The Best Beer I’ve Ever Had

Folks, this blog title is not BuzzFeed-esque clickbait or whatever, I mean it: This is the best beer I’ve ever had. Usually, I would title the post something like, “Alcohol Review: Mango Cart.” But that actually seemed like it would be underselling what I think of this beer, so I decided to go all the way with it. I actually meant to do this post weeks ago, but I was drinking one tonight and decided, I gotta tell others about this beer!

So, I was recently in Kansas City, Missouri for the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Kansas City Chiefs National Football League game (if people wonder why I phrase it like that, it’s because I try to tailor these posts in a global sense, so a non-American audience might not be as familiar with what the NFL is perhaps!) and my brother and I stopped at Hooters. Yes, Hooters. His idea, not mine, I swear! I haven’t been inside a Hooters in at least 15 years. (For that non-American audience again, Hooters is known as a wings and beer sports bar that features the “Hooters” girls, wearing short shorts and showing cleavage by wearing tight, revealing tops.)

Anyhow, I ordered Golden Road Brewing Company’s Mango Cart on draft, which is a mango wheat ale fashioned after, and inspired by, the “iconic fruit card vendors of Los Angeles,” the can explains. They also have a non-alcoholic version of this beer apparently.

Golden Road Brewing Company started as a small brewery in Los Angeles and then partnered with Anheuser-Busch toward the end of 2015 to go national, and Mango Cart is one of their year-round offerings.

I was able to find it at my local grocery store because they carry the best assortment of beers (and other alcohol) I know of and sure enough, they had it in a six-pack for $9.99. That’s pricey, but again, I’m paying for the best beer ever. Fair enough.

Another version in Golden Road Brewing Company’s fruit cart-inspired series includes the Melon Cart, which is watermelon wheat ale with honeydew and cantaloupe. That sounds pretty solid, too. I’m going to see if they have that next time to try it out.

As a fruit, the mango is one of my favorites. I love freezing it and eating it as is in bit-size chunks. Or throwing it into a smoothie (often just with milk or orange juice is good enough!). As a beer, that’s a different story. I’ve not been fond of other fruit-infused beers, like grapefruit beers and such.

On the other hand, I’ve always said my all-time favorite beer is (or uh, was) Blue Moon, which has that orange flavor and is best enjoyed with an orange wedge. So, I can go either way on it, and in this case, I went the Blue Moon way.

This was other worldly. The company promises a “fresh mango flavor and aroma, finishing crisp and refreshing.” And they absolutely deliver on that promise.

I’m terrible at accurately and poignantly describing what a beer tastes like to me, so I often settle for “smooth” or “fresh,” but this time, it’s undeniably true. I’ve never had a beer that bursts with this much palpable flavor, like the mango flavor, but also is still enjoyable as a beer. There’s a perfect balance and harmony of the fruitiness with the wheat flavor you expect of a beer. As in, it doesn’t feel too light to almost not even be a beer (leaning too heavily on the fruitiness) and it doesn’t overdo it on the wheat taste to diminish that powerful and downright addicting mango flavor.

At 4.0 percent ABV, this is a relatively “light” beer in that sense, but I dig it; it’s not going to knock you down, but a few of ’em and you might feel something.

For people who don’t like beer or who are looking for something lighter than a typical IPA, which is obviously fashionable in the beer world, this is a great beer to go with. It’s impressive and accessible.

I would compare it to Blue Moon (particularly on draft) on that fruity beer scale, but add that the flavoring is even better and more rich. Sorry, Blue Moon, you have officially been replaced.

Has anyone else tried this or at least one of Golden Road Brewing Company’s other offerings?

And what is your favorite beer? I’m always interested in trying new things, if I haven’t tried your favorite yet!