Cucapá Obscura - Cucapá Brewing Company

akorsak

Pennsylvania

2.1/5  rDev -38.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Thanks to Woody for this can.

A: The brown ale is a full reddish brown color, dark enough to be opaque. On closer inspection, ruby red highlights emerge. A thin band of head hangs around the edges of the glass.

S: A little metallic and off-smelling. Not a good sign of things to come. No hint of the toffee and caramel mixture that I've noticed before.

T: More caramel in the taste, enough to mask any unpleasantness (like in the nose). No way around calling this one either infected or past its prime.

M and D: The ale looks very attractive in my glass. Things just move downhill from there. I didn't finish it.

Serving type: can

11-20-2010 16:50:40 | More by akorsak

Kiwano

New York

2.15/5  rDev -37%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A- Very dark brown almost black in the middle. Think foam head on top but it dissipates fairly quickly.

Smell - A bit of char, somewhat metallic?

Taste -A bit of burnt coffee and earthiness, a bit of malt, some smoke and char but not very full. Kind of a burnt taste lingers. A bit of brightness when it first hits the tongue. It starts off as if it might be a pretty good beer but it is too thin and the taste dissipates quickly leaving the burnt char flavor.

Mouthfeel - small fizzy bubbles - kind of thin and flat though.

Drinkability - OK - wouldn't have it again. Even though it has the smokier burnt-type flavors it still is very light and doesn't carry the flavor through.

(chilled can poured into a glass)

Serving type: can

09-27-2010 02:31:48 | More by Kiwano

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

2.2/5  rDev -35.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Saw this on the shelves at the bottle shop, have yet to try a "Mexican craft beer," figured I'd give it a go.

Poured into a tulip pint: Half-finger of nicely formed, creamy, khaki head over brown that's dark enough to round up to black, with nice plum highlights.

Hmm, signs of infection here? Tart green apple & cherry smell. That's really about all I'm getting.

Same in the taste, with a roasty/astringent underpinning. Ends with a metallic tap water kind of taste. *shudder*

Medium-thin, astringent, metallic. Not real good.

And we have a winner! I'm assuming this bottle was infected, having some real problems here. Don't know if the problem was in the handling - it was kept at room temperature - though it was in brown glass with no date, so I'm gonna hold the brewer responsible for this one. I'd be willing to try it again, if I could be assured a good bottle, but this isn't happening.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 01:31:47 | More by OneDropSoup

scruffwhor

Illinois

2.48/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a twelve ounce can.

Ruby color with a bronze tinge to it. Two finger, khaki head after the pour, recedes to a nice layer of foam . Really like the bubbling.

Nice toasted malt aroma makes me think of nutty bread crust. There's also a tart, bloddy aroma that sort of ruins it for me.

The flavor starts off with some blood, then the toasty, somewhat nutty, malt flavors come around. Its a little tart. The palate is somewhat acidic. I think I got my hopes up when I bought this Mexican brown ale.

Serving type: can

12-19-2012 01:48:07 | More by scruffwhor

theboozecruise

Louisiana

2.55/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Saw a 6-pack of this when grabbing some beer for a party. I prefer to try new things, so here goes with a craft beer from Mexico instead of a macro!

The beer is dark... brown like the style suggests with not much head.

The aroma is malty, hints of chocolate, slightly metallic.

The taste is more of the same... a little muted, but there are definitely roasted malt flavors but still a metallic twinge.

Very thin on the mouth, one of the more watery beers I've tried recently, and I can't say I'd pick up any more of these next time.

Maybe someone else from the same brewery, but not this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 17:56:12 | More by theboozecruise

DavoleBomb

Ohio

2.63/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Craft beer from Mexico? We shall see. Poured into a snifter.

3.0 A: Clear medium brown color. Two fingers of frothy tan head. Retention is average and no lacing is left.

3.0 S: Strange cinnamon-like spiciness is the strongest aroma. After that, there's toastiness and a dry graininess.

2.5 T: Super dry. Toasty with a slight roastiness. Grainy.

2.5 M: Light to lighter medium body. A bit too much carbonation. No creaminess at all.

2.5 D: Pretty mediocre. Nothing about this makes me want to drink it again.

Serving type: can

03-15-2012 21:50:31 | More by DavoleBomb

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

2.65/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Appearance - mahogany brown with a thin, partial cover of light mocha. No lace.

Aroma - starts with a touch of roasted grain, sets up with a somewhat odd odor of sour maple syrup or something.

Taste - brief toasty grain, followed all too soon by a sour kind of hoppiness. Gives the beer an earthy bend, which I guess is okay for a brown ale, but I was hoping for a mild, lightly toasty one to sit by the fire with. I don't care for the acidic/tart bit much, although the funk is not totally offputting. More roast character with warming, which I like.

Mouthfeel - smooth, good crispness, well done.

Drinkability - although I warmed up to it at length, not a repeat buy. I like my session beers to be good to go rather than require a can or two to get me used to it. This tastes like a beer that has just started to turn. FT - 5 cans of Obscura...

Serving type: can

09-21-2010 04:31:42 | More by brewdlyhooked13

Chaz

Minnesota

2.68/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a brilliant, chestnut-amber in color, topped with a darker-tan head. Head exhibits good lacing and average duration.

Nose is very lightly hoppy up front, but there's more interesting things goin' on with the malts: sweetish and fruity, but also with notes of hazelnut and very light caramel and toffee.

On the first sip there's a sour, tangy, vegetal character that is almost completely off-putting*. Nut and toffee notes from the nose are here, but they are buried beneath the sour tangy, almost completely obscured. Sweetish, but not in a way that I was expecting. Lingering sweetness sort of saves the day, here, and although I'd been tempted to drain-pour, this one improved as it warmed.

Mouthfeel is average.

Not a great beer, but not altogether terrible, either, and worth a shot -- thankfully, this one was a stray single ; )

* No production or best-by code found on the can.

Serving type: can

04-06-2011 19:02:01 | More by Chaz

zeledonia

Minnesota

2.68/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

My first beer from this brewery, and my first Mexican beer not from one of the two giants.

Pours a deep reddish brown, clear despite the dark color. Barely a trace of head, even with an aggressive pour, and what's there is quickly gone. Where's the head? I hope that's not a sign that it's undercarbed.

Smell is rather faint, but what I can get is sweet and sugary. Brown sugar and plums dominate.

Taste is fairly bland, and doesn't carry much of those malts I picked up in the smell. There's a twinge of dark fruit, but mostly I get a dry, leafy, slightly bitter hop flavor. Not what I was expecting, and not bad, but not especially tasty.

Mouthfeel is okay, maybe. It feels a little oily, slick in a way that I don't really like. And the carbonation is definitely on the low side. Surprisingly dry in the finish.

This beer is meh. Maybe meh minus. There's nothing really bad about it, but I can't find anything particularly good about it either.

Serving type: can

06-06-2012 03:32:58 | More by zeledonia

zeff80

Missouri

2.7/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

A - Poured out a clear, brown color with ruby highlights. It had a two-finger, tan, bubbly head of foam that left some sudsy rings of lace.

S - It smelled of roasted malt, mild chocolate and toffee. There were subtle floral notes.

T - A little nutty with some chocolate, but there was an odd sourness. It didn't fit.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light bodied ale with a dry finish.

D - Looked good, smelled good but it didn't deliver on taste. Odd sourness!

Serving type: can

10-10-2010 20:50:54 | More by zeff80

htomsirveaux

Texas

2.73/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

22 oz. bottle tried 21 Oct 2008.

Used a shaker pint glass. Pours with a small tan head. Dark brown color with ruby highlights. Smells of rum, licorice, ethanol, roasty. Aroma is better than the taste. Starts light, slightly roasty, like cold coffee. Moderate ethanol and some chocolate through the middle. Finishes a bit acrid. Thin body, almost watery.

Would have liked a bit more caramel malt in this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2009 16:43:16 | More by htomsirveaux

Goliath

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a dark brown that appears clear ruby in the light. There is a pathetic showing of foamy off white head on an aggressive pour that quickly dissipates and leaves nothing behind.

The nose is ok. There's a bit of caramel and grain, but not much else.

The taste is not the best. There's a bitter roasted coffee note, and damn near close to nothing else. Doesn't really strike me as much of a brown ale.

Mouthfeel is thin and watery with a light carbonation.

Drinkability is fairly low in my opinion. The flavor profile is not that great which really doesn't make me want to go back for more. The ABV is low which can make for a sessionable beer, but I'm just not getting that here. It's just a poor showing.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 02:46:08 | More by Goliath

Beejay

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Nice dark brown color, deep red with light coming through it. Decent off white head that dissipates to a thin layer.

S: Sweet malt, raisons, and maple syrup. Nice simple and clean.

T: Slightly tart with dark roasted malt flavor. There is a bit of yeast in there. Not digging the tartness in this.

M: Medium bodied, fairly high carbonation, and leaves a bit of a funk in the finish.

D: Didn't really enjoy this, so no. Not really per se.

Serving type: can

09-04-2010 04:06:59 | More by Beejay

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -17%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The CANQuest is unstoppable! Someone had heard of my efforts through the grapevine and brought a CAN each of both of the CANned Cucapa beers to a recent trade show for me. CAN you believe it?!?

The pour resulted in two fingers' worth of deep-tan head with low retention. Oh well. The color was a deep brwon with ruby highlights and NE-quality clarity. Nose was malty sweet with light notes of coffee and chocolate underlying. Mouthfeel was medium with a soda pop-like fizziness and I got a harsh astringency on the tongue, initially, which gave way to a more pleasant cocoa/coffee flavor. Finish remained mildly chocolate/coffee, but that initial sourness seemed to linger. I would go with the Chupacabras and leave this on the shelf.

Serving type: can

06-15-2010 23:35:20 | More by woodychandler

chaz01

Ohio

2.88/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Beer of the month selection. Really looking forward to this beer after being impressed with the Cuchacabras beer from the same brewery.

A: Very dark brown, almost black. Can barely make out lots of tiny bubbles rising from the outer edges of the glass if you look hard enough.

S: I picked up licorice flavors in the aroma.

T: Lots going on in this beer. Initially picked up licorice, malts and some chocolate flavors, but it quickly converted into a lemony, orangey tartness (almost sour).

M: Full bodied and nearly syrupy with a strong finish that reminded me of an orange sweet roll. Very strong finish lingers in your mouth for a long time, although I can't say that it's completely enjoyable.

D: Very different than what I expected, but somewhat disappointed. A bit too much "orange" flavor for my taste, although I can see where some would enjoy this one. I'm thinking it would go really well served with a salad or perhaps a fish main course.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2010 03:36:14 | More by chaz01

Overlord

California

2.9/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured a reddish brown. Smells like grain and earthy hops. Not much head to it.

Kind of a bland, somewhat too earthy and almost sour flavor. A bit weird, actually. I'm not sure what it tastes like. Grain laden wheat chaff, perhaps? Just a strange beer, not really a brown ale, but not like much else I've had.

Thin mouthfeel. This brewery makes better.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2009 08:17:08 | More by Overlord

brownbeer

Missouri

2.9/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Brownish color with a thin head.

It has sort of a sourish vinegar aroma, which seems out of place. Not sure if that's intended.

The taste is pretty bland; faint maple syrup, and what is really the problem, tin. The more I drink this glass the more bland it somehow becomes. It just ends up being watery and tinny.

I don't think I have to say it, but pass.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2010 04:16:06 | More by brownbeer

bluejacket74

Ohio

2.98/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 ounce can. Served in a nonic pint glass, the beer pours a brown color with a half inch off-white head. Head retention is low, lacing is decent. Aroma is toasted malt, chocolate, and a bit of a vinegary aroma. The taste is the same as the aroma, the toasted malt and chocolate is there, but so is a slight vinegar taste. I'm pretty sure this beer isn't supposed to be like this, I don't remember trying many brown ales in the past that have a vinegar taste to them. However, this actually doesn't taste bad at all. Mouthfeel/body is light, it's a bit slick but also a bit watery too. Drinkability is average, it's not bad to drink but it isn't exactly enjoyable either. I'm pretty sure I have an old can of this, I'll have to try this fresh (or fresher than what I have now) in the future.

Serving type: can

05-15-2010 00:06:23 | More by bluejacket74

Bajasith

California

3/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

- I was intrigued by this brew being brewed so close to home... Mexicali B.C. Picked up a sixer at a local liquor store.
- Poured into a tall glass and fizz was like a well carbonated soda, two finger head.
- Aroma was just an average roasted malts which gave it a dark reddish color with a small hint of sweetness. Hops fade...
- Taste was very tinny, like cold water being sipped from a tin cup... slight metallic flavor along with malts. This brew is lacking balance as some of the flavors linger, not one or the other domminate to give it character.
- I would have to say this brew is very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2010 18:50:39 | More by Bajasith

hickmancase

California

3/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle from Total Wine poured into a pint glass.

A: Brown with a reddish tint. Very smooth pour resulting in no head even though I tried for one.

S:

T: Couldn't put my tongue on it at first, so to speak. I thought it was more like a red ale. However, eventually I realized that what I was tasting was the sourness. Checked BA and it looks like I'm not the only one getting this. Dry on the finish.

M: Not as smooth as the strange pour led me to believe.

D: Wouldn't do this again. Too sour for a brown but too mild for a sour.

5/10

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 20:14:12 | More by hickmancase

bmwats

Louisiana

3.01/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a becker.

A: Very dark brown. Pours a 1 finger, foamy, brown-white head. Lots of effervescence clings to the sides of the glass. Dissipates fairly quickly. Sporadicly distributed, yet thick, lacing.

S: Roasted malt, molasses, and yams.

T: Roasted malt flavor with bitter pecan shells. Tinge of sweet tea....?

M: Light and a little shallow. Has a synthetic sort of sweetness that lingers on the palate.

D: Session style. Although, it has something of an off-putting nature, that might slow the pace.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Decent head, lots of carbonation, and fair lacing. Nose is a little off... roasted grains, and a strange sweetness. Roasted malt flavor, bittered with pecans and a touch of sweetness. Overall, this is a decent quaff.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 04:43:31 | More by bmwats

farrago

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

The head crests close to two fingers, however, loose enough to dissipate with haste, deep tan in color, thin sheets fall down the glass walls rather than more sticky lacing. Cloudy brown liquid, has enough orange tint give it a rust water look, through it all a steady stream of bubbles remains visible. Curious sour edge to the nose, close to vinous, metal to mineral water, cocoa and chocolate powder dry, cinnamon, mixed grains and granola, cherry, red grape to apple fruit scents, it's not lean overall but chooses to express itself with few words. Medium-bodied, sourness the major factor here too, the carbonation needs to chill some, keeps its weight even as flavors fade. Emphasis on grape, apple, cherry, cranberry fruit, less earth to metal, softened by the chocolate powder. Sour oranges there too, just hard to avoid sourness. Barley and lentils, not close to herbaceous. This is certainly a unique take on the style, happy to have tried a bottle but no need to seek out more.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 01:58:35 | More by farrago

bunbury

Panama

3.1/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Got this one on my visit to Mexico City -March 2010, the bottle has a Silver 2009 award with the small title of "Liquid Craftsmanship" and dark beer been my favorite I decided to give this one a shot.

Pours great into a tulip glass and to my amaze those two head finger disappeared in a blink of an eye ... or probably two.

Taste is not at strong as I expected but it does have a coffee aspect within the first glance then is just a watery dark beer.

I've tried many 4,8% dark beers and this one is just not up to the standards, not bad though Im glad to have found this one instead of the always-no-thanks Corona or XX dos Equis, this really turns up a notch in Mexican beer production.

Smell: not that dark, more like a strong Amber
Drinkability: very low, I believe after 2 of this it will be difficult to plunge any more.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 18:29:48 | More by bunbury

samie85

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Pours a clear tawny brown color with a half finger of head.

S-Chocolate with some roast and almost citrusy note.

T-Citrus and light bitterness with some light chocolate notes.

M-Slick and light bodied with a medium amount of carbonation.

D-Very easy drinking but the flavor profile was not what i expecting at all. I was not expecting the hop profile of this.

Serving type: can

02-03-2012 02:18:41 | More by samie85

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.2/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Cucapa Obscura Cerveza.

Dark brown coloring, transparent at the foot, and sides, slim, then gone head, negligible.

Aroma: raisins, cola, nuts....pretty limp, otherwise.

Taste: Hmmm. Soft and wet. Same flavors from aroma, big on the raisins in this one, nice and malty, dark tones, black malt, but not too much in character. Nothing really does the trick in this one.

Not a bad beer, but it lack in many ways what would set it apart and make it good. Very blase', lackluster mouthfeel, unimpressive flavors...lacks carbonation, sits limp and loose. Blah.

Wish this was free, but glad it was cheap.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2010 07:01:01 | More by feloniousmonk