Mango Road
Cascade Brewing / Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub

 

 

Draft at Armsby Abbey

Just as sure as my first Hill Farmstead beer was from Armsby Abbey, my first Cascade is as well. I don’t know how it’s my first, given the fact that they’re quite widely available. Regardless, let’s see what they have to offer

Pours a cloudy orange gold with 2 fingers of white head that fades to a thin cap and leaves spotty lacing

This is really vibrant and spicy in the nose, quite elegant actually. I’m picking up on aromas of peppercorn, lemon juice, mango skin, fresh oak, light white pepper, and biscuity malt

There’s an interesting shift to this one, as it is very tart up front and more funky on the back end. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting lemon juice, sharp oak, white wine vinegar, white pepper, crackery malt, sour mango, and light clove. The swallow brings notes of old leather, wet hay, lemon zest, mango skin, white wine, fresh oak, and pink peppercorn

A medium light body pairs with moderate carbonation, resulting in a zesty beer. Finishes dry and very funky with a bit of tartness to cut through

This one is a very nice and pretty unique. The only other brewery I’ve seen make a Wild Ale like this is Springdale

seems like more new cascade beer than ever lately, at least new to me, this one is cool, not just a mango sour, its also got pink peppercorns and jasmine flowers, both of which are as influential in the flavor as the mango. wine barrel aged, very mature, stronger, not at all sweet, and floral as can be, a honey note from the malt and maybe the mango sweetness too, blooming springtime from the jasmine, and a light spicy potpourri thing from the pink peppercorns, hibiscus and tea notes to it, slightly indian maybe all taken together, really interesting. the acidity is pretty high, not surprising with cascade, and interestingly the mango is maybe the least evident of these ingredients. i get cool spiciness as it warms, obvious fresh flowers, and and elderflower liqueur thing, wild. its not as funky as their best beers, but its woody and vinous and acidic, with white wine vinegar pushing up. good carbonation from the tap, warms up well, and really is quite distinctive with the flowers and the pink peppercorns lingering on the swallow. very dynamic brew, not sure it benefits any from being so strong, the flavors seem to want to go more delicate, but overall this was a treat to drink on and i am stoked on all the recent cascade options, keep them coming!

L: Generic golden ale .
S: Strong peppery with wood and spice.
T: An odd mango beer with a smooth peppery tail aftertaste and finish.
F: A fruit beer with pepper.
O: An ok peppery beer. Get it if you like it but otherwise avoid it since it leaves an odd aftertatse