🦩 Alvarado Street Brewing Mai Tai P.A. | Tropical West Coast IPA
Short Little History
This is the beer that started a tropical revolution. Alvarado Street’s flagship Mai Tai P.A. is one of the most decorated modern IPAs in the country, having won multiple gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival and medals at the World Beer Cup. It was crafted to deliver all the intense, fruit-forward aromatics of a tropical tiki drink without any of the heavy, sugary sweetness. By combining a simple, clean malt base with massive amounts of a single legendary hop, the brewers created an all-time classic that continues to dominate "Best of" lists year after year.
Key Features: Award-Winning Simplicity
This brew leans entirely on the complex profile of a single hop variety rather than hiding behind a heavy grain bill.
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The 100% Mosaic Showcase: Brewed exclusively with 100% Mosaic hops, yielding an incredibly complex array of fruit and dank aromas without needing to mix in other hop varieties.
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Clean Malt Bill: Uses just American two-row malt, keeping the body light, clean, and crackery so the hops can stand in the spotlight.
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Legendary Hardware: A massive winner in the craft beer world, including gold medals at the GABF (2015, 2018, 2023) and a World Beer Cup bronze medal.
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ABV: A highly drinkable 6.5% Alc. by Vol..
Tasting & Experience Notes
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The Nose: An immediate, super-intense wave of passion fruit, ripe mango, guava, and sweet lychee.
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The Palate: Incredibly bright and juicy with notes of stone fruit, melon, and soft floral undertones. It is intentionally light on bitterness to let the juice-like fruit notes shine through.
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The Finish: True to its West Coast roots, it finishes remarkably dry, crisp, and refreshing, leaving you instantly ready for the next sip.
Food Pairing Notes
The intense aroma and dry finish make it a phenomenal food beer:
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Pacific Rim Cuisine: Absolute perfection with Hawaiian poke bowls, spam musubi, or Teriyaki chicken.
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Tacos & Street Food: The bright tropical fruit cuts beautifully through rich carnitas or battered fish tacos.
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Light Bites: Great with fresh spring rolls or summer salads featuring mango or citrus vinaigrettes.
Overall Expression
The Mai Tai P.A. is the ultimate "tropical" IPA for purists. It successfully bridges the gap between the insanely aromatic, fruit-forward world of modern IPAs and the clean, refreshing, dry-finishing drinkability of a traditional West Coast IPA. It is an absolute staple for any serious craft beer list.