Beer of the Weekend #690: Hot Mess

The beer of the weekend is Hot Mess, brewed by the Kalona Brewing Company of Kalona, Iowa.


Hot Mess pours a luscious caramel and amber color into a tulip glass. Two fingers of bubbly, lightly tinted head leaves some trails of lacing and thick spots of foam. There is a big malt backbone but the hops are also very prominent and perhaps foreshadowing. Scents of candy caramel, toasted malt, astringent hops, grapefruit, mango, orange, and maybe a little kiwi are present. The first sip is amazing. The mouthfeel is full and velvety, and the flavor is delicious. There are flavors of candy caramel, toasted malt, orange, grapefruit, some citrus zest, and hop astringency. The bitterness creeps in at the end, but the alcohol stays at bay.

Fun facts about Hot Mess:

•Style: Double IPA.

•Price: $7.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.

•Alcohol content: 8.7 percent ABV.

•IBU: 113.

•Color: 13.15 SRM.


The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.

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