Beer O'Clock: Mango Gose

I love mangoes.

I include mango nectar to the fruit smoothies that I make for myself nearly every morning. I love packing dried mangoes as a snack on a long bike ride. And I love the lush fruit in a good chutney.

So when I saw a can of beer with a cut mango on the label, with a sunburst image that read "Juicy! Juicy! Mango!" I was all in.

I wasn't expecting to visit a brewery when DW and one of our friends, and I wandered the streets of Kensington Market last weekend. But when I saw a sizeable building with "BREWERY" written in big letters on its outside, I had to investigate.

And once inside, it would have seemed rude to leave empty-handed.

Perusing the shelves of brew, my eyes first fell on this bright, yellowy-orange can with the mango, and seeing that is was a gose-styled ale, I was intrigued. I also picked up a couple of cans of saison and a couple of DDIPAs, but I'll review those at a later date.

Today, it's all about the mangoes.

Mango Gose (4% ABV)
Burdock Brewery
Toronto ON

Appearance: pours a hazy, effervescent, pale orange with a white, fizzy head that disappears to nothing after about a minute. Sitting in the glass, the gose reminds me of Orangina.

Nose: mangoes come on strong, followed by a bit of a barley aroma, similar to what I sometimes detect in a radler. There's also a bit of a mineral smell to it.

Palate: the mango comes through and is surrounded by a touch of salt and cilantro. The mango fades quickly, leaving me with the impression of flint. The finish is somewhat watery and short.

Overall impression: I've had other fruity gose beers before and this one is a nice mango take on this style of brew. It's fruity but not sweet. It's palate-cleansing and thirst-quenching. There is a nice balance between the fruitiness and herbal qualities. The salt wants me to drink more, and at only 4 percent alcohol, I can easily have a second pint.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺 + .5

While the shelf at Burdock Brewery seemed well-stocked with Mango Gose, I cannot find it on their Web site. They do make a lime gose—alcoholic and non-alcoholic—which is available through the LCBO, as are various other Burdock Brewery selections.

If you find yourself in the GTA, Kensington Market is always worth a visit, so stop by the brewery and pick some up while supplies last.

Cheers!