Any backpacker or well-traveled person worth their salt must have heard legends about this one beer in Thailand, Chang. It is a very well-known pale lager featuring a signature logo of two face-to-face elephants. Brewed in Thailand by ThaiBev, it is particularly known across Southeast Asia for its iconic green bottle and its infamous ‘Changover.’ For those who have only heard of Chang, the question remains whether Chang Beer is actually stronger than its standard international lager counterparts or is its high-strength reputation a remnant of its past brewing history. This unsobered guide delves into the history and making of Chang to clarify its current ABV, ingredient profile, and tasting notes.
As of now, Chang Beer has an ABV of five percent, and some export variants of the beer range between 4.8 percent ABV and 4.9 percent ABV, depending on the international distribution markets. However, this wasn’t always its ABV.
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Prior to 2015, the alcohol content of Chang beer was much higher. If reports are to go by, the ABV went up to 6.4 percent. Furthermore, traditional formulations utilized adjuncts like rice alongside malted barley. This led some drinkers to anecdotally link drinking Chang to harsher morning-after head-throbbing hangovers compared to the ones caused by 100 percent malt beers.
Since 2015, though, ThaiBev managed to consolidate its distinct lines, including the Chang Light, Chang Export, and Chang Draft, into a single, standardized Chang Classic. The Chang Classic had consistent quality control and a smoother five percent ABV profile; however, the myth continued to persist, giving the beer its infamous lore.
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This particular beer is brewed using barley malt. It is then combined with local Thai rice and natural deep-well water. The inclusion of rice lightens the body and gives the lager a crisp, slightly sweet finish. These ingredients give the brew its distinctive tasting notes.
The aroma is of a cereal with a mild sweetness and faint citrus and grain undertones. With a light to medium body, the palate of Chang beer is carbonated and lively. The finish is clean, dry, and deceptively thirst-quenching, specifically brewed for tropical climates.
There is a mild honey-grain sweetness and very low hop bitterness that is dangerously easy to down, leading to higher consumption and worse hangovers, which adds to the lore of this beer.
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Compared to other popular Thai beers like Singha or Leo, Chang has a fuller body and a sweeter and maltier taste profile.
Singha Beer: With an ABV of five percent, it is brewed using 100 percent barley malt and European hops. It is crisper, sharper, more carbonated, and has a spicy, premium hop bitterness that is quite memorable.
Leo: Also with an ABV of five percent, Leo is generally viewed as a more budget-friendly, lighter standard lager. Some ardent beer enthusiasts also find it to be less complex and a more watery version of Chang.
If you want to experience Chang beer the way locals do, you mainly need to do the following two things:
Serve Over Ice: Something that beer purists might have a hard time stomaching (pun intended) is that in Thailand, much like in Vietnam, beer is served over ice or ‘nam kheng’ in the Thai language. This is believed to not only keep the beer cold for longer, but also temper its carbonation and make the hangovers less intense.
Pairing With Spicy Thai Food: The crispness and subtle grain sweetness cut through rich coconut curries and spicy Tom Yum soups. Pairing Chang beer with these items, even if you’re not in Thailand, will make you feel as if you are. Savory pad thai, too, pairs exceedingly well with Chang beer. Even if you don’t have good Thai food outlets near you, get anything that’s super spicy. The classic combination of super spicy food with ice-cold beer holds up well here as well.
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While Chang Beer has reduced its ABV from 6.4 percent to 5 percent, the rest of the formula still offers its well-known, reliable, and crisp lager experience. There’s a reason why this beer is so ubiquitous in Thailand. Its flavor, affordability, and unpretentious aura make it a must-have. They are an essential accompaniment to any meal or night out in Thailand.
