Cucapa Chupacabras

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

12oz bottle -

OK, so the only thing more weird than a brewery in Mexico making a great American Pale Ale, is a Mexican brewery making an English barleywine, which both of these style the boys from Cucapá did, and did well. Plenty of hop character in the aroma and palate, though the flavor is where this beer is shining. Surprisingly hoppy with lots of citrus character, balancing caramel malt found. Very enjoyable and kudos to our brothers and sisters south of the border. This is a beer to be proud of and should be consumed widely down there.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Ok you sonsabitches that say there ain't nothing but swill coming from our Mexican brothers- try some of the Cupa beers and you will DEFINATELY change your mind. I have a great story about turning into the Chupacabra once, but I'll save that for a different time. Ask brotherbrando. Here goes- clear orangeish amber. Lots of sparkly. Generously hopped. Like un-Mexican hopped, because I know they don't like bitter beers. Trust me on this one. Piney resin, some grapefruit and tropical nuances. But decent amount of malt that smooths it out. Enjoyed this with my pops over the 4th of july weekend.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

My Cinco de Mayo treat to myself. Nice copper pour with minimal head and nice lacing. Aromas of caramel malts, earthy hops, nuts, slight fruitiness. Taste is more like an English Pale Ale with earthy hops, nuts, light fruits, caramel malt balance. Very nice beer to be a Mexican - Step your game up! Need more like this from South of the Border.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

can with a venom like creature on the front. above average pale all around, which was a bit of a pleasant surprise. a little cardboard/biscuit malt in the aroma and flavor is the only thing that prevents this from being a standout in the style.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Cloudy, hazy, reddish/brown color with an off white, very pronounced head. Yellowish/orange hues around the bottom and sides. The head is really sticking around and leaving some honorable lacing. Looks pretty good really. Some real nice floral hops jump out at first. A swell toasty, biscuity aroma with even a touch of caramel sweetness. Some fruitiness that I detect as being orange citrus. Very well balanced and provoking. At the end I was smelling gum drops. Interesting!!! Fair amount of hop bitterness with some grapefruit. Has a bit much of the alcohol flavor for my taste, but easily bearable. Has an unessential, dry "chalkiness" to the taste also. Even a toasted breadiness plugging away at the taste buds as it crosses the tongue. Medium, very dry mouthfeel. Mostly smooth and even a tad creamy. Leaves a nice amount behind after the swallow. This brew totally surprised me!!! Very respectable and worth a try. The "chalkiness" would get to me after a while I think, but manageable for a few glasses. I would try this again no problem. This reminds me of the Southwest desert for sure.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Sampled on 12/30/2008. This American Pale Ale pours a deep amber color from a 12oz bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head with nice retention and good lacing. The aroma is caramel malts and piney hops. A medium bodied APA. The malts are caramel and sweet. The hops are grapefruity and piney. This is a big hoppy APA, it is just slightly on the edge of being over hopped, but it just sweet enough to pull off all them hops. Lively carbonation. A nice APA, the fact that it comes from Mexico (the land of light pale lagers) is a very pleasant surprise. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is bitter.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

On draft at the Yardhouse in Phoenix just before a red eye home. Asked the server if it was a local, was interested in grabbing a new title from the area. I then had to follow his answer (from Mexico?) to get clarity that it wasn't New Mexico, and then that it wasn't Mexican swill, but really a pale ale / craft brew. In the mood for a pale ale, I proceeded.... The pour was typical for the style, pale yellow to amber in color, white colored head that provided good lacing that is to be expected for the style. Full aroma of caramel, herbs, earth, some citrus-pine elements too. The flavor was pretty full and enjoyable, full malt bill, some toasty notes indeed, and all of the aroma elements in there. Good body and mouthfeel, dead on carbonation levels to keep this lively and enjoyable. Maybe the best Mexican brew I've had to date?

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

This is by far and away the greatest thing to ever come out of Mexico. First of all, it had flavor. Good flavors at that. Strong pine resin hops (that took on a citrusy character as the beer warmed) and caramel malts. Neither side really overpowers the other creating a great balance of simultaneous malt/hop flavors. Soft, foamy head, ample carbonation. Most importantly, it was not pee yellow; this was a delicious looking reddish-amber ale. Highly recommended. Even though I bought this for the kitsch of the label, I will return to this beer again.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

A reasonable pour almost overflows my 25cl tulip glass with foam as I end up with more than three-fingers of light tan froth. The beer is a clear, cranberry red color that shows a deeply red stained, copper color when held up to the light. The aroma smells of citrus hops with a light, clean backdrop of caramelized malt aromatics. Individual aromatics notes of light lychee, grapefruit, orange zest, malty biscuit notes, a pine like edge and caramelized almost toffee like notes.

Pretty sweet tasting, though not overly so, this accentuates a flavors of grapefruit and orange zest. The citrus hop notes are offset by an equal, if not greater, showing of herbal pine, light menthol and a substantial bitterness that lingers on in the palate well after the beer has left my mouth. This is actually quite hoppy, I was expecting this to be on the restrained side for an IPA and this is anything but that. This has a light-medium fullness to it that is quite appropriate for a Pale ale; quite quaffable but with enough texture to carry the ample hop character. The herbal hop notes and the bitterness end up being the most significant part of the flavor, though I wouldn't characterize them as overwhelming (at least for those who love hops).

The biting bitterness from this beer was quite surprising; a welcome surprise, but a surprise none-the-less. This beer carries the hop character quite well, riding that line of too much hops just perfectly. Right on the edge of being too hoppy and harshly unbalanced, but this is not, there is just enough malt to restrain the hop notes. Though you should be a hop head to really enjoy this beer. I wasn't expecting much from this brew, but I am really digging this. Quite enjoyable & just sticky with hops.

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ