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Kathy asks about – Ba Muoi Ba Beer

Kathy asked this question about Ba Muoi Ba beer …

Question: I remember being told that Ba Muoi Ba beer meant 33 in Vietnamese, and that number represented the percentage of formaldehyde in the beer.

Do you know if this is true?

——————————————————–

Kathy, the original Ba Muoi Ba beer’s actual name was “33 Export”. It came in a large brown glass bottle with a picture of a Tiger on it and the words “33 Export”. Hence, it was commonly referred to and ordered by asking for “Ba Muoi Ba” (33). I doubt anyone actually knows for sure why it was named “33 Export” (other then the manufacturer). Most accounts say the “33” in the name referred to it’s alcohol content of 3.3%. It became popular in Vietnam because it was “cheap” and it was “everywhere”. It was a very low quality beer to put it mildly … LOL … it was just a ‘hair’ from being classified as ‘green’ beer. It was also known by many other ‘nic’ names, which I’ll not repeat here … in front of the ladies. LOL …

As to it having formaldehyde in it … no it didn’t. That is just one of the many, many, manyyyyyyyyy stories that were made up about it, because of it’s LOW quality. It varied greatly in flavor … from sweet to bitter to watery to sometimes having a taste like formaldehyde … among other strange tastes … lol.

The only reason anyone drank it, is because it was ALWAYS available, it was CHEAP, and you got a BIG bottle of it for a few cents USD$. Higher quality and name brand beers were very expensive and in very limited supply in Vietnam.

The original “33 Export” is no longer made. But, there is now a “333 Export” beer in Vietnam. Most accounts from those who have tried it, say it is about the same quality as the old Ba Muoi Ba. LOL … I guess if you order “333 Export” you say “Ba Ba Ba” … LOL … also, there is a “33 Export” beer made and sold outside of Vietnam … so, in Vietnam you get “333” but outside of Vietnam you get “33” … lol … these new ones are made by Hieneken (France). “333” and “33” are both the same beer. They are a pale lager now. They are not the same as the original “33 Export” made back in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s in Vietnam. After trade was opened up again with Vietnam there was a big push by beer breweries to start making the popular Vietnam beers of the past and marketing them as International beers around the world. Hence, you now find “33 Export”, “Saigon” and “Tiger” beers sold around the world. But they are not the same as the original ones previously brewed in Vietnam.

The reason most of us Saigon Kids drank it is because it was easy to order in the bars and cheap. And, at 14 to 18 years old, we really didn’t know much about beer (other then how to drink it) … Plus, we didn’t know how to speak enough Vietnamese to ask for QUALITY brand beers … it was just easier to say “Ba Muoi Ba” … and the NON-English speaking bar girls knew what we meant and wanted … lol

But, if you drank enough of it, it would get you drunk! LOL … Trust me I speak from experience … LOL 🙂

Anyone else have any knowledge about Ba Muoi Ba beer?

Bob

53 comments to Kathy asks about – Ba Muoi Ba Beer

  • Ken

    Interestingly enough, I still remember how to count in Vietnamese, if it doesn’t get beyond my fingers and toes…Ba is three, moi is ten and ba again, is three, hence ba moi ba or 33. damn I’m smart.

    Wonder how many folks out there in blog land still remember words in Vietnamese.

    Oh had Pho for dinner last night along with a “summer spring roll” (that’s what the German’s call it…..rice, shrimp, pork, green stuff and wrapped in an uncooked ricepaper. Oh and Noc mam (?) I know I spelled all wrong…Come on someone, correct me.

    Kisses to all – ken

  • Admin

    Ken … LOL

    mot … ba muoi ba
    hai … ba muoi ba
    ba … ba muoi ba
    bon … ba muoi ba
    nam … ba muoi ba
    sau … ba muoi ba
    bay … ba muoi ba
    tam … ba muoi ba
    chin … ba muoi ba
    muoi … ba muoi ba

    When you get to “333” … just say “ba ba ba … ba ba ba … ba ba ba …” LOL

    33 = three 10’s + 3 = ba muoi ba

    LOL

    🙂

    Bob

    • H. Clark

      Bob, I know this is waaay too late for some feedback by only 5 yrs, but I’m a newcomer… and younger (61) ha 🙂

      OK, we now know mot is 1, hai is 2, and ba is 3, and so on… thus here are my two cents (hai cat in Vietnamese)

      mot … ba muoi mot…31
      hai … ba muoi hai…32
      ba … ba muoi ba >>> 33 <<<
      bon … ba muoi bon…34
      nam … ba muoi nam…35
      sau … ba muoi sau…36
      bay … ba muoi bay…37
      tam … ba muoi tam…38
      chin … ba muoi chin.39
      muoi … ba muoi ba…33 = 3 tens 3 (as Ken did is also perfect…
      you are smart)
      mot tram… one hundred ..100

      hence when you get to three hundred thirty-three (333), you say "ba tram ba muoi ba."

      I'm a good Catholic girl, my teachers were all French and Vietnamese nuns, and only drink root beer (ha). Hope you have fun with counting the numbers.

      Ken,

      "Goi cuon" is the summer spring roll. Summer spring sounds kind of awkward… I guess people need to add the word summer to spring rolls so they don't get the fried spring rolls.

      "Nuoc mam" is the correct spelling of the dipping sauce.

      Nuoc = water
      Mam = fermented fish (extracted and processed to become fish sauce)

      Nuoc mam = water (with) fish sauce
      The ingredients are water, vinegar, sugar, and fish sauce.

      I had been to Dusseldorf on vacation some thirty years ago and just learned from you that dorf means village.

  • frank stoddard

    Can’t help you Bob. I know nothing about the Beers. I’m a soda guy myself.lol Ba Ba Ba…sounds like someone from Montana! lol
    What was that really bad beer? …La Rue?
    No formaldehyde huh? Then why were you and Larry always pickled …. and ….. sort of blury? lol Frank

  • Admin

    LOL Frank … oh, I see… you chase the ba ba ba down with soda .. lol … actually, I was thinking ba ba ba was more of a New Zealand thing .. lol

    The reallyyyyyy bad beer?! HMMMM???? … I never knew there was such a thing as BAD beer in Saigon … lol … La Rue … hmmmm … that sounds French … must’ve been something the French women drank then … 🙂

    The reason Larry and I were always pickled is from sipping fine French wine with lovely French girls … who dazzled us with their charm causing us to get … as you put it … sort of blury …. ha ha ha 🙂

    What’s behind the green door?

    LOL

    Bob

  • Admin

    Frank I just Googled “La Rue Beer” … lol .. here is the ‘review’ that came up for it.

    Bierre La Rue – Best beer in Vietnam

    Bierre La Rue is for beer connoisseurs only, Singapore Tiger drinkers read no further. It is the best of the mass produced beers in Vietnam and has won prizes recently at international exhibitions. (How recent are Tiger’s medals)? There are also other excellent beers in the mini breweries of HCMC and Hanoi, most notably Bia Do, Hao Vien and Legends. Sorry, but Legends is not available in HCMC yet.

    LOL … and you say you know nothing about beers … lol

    Bob

  • frank stoddard

    A fun song is Barry Sadler’s “Bamiba”, taken from the “Ballads Of The Green Berets” album.

  • frank stoddard

    Well Kathy, did you get more than you bargained for? You must forgive Bob, even some forty years ago, he was leading me astray! Actually, hope you got something from it. Frank

  • Admin

    Now Frank, how could I lead you astray? Everyone knows I was a ‘shining example of American youth representing the United States of America in a foreign country” … as I was constantly reminded by my parents and the State Dept. … LOL … ahhhh the joys of being a ‘DIP Kid’ … lol … when everything and anything you do is “a reflection on the United States of America” … in the eyes of the State Dept. anyway … lol … I was almost affraid to use the bathroom for fear I might embarass the United States of America in a foreign country … LOL … I won’t even go into the time Roy raided his dad’s liquor cabinet then ‘forced’ me to partake of the spoils with him … after which I had to walk into a State Dept Reception my parents were having at our house for some dignitaries … lol … boy, did I work that crowd fast with the meet and greets … as my proud parents introduced me around the room to all the foreign dignitaries as a fine upstanding example of American youth. LOL … little did they know the true state of my condition … LOL.

    Of course if I’d gotten busted, I was going to blame it all on you Frank … for enticing Roy to raid the liquor cabinet in the first place … ha ha ha 🙂

    Bob

  • frank stoddard

    Boy, do I have stories about you!! (Yea, blame Roy!) But I can not go into that now. Gotta go out and name my horse!! (maybe it is not a horse…I think at this point it is a mule…maybe I’ll call him Jack.

    Actually, representing America stuff!! My worse time was when I got kicked out of the “Cerc” for three weeks. The letter informing my Dad of such… went through the French Embassy over to the American Embassy and down through USOM to his office. Gosh, I think that was the night that I stood-up a French girl for a date!! I do remember, that French-American relations were at an all time low.

  • frank stoddard

    Interesting how this Blog is bringing back memories!! Just recalled…
    I snuck out of my house later that evening.. but did not get to the party until it was about over! I won’t mention who my date was…. but she would not talk to me. She was not happy!! A few weeks later, when I could legally leave my house…there was a teenage party at the top of the Metropole Hotel. She showed up with Pete C.. So much for me. Oh well! I got over it!
    Yes, it is true about the French! They really get Pis__ed! A few years ago when I was in the Louve Museum and accidentally hit the “fire alarm” talk about pi__ed”..no sence of humor!! (I thought it was the button for the elavador!! Anyone could make the same mistake!)lol
    Oh and by the way…My Father was raised as a strict Catholic. He did not know that someday it would be called “child abuse”. HA! Gosh, did he mean well!!

  • Admin

    Frank said: “Gotta go out and name my horse!! (maybe it is not a horse…I think at this point it is a mule…maybe I’ll call him Jack.”

    Frank, Walter named his ‘mule’ … Old Rivers … then wrote a song about his dead mule and made $$$millions$$$

    LOL 🙂

    Frank said: “I do remember, that French-American relations were at an all time low.”

    Maybe yours were, but mine were not! My French-American relations were EXCELLENT! Oh la la … were they ever!! (right, Mimi? *wink*) … lol

    ———————————-
    Geezz Frank … if you would’ve been looking at the ‘buttons’ instead of the foxy French gal walking by … you might have noticed the LARGE RED one was the FIRE ALARM … particularly since it had the international symbol for FIRE on it!! … ha ha ha … 🙂

    Gee Frank all the French people I’ve ever known have been very kind, warm, loving, helpful, humorous, happy, compassionate people … but, then of course I never broke a lovely French girl’s heart by ‘standing her up’ for a date either; nor, did I run around Paris setting of fire alarms in the French museums!! Dang Frank, I didn’t even know it was possilbe to get ‘band’ from the Cercle Sportiff!!!

    Does the “Ugly American” come to mind, Frank. LOL
    Recommended reading for Frank: “How To Win French Friends and Influence French People” … ha ha ha 🙂

    —————-
    Yes, Frank I thought of you often up there in Washington in the Catholic ALL Boys Boarding School … while I was partying away down in Scottsdale, AZ. at a COED Private Boarding School … LOL … the Coors beer we smuggled in from Colorado was always a hit at the weekend parties in AZ … lol … I tried to get you address from my parents so I could invite you down to AZ for a visit (and a welcoming party .. lol), but my parents said you were a bad influence on me, and that it was best I didn’t associate with you … ha ha ha 🙂 ROFL

    Rock on … Mr. French Ambassador Frank!!!

    🙂

    Bob

  • frank stoddard

    Your parents were not the only ones! Ha!! And I’ll bet you did not try very hard! Yea, my Dad wanted me to get a good Catholic education and become successful! Fooled him!!
    Yea! Ugly American! That is so funny!!! Gosh, did we start the war?///???
    By the way Bob, for all your listerers (is that spelled right?) If they will send me their Name and Address, I’ll send them three CD’s that I made. For a lack of a better name..I call them ERA #1, #2, #3. (I keep updating them. Never satisfied!!!) I’m a history and old music nut!! I think you’ll find them interesting. Frank
    yea, I’ll mail everyone who wants one…a set! You’ll not be sorry!!
    BaMuoiBa@wildblue.net

  • fresnolarry

    I did a lot of beer drinking in Viet Nam. BA Moui BA being much of it, as well as “Beer La Rue”. Both being Vietnamese beers. Beer La Rue has an obvious French sounding name. (i’d only guess “street beer”) as beer means beer, and Rue means street in French. Many Gi’s called Bier La Rue “tiger piss” because of the tiger on the label. Maybe the tiger was a mascot, as Budwieser has the Clydesdale horses as theirs.

    Beer La Rue was about a 20 ouncer, with the tiger (mentioned above) on the label. Ba moui ba was how one pronounces 33. 33 export obviously intended by the brewer to sell locally as well as exported. I know ba moui ba could be found in Cambodia in 1966. Therefore exported. The 33 bottle was actually 12 oz, clear glass, and “Beer La Rue” (with the tiger on the lable) in both clear and brown bottles.

  • Could it be that “33” is related to 0.33, referring to the popular (in Europe) beer serving of 1/3 liter? That’s about 11.2 ounces (nearly 12 ounces).

  • Admin

    33 Export (Ba Muoi Ba) beer history and name:

    It was first brewered by Heineken France in 1893. It was given Label “33” around the turn of the century (1900). It was first bottled as beer for French dominions (export beer) in special size 33 cl bottles. Hence the name – “33” Export Blonde. Other bottles not for export were 65 cl, most of the time. As the first 33 cl bottle the name stuck in the dominions, then later in France. Production was moved to Viet-nam. Heineken joint ventured with other companies for brewing, bottling and distribution facilities in French dominions – such as Viet-nam. Alcohol Volume is 4.8%. The variance in taste in different localities is because of the water, source of hops, malt and other ingredients. During the early years “33” Export made in Saigon was made with German hops and malt; and, German technology. The label was changed in 1975 to “333”. It was entered into the American market in 1994. About the same time equipment was upgraded to modern German manufacturing equipment to increase production, along with a change to Australian hops, and the addition of Australian malt to enchance the character and quality. 333 Premium Beer (as it is now called) is popular in Viet-nam and widely accepted in the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Australia.

    Note: 1950s/60s (and prior years) “33” Export (Ba Muoi Ba) and La Rue (tiger) beer bottles in good condition are selling in the ‘collector’ markets for about $80.00 USD and upward. These are the old brown glass bottles that had the label/printing painted directly on the bottles – before the ‘glued on’ paper labels.

  • frank

    So I guess Bob, we drank some pretty expensive beer in our day! lol

    • Admin

      LOL – Frank … nah, I think we drank the ‘cheap’ beer in the – to become – expensive bottles. I told ya to save the dang bottles!! … ha ha ha … Geez, if we still had half the empties from the Ba Muoi Ba you drank – we’d both be multi-millionaires today!!! I suppose it just goes to show ya, if ya save your trash long enough it will eventually become very, very valuable – LOL – 🙂

  • Greg Moore

    This post got me to thinking, after a little searching I found a scrapbook with a set of “33” Export beer lables. Now that isn’t something you see everyday. 😉

    • Admin

      Greg – depending on the year and condition of the labels, they may have considerable value in the collector market. Do some searching on Google (and other search engines), you may be pleasantly surprised.

      Bob

  • William Tucker (Tuck)

    Frank, Ken & Admin….you must have been in ‘Nam prior to ’65/66’ cause I’m pretty sure I drank all they could brew during those years…and are you absolutely certain they didn’t use formaldehyde in the brewing process of Ba Moui Ba? I’m being treated in the Mental Health Dept. @ the VA, and have been telling them it must have been the formaldehyde in the Ba Moui Ba. What else could it have been.
    MACV-SOG sin-loi

    • Tuck – Yes, we were in Vietnam prior to 1965. I’m surprised there was ANY Ba Moui Ba left by the time you arrived in ’65 as WE surely must have drank every drop there was in the country by ’61 when I departed Vietnam. I’m CERTAIN there was never formaldehyde used in the brewing process of the *legally brewed* Ba Moui Ba, as the father of one of the French kids in our Saigon Kids group was the manager of the plant which manufactured and distributed Ba Moui Ba in Saigon. However, in the process of researching the *formaldehyde myth* I did learn there were many *unconfirmed* reports of *illegal* (bootleg) Ba Moui Ba being made and sold in Vietnam during the period of ’65 to ’75 which may have been processed with formaldehyde, as well as, several other substances known only to the makers of the *bootleg* beer. One report allegedly stemming from documents confiscated from the Viet Cong indicates some Viet Cong groups allegedly made bootleg Ba Moui Ba *laced* with various toxic ingredients and sold it to the U.S. Military (and our Allies). Allegedly they bottled the bootleg beer by re-using empty Ba Moui Ba, Tiger, La Rue, etc. bottles. Then *salted* shipments of *legally* made beer with the bootleg toxin laced beer. Fact or Myth? I doubt we’ll ever know.

      Bob

  • Jim McCann

    I remember that the deposit on the bottles of “33” was more than the cost of the beer itself. The 24 empties were worth about 12-16 bucks! I bought a case in Long Thanh (near Bearcat) in 1968. I left the empties for some of the locals and they could not have been happier.

  • Woody Mashburn

    My Viet Nam unit will hold our reunion in Reno this year. We have adopted Ba Muoi Ba (33) beer as the official beer of our unit “Darkhorse”. I am trying to find a source to purchase about 5 cases. Does anyone know where I may find beer for my men?

    • Woody,

      Click Here. Then enter your address and it will give you a list of the closest places to you that sell 33 Export beer. If it is not sold in Nevada, you may have to purchase it in another state and *drive* it to Reno, as I doubt they will let you take it on a plane or ship it interstate. Or, another idea might be to request the facility where you are holding your reunion dinner to provide it for you. If they serve liquor I’m sure they could special order it for you through there liquor suppliers.

      I hope this helps. Have a fantastic reunion.

      Bob

  • Frank

    Yeb! That is about enough for the “Gunny” in the Marine Corps!

  • Mimi

    Well, who said everyone was sleeping on this blog? Just say the word “beer 33” and you have a record number of posts- lol-
    Ah ! boys will be boys-lol-

    And you’re right Bob, as far as you and I were concerned, french/american relationships were excellent.
    Frank, who is that french girl you dated in my back? lol.
    Hugs to all
    Mimi

  • frank

    MiMi, I do not know. She was blond, that is all I remember!Hic! Frank

  • frank

    MiMi, You always was and always will be the Brigitte Bardot of the Far East to me. Frank

  • Suellen Oliver Campbell

    I have nothing to add to this fascinating beer conversation,as I was just a “young thing” back in my Saigon days, but I had to let you know that you guys just keep me chuckling with your witty banter and repartee.
    In the past 5 minutes I have learned more about Ba Moi Ba than I ever thought possible. Guess my association with some of you must have rubbed off as I have never forgotten the name Ba Moi Ba, or what it stands for. Here is my scary thought for the day:
    I also have some of the worst Vietnamese cuss words imprinted in my brain and I only hope that I don’t start using them in some nursing home when dementia hits me in a few years. My children would never understand (literally) but my Asian caregivers might. Horrors!
    Suellen

    • S’ellen ..

      You may find this hard to believe … BUT … even as a Clod, I don’t recall ever learning ANY Vietnamese *cuss* words (or maybe I did but don’t remember them – lol). Of course being the *shinning examples of American youth representing America in a foreign country* that the Clod’s were, it is understandable that we were not exposed to cussing in Vietnamese – LOL – 🙂

      My, my … who did you sweet young ladies hang out with in Saigon that you learned all those cuss words from!?! … And, don’t you dare say *Clods*!!! – ROFL

      Bob The Innocent

  • Kenneth R. Yeager

    I think I knew a few cuss words in Vietnamese in my time there but all have been forgotten (damn). I like swearing in foreign languages..tends to keep little old ladies from turning pale in the grocery store.
    Does anyone remember the little sandwich stand outside the main post office across from the cathedral? Wonderful little ham sandwiches. Gosh, those were great days.

    • Ken – I don’t remember the ham sandwich stand by the main Post Office. BUT, I do remember the flocks of Vietnamese and French GIRLS at the Post Office. It was one of my favorite places in Saigon to meet girls. One of my favorite ploys was to buy a post card from one of the vendors near the Post Office then spot a cute girl, and play the dumb American trying to mail a post card – lol – and ask the sweet young thing to help me. Since I didn’t speak much French or Vietnamese and the girls usually didn’t speak much, if any English, it would get very comical trying to communicate with each other. Usually, turned into a funny *giggle-fest*. That was when I learned that girls loved it when you made them laugh – lol – 🙂 – To repay their kindness in helping me, I’d invite them to go for an ice cream treat or to a movie. Worked like a charm! Saigon girls were so cool and so much fun …. ahhh such sweet, sweet memories – 🙂

      Bob

  • Kenneth R. Yeager

    Ah, Bob, you sly dog. Bet you are still trying to woo the ladies with ice cream or candy….LOL.

  • frank

    What does “du ma” mean and what does that have to do with Bamuoiba?

    • Frank, I think the Vietnamese language’s diacritical marks are … well … critical for what you’re asking. “?? má mày” would probably issue more fluidly out of one’s mouth the more Ba muoi ba that one consumed.

      I myself wouldn’t have known this, of course, since I was such a good lad in 1960-61 … but I did have that tour with the Army in Bien Hoa during 1969-70.

      I experienced a similar phenomenon when I was stationed in Germany, and rented a room with a German family. In the evenings, I’d sit with my landlord (who spoke no English) in his living room and we’d consume mass quantities of the local equivalent of Ba muoi ba … and we communicated quite … er … flu(id)(ent)ly about his time on the Eastern Front during WWII. But I never told him to “?? má mày” in any language … it would not have been polite. 😉

    • Roger Mills

      du ma…? Oh my, you don’t wanta know. Very bad word. It’s the MF word in English.

      Confession: I used it once to a street kid in Saigon who was bothering me, and he looked real hurt and started crying. I was ashamed of myself.

      • Roger Mills

        To get back on topic– I put away a lot of ba muoi ba during my year there…until the Tu Do started stocking San Miguel. 1000% better !!

  • frank

    Bruce, The only thing I can say is “I’ll drink to that!” I was stationed for 6 years in Germany and I can relate to the wonderful evening that I spent with folks that neither could understand each other … other then that human being connection that is a mystery at times! Maybe Oats and Barley are important.
    Aside from that, I was actually remembering when words of insults would go back and forth between two different groups of people in Saigon. I remember swear words between American teenage males and that of the Vietnamese “Cowboys”. A few fights did take place. We always won! (win..kinda of an American thing in Vietnam!! O.K. Bad Joke!)Do any of the rest of you remember them? The South Vietnamese government actually put out a formal apology for naming the juvenile delinquents after an honorable occupation in the U.S.. I think us, kids, thought the name “Cowboys” was cool!

  • frank

    Yes Bruce, horizontal! Frank

  • frank

    By the way, down here on the Mexican border, we have huge snow flakes falling today!!

  • frank

    Another … by the way .. all that time (and money) so many of us spent in Germany .. you would think those foreigners could have learned English!!

  • Kenneth R. Yeager

    They do speak English, at least in the big cities…less so in the sticks. Problem with German is that it is soooo complicated. I’ve been here now for more than 12 years and still can’t speak, read or write it worth a damn. Of course, it couldn’t be that I’m just a wee bit on the dumb side, could it?

  • Scott

    The Noc Mam was actually Nuoc Mam (Kind of like Nook Mahm) if I remember the spelling on the signs in the bars. We called it “Armpit Sauce” and most of us Americans couldn’t stand it. Imagine a reuben sandwich, dead rotting fish, gym locker jock strap, and that chicken sandwich you forgot in your school locker 2 weeks ago. All together, that smell was nuoc mam. A lot of the people in the Nam ate nuoc mam on their food, like we use katsup and you could smell it on them and sometimes in the breeze.

    Ba Muoi Ba was horrible, like going from Budweiser to Tecate or Milwaulkee’s Best (Or Aqua Velva aftershave!)–or from Marlboros to Camels. I stuck with the mixed drinks and when in camp we got 2 Budweisers per day when we were in camp to drink them and not out in the boonies.

  • dianna brint

    My Dad used to say Bunmi co dep, I think U could get the gist. it was supposed to mean bring me a beer beautiful woman!
    conshau sp? pig
    gomow sp? cat
    number 1….. southern people
    number 10…..northern people
    dee de mow dinky dow!
    get lost crazy one. he drank lot of beer atthe little shanties between the highway and our main (only paved street) in Thu Duc.
    he got lots of the tigerbeer for the little workers who were in the village and did not steal from the jobsites. it amazed me we had the best paid maid and gardener in the village…8 usd a month. they used to take our dead batteries from our sears mail order toys and offer them to Budda for the remaining energy! they also believed in vampires….mail order, glow in the dark *)*&%(*fangs…oh yeah!

  • dianna brint

    oh gaad noc mam. made us sick so thick in the thick air…we died and went to hell every day with that smell

  • Frank

    Tiger Beer was actually the beer that got the nick-name of “Tiger-Piss”!

  • Clay Lansdown

    Some wrong info here.
    Ba Muoi Ba beer was not in the large brown bottle. That was Beer LaRue.

    When I was there in 1962 and 1963 it cost us about 10 cents per bottle,if you exchanged US money for piastres/dongs at the book store on Tu Do street, more if you used an official place like the Caravelle hotel.

    Although the ARVN and US air-force used Tan Son Nhat as an air base, it was an international airport with many commercial flights. Ait France for one.

  • Les Arbuckle

    The first beer I ever drank was Ba Mui Ba: Warm, poured into a glass with a big chunk of ice. I was warned to drink the beer before the ice melts or I’d get dysentery. We also drank Beer LaRue, which we also called “Tiger Piss” which, remembering the taste, is an insult to tigers.
    Les

  • Warren Butler

    In reference to Beer LaRue: During my tours there, 1964-65 and 1967-69, the locals called that beer Bear Lu Lu because they couldn’t say the “R” in LaRue part of it. Ba Mui Ba was much better than the La Rue.

  • Archie Hickerson

    I had the “33” beer in 71-72…real bad beer but better than the Bud from floating cargo ships or that sat in the PX lots or the rotten Black Label.
    In April 2016, in Saigon, South Vietnam, I had a couple of the “333” and it is a good tasting beer, ice cold; just my opinion.
    Welcome Home Vietnam War Veterans!!!!
    Airborne!
    HN

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