Beer Stats:

Packaging: 12 oz. can

BJCP Style: American Pale Ale

ABV: 4.7%

Hops Variety: Simcoe, Mosaic, Mandarina Bavaria

Malts Variety: Munich, flaked wheat, Carapils

Brewery: Monday Night Brewing, Atlanta, GA

Beer Connoisseur Rating: 92

LUDB Notes:

• Bitterness Level: Medium
• Drinkability:
  • Would I purchase again? Yes
  • Would I stock it? No
• Comments/Characteristics: Peppery, grapefruit aroma and flavor

Who says beer and religion in the South don’t mix. Apparently it can and Monday Night Brewing of Atlanta, GA is proving it. Not many breweries can boast that they were birthed from a Bible study group, but that is exactly how Monday Night Brewing came to be. Gathering for a small group Bible study, on Monday nights, the group began brewing together as a way to get to know each other. From there the idea of starting a brewery developed and co-founders Jeff Heck, Joel Iverson, and Jonathan Baker eventually turned the idea into a reality.

The brewery main location is located 670 Trabert Avenue NW, not too far from Atlantic Station. They opened a second location, dubbed The Garage, at 933 Lee Street SW in Southwest Atlanta.

Interestingly, Monday Night Brewing’s Han Brolo Pale Ale leans more toward a session IPA than a typical American Pale Ale. It pours a hazy pale yellow color with a large, fluffy head consisting of some large bubbles. Citrus aromas dominate the nose. Fruit forward flavor of grapefruit mixed with black pepper are quite pronounced. Very similar to Founders All Day IPA. Bitterness is noticeable, moving toward medium from restrained. While most would describe this Pale Ale as balanced, I would say that the grapefruit-like taste very much overshadows any sweetness from the malts; however, it does seem to become more balanced as your palate adjusts.

Bottom line: All in all, Han Brolo is a solid American Pale Ale and won a Bronze Medal at the 2018 Alltech Commonwealth Cup held in Lexington, KY. It is one that starts to blur the lines between Pale Ale and IPA. With that, if you are expecting a mild American Pale Ale, you may want to look at something like Second Self’s ATaLe. If you are looking for something with a little more character and zip; but not quite an IPA, this one is a good choice.

Thanks for reading and until next time – Let Us Drink Beer!