Mybeerbuzz .com Highlights The Terrapin Can Dispensary Pack (Review)

Just a week or so ago I sat at the bar in our local bottle shop commenting on a new beer that just hit distribution from Terrapin Beer in Athens, GA.  The beer had a funny name and an interesting story…and yes I really liked it.
Jump forward a week or so, and I was excited to see a care-package arrive at beerbuzz headquarters from Terrapin with not only last week’s beer, but two additional fun new beers to test-drive.
Today we’ll be sampling the Terrapin Can Dispensary Pack, and if you’re unfamiliar, this pack contains six cans of Jazz Cabbage (the funny name), 3 cans of Magic Brownie and three cans of Dancing Gummy Bear.  In case you haven’t latched on to the theme, these are all Hemp-infused beers and according to Terrapin, “Jazz Cabbage pairs well with snacks, Magic Brownie Ale will make you disappear into your couch while Dancing Gummy Beer will enlighten your festival experience.”
Since I was familiar with the draft-version of Jazz Cabbage, I decided to open that can first.  The beer is a hemp-infused IPA which I think is a perfect flavor pairing.  Jazz Cabbage pours a bright golden color with what I would call lower carbonation.  The aromas will remind you of being back stage at a Grateful Dead concert with loads of dank and resinous hop and hemp aromas.  The beer used three “high quality” hops and Terrapin’s “special strain” of hemp flavors and they are all present in the first sip.  While there are some citrus-forward hops in there, the predominant flavor is resinous and slightly piney hops with a dank and sticky finish.  Overall this is a really interesting combination of dank hop and hemp flavors and I think it really works well.  At 6%-AbV I found it to be very drinkable and satisfying and a really different take on an IPA.
After getting a bit of the munch from Jazz Cabbage, I decided to go right for dessert with Magic Brownie Ale.  This beer uses hemp seeds and pours a rich deep brown color.  The aromas are sweet chocolate and just a touch of dank and you can’t miss the presence of chocolate in the first sip.  The taste of chocolate is prominent but balanced out nicely with some toffee and caramel flavors and once again the dank resinous presence of hemp.  This combination is really interesting and while the beer definitely leans into the sweet side, it’s overall balance really worked.  Magic Brownie Ale will hit 6.6%-AbV and it was a really nice compliment to Jazz Cabbage as well.
To add the cherry on top, I next popped the Dancing Gummy Bear.  You can’t help but love the packaging on this one and this beer is a Berliner-style Weisse that is brewed with Montmorency cherry juice.  Terrapin also added in hemp seeds and lactic fermentation to make the final mix.  Dancing Gummy Bear is probably the prettiest of the three pouring a bright pink/orange color.  The beer has a bright cherry aroma with just the right amount of carbonation to make it really drinkable.  The flavors lead and finish with sweet cherry, but the beer is balanced well with the tart flavors you’d expect in a Berliner-style beer.  Overall this is a really pleasant Berliner, and since I love sweet cherry flavors, the sweet to tart balance really worked for me.  Dancing Gummy Bear hits 4%-AbV, making it drinkable and sessionable.
The Terrapin Can Dispensary Pack will be available in Nov 2019 in 12oz cans with limited draft distribution of each beer.  Be sure to get out there and sample your way through all three beers like I did…and when you do try them, be sure to let us know what YOU think.