So, hopefully by now you’ve read of my visit to the Burnt Hickory brewery of Kennesaw, Georgia back on St. Patrick’s Day. If you haven’t, why not enjoy a Wilfred Brimley Stout and experience the fun? While I was there, I picked up a 4-pack of their Spanish Bombs IPA with Habanero, Volume 2 in their Cannon Clasher series of beers.

Spanish Bombs, of course, is a song by The Clash. Many of Burnt Hickory’s beers have names with a musical influence. This is a chili pepper beer, and I’ll confess I have a very high expectation for chili beers. I want heat (a lot) but also peppery flavor, and at least some malt and hops. I’m happy to say that Burnt Hickory Spanish Bombs IPA with Habanero satisfies all my pepper beer desires.

Burnt Hickory Spanish Bombs IPA with Habanero has an alcohol content of 8% by volume. I don’t remember what I paid at the brewery (I lost my receipt). Total Wine does not have it listed for sale if their website is accurate.

Burnt Hickory Spanish Bombs IPA with Habanero pours to a deep orange amber color with vegetal pepper notes in the nose and a moderate creamy head formation on a vigorous pour. Taking a sip, the body seems moderate but it’s hard to tell because the taste buds are quickly assaulted by a fast-moving tidal wave of green vegetal peppery habanero notes. The beer finishes with moderate to a bit more than that in the heat department, with spicy peppery notes dancing on the tongue, lips and back of the throat after sipping.

I love that the beer is spicy (too many pepper beers are not), but also that it has so much habanero flavor as well. It’s simply permeated with vegetal pepper flavor and heat. Is it an IPA or a chili beer? You could make a case for either, but the habanero is the main element here for me, so I am going with the latter.

Burnt Hickory never does anything by half measures; Burnt Hickory Spanish Bombs IPA with Habanero is yet another example of that maxim.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

 



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