SIRI’s Fine Ales
SIRI’S Fine Ales is an Indian Fusion Project between Ben Neidhart & Pallavi Siri Golla to design unique Indian inspired recipes with American creativity.
For me, SIRI’S Fine Ales feels like a natural extension of a life spent between cultures, flavors, and hospitality. I was born and raised in the U.S. while spending most summers in Andhra Pradesh, South India, with my grandparents — a true fusion childhood that blended the best of East and West. That early love of food, gathering, and flavor eventually led me into hospitality and wine, where I built my own wine company in California and learned how powerful the right pairing can be.
After marrying my husband Mukul, I quickly got to know Ben, one of his best friends from college; someone I had always heard described as one of the smartest people Mukul knew, though I soon learned he was also one of the most fun. One of my favorite early memories with Ben and his wife was at their destination wedding in Grand Cayman, when they insisted we order from a small West Indian restaurant called Timbuktu, where I had some of the best curry I’ve ever tasted and still dream about to this day. As our families grew with dogs, kids, and years of friendship, so did our shared love of great food and great company. I was truly honored when Ben asked me to collaborate on this project and step back into the world of exciting flavors, thoughtful pairings, and creating something memorable together.
– Pallavi –
Being born in Germany it took me till my late 20s to venture into spicy foods. My wife was first to open my eyes with spicy Chinese dishes and once my eyes were opened I branched out to many other cuisines as well. One of my (& our) favorites became Indian due to the fragment aromas of the spices, the textures and the incredible balance of (very sometimes intense) spicyiness & flavors. Brewing interesting & original recipes that pair great with different foods has been one of our most enjoyable parts of owning OEC, so naturally we thought “let’s try something here”. We reached out to Pallavi to see if she was interested in a fun project. Being an excellent chef herself and having worked in the wine industry, my wife & I figured she’d be a great fit. Also being married to one of my best friends from college was a definite plus!
– Ben –
OUR INSPIRATION
An Indian Fusion Project
When Ben invited Pallavi to partner on this project, it was an honor and a chance to return to the joy of exploring exciting flavors, thoughtful pairings, and creating something memorable together. SIRI’S Fine Ales celebrates that shared history — a beer born from friendship, curiosity, and the joy of bringing people together through flavor.
One of the most enjoyable parts of this project was the label creation. We used a combination of Bollywood posters & some more classic Indian art designs (Mandalas) as inspiritation for the artwork. The bright & bold color palettes were an absolute pleasure to work with and we managed to add in a little bit of “kitsch” reminscent of some classic OEC artworks! We hope you like them as much as we do.
The first agreed upon recipe was Agni White Ale. Besides being one of Mukul’s favorite styles we felt it’s balance of spicing and soft pillow body from the wheat would be an excellent pairing for many dishes. Coriander is Indian staple in many dishes and we decided to add lemongrass & ginger for a nice citrusy character. It was given the name Agni, meaning fire, due to its ability to tame many dishes.
Dhara Dark Hefeweizen, our second recipe, is a bold combination of a German style Dark Hefeweizen with black cardamon & nutmeg (Two traditional Indian spices). As black cardamon is kilned over open flame we added a touch more roasted malt to the body. It’s deceptively drinkable for it’s dark color and has a soft velvety body. It’s decidedly homestyle & comforting character earned it the name Dhara, representing earth.
Prana Blonde Ale is a cold matured ale that closely toes the line between a crisp lager & a slightly fruity ale. Prana, meaning air, takes its name from its decidedly drinkable character. A hint of honey & a delicate bitterness from the linden flowers are balanced by a bright finish from the lime peel leaving a very refreshing ale.
