
Truc Bach and West Lake - Sunset Bia Hoi
(location)
Our second recommendation is much less well known to the backpackers and Western visitors of Hanoi. A short twenty minute walk from the busy streets of the Old Quarter is Truc Bach Lake and Truc Bach Island.
On this quiet little island, nearby to hip coffee shops and amazing food (make sure you check out our Truc Bach guide here), you can find our favourite Hanoian bia hoi bar. Sitting lakeside, in the perfect place for sunset drinks, is the imaginatively named Bia Hơi Hà Nội. This was our go-to when we were staying on Truc Bach Island and was a fantastic place to while away an evening. The food was great and the beer; zesty and refreshing! You can find Bia Hơi Hà Nội on a map here.
Bia Hoi in Cao Bang - A True Northern Treat
(location) - The listing may be wrong but the location is right!
We also have to mention a non-Hanoian bia hoi joint, as it was just sooo good. After two days on the backs of bikes exploring Vietnam’s far northern region of Cao Bang region, our drivers brought us to the amazing Cháo Nga Nhâm. We aren't even sure that Cháo Nga Nhâm was its name, there is no clear Google listing but the pin we have given is in the right place! If you are in the area you cannot miss the tables sprawling out onto the riverside. This locals only bia hoi joint was everything you could want from a Vietnamese bar, amazing food (the deep fried frog was to die for), buzzing atmosphere and friendly people. Read about all out Cao Bang adventures, and why it should definitely be on your Vietnamese itinerary, here .
Our epic Cao Bang bia hoi feast!
Bia hoi is a staple of Vietnam and a true treat for the traveller. Whilst we would love the concept to be exported and adopted everywhere (the U.K could certainly benefit from some cheaper beer!), there is something really special about sitting on a tiny plastic chair, smoke from a barbecue mixing with scooter exhaust with the hubbub of a Vietnamese city all around. It really makes for a special drinking experience. Bia hoi is probably the most backpacker friendly night out possible, it is so cheap and if you travel with a group the food is delicious and reasonable too! So round up a hostel crowd, ditch the over popular Beer Street and head out for some bia hoi.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Trust us when we say fried tofu is a must when drinking bia hoi!
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