The small Himalayan kingdom Bhutan really surprised me with their beer quality. I wasn´t expecting much. I was expecting it to be like in neighbouring Nepal or India.
Where most beers taste the same, and where big international companies own most of the local’s breweries, but not in Bhutan.
But Bhutan proved me wrong; it seems like the smallest country on the Indian Subcontinent. It´s also home to the best beer country on the subcontinent, and Bhutan even got a growing craft beer industry.
One of the main reasons that beer in Bhutan hold such high quality is the natural spring water from the Himalayas, and with that reason are more and more breweries in India like Simba, Arbor Brewing Co. and White Rhino, planning to open breweries in Bhutan, but not to sell the beer in Bhutan, but rather import it back into India.
Bhutan is an underrated beer destination in Asia.
Here is 6 Local Beer´s To Try In Bhutan.
Druk 11000.
Malt Liquor, 8%.
Brewed By: Bhutan Brewery Private Limited, In Pasakha south-west Bhutan.
By far the most common beer among locals in Bhutan.
Clear light beer with a white top.
A bit boring aroma taste, but a beer that´s very easy to drink, especially in the sun.
Aroma: 6/10.
Appearance: 5/10.
Taste: 5/10.
Overall: 6/10.
Druk 11000 comes in both cans and botels.
Druk Premium Lager.
Pale Lager, 5%.
Brewed By: Bhutan Brewery Private Limited, In Pasakha south-west Bhutan, the same brewery as Druk 1100.
Clear pale golden, with a small head. Ricey fruit aroma. a bit of apple fruity taste, with rice and some sugar. Not bad.
Aroma:4/10.
Appearance: 4/10.
Taste: 5/10.
Overall: 5/10.
Druk Lager Premium comes in a bottle and can[/caption]
Druk Supreme.
Pale Lager 5%
Brewed By: the third beer from Bhutan Brewery Private Limited, In Pasakha south-west Bhutan.
Pours a clear gold with the largest of all heads in Bhutan, aroma of grain and sweet corn. A very standard pale lager taste.
Aroma:4/10.
Appearance: 4/10.
Taste: 5/10.
Overall: 5/10.
Druk Supreme has the largest head of all beers in Bhutan.
Dragon Frost.
Pale Lager 5.5%
Brewed By: Kinjore Brewery.
Pours yellow whitehead with an aroma of rice water, grass, slightly fruity. Taste like a bit of old rice? not my favourite.
Aroma:5/10.
Appearance: 4/10.
Taste: 5/10.
Overall: 5/10.
DragonFrost got the coolest name of all beers in Bhutan, but it´s not the best tasting one.
Thunder 15000 Strong.
Malt Liquor 8%
Brewed By: Kinjore Brewery.
Slightly dull gold colour. Very thin bubbly head.
The aroma is like sweet apple juice. a bit too sweet, Taste is similar to apple juice with a strong alcohol taste.
Aroma:5/10.
Appearance: 5/10.
Taste: 4/10.
Overall: 5/10.
Thunder 15000 only available in bottles.
Red Panda Weiss Beer.
Weissbier – Hefeweizen 5%
Brewed By: Bhumthang Brewery, run by an Austrian/Swiss, and is the only foreign own beer in Bhutan.
Pours a cloudy yellow colour with a thin white head. With a hint of citrus towards a phenolic nature with some cheesy notes. Flavour definitely presents phenols and some banana. Actually my personal favourite beer in Bhutan.
Aroma: 7/10.
Appearance: 8/10.
Taste: 8/10.
Overall: 8/10.
Red Panda Beer in Bhutan, also available in a few bars as a draft beer.