By Stephanie Thara Metzinger
As the sweltering sun beats down on California and temperatures climb to 90 degrees (in March!), nothing helps beat the heat like a nice, juicy wheat beer. I would typically reach for a light beer such as Golden Road Brewing’s Mango Cart, but as of today, I go for Mango Cart 2.0: Mango Cart Más.
Mango Cart Más—an Imperial Mango Wheat Ale—drops today, March 23, and is now available at convenience stores and on draft at Golden Road Brewing locations throughout Southern California.
Though Mango Cart Más comes in at a whopping 8% ABV, it sure doesn’t taste like it. Más drinks like a light beer, with a mild sweetness and crisp, fruity finish. It’s not overly syrupy as you would expect from a typical 8% beer. Compared to Mango Cart, Más bumps down the fruitiness level and bumps up the boldness level – tasting significantly less sweet than Mango Cart. The drinkability factor is still there, and you can easily drink two or three glasses in succession – but fair warning, you’ll already be extremely buzzed after a full pint of just one.
Simply put: It’s a very strong beer that drinks like a light, fruity beer.
According to Golden Road’s press release, “Más is built on the same LA street cart spirit and real-mango-first philosophy that made the original Mango Cart a fan favorite – then turned all the way up. Boldly true-to-fruit, with a wave of juicy mango on the front end, the smooth backbone of a wheat ale through the middle, and a clean, refreshing finish that earns every sip. More fruit. More flavor. More kick. Straight up más.”
Más is the latest in a line of spin-offs of Mango Cart. Golden Road temporarily had Mango Cart on Nitro (think, creamy Mango Cart) on tap a while back as well as tested and kept Spicy Mango Cart on the menu. I commend the brewery for branching out and experimenting with different types of Mango Cart lines to meet the needs of all beer drinkers.
As I mentioned in Great Expectations, many breweries are now cultivating their menu to cater to one type of beer (I’ve often seen sour-heavy, IPA-dominating, and seltzer-forward menus), leaving no options for beer drinkers looking for a different variety. Golden Road is doing exactly the opposite of that – and I’m here for it.
Beyond catering to the masses with a continuous stream of new beer varieties, Golden Road is also meeting the needs of Californians by building kid-friendly spaces and jaw-dropping outdoor patios. As a mom of two very active children and a Southern California native who thrives in the sunshine and outdoors, having an interactive and entertaining patio that’s welcoming to children is much appreciated.
Overall, Mango Cart Más rocks and will now be my go-to drink at Golden Road if I’m craving a fruit-forward beer…with the brewery’s signature chamoy and Tajín rim dip, of course.
Until next time, cheers!
— Stephanie
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