Bia hoi!

Most of you are aware of the Madden love for beer. Coming from Portland, aka "Brewtopia," we like to think of ourselves as hopheads. Last summer, we indulged in the goodness that Germany and the Czech Republic had to offer, and now we find ourselves in Vietnam. The selection is minimal and the taste is incomparable to our old-faithful BBP (Black Butte Porter), but when it's as hot and humid as it is here in Hanoi, anything that is cold and refreshing will do.

Besides the oh-so delicious Vietnamese iced-coffees (stronger and sweeter than any coffee you'll ever taste and dimly pictured below), they unfortunately only come in small doses and just leave you craving for more.

The beer, however, comes in half-liter bottles and cheaper the our beloved caffeinated friend. To combat the heat and dehydration, we have regularly welcomed the bottled delight. Ha Noi Beer and Tiger Beer are the most common domestic types from the n0rth and south respectively. They are both fine beers that do the trick when you're sweating profusely over your umpteenth bowl of pho.

(Forgive my goofy expression)

Then last night, after we pampered ourselves with a massage, we stumbled across several bia hois, places with Vietnam's very own microbrew. It's a pilsner first introduced to Vietnam by the Czechs and is brewed daily without any preservatives, so it is meant to be enjoyed immediately. The "establishments" that offer bia hoi are actually just empty stretches of sidewalk with enough room to sport a keg and several plastic chairs. According to Lonely Planet, "Put US $10 in your pocket and you will be able to afford nearly 100 beers." Sean and I just had a few bucks but managed to do more than quench or thirst.

(The current exchange rate is US $1 = 16,000 dong)

Playing cards and drinking with the locals.

Tram phan tram! (translated as "Cheers!")