Slushy XXL - Grand Theft Mango
450 North Brewing Company

Appearance - Pours opaque and thick, dull orange in color with a slightly lighter orange colored head that fizzles away quickly like soda leaving large, slimy bubbles from the fruity sediment. No real lacing, but plenty of slimy fruit sediment coats the glass.

Aroma - Tart, fruity aroma. Mostly lime, with lesser mango.

Taste - Follows the nose. Mostly tart lime with a lesser but still prominent mango kick. Occasional distant notes of shredded coconut meat pop in. A bit of pithy bitterness begins to show through as the beer warms. Maybe even a touch of mint leaf? Finish still dominates with the lime and mango, respectively.

Mouthfeel - Full-bodied with fair, tingly carbonation. Thick with sediment. Mildly creamy texture. Drinks well enough.

Overall - Thick with fruit sediment, and the taste says no different. More fruit juice than beer. Very rich. I'm about 12 ounces into this 16 ounce pour and I'm ready to move on.

 

1 PINT can
Served in a becker glass

This beer pours a bright orange hue and is murky. It is topped with a large bubbled head that leaves fruit puréeon the sides of the glass.

I think the lime outshines the mango. Tart aroma

Same in the flavor. Tart lime and some mango

Full bodied with a thick mouthfeel

I feel like a drank this is two gulps. I didn't, but it went down quickly.

The race to win the smoothie sour game has become quite a game. To favorably compete in this arena requires a beer of extra, extra large proportions. 450 North brewers would prefer that you drink it like you stole it.

They get a head start with the flavors of of mango, coconut and lime as Grand Theft Mango is a richly textured slushie looking ale that clings to the glass and greets the nose with fruit pulp, sweet cream and a soothingly tangy perfume. Expectedly sweet and creamy, the underpinnings of cereal, fructose and sugar cookie is the stuff of sorbet.

But the star of the game is the fruit. Mango citrus, tropical, creamy, cidery, winey and rounded flavors with the acidic zing of tropical fruit, all wrapped in a melon-like juiciness with a tangy late taste. A peppery bitterness comes with fruit pectins and gentle hop resins for an offset of sweetness and a balance for the fruits in a tangy, spicy and juicy finish.

Full bodied, smooth, creamy and plush on the palate, the smoothie ale's textures may be hard to drink but its pleasant to taste. A mere can shared among a full collection of KC Chief bandwagon fans as this ale successfully batters the tastebuds into submission with relative ease.