Rating | 82 |
Style | IPA |
Produced In |
Norfolk, Va. United States |
ABV | 6.6% |
Availability | Limited |
Reviewed By | |
Reviewed | 2019-03-07 |
Perfect For
Smartmouth Saturday Morning IPA With Marshmallows Review
This Lucky Charms-inspired beer lit up news headlines like a quadruple rainbow. Reports of a "magically delicious" IPA made with marshmallows bearing resemblance to a certain General Mills cereal had beer nerds and naysayers alike glued to our screens, like children in front of a TV. In all fairness, Smartmouth admits this is ridiculous — "magically ridiculous" is written on the can — and we admit the stunt has been ridiculously successful. The emulation of the sweet childhood cereal, however, is less so. The beer pours murky orange with particulate floating and sinking in the glass (magic marshmallow bits, perhaps?). It teases the senses with a thick layer of fluffy head, again prompting daydreams of marshmallow-scented Saturday mornings, with candy-like fruity aromas. But once you take a sip, it's back to reality. Milky creaminess, sweet cereal grain, and fruit flavors disappear from memory. What seemed like a milkshake IPA no-brainer fell short: the malt flavors are subtle; the body is thin; and the lactose, nonexistent. It is also bracingly bitter, reminding us that we are, indeed, adults, bitter at our nostalgia and happy victims of a gimmick. Note: We recommend trying this if you see it, but at time of publication, it is selling on the beer black market for upwards of $100 per 16-ounce can. We do not recommend it for this price.