No Label had a little trick up their sleeve for the Sittin’ Sidehaze release. They had another version of it on tap and they kept a lid on it until we arrived. Touché, Taylor, and Touché, No Label.
No Label Mango Milkshake has zero artwork to speak of currently, and I don’t even remember seeing anything unique on the taphandle. Until further notice, just ask for it next time you’re up there.
Mango Milkshake is a variation of Sittin’ Sidehaze, their new NEIPA, and it’s brewed with “mango fruit flavor, vanilla bean and lactose (milk sugar),” according to the super fly folder they gave us.
It pours a slightly hazy golden yellow, but nothing nearly as hazy as you might think. There’s a tiny bit of ghost-white head on the pour, but it melts quickly leaving no lace.
No Label Mango Milkshake smells of straight mangos. It’s a bright tropical smell with a hint of pineapple. The flyer in the aforementioned folder also mentions notes of dank grapefruit, but I’m not getting that over the mangos and subtle pineapple.
At the first sip, it takes me back to elementary school lunches, trading something from my lunchbox to a kid with gushers or a fruit roll up. When we were there, Nick had a glass of it before me. He looked at me with a huge grin and said, “taste this,” as he leaned the glass towards me. “Straight fruit roll up AMIRIGHT?!” He’s right.
No Label Mango Milkshake starts off mild and unassuming and all the magic happens on the finish. I’m left with a quick, mild mango hop bitterness and a juicy fruit roll up after taste. It’s crazy. I don’t get much of the vanilla, but it feels as though that’s playing a supporting role in all the goodness.
The mouthfeel is soft and creamy due in part to the style and the addition of the milk sugars (lactose). The carbonation is light, but I’m drinking it from a growler, so take it for what it is.
No Label Mango Milkshake doesn’t have a direct comparison, but it reminds me a bit of a Treehouse beer I had courtesy of Nick a few months back. That’s somewhat of a compliment for those of you that don’t know. Of course, Sittin’ Sidehaze has to be mentioned once more, as it’s the base beer for Mango Milkshake, duh.
I remember it being better in person, fresh from the source, but I can’t write a review from memory. That’s just not how it works. I’m giving Mango Milkshake a 4 star rating because it’s great. That’s also a subtle push for you to get your butt out to No Label and try it for yourself, fresh.
Drinking beer from a growler can have a negative affect on the beer, and mine was noticeably hot from my car, causing the beer to foam up when it was poured in. I drove cautiously on my way home, and put it straight into the fridge where it’s sat for 3 days before I could get to it, and it’s still damn good. Let alllllll of that sink in as I give it 4.
This beer’s only gonna be available on site at No Label for the foreseeable future, but stay tuned. We’ll let you know if that changes.
Despite all the logistical hurdles this beer was put up against before I could drink it and write about it, I’m STILL impressed. The mavens know what I mean, and those new to beer might not, but it’s all good. Keep reading, y’all.
I think No Label’s showing us a new face, and I like the look. Have you stopped by and tried it yet, or did you make it out to the special tasting? Let us know in the comments below. Beers to you, Houston.
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Anthony's a Houston native, a Creative Strategist at https://ledgeloungers.com/, an adjunct instructor of Visual Communication at Lone Star College, and a UH Coog that loves good beer almost as much as he does his city. Anthony lives to help others and that's found a home helping some of the coolest breweries on earth with creative and marketing projects that can be seen on our Portfolio page. Fueled by hoppy lagers, sessionable IPAs, and gangster rap, he's ticked his way through H-Town, rocking the most unusual Nikes he can find. When he's not writing for us, he's with his family or very patiently rooting for the Rockets.
[…] drink it in the next 24 hours, most obliged. Taylor at No Label was easily the most reluctant with Mango Milkshake, and now they’ll be doing that daily with their brewpub […]
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Posted at 12:46h, 11 July[…] drink it in the next 24 hours, most obliged. Taylor at No Label was easily the most reluctant with Mango Milkshake, and now they’ll be doing that daily with their brewpub […]