Apr 11, 2019

Omnipollo Oaxaca

So, this review is of a beer that I originally drank back in November of last year — I’m trying to get back into the swing of updating on a more regular basis. Despite the time between my notes being originally recorded and this review going public, my opinion of the beer hasn’t changed and the below ramblings still ring true today.

Omnipollo is no stranger to making different and unusual examples of standard beer types. Oaxaca is certainly one of those beers. It’s not as off-the-wall as their Shploing!, but it’s got its own quirks as well. To begin with, this 6.5% ABV IPA is billed as a “mango margarita slush IPA.” As a long time drinker of craft, nay, micro-brews and possibly a stubborn curmudgeon, what the fuck is a “mango margarita slush IPA?”

Oaxaca is an IPA. Sure it’s brewed with grapefruit, mango, vanilla, lime and… lactose. It’s still an IPA. Period.

And, surprisingly, it’s a decent one, as well. All of those fruit elements are in play from start to lasting finish in varying degrees. Thankfully, there’s still a solid amount of pine and hop bitterness to cut through the fruit-juicy nature of this brew and the lactose doesn’t present a strong case until well into the lasting finish.

I know that I’m not the key demographic for a beer like this, nor any other that incorporates more fruit than hops. I know this because I don’t have a man-bun and my metal t-shirts are not worn ironically. Still, there is plenty within Oaxaca for me to enjoy and look forward to again, if one day we cross paths again. Just call it an IPA.