DANANG, VIETNAM – We’ve sampled a lot of beer since we arrived in Vietnam almost two and a half years ago. Some good, some not so good, and some truly awful…
(read my review of Hanoi’s Truc Bach beer here)
Craft brewers in Vietnam have developed some really excellent varieties, rivaling the best we tasted when we still lived in the Seattle area.
And when I’m willing to spend the price for local craft beer (almost as expensive as those tasty brews back in the U.S.) I have several to choose from.
But I don’t always want to spend $4 or $5 for a mug of draft beer. Sometimes I just want to enjoy a can of cold beer on our rooftop deck, or while I’m watching Netflix on TV… without it costing me an arm and a leg.
I’m always looking for reasonably priced beer
So our quest for beer continues. I’m always on the hunt for reasonably priced local beers in cans or bottles I can drink at home, preferably priced at $1 or less.
Since moving to Danang, one particular brand has become my go-to beer when I want to kick back with a cold one on a hot day like today. (It’s already 90 degrees F. at 9 a.m. and still moving higher).
That brand is HUDA. It’s a lager with nice golden color, plenty of body but not too hoppy (I hate bitter beer), and priced just right for my cheapskate frugal mindset…
It costs less than 50 cents a can at the local convenience store, sometimes cheaper by the case, and still less than a dollar when dining out.
What’s with the name?
But what about that name – HUDA?
We were visiting new friends one evening, not long after we arrived in Danang. Our friend opened his fridge and offered us a choice of beers: Saigon Beer, Larue and “this one with the indecipherable hieroglyphics on the label.”
As it turns out, those hieroglyphics are a very stylized script spelling out the name, “HUDA.”
I was curious where that name came from so I did some research online. I discovered that HUDA is a combination of “HU” for the city of Hue where the beer is brewed, and “DA” for Danmach (Denmark in Vietnamese), the home of Carlsberg Brewing, parent company of the brand.
Established in 1990 as the Hue Brewing Company, they partnered with Carlsberg five years later. Since then they have expanded production several times over, and won tasting awards around the world.
Awards are nice, but…
All that success is wonderful, and I’m very happy for them (and their stockholders).
I’m just glad I found an inexpensive, tasty brew for those times I want to chill out with a cold one.
HUDA. If you’ve got the time, they’ve got the beer! (sorry, Miller, I just couldn’t help myself).
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Read about more of our international quest for beer here.