This beer was brewed to mimic the non-alcoholic Spanish and Latin American drink Horchata. The spices in Horchata can vary by region, but the flavorings in this beer are a common combination: vanilla, cinnamon, rice and lactose (to replicate the creaminess from milk). Vanilla dominates the aroma and flavor with light cinnamon to add some contrast. The body is silky smooth with a moderate-light carbonation. The bitterness is low, allowing the vanilla to linger longer with a smooth finish. The blonde ale base style is nowhere to be found among the spices.
For those wanting a version of Horchata with alcohol, this beer is for you; you’ll consider it worth a score of 100. But for the rest of us that can live without a regular Horchata fix, this beer is a fairly straightforward vanilla-flavored spice beer.