Ok. Here it is. Finally.
THE REVIEW.
I figured if I was going to take such an extreme hiatus to get better, I might as well choose something good and interesting.
So I ended up choosing Mango Magnifico con Calor from Founders Brewing. This is the 7th installment from Founders' Backstage Series, so it was a very limited release in a 750ml bottle. They describe it as a "high-gravity fruit beer brewed with mango and Michigan-grown habaneros," which is right up my alley. I think I've said before that I love a beer with nice, balanced heat, so I have been anxious to try it since Founders announced its release.
I have heard mixed reviews from a lot of people, but I was really a fan of this one.
Mango Magnifico was a gorgeous, jewel-toned amber. It was really carbonated in the glass, as you can see from the photo. Nice powder-white head initially, but almost no retention whatsoever. The head dissipated and the beer quickly resembled more of an orange colored cider. Really subtle aroma, with soda biscuit scents and some tropical sweetness way down in there. There's a little bite, more like black peppercorn than habanero.
On the tip of the tongue, there's a lot of overripe mango that comes through. The mouthfeel is as soft as a mango is naturally and then the heavy carbonation plays in with the heat. It starts to fizz right as the habanero hits the palate, and when it comes, it really hits hard. It doesn't stay on the tip of your tongue, as not to overwhelm the soft mango flavor, but in the back of your throat it really burns, and it leaves the same warmth on your lips as a nice plate of spicy Mexican food.
Fortunately, your palate adjusts to the heat and it doesn't burn as vigorously as the first few sips once you get further down the glass. The heat lingers and it acts as an excellent counterpart to the sweetness.
Honestly, it's like drinking mango chutney. And these are the things I don't complain about. I don't mind when a beer reminds me of a food very specifically, I don't think it messes with my senses at all, but rather it gives me a new and interesting textural platform to enjoy these flavors from.
This bottle is definitely meant to share, because these flavors are robust and distinct, and 350ml is quite a lot to handle, especially at 10% abv. But while you can grab this brew, I would absolutely recommend snatching up a bottle at your local fine beer distributor, and if you're not much of a mango person or even much of a spicy beer person, grab a sample on tap. It's different, it's interesting, and it's worth the experience. I promise.
