Red Horse Beer

Red Horse Beer! Most countries have their own super strength lager colloquially termed “wife beater” and in the Philippines it is Red Horse.

You can a lot about a person in the Philippines by the type of beer they drink. If you spy someone drinking San Miguel Light for example, they are usually a lady, a ladyboy, or an American. If you see someone drinking San Miguel Pilsner they would usually be a man, or a really tough American. If you see someone drinking Red Horse, they are very tough, like to party and are never American.

We present Red Horse, the strongest beer in the Philippines.

Table of Contents

The overall beer scene in the Philippines

As per the opening gambit, we have amusingly introuced pretty much all of the beers in the Philippines. By all there are essentially two brands, San Miguel and Red Horse. The American influence on beer in the Philippines is profound. San Miguel Light is extremely (bad) popular. Light beers are very much an American thing. As far as I know the Philippines is the only Asian country to have embraced light beers. Colloquially it is known as SML.

SMP is San Miguel Pilsner. This is the most popular beer in the Philippines and the most likely one you will see exported. Mainly to where there are other Filipinos. Red Horse is considered the most manly of beers because it is so strong.

Liquor in the Philippines is a whole other thing, but amazingly Filipino Rum and Brandy are the best selling in the WORLD.

Want something even more scary? The best selling beer in the world is Chinese and really bad.

To read more about Snow Beer click here.

History of Red Horse Beer

San Miguel are the big beer brewers of the Philippines, but let’s just say it is not exactly high end stuff. Back in the 1980’s drink choices in the Philippines were thus a bit limited. Tanduay Rum was a thing and there was San Miguel Pilsner, but nothing “in the middle” alcohol wise.

San Miguel duly invented Red Horse beer in 1982 which at 8.2% made it the first and still only “super strength” lager in the Philippines. Since then it has become infamous as the fighting juice of the Philippines.

Has Red Horse won any awards?

We are so glad that you asked! It has won two gold medals from the Australian International Beer Awards, but then it should be remembered that Australis brought us Castlemaine XXXX and Fosters. In essence they don’t know what they are talking about when it comes to lager.

Red Horse Beer

Red Horse Beer in Filipino Society

Red Horse Beer in its 500 ml bottles is very much a beer for the working classes, with its strength making it very popular at parties for those wishing to get their buzz on. It has less affectionately been known as “wife beater” due its strength an proclivity to make gentleman drunk and, well beat wives.

What does Red Horse beer taste like?

I’m perhaps the wrong person to ask as perfection to me is a nice cold Tanduay Ice, but Red Horse tastes bitter and strong. It is very much a mans mans drink in the Philippines (hence why it is not my bag). Not quite as bad as a “Super Brew”, or the like, but again too strong for my soft palate.

Definitely drink Red Horse in the Philippines, if nothing else to try it. You can also get smaller 330 ml cans which not only stay cooler but taste a little fresher.

With a few Red Horse in ya things really are more fun n the Philippines.

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