Bia hơi or Bia tươi (literally "fresh beer"), is a type of
draught beer
Draught beer, also spelt draft, is beer served from a cask or keg rather than from a bottle or can. Draught beer served from a pressurised keg is also known as
Name
Until Joseph Bramah patented the beer engine in 1785, beer was served ...
popular in
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
.
Bia hơi is available primarily in northern Vietnam. It is mostly to be found in small bars and on street corners.
[J. Wills Burke ''Origines: the streets of Vietnam: a historical companion'' 2001 "It has since been closed, but still stands at the junction of Chợ Gạo, Nguyễn Siêu, and Ðào Duy Từ Streets, where it has recently been converted into a very fashionable bia hơi (draft beer) establishment."] The beer is brewed daily, then matured for a short period and once ready each bar gets a fresh batch delivered every day in steel barrels. It is a very light (around
4.1-4.3% alcohol) refreshing
lager
Lager (; ) is a Type of beer, style of beer brewed and Brewing#Conditioning, conditioned at low temperature. Lagers can be Pale lager, pale, Amber lager, amber, or Dark lager, dark. Pale lager is the most widely consumed and commercially availab ...
at a fraction of the cost of draft or bottled beer in the Western-style bars. Bia hơi production is informal and not monitored by any health agency.
As of March 2024 a glass is typically priced between 10,000
₫ (US$) and 15,000₫ ($).
Bia hơi is served in iconic glasses that look like the worst glass blowing imaginable, with lots of bubbles and unevenness. Even in the modern age (year 2025), bia hơi glasses are still made by the Habeco Bia Hà Nội company purposely in this style.
On April 24, 2023 Habeco Bia Hà Nội opened company stores in
Hà Nội
Hanoi ( ; ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Vietnam, second-most populous city of Vietnam. The name "Hanoi" translates to "inside the river" (Hanoi is bordered by the Red River (Asia), Red and Black River (Asia), Black Riv ...
named Bia Ơi that sells 1 liter and 2 liter
growlers of bia hơi.
References
Vietnamese alcoholic drinks
Beer in Vietnam
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