Beer mixed with Sprite? Not at these bars

Beer blasphemy is widespread in Bangkok. Us locals often prefer to drink their beer with ice -- ok, it’s hot out there -- but some even mix it with Sprite.

Then there’s the lack of variety. Nine out of 10 Bangkok bars serve the usual three or four Thai beers, along with a couple of foreign brands. That’s just not cutting it for dedicated beer drinkers.

These pubs are the exception:

Roadhouse Barbecue is one of Bangkok's best stops for beer drinkers. Choices include Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Erdinger Wheat, Paulaner Dunkel, Leffe, Bulmers Cider and Newcastle Brown Ale. Americans wanting to relive their collegiate debauchery in all its golden, watery glory can spend the night pounding Miller Genuine Draft.

The shuffleboard table on the third floor is always in action and while the BBQ grub cooked up in the smokehouse doesn't exactly make you think you're in Texas, it'll likely satisfy the dustiest cowboy. It's good alone and even better with the cold beer.

942 Rama IV Road, on the corner of Surawong Road, MRT: Silom or BTS: Sala Daeng. Tel: +66 (0)2 236 8010

Twenty-two Belgian beers are available at HOBS and each comes in a mug or stein specifically designed to enhance its taste. Apparently, different glasses complement different styles of beer. Or so we're told.

An upscale trendy Thong Lor crowd shuns the usual Bangkok nightlife to kick back with cold ones at HOBS, right across from flashy J Avenue. Outside the air-conditioned pub is a reasonable approximation of a real German 'biergarten.'

Belgian fries -- served with three dips -- are a popular hangover preventative. Which some might need if they’re hitting the Chimay Blue: it has an alcohol content of nine percent.

522/3 Thong Lor (Sukhumvit 55), Soi 16, BTS: Thong Lor. Tel: +66 (0)2 392 3153

In the German tradition of beer obsession, Tawandang is an actual beer hall that seats 1,500 and is shaped like an enormous keg.

Tawandang produces ‘true German brews’ on site, using imported ingredients from Germany. The brewmaster was also brought in from Bavaria. He oversees the production of three fresh varieties: Lager and Dunkel, each fermented for 28 days, and Weizen, fermented for 19 days.

The menu features more than 200 entrees and, yes, German sausages are available. Mostly though it's Thai food catering to the largely local crowd who dance to live music ranging from Barry Manilow covers to Issarn music from northeast Thailand.

462/61 Rama 3 Road, on the corner of Narithiwat Road. Tel: +66 (0)2 678 1114. Second location: 51/199-200 Moo 1, Kwaeng Ladprao. Tel: +66 (0)2 944 5131

This crowded subterranean bar on the corner of Sukhumvit 33 draws a mix of after-work drinkers who come to watch sports on one of many TVs, listen to live music and pretend to be British, alongside the many real Brits who come here.

The Londoner serves two English-style brews, both made in its cellar: the London Pilsner 33 (an homage to pub's location) and Londoner’s Pride Cream Bitter.

Micro-brew pints are 160 baht -- a deal. An unbelievable one on two-for-one Wednesdays. Guinness pints go for 250 baht.

Sukhumvit Road, corner of Soi 33, in the basement of the UBC II Building, BTS: Phrom Phong. Tel: +66 (0)2 261 0238

At the Australian Pub and BBQ drinkers will find bottles of Aussie beer such as Pure Blonde, Victoria Bitter (VB), Coopers Pale Ale, Sparkling Ale and Stout. And it wouldn’t be an Australian pub without Foster’s, available on draught.

The Aussie pies don’t quite make the grade but the BBQ is tasty. Rugby and footy blast from TVs, Aussie wines dot the menu and the Herald-Sun is available so that regulars can keep up with the action in Oz without ever having to go home.

37 Sukhumvit Soi 11, BTS: Nana. Tel: +66 (0)2 651 0800