El Lapino

El Lapino is a jalapeño-flavoured beer that hails from Mont-Laurier, Quebec.  It is produced by Microbrasserie du Lièvre, contains 5.4% alcohol, and is sold in 341mL bottles with an actual orange-y jalapeño floating in it.

The beer pours a clearish, brassy gold.  It has very little carbonation, head or lace.  It has a strong hot pepper smell, but doesn't really smell a lot like beer.  Flavour-wise, this brew is a ridiculously spicy for a beverage.  It's not uncomfortably hot, but it could never be called refreshing.  Unfortunately, there isn't much flavour besides jalapeño.  The aftertaste is warm with a dose of heartburn. This is an interesting product, but not really my fave.  Beer-wise, it's  a bit thin.  I'd like a bit more carbonation and body.  Spice-enthusiasts might dig this, but beer-lovers might be non-plussed.  I'm afraid that, for me, this one was more novelty than brewery.

Did I eat the hot pepper?  Sorta.  I ate about half of it.  It was plump and juicy looking, but then I bit into it, and it deflated in an upsetting way.  It was weird. Rating: 5.5 out of 10.