Boon Rawd Singha
Beer No: 11/1001
Page No: 492
Category: Blond
So, I'll just dispense with the formalities, Boon Rawd is the brewery, Singha is the beer. You've probably all heard of it or seen it somewhere, most likely a Thai food restaurant - which is exactly where I found this one. And the second one.
After a long day of brewing an English Pale - two ways, and bottling our Warrior IPA (brewed with 100% warrior hops, and, quite frankly, to down a bottle, you'll need to be a warrior), I was ready to relax and do nothing for the rest of the day. But, it was my brother's birthday yesterday, so the family went out to celebrate and we went to the best Thai food place in Orange, Royal Thai Orchid. Along with the Red Curry Chicken and other miscellaneous dishes, I decided to celebrate the occasion with Singha. At one time, Royal Thai Orchid only carried Singha, but have since added Chang, another Thai beer to their menu (as denoted by the awkward Chang sticker). The beer is crisp and refreshing, and after a hard day of work, just really hit the spot.
For some back story, we turn to 1001 Beers, where it is pointed out that Singha was the first beer to be brewed in Thailand - by royal appointment, no less. Founded by Boonrawd Srethabutra, it still remains in family hands today. Its main rival is, of course, Chang, but they hope to do battle after signing a big distribution deal with Molson Coors. But, in the end, 1001 Beers sums it up perfectly:
"Singha is clearly best enjoyed on a beach overlooking Thailand's invitingly clear waters."
It's definitely not the best beer you'll ever drink, but it's also not the worst. If had at the proper time, it can be quite refreshing, and be the perfect beer for the occasion.
My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:
Aroma: 2/10
Appearance: 3/5
Flavor: 5/10
Palate: 2/5
Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.2 / 5.0
Bottle from Royal Thai Orchid with Red Curry Chicken, Special Fried Rice, a noodle dish I can’t recall, and some awesome spicy soup. Had from bottle, poured into "official" Singha mug. Drank, had second from bottle. There’s really not much to say, it’s a pretty boring, bland beer, with just a bit of taste too it and not much aroma at all. It’s crisp and drinkable and pairs well with the spiciness of the Thai food I enjoyed it with. Nothing remarkable, but very enjoyable.
