So I can say that I’ve enjoyed Monday Night Brewing’s Eye Patch Ale (IPA-get it?) a number of times, and though it’s on the milder side for even a standard American IPA, it’s an enjoyable easy-drinking beer all the same. One of my favorite times to enjoy an IPA is with a heaping plate of spicy Buffalo wings at Taco Mac on a Sunday afternoon while watching the New England patriots play.

If you can take an IPA, though, and ad the spiciness of hot peppers to it, well then, that’s just two great tastes that taste great together, all in one convenient glass. So I got excited to see that Georgia’s own Monday Night Brewing was doing a version of Eye Patch Ale with Serrano peppers: Monday Night Serrano Eye Patch Ale. After all, not being an over the top IPA, I thought this beer would be perfect to accent both hop and pepper without the one overpowering the other.

Here’s what I quoted from the Monday Night website back in 2011 in my review of Eye Patch Ale:

A crisp, drinkable IPA. The earthy deliciousness of Cascade and Simcoe hops, combined with upfront malt flavor, and balanced with a pirate’s sensibilities. Our Eye Patch Ale is a uniquely drinkable take on the American IPA – sweet caramel, citrusy flowers and swashbuckling adventure abound with every pint.

Hop on over (pun intended) to the Monday Night website today and you’ll see that they’ve changed the beer up a bit, replacing the Simcoes with Magnums. You can tell the difference in Eye Patch Ale today, and as it is the base beer here it is again noticeable. The subtle resin and citrus aroma of the Simcoes is gone and the beer now has a more grassy feel from the Magnums.

Monday Night Serrano Eye Patch Ale has an alcohol content of 6.2% by volume, and I paid $5.75 for a draft mug.

Monday Night Serrano Eye Patch Ale pours to a bright orange color with a medium sized foamy head and a light grassy hop aroma with a hint of spicy pepper in the nose. I got medium caramel in the body upon sipping, then a grassy, herbal hop aroma emerges into the dry bitter finish. The light pepper spiciness dances on the tongue, but it's much too light for me. I want peppers in a hot pepper beer, this one has a bit of flavor and heat, but nowhere near enough.

Consistent with the base beer, this is a moderate IPA with a hint of spicy pepper, but only a hint. To be quite honest, I was left hanging here. There’s just not enough pepper here in flavor or heat, and I want those things in a chili beer. Since I didn’t really get them, Monday Night Serrano Eye Patch Ale is probably not a beer that I would buy again.

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



Home