Thai Pale Ale = Thaipa from Alexander

Thaipa Session IPA from the
Alexander Brewery in Emek Hefer:
Fruit, citrus and pine, oh my!

The newest beer from the Alexander Brewery in Emek Hefer is Thaipa, which is a contraction for Thai Pale Ale.  But in effect, the label calls it a Session IPA.

Why Thai?  Well, the beer began as a private label beer, brewed by Alexander, for sale only in the Thai House restaurant in Tel Aviv.  Alexander CEO Ori Sagy and Thai House owner Yariv Melili designed a beer that they wanted to pair excellently with Thai food.  Only recently was the beer released for sale to the general public.  The brewery was kind enough to send a bottle (or two) to the old blogger.

Thaipa pours out a light golden yellow color with a slight haze.  The head is thin and doesn't last long.  

The hop aromas are strong and distinct.  You get tropical fruits, orange-led citrus and some light pine.  The taste is nice and bitter: A pleasant hop bitterness that brings flavors of tropical fruits, white grapefruit, some herbal and a sweet edge of lemon drops.  

The increasing popularity of Thai food
demanded an appropriate beer.

The mouthfeel is medium thick, tingly and astringent, with a slight alcoholic background. 

Thaipa is a delicious IPA, bitter and flavorful.  (It's called a Session IPA, even though the 5.3% ABV is a little high for this style.)  It definitely would go well with the strong flavors (spicy, sweet and savory) of Thai and other Asian food. The citrus and herbal hops contrast the richness of the food, but there's also enough malt to balance out however much heat you like in your dish. 

Don't forget, though, that Thaipa would also pair well with all the other foods calling for an IPA: For example, strong, spicy dishes like curries, Vietnamese and Mexican food, pizza, fruity and sweet desserts and cakes, and mild cheeses.  Enough for everybody to enjoy!