Texas brew review: Monkeys, beer mix beautifully in Revolver’s Chinese New Year brew

Beer drinkers like to live in the here and now, so having a new brew timed to a holiday or a special season is always popular.

Christmas beers are king. Autumn-themed beers for Halloween, Oktoberfest and Thanksgiving are also plentiful. And St. Patrick’s Day, well, there’s no better excuse to raise a glass than this annual pub crawl.

But there’s one holiday that hasn’t gotten much love in the beer world: Chinese New Year.

Until now.

On Monday, Revolver Brewing released The Mandarin to honor the Year of the Monkey.

It’s a wildly creative concoction from the Granbury brewers who brought us Blood & Honey, one of the most popular local craft beers.

The Mandarin is a pale ale, similar in color and body to Revolver’s Sidewinder. But that’s where the similarities end. The Mandarin delivers an immediate twist with the use of golden Yunnan tea, which provides a jolt to the tongue without any of the bitter qualities you might expect.

The use of mandarin hops gives the beer its name and also much of its defining qualities. Citrus is a player, and the use of goji berries work nicely as a sidecar to the hop characteristics. Red rice and Chinese five-spice round out the special ingredients and drive home the beer’s inspiration.

With its flagship Blood & Honey, Revolver started on a unique path, utilizing ingredients like blood orange zest, honey and other spices to create an easy-drinking, addictive and now beloved beer.

Sidewinder, a Southwest pale ale, employs agave nectar, maize and citrus while still being light on the palate and thirst-quenching.

The Mandarin is a logical evolution for Revolver, a brewery that embraces the unexpected and turns it into inspiration.

For now, The Mandarin is a limited, draft-only release that will make its way into bars, restaurants and growler-filling establishments. New Fort Worth growler-filling bar/restaurant Pouring Glory is hosting the beer’s launch Monday with beer sold for on-site consumption as well as to-go.

There will also be a celebration Saturday at the Revolver brewery in Granbury that will include “lion dancing,” special glassware and (possibly) fireworks. The Pouring Glory event is free; the brewery event is $10 and includes beer and glassware.

The Mandarin is a delightful addition to Revolver’s portfolio and a fitting way to mark the oft-overlooked holiday of Chinese New Year. We can only hope Mandarin makes its way into bottles year-round.

Quick sips

Hibiscus Saison from Martin House, and more for Valentine’s Day: In other holiday-beer news, Martin House recently released its Hibiscus Saison in limited-release cans. Pouring a solid pinkish-red, there’s just something lovey-dovey about this beer that feels very Valentine’s Day.

Along with Deep Ellum’s Cherry Chocolate Double Brown Stout, beer continues to push its way into a typically wine-dominated holiday.

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 11:09 AM with the headline "Texas brew review: Monkeys, beer mix beautifully in Revolver’s Chinese New Year brew."