Two alcoholic products dominate the market in Laos: a rice wine known as Lao Lao and Beerlao, the beer produced by Lao Brewing Company since 1973. Lao Brewing claims to have a 99% share of the local market and produces three Beerlao products. They also produce Carlsberg locally under license and bottled drinking water.
Beerlao can be found outside Laos across the Asia-Pacific region and the UK in many specialty retailers. Another product familiar to many outside of Laos was 33 Export, also produced by Lao Brewing Company specifically for the export market. However, production stopped in the late 1990s. Confusingly, Vietnam’s 333 Export beer was also known as 33 Export prior to 1975 but continues today as 333, with a label similar to the previous Beerlao 33 Export.
Beerlao Lager
Often called Beerlao Original, this is the traditional Beerlao product before the light and dark versions were launched. It’s a light, crisp, refreshing beer with a golden color and not much of a head. It is a 5% beer sold in 330ml cans and stubbies, as well as 640ml “king brown” bottles.
Beerlao Light
Modeled similarly to the original lager product, Beerlao Light is a low-alcohol beer at 2.9%. The “Light” name is derived from other low-alcohol beers, particularly in Australia and the UK, and should not be confused with the low-carb “lite” beers of the USA.
Beerlao Dark
This is Beerlao’s 6.5% beer, which is more amber in color than a traditional dark beer. Beerlao Dark could be described as more of a macro lager. Along with Beerlao Light, it is only sold in 330ml stubbies and is probably hard to find outside Laos or Cambodia.
