According to its tag line, “Cute can be vicious”. That’s the word on
Killer Cupcake Panda, an 8.3% double pastry IPA from Guelph, Ontario’s
Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery. Brewed with citrus custard, pandan leaves,
and “vanilla cupcake aromas”, the beer is a hazy golden grog with a
thin cover of white foam.
KCP has a sticky and
extremely sweet vanilla nose. The flavour kicks off with sweet vanilla
notes, but, in the later stages, that cupcake sweetness shares the bill
with confectionary citrus notes and an odd floral bitterness.
I’m
dubious of pastry beers generally, and pastry IPAs in particular. This
one did little to assuage my suspicions. The flavours are very strong,
but not entirely in accord. If I’m being honest, the vanilla notes
deliver exactly as promised. However, the pandan and the curd don’t
really jive well with big booze in the finish, with a result that is a
bit disjointed. Flying Monkeys should be praised for trying something
quirky and innovative; however, the end result just isn’t for me. Too
much sweetness clashing with bitterness and odd flavours that aren’t
entirely complimentary. This might easily be someone’s cup of tea, but I
found it a bit bewildering.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10.
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