+Southern Passion isn’t just a groovy concept, it’s also the name of a strain of hops, hailing from South Africa. With this latest brew from Lexington, Virginia-based Devils Backbone, Southern Passion hops are paired with several malts: Pilsner, Vienna, CaraHell, Acidulated, Golden Naked Oats, and Malted Wheat.

Normally you’d expect to find an unusual single-hop beer in IPA form, but in this lager things take a right turn. A gentle bitterness is brightened up by the heavy malt profile, giving the beer notes of caramel, applesauce, and some lemon peel character. While overall it’s quite sweet, there’s a certain greenness around the edges that clashes a bit on the finish. I don’t get any real “tropical” character here at all.

4.2% abv.

B / $NA / dbbrewingcompany.com

Devils Backbone Southern Passion Tropical-Style Lager

8

Rating

8.0/10

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