General Info

I was hoping a few of you beer lovers could give me some basic information on san Miguel beer prices. Like you buy in market / sari sari / bar.

I know there are different seizes and other differences like there is lite and red horse.

I appreciate getting some idea of "regular bottle of san maguel and the can.

The reason I am asking is someone trying to tell me you can sell a standard bottle of ice cold san Miguel for 100 pesos and believe 99. 9% that is way way too high. I think it is more like around 40 pesos per bottle or can. Maybe 100 pesos for a 1000 ml bottle

My last visit to Philippines was 2011 and yes, I have drank some san Miguel + red horse but not remember what I paid.

I remember buying some wine to relax my vacation Gf a few times and paid only around 500 to 750 per bottle. Yeah from the market. And not high class of course but enough to give us a buzz along with the red horse.

Thanks for any responses other than saying I ask a stupid question!

just a reminder to those of you likely to be around anywhere in the phils, may 13 (monday) is the 3-yearly national election day on which half of the senate will be elected.

there have already been many people killed in election-related violence and the embassies always caution expats and visitors to be extra careful around this time and to keep a low profile.

the locals do not like foreigners "taking sides" when it comes to politics, especially if you happen to be on "the other side", so keep out of this discussion.

somebody also mentioned the "ban on alcohol sales" on may 13. there are numerous loopholes by which one can buy grog but it is funny to see the mesh curtains draped over the wine and spirit sections of the local supermarket and 7/11 stores.

also, because there is no such thing as "absentee voting" here, voters must vote in the precinct in which they are registered. this means many people will migrate back to their provinces to vote on may 13, which means the preceding weekend and may 14 will be bad traffic days. the bars around may 13 may also be sparsely populated and some will be "dead".

just a warning in case someone is wondering wtf is going on around may 11, 12 and 13.

[QUOTE=Hutsori; 1418812]Sabang used to have a nice beach. Then a typhoon took it away. Mother Nature is capricious.

I reckon the dive-enthusiast sites would be the best source of info. Here you'll find diving reports of an altogether different sort.[/QUOTE]PG is a better bet, and well. I can look up my old contacts. You should have any issue in getting good dives.

Do look up Portofina. A nice resort. (no, I didn't stay there, but I got to meet the people there.)

And oh, remember to bring along a nice powerful torch, especially if you are in the habit of walking by the beach. When the tide comes up. The walkways can disappear. No kidding.

[QUOTE=MangoBob68;1419000]I was hoping a few of you beer lovers could give me some basic information on san Miguel beer prices. Like you buy in market / sari sari / bar.[/QUOTE]At the CVS the SMB runs approx p25 for bottle and p40 for can. RH is about the same. Best value I've found is the 750ml Tsingdao for p79 - a very good beer at a reasonable price. In bars the prices vary greatly of course. If you drink in a cheapie Filipino place I've found beer as low as p34. Of course you can spend p150+ for the same beer elsewhere. Cheapest happy-hour bucket of 6 I've seen is approx. P180.

Re plonk you can pick up Yellow Tail for p280 or so in the liquor stores. Decent Chilean clarets are in p250-350 range. They ain't Talbot but they're drinkable. Firewater like soju and G. S. M Blue are approx p65 and p85 respectively.

Check this out. Follow up to my post #6792

[url]https://twitter.com/MMDA/status/331304970802589696/photo/1[/url]

Hmmmmm. Got 3 bottles of Chardonnay in the frig, an unopened bottle of Stoli in the freezer and a bottle of Tanduay in the cabinet. Oughtta last until the 14th.

[QUOTE=Econo Tech; 1419113]PG is a better bet, and well. I can look up my old contacts. You should have any issue in getting good dives.

Do look up Portofina. A nice resort. (no, I didn't stay there, but I got to meet the people there.)

And oh, remember to bring along a nice powerful torch, especially if you are in the habit of walking by the beach. When the tide comes up. The walkways can disappear. No kidding.[/QUOTE]I figure if it just rains, dives are still on since divers get wet anyway. But if there are high winds, I would think they would have the sense to cancel due to those flimsy long boats tipping over. And yes, even in Puerto Galera where there is reported girlie action, they just might be extra nice if they see potential clients coming in from the rain!

Mango Bob,

You can expect to pay between 30-40 pesos for an individual San Miguel pilsen and San Mig lite. The lite is the more expensive of the two. Last summer I think I paid as little as 22 pesos for a pilsen out in the province (Toledo, Cebu) , but it was warm and there was nowhere to sit.

Generally, the more expensive the beer, you're paying for the ambiance --aircon, dancing girls, chairs.

In Cebu City, the convenience store at the corners of Sanciangko and Pelaez offers the best deal--ice cold pilsen for 25 pesos. I believe the lite is 30. They're 5 pesos cheaper than anywhere else in Colon, and the beer is colder.

If you can drink Golden Eagle, and I know guys who prefer it, it's cheaper than San Miguel, even though it tends to be available only in the province.

I can't drink those cheap beers. At a few pesos more, San Miguel makes a couple of labels with longer brewing time: Cerveza Negra, a dark bitter, and San Miguel Premium, an amber in green can or bottle. They are generally not available in Filipino-only venues where the customers drink only to get drunk.

[QUOTE=SergeantRay; 1419465]Mango Bob,

You can expect to pay between 30-40 pesos for an individual San Miguel pilsen and San Mig lite. The lite is the more expensive of the two. Last summer I think I paid as little as 22 pesos for a pilsen out in the province (Toledo, Cebu) , but it was warm and there was nowhere to sit.

Generally, the more expensive the beer, you're paying for the ambiance.aircon, dancing girls, chairs.[/QUOTE]

The SM Premium is a very quoffable ale. Usually retails at a tad under 50 pesos in cans, in supermarkets, and a bit cheaper in bottles (bottles are always cheaper than cans in the Phils). Also to be considered are:

Coors (original and light). Slightly cheaper than SM Pilsen.

Beer Na Beer. A malty brew, mainly available outside Manila. Cheap as chips.

It is possible, in the supermarkets, to pick up a pretty drinkable bottle of wine for 300-400 pesos. If you can stomach mass produced Californian plonk, Paul Masson's Chablis and Merlot can be had for about 240 pesos for a litre carafe.

Philippine brandy is a bit rough but better quality gin, such as Gilbey's, is very good and amazingly cheap.

[QUOTE=Cbea20;1419472]I can't drink those cheap beers. At a few pesos more, San Miguel makes a couple of labels with longer brewing time: Cerveza Negra, a dark bitter, and San Miguel Premium, an amber in green can or bottle. .[/QUOTE]I don't know what the calorie count on Cerveza Negra is but I believe it to be very high. A few of those every night and you stand every chance fo becoming the beer bellied monsters that patrol Walking Street in Pattaya. Its a nice beer though!

[QUOTE=Exoticspirit;1419329]I figure if it just rains, dives are still on since divers get wet anyway. But if there are high winds, I would think they would have the sense to cancel due to those flimsy long boats tipping over. And yes, even in Puerto Galera where there is reported girlie action, they just might be extra nice if they see potential clients coming in from the rain![/QUOTE]A lot of diver operators are professional and don't like to risk their customers or themselves for a bit of $.

For girlie action, the last time I was there, the Japs and Koreans were overrunning the place and were training the girls to go for ST than LT.

Well, I hope now things have improved there.

[QUOTE=Econo Tech; 1419599]A lot of diver operators are professional and don't like to risk their customers or themselves for a bit of $.

For girlie action, the last time I was there, the Japs and Koreans were overrunning the place and were training the girls to go for ST than LT.

Well, I hope now things have improved there.[/QUOTE]If I'm at PG, I actually don't mind ST with the girls since I want to be fresh with energy early in the morning on dive days. The girls will be for late afternoons and evenings. Just hope the quality and prices are okay even though they probably would be at a slightly higher premium compared to AC

SR, If you find time can you do a trip report on Toledo?

I've been up in the mountains outside of Cebu and did some thinking about crossing over and then taking the ferry over to San Carlos, Negros and continue by bus around to Silay / Bacalod. Online there are a few Toledo girls that look interesting as well.

How did you get to Toledo, hotel experience, entertainment, ferry options if possible.

And yes, warm beer is one of the disappointments of venturing out to the provinces. LOL. X Man.

[QUOTE=SergeantRay; 1419465]Mango Bob,

You can expect to pay between 30-40 pesos for an individual San Miguel pilsen and San Mig lite. The lite is the more expensive of the two. Last summer I think I paid as little as 22 pesos for a pilsen out in the province (Toledo, Cebu) , but it was warm and there was nowhere to sit.

SNIP.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Exoticspirit;1419776]If I'm at PG, I actually don't mind ST with the girls since I want to be fresh with energy early in the morning on dive days. The girls will be for late afternoons and evenings. Just hope the quality and prices are okay even though they probably would be at a slightly higher premium compared to AC[/QUOTE]Yah, Some like ST, though I don't and you maybe among the group that says "I don't fuck in my sleep" LOL.

Price. Well, I had inside deals whenever I got to PG! Never had to figure out the price.

It was 3000 for LT. And that was that.