Asia may not spring to mind when you say “top brews”, well, at least not yet. The only time many beer drinkers in the U.S. encounter a Tsingtao or a Kingfisher, for instance, is when they’re eating in a Chinese or Indian restaurant. But some of the leading Asian beermakers have already broken out of the Asian-restaurant niche, and Japanese brands such as Kirin have won acclaim worldwide. Others, such as China’s Tsingtao, are looking to expand their customer base.

Here’s a look at some of the most popular beers of Asia.

OB Blue

Formerly the best-known South Korean beer, OB is now 100% owned by InBev, the world’s largest brewer created in 2004 with the merger between Belgium’s Interbrew and the Brazilian company AmBev.

Hite

Hite has remained Korea’s most popular beer since 1996 when it overtook then-leader OB.

Kirin Ichiban

Since its debut in 1990, Kirin’s Ichiban—or “No. 1″—beer has been one of the best-known Japanese beers around the world. Kirin Holdings makes the beer in Japan. But Anheuser-Busch (BUD) has been brewing it in Los Angeles since 1996 for sale in the U.S.

Asahi Super Dry

Asahi Breweries launched Asahi Super Dry in 1987, triggering a craze for dry beer and helping the company usurp Sapporo as Japan’s second-largest brewer after Kirin. Two decades later, Asahi Super Dry remains Japan’s best-selling beer

Sapporo

Originating in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, Sapporo began exporting to the U.S. in 1984 and is the most popular imported Japanese beer.

Tsingtao

Tsingtao Brewery got its start in 1903 in China’s northeastern port city of Qingdao. At the time, foreign powers had carved up China, and Germany had established itself as the colonial power in Qingdao. Long after the Germans left, the brewery used its European know-how to become the country’s leading beermaker.

Yanjing

Established in 1980, Beijing-based Yanjing Brewery is China’s second-largest beermaker.

Harbin

Harbin Brewery was founded in 1900 in the northeastern city of Harbin to supply beer to Russians working on the Trans-Manchurian Railway Project. Today, Harbin Brewery is China’s fourth-largest brewery.

Kingfisher

The top brand in India is Kingfisher, made by the country’s biggest beermaker, United Breweries. Chairman Vijay Mallya, taking a page from Richard Branson’s book, has leveraged the successful Kingfisher brand to open an airline, launching Kingfisher Airlines in 2005.

San Miguel

The biggest food and beverage company in Southeast Asia is Manila-based San Miguel Corp. Its San Miguel brand beer is tops in the Philippines and also big in Hong Kong.

Singha

Thailand’s top beer is Singha, made by Boon Rawd Brewery. The company, which became the country’s first beermaker when it launched in 1933, brews Singha Lager and Singha Light as well as several other brands.

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