Xalapa
One Well Brewing

 

 

 

I got super exci5wd by the nose, all hot peppers! They advertise it as a pepper beer without the hear. They were right, but it's disappointing. After the smell I wanted some of the heat, and this has none. All vegetal flavor of pepper but no heat, and otherwise a thin beer. Man, if they'd let half the heat through this would be a great taco beer. Or make this beer on an IPA backbone without the heat and you'd really have something.

draught
Quite pale, straw color. Nice jalapeño pepper aroma, on top of a bit of light roasted grain. A bit of a funky, bitter bite, because of the added jalapeño. Thin, mineral like, malt flavor, with the funk.

Pours a golden straw color with a fluffy, sudsy white head. The aroma has a SIGNIFICANT jalapeño aroma that verges on vegetal on the nose - it literally leaps from the can. There’s also a bit of sweet bread on the nose, with is welcome.

The jalapeño is very forward and very prominent on the taste, but it’s not very spicy at all, and it leaves room for the sweet bready flavor balance things really well.

The mouthfeel is medium, and carb’d well. If you like the flavor of jalapeño (I do), this beer will work for you, but if you don’t, avoid it at all costs.

 

This is exactly what it says it is on the can, but without the heat.

 

22 ounce bottle into pint glass, no bottle dating. Way over carbonated, took a while to pour; but not infected. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy pale golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a large amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big jalapeno peppers, skin/seeds, lemon, peach, pear, red apple, wheat, cracker, white bread, herbal, floral, wood, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance of jalapeno peppers, pale/wheat malts, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast notes; with great strength. Taste of big jalapeno peppers, skin/seeds, lemon, peach, pear, red apple, wheat, cracker, white bread, herbal, floral, wood, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate herbal, floral, woody, grassy bitterness; and jalapeno pepper spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of jalapeno peppers, skin/seeds, lemon, peach, pear, red apple, wheat, cracker, white bread, herbal, floral, wood, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome robustness and balance of jalapeno peppers, pale/wheat malts, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; with an awesome malt/bitter/spiciness balance; and no astringent hop/pepper flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness and carbonation. High carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth and moderately bready/grainy/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.2%. Minimal lingering pepper heat though the glass. Overall this is an awesome pepper flavored American blonde ale. All around great robustness and balance of jalapeno peppers, pale/wheat malts, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the modestly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Over carbonation was not detrimental to drink-ability at all. Awesome balance of vibrant jalapeno peppers, pale/wheat malts, earthy hops, and restrained fruity yeast. Zero residual sweetness with crisp carbonated dryness. A really enjoyable offering, and impressive style example. Not overwhelming on peppers. Would love to try again fresh. They can this now, so probably a few years old on the bottle.

 

 

 

 

On tap at One Well. This is a good beer -- tho' it is unremarkable in its look, aroma, and mouthfeel. I did like the taste which captures the essence of jalapenos but without the heat. (There is actually a amount of heat from the pepper, but it's manageable.) I would get this beer again.

 

 

 

Had on tap at One Well.

L: Yellow, mostly clear

S: Spicy, biscuit

T: Jalapeno as intended! Otherwise mild flavor reminescent of a cream ale.

F: Spicy/smooth, appropriately carbonated

O: Fun beer to try for someone who likes spicy things. Quality jalapeno beer but not something I would drink regularly.