“Mot, hai, ! ” ! O V , a b
CHEERS VIETNAM!
The first beer I tasted in Hanoi - beer 333. It was named beer 33 and later the third one was added for luck. Going by the popularity, I can say it worked! Quite an ordinary working man beer from a flavor perspective but goes great with the street side food.
Cheers in Vietnamese style - "Mot, hai, ba, YO!” which translates to “one, two, three, cheers!”
Bia Hanoi, a smooth beer for a charming city. Sit by the lake late into the night while sipping beer. One of my favourite beers in Vietnam, cheap, refreshing and ‘wheaty’ with a nice finish. .
HuDa – An interesting bottled beer that combines the names of the two countries that have collaborated to create it - Hue (Hu) and Denmark (Da). Dark and refreshing, it is a perfect match for Hue food specialities. And of course, the bottle and the logo look great.
In Vietnam, beer is had with ice ... often there's no chilled beer available. So, you get it with loads of  ice instead, much like the omnipresent ice tea - something we got used to very soon. What you lack in fizz, you gain in flavour and vibe. Bia Hoi, a local draft beer (only 3% alcohol) is typically had on small stools outside hole-in-the-wall eateries that serve magical pho and other delicacies. It is light on the wallet and your soul, and a great conversation starter.
Bia Saigon comes in various strengths and is the most popular beer in Saigon.
This wine comes with a sting! And only the bravest of travelers manage to taste this rice wine that is steeped with cobra and scorpion (thought to make men virile).
There's a nascent wine industry in the country, with Vang Dalat being the most popular wine. I tried a Red with some Banh Mi – it was an average to good wine, a less than smooth finish, a bit on the dry side.Â
Of course, the best part of staying in Vietnam is the divine coffee with its chocolatey undertone and sweet kick from the condensed milk. Like the beer, you can get coffee over ice – perfect post-meal drink.
If you visit Vietnam, Try their local beer (bottled and tap) with street food. In Hanoi, spend an evening pub hopping on beer street. If you want to notch up the culinary adventure, try some barbecue frogs and snails. Keep the label of HuDa and Beer 333 bottles – it makes a great souvenir and can be used as a bookmark or added to a travel journal. Try Vietnamese rice wine – it packs a punch. For added kick, try the snake wine version.
“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you.” - Anthony Bourdain A Lonely Canopy Zine
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