Lager, Stout or Strong Beer? A Simple Guide

Most beer sold in Malaysia falls into three groups. Here is how they differ.

Lager: light, crisp and cold

Lager is the everyday beer most people drink — pale, crisp and best served ice cold. It goes well with spicy food and hot weather.

• Tiger — 5% alcohol
• Carlsberg Danish Pilsner — 5%
• Heineken — 5%
• Anchor Smooth — 3.8%, a lighter option
• Chang and Singha — popular Thai lagers

Stout: dark, roasted and rich

Stout is brewed with roasted malt or barley, giving it a black colour and coffee- or chocolate-like flavours. It pairs well with grilled and roasted meat.

• Guinness Foreign Extra Stout — 5.5%, the one many Malaysians call “Black Dog”
• Danish Royal Stout — 5.5%

Strong beer: much higher alcohol

Strong beers are brewed to carry far more alcohol than a regular lager — often two to three times as much. They are usually sold in 500ml long cans.

• SKOL Super — 9%
• El Diablo Super Strong Brew — 12%
• Red Fox Premium Strong Lager — 16%
• Carlsberg Special Brew

One 500ml can of a 16% beer contains about as much alcohol as five 320ml cans of a 5% lager. Drink strong beer slowly, and never drive afterwards.

Which should you choose?

• Easy-going and refreshing → lager
• Rich and full-flavoured → stout
• Maximum strength → strong beer, in moderation

Browse beer, stout and strong beer.