Trying ALL the Filipino beers and liquors!

Well – this was an interesting video to shoot!

While on vacation in Boracay, Philippines, I decided to check out the local beer. Now, when I travel, one of the first things I research is the street food. But after I arrive, I want to try the local beer. South East Asia has some pretty tasty (and affordable) beers.

Luckily, the Philippines is home to quite a few beers. Furthermore, they are the #1 consumer of gin IN. THE. WORLD! Gin in the Philippines is dirt cheap (a large bottle can be found for 50 PHP, roughly $1 USD).

So on one rainy evening, I set off to the local Budget Mart in D-Mall in Boracay, and decided to try as many beers and liquors as I could. I didn’t realize just how many options there would be! I soon realized that I would not be able to sample all of the gins, as there were just too many!

I knew filming this taste test would mean getting a bit tipsy (DISCLAIMER – I urge you to please drink responsibly, and at your own risk.) So…I needed something to nibble on. I stopped by Jollibee for a bit of chickenjoy. If you’re not familiar, chickenjoy is the name of Jollibee’s (a large Filipino fast food chain) fried chicken. This would be my first time to try Jollibee’s chicken, and I was in for a real treat!

Once I arrived back in the hotel, the daunting task of reviewing these Filipino alcohols began. In total, I was to try four local beers, and three liquors (one gin, two rums).

I started with the beer. I tried San Miguel Apple, San Miguel Light, San Miguel Pilsen, and Red Horse. I would say my favorite was definitely San Miguel Pilsen. This beer is affordable, tasty, not too light, and comes in at 5% alcohol. As far as beers in South East Asia go, I would put San Miguel Pilsen toward the top as far as taste and value go.

Moving onto the liquor, I tried three different items: Ginebra S Miguel gin, Zabana rum, and Tanduay dark rum. All three of these were incredibly cheap, and quite strong. I found that on their own, they are pretty bad. However, by mixing them with lime and/or pineapple juice, they’re not bad. The rums, in particular, had a nice flavor. Tanduay recommends mixing rum with lime juice and sugar. I can see how this would be a great Filipino cocktail.