Where can I get Lao Beer quick?

January 30, 2009 12:33 PM

Where can I get Beer Lao in or around Raleigh NC in the next 24 hours?

My friend's birthday party is this Saturday evening. His is Laotian (but not been there since he was a kid) and likes beer and I heard this story about Lao Beer on NPR this morning. Where can I get some? Also, is it any good? He is a slight beer snob and I don't want to get it as just a novelty but something he would actually enjoy.

posted by DetonatedManiac to Shopping (7 answers total)

I'm not sure you can. According to a distributor website, the closest place is in Columbia, SC, and unless you're up for the 4 hour drive ...
posted by Comrade_robot at 12:46 PM on January 30, 2009

Beer Lao is a great beer, better than most run-of-the-mill American brands. It's relatively light, refreshing, but good flavoured. I can't really help you about where to find it, although, I think it's available in the states. Nevertheless, I noticed in Laos that a lot of the 'cool' locals wouldn't touch the stuff, as it's homogenized (not in the emulsification sense but in the uniform sense) and they instead drank Carlsberg. But it's good stuff.
posted by ageispolis at 12:49 PM on January 30, 2009

Yeah, Beer Lao is pretty decent. You might have better luck finding a Beer Lao t-shirt? Not so sure you'll be able to get it shipped within 24 hours, but you never know. I googled beer lao t-shirt and a few links came up. The shirts are everywhere in Southeast Asia.
posted by backwards guitar at 2:12 PM on January 30, 2009

Response by poster: well damn. I am screwed. NC licensing (according to a big wine and beer store and "The Flying Saucer" bar that has a HUGE selection of beers) is such that they cannot sell Beer Lao... something about restricted to approved distributors... anyway... oh well
posted by DetonatedManiac at 2:46 PM on January 30, 2009

In SE asia, they drink a lot of tiger beer too. It not as good as beer Lao but it's good. It's from Singapore (not Malaysia).
posted by zpousman at 6:12 PM on January 30, 2009

mmmm Beer Lao. Good stuff! Don't mean to piggy back, but is it available in other states?
posted by meta87 at 10:11 PM on January 30, 2009

There are distributors in Connecticut, DC, FL, GA, MA, Maryland, NY, Ohio, RI, SC, and VA. (Guess which state postal abbreviations I can't remember!) Unfortunately, NC beer sales laws are particularly (and specially) restricted.
posted by Comrade_robot at 10:19 AM on January 31, 2009