Today’s Kveik Thai Tom Kha has got to be one of the most unique beers to ever win GABF Gold. To create it, the crew at Utah’s Shades of Pale (a.k.a. Shades Brewing) drew inspiration from Tom Kha Soup — a sweet and spicy, coconut-based Thai staple!

To emulate those exotic flavors, the brewers reached for the same ingredients used by cooks across Southeast Asia. Creamy coconut, tangy kaffir lime leaves, earthy lemongrass, and galangal — a type of sweet and citrusy ginger. A touch of lactose gives it a slightly creamy finish.

Open the can, and it smells like morning at a spice market in Chang Mai. Take a sip, and the Golden Sour Ale base (brewed with super-fruity Kveik Yeast) seems to reflect and amplify all those tangy-spicy flavors. 

As one taster put it, “Coconut, lemongrass, and kaffir leaf are things I never knew I wanted in a Sour, but this is amazing!”

This is our very first beer from Shades, and what an introduction! Not only is this Gold Medal-winner incredibly unique, it’s also mighty tough to find outside of Utah — almost everything this brewery makes is snatched up by thirsty craft fans before it crosses state lines.

So, if you’re looking for a departure from the usual beer flavors, here’s a brew that will take your tastebuds on an exotic adventure. It blew away the GABF judges, now it’s your turn.

Rated 4.25 on Untappd!

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