Bia Hoi is not only a favorite drink of the locals, but going to a Bia Hoi is also a popular activity.
The signs ” Bia Hoi Hanoi ” are everywhere in this bustling city.
They are usually accompanied by people on small plastic stools, typical of Vietnam, drinking glasses of cold beer and engaged in lively conversation.
More than just a beer
As such, Bia Hoi signs symbolize more than just a refreshing beer, but also a familiar social spot for Hanoians.
In fact, Vietnamese started drinking beer only a few decades ago. For centuries, traditional wines made from rice and fruit have been their alcoholic beverage of choice. Until the 18th century, only the wealthy had the opportunity to taste grape wine brought by the Portuguese from Macau to Vietnam.
However, this began to change in the 1890s, when the country’s first brewery was opened in Hanoi by the French. She was known as Hommel brewery.
With around thirty workers, Hommel Bewery produced 150 liters per day, mainly for the service of French officers and soldiers in Hanoi. This strange new drink, however, was too bitter for the locals’ taste and they couldn’t afford it either.
After the withdrawal of the French from Vietnam in 1954, the Hommel brewery was renamed the Hanoi brewery and continued to produce bottled beer. However, Hanoi carousers did not pay much attention to it. They called it “a luxury product” for the rich, preferring their traditional wine cheap.
Another challenge for producing bottled beer was transportation. However, when the brewery came up with the idea of producing an instant draft beer called Bia Hoi, she suddenly discovered that she had a much better future.
Nevertheless, the locals were so loyal to their wine that Bia Hoi was still neglected. It wasn’t until the government cracked down on homemade spirits that Bia Hoi began to taste better on people’s palates. They soon realized that the legal alternative, Bia Hoi, made a refreshing drink that was low in alcohol (only 2 to 4 percent alcohol by volume or ABV) and less hot than rice wine, perfect for Hanoi’s harsh summers. The popularity of Bia Hoi and Bia Hoi culture suddenly began to grow.
Fast forward to today and the elders are now sitting together in the Bia Hois across Hanoi, remembering their youth. Particularly, in the 70s, under the “subsidy economy”, when they had to stand in long, long lines to buy beer. At the time, supply was limited by coupons and/or food stamps. Even if you had money, you couldn’t buy more than anyone else.
Drinkers are different now. Since the Doi Moi policy in 1986, hundreds of Bia Hois have appeared in Hanoi. They are easily recognizable by their sign “Bia Hoi Ha Noi“. Customers are greeted at the boarding gate and after taking a comfortable seat, they can order as much as they want, for as long as their pocket can afford.
From small to large, Bia Hois sidewalk and Bia Hois luxury are always full of customers. Obviously, summer is the hottest season and therefore when Hanoi craves Bia Hoi the most.
Word Hai Ba Dzo (1,2,3 Yo)
From table to table, “1,2,3… dzo” (1,2,3 yo in French) resonates constantly followed by the clinking of glasses. The group with the strongest “dzo” is the winner of this “game”. Meanwhile, the waiters don’t let the “dzo” chants stop as they quickly replace the empty glasses with full ones.
Workers, blue and white collar, stop at Bia Hois for lunch or after finishing their work day. Many business partners meet and toast in a Bia Hoi after signing a contract or even for a negotiation. Members of sports clubs will drink Bia Hoi after playing. Families or friends also choose Bia Hoi to meet and relax on weekends.
The cheapest beer in the world
Not only residents, but foreigners also love Bia Hoi. The Beer Junction, at the intersection of the pedestrian streets of Ta Hien, Ma May and Luong Ngoc Quyen, in the old central district, is a popular meeting place.
For a glass, it costs 40 cents, which makes it one of the cheapest beers in the world
Besides Bia Hoi, craft beer brands are also on the rise in Hanoi, providing more options for Hanoi beer drinkers.
C-Brewmaster, Furbrew, Thom Brewery, Turtle Lake and strong Ho Chi Minh City brands like Platinum, Pasteur Street Brewing, Winking Seal, Heart of Darkness or Fuzzy Logic are all making their presence known in the city.
These craft beers are incredibly diverse, from flavor to taste. In recent years, flavors such as lemongrass, cinnamon, licorice, artemisia, star anise, passion fruit, kumquat, docynia indica, even Vietnam’s favorite staple, pho, all popped up in Hanoi.
“With craft beer, there is unlimited creativity,” said Nguyen Van Cuong, the owner of C-Brewmaster. His company now produces around 40 kinds of craft beers that use beer brewing techniques from Europe and local ingredients for the perfect taste for Vietnamese consumers.
There will be more types of craft beers in Hanoi in the future, however, they will never replace this beloved Hanoi institution, Bia Hoi. This tasty, frothy, yellow drip of beer poured from the tap on one side of Bia Hoi Street, as people repeatedly shout “dzo”, makes it one of the liveliest experiences in Hanoi and it cannot be beat. never be replaced.
My Opinion
If you come to Hanoi, you can’t miss an outing to a Bia Hoi. It’s a must-see in Hanoi. It’s the best way to meet people and learn more about Vietnamese culture. At 40 cents a glass, it’s also cheap.
Sit on a plastic chair and enjoy a Bia Hoi, you will definitely remember it.
