Singha

Singha is Thailand's original beer — the golden lager that introduced commercial brewing to the country when Boon Rawd Brewery, Thailand's first, opened in Bangkok in 1933. Named for a powerful lion of Hindu and Thai mythology, it remains the fuller-flavored, more bitter counterpoint to the lighter lagers that later crowded the Thai market.

Founder Phraya Bhirom Bhakdi (born Boonrawd Sreshthaputra) spent years securing government approval and touring breweries in Germany and Denmark to learn the trade before his plant produced its first bottles. Recognition came quickly: in 1939 Boon Rawd received a royal warrant allowing the royal Garuda emblem on its bottles — an honor rarely granted, and Singha is still the only beer brand permitted to display it.

Nine decades on, Singha anchors Thai beer culture at home and stands in for it abroad, poured beside street food in Bangkok and on Thai restaurant menus worldwide. Its sturdy build — brewed to hold its own against chili, lime, and fish sauce — is a deliberate piece of its identity.

A fuller-bodied golden lager with grainy, lightly honeyed malt and a firmer hop bitterness than most Southeast Asian lagers; sturdy enough to stand up to chili heat.