Believe it or not, I didn’t pick this up on my last trip to New York. In fact, I found it in a beer store in Chelmsford, MA, with several other different types from the same brewery (which I will be reviewing at a later time). They all have freak-show or circus names, and anyone afraid of clowns won’t be attracted to some of their labeling.
The labeling itself is quite interesting, a 1800s style characters – the Albino Python features a sexy snake charmer with a yellowy albino python, her necklace displaying the logo of the creepy smiling face that the Coney Island beers share. The brewing company is actually the Schmaltz Brewing Company, and the Coney Island series profits help to fund Coney Island USA, a nonprofit that seeks to “defend and honor the lost forms of American popular arts and culture, and lead the renaissance of Brooklyn’s historic Coney Island Neighborhood.” An interesting collaboration for culture.
The Albino Python is a “white lager brewed with spices” and probably just what I needed tonight after a long day, and a long month of trying lots of dark beer. This one pours and resembles a hefeweizen or wheat beer from its cloudiness. The smell has some citrus and spices, and a little bit of hops. It has a nice head, too, and works really well in a tulip glass.
What makes this taste different than the typical allspice + beer spice combo is that you can actually taste some ginger in here too. So the taste is a bit sharper, a bit crispier and with a tiny bite. I like this little twist. It complements the citrus and other spices well, and this one is very drinkable and interesting. As it stands, I’m not sure if I’ll see this again up my way, but I have to note that this is a little off-centered and makes for a refreshing, crisp break from wintry stouts.
I’ve tried all of Shmaltz’s Coney Island Lager brands, and this is the only one that I didn’t like. The spices just didn’t work well for me.
The Freaktoberfest is, well, freaky. It pours a neon-redish with a pink head.
Hey there. This is Zak from Shmaltz Brewing Company, the makers of Coney Island Lager. Just wanted to say thanks for the Albino Python review. Glad to see you enjoyed it. Have a wonderful holiday. L’Chaim!