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A Besmirched Boat and a Beer Review: Holy Mackerel Spéciale Golden

on 3/16/18 by Miguel A. Suro
6 Comments

Is anyone here a fisherman (or woman)? Because I need some knowledge. You see, back when I was an eager teenager, a friend invited me to go fishing on his parents’ boat (in the Caribbean, where I grew up). Now I’ve never had sea legs, so I was so excited that I didn’t sleep the night before.

So the next day came, and I got on that boat, expecting to go to the spot where the fish were, and then cast our rods and joke around ’till the fish bit. Ha! Little did I know that this fishing trip entailed casting the rods, and then going around in circles for hours until we got a bite.

We never caught a single fish; I got sick and besmirched the ship, and I never got invited again. So that’s my story. My question is, why don’t they stop the boat?

via GIPHY

Anyways, the reason I went into this is because this bottle has a big ‘ol fish on the front, and it brought back this memory.

In A Nutshell

Beer: Holy Mackerel Spéciale Golden

Bottom Line: A tasty, complex brew with an initial lack of taste that transitions into a sweet finish, with a hint of citrus-y sourness. I liked it.

Price: About $9.99 for a 4-pack of 12 ounce bottles. Expensive!

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Holy Mackerel Spéciale Golden

Details

Origin: Greenville, South Carolina

Alcohol: 8.5%

Looks: A dark glass beer bottle with a snazzy label featuring a mackerel with sunglasses and a beer. He seems to be enjoying life.

The beer itself is a light amber color.

Smell: Very light, wheat smell with an almost imperceptible hint of lemon.

Taste: The Holy Mackerel Spéciale Golden is an unusual and complex beer in that it starts out with little taste, but quickly transitions into a sweet, molasses-type finish, with a hint of citrus-y sourness; it leaves a slightly sour aftertaste on the tongue. It reminds me of the Leffe Blond but with more complexity of flavor. It strikes a good balance between sweet and sour.

This brew is also medium-bodied and has a medium gas content, and is not particularly refreshing or easy to drink. It’s more of a night beer, in my view, and I would have no more than one during a day-drinking session.

My only criticisms are that the finish and aftertaste are a wee bit too sour for my taste.

Hangover Factor: Nothing unusual.

Final Thoughts

This is a good beer, but it’s just really expensive. Buy it if you’ve got some cash burning a hole in your pocket, or if you think the tipsy mackerel on the label will impress your friends.

Does anyone know why they don’t stop the boat?


Note: This is a series I call Caveman Beer Reviews, because I like to drink beer but am a caveman when it comes to beer knowledge. I know only the basics, and do not have a refined palate. I’ll review the beers on price and what they look, smell, and taste like to me.

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Beer, Reviews

About Miguel A. Suro

I'm Miguel A. Suro, a Miami dad, attorney, journalist, and entrepreneur devoted to helping you live well for less. I've been seen on the NY Times, CNBC, NBC News, and more. Get to know us on:

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Comments

  1. Tom @ Dividends Diversify says

    March 16, 2018 at 9:28 am

    All I have to say, is that’s one angry fish Miguel. I bought a couple brews on sale recently. Azacca IPA by Founder brewery and Dale’s Pale Ale. They are okay, but I probably wouldn’t get them again. Tom

    Reply
    • The Rich Miser says

      March 16, 2018 at 12:59 pm

      Hey Tom,

      Yeah, he (or she) definitely wants to stay in the water! Glad to hear you’re trying all these new brews. I love tasty pale ales.

      Cheers,
      Miguel

  2. Chris @ Duke of Dollars says

    March 16, 2018 at 11:41 am

    I love finding a good craft brew on sale, or visiting a brewery to learn how they make it with a few beers a long the way!

    Reply
    • The Rich Miser says

      March 16, 2018 at 1:00 pm

      Hey Chris,

      Me too, as I try more beers I learn to appreciate good flavor. I’ve never visited a brewery yet, I’ll keep it in mind!

      Cheers,
      Miguel

  3. Mr Defined Sight says

    March 19, 2018 at 4:18 pm

    Reminds me of when a friend of ours got sick on a Catamaran party boat in Jamaica. Kind of brought the mood down a bit as she was hurling over the side of the boat hahahahaha.

    Reply
    • The Rich Miser says

      March 19, 2018 at 5:32 pm

      Hey Mr. DS,

      Hahaha it’s easy to get sick on a boat, and the problem is that when it happens, you’re usually already far from shore. That’s actually the only time I’ve gotten that sick on a boat, but it was enough that they never invited me again…

      Cheers,
      Miguel

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