Southern Pecan - Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company

swampski

Louisiana

4.33/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer was a pleasant surprise. The name says "pecan", and there definitely is a bit of a smell and lingering aftertaste of sweety pecan, although largely lost in the general taste of the beer itself. Overall, not a truly outstanding beer, but definitely one that has enough generally going for it to be sufficiently interesting, while not being disagreeable in any way.

It's generally a good quality nut type of ale that seems to be very balanced without being too nutty. I am the type of beer drinker that is fairly adventurous and likes to sample different tasting beer, even if I can't drink such beer over and over again because of the strong taste - i.e., the strong taste, while interesting, is just TOO strong (or with some aspect that is disagreeable) to do over and over again. However, this pecan ale doesn't have this problem at all. I could definitely see this as a session beer, and easily an interluding beer between such stronger beers. If I were somewhere and only this were available, I would not be discouraged in the least.

The reviewer donkeyrunner mentioned that this does not have the tea taste aspect that the typical nut brown ale has - and I concur 100%. Although I like tea by itself, for me, it doesn't mesh well with beer, and this beer does not have that problem.

I will say that if you are in more of canonical "beer mood" with its requisite hoppiness, this will definitely disappoint. However, if you are in - as the brewer's name says - a "lazy" mood, this is almost perfect.

The bottom line is that as since this beer is made very close to my home and thus easily obtainable at the local supermarket, it has gained a spot in my regular rotation - which is saying something as there are few beers that I think so highly of as to have that coveted recognition. I recommend folks in the LA-MS-AL region to try it.

Edit: While I have been reading others' reviews of this beer, I have been savoring the aftertaste from the one I had been drinking while reviewing. The aftertaste may be the best I've ever had in a beer. For that reason, I'm bumping up my rating ... and opening up another!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 03:55:43 | More by swampski

KickbacksSteve

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Kickbacks in Jax. Poured into a snifter for reviewing purposes. Off-white head, low to moderate retention on a mahogany body. Looks almost like an amber more than a brown. Lacing is soapy and slides down the glass. Aroma includes caramel malts, some nuttiness I suppose, and a slight roast. Taste is caramel maltiness, slightly sweet, again with a slight nuttiness and roast. Mouthfeel is a bit thin as expected after viewing the beer. Not jam packed with flavor but nothing off-putting and very agreeable to the average person.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2012 05:30:30 | More by KickbacksSteve

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.23/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Being a fan of both brown ales and pecans I had hopes for this beer, but in the end I found myself a bit disappointed. It poured a very clear, reddish cherry brown that surprised me; it's really barely brown at all. Small head, low retention, no lace at all either. Hmm.

Very mild aroma has some toasty malt and a vaguely nutty aspect, but that's really about it. The flavor followed suit; it was pretty bland, with a lightly toasted, somewhat overly sweet malt character; hints of nuttiness, but certainly nothing discernible in the way of pecans. Malt is unremarkable, feels a bit meek, and the hopping is very restrained, so there's little in the way of bitterness. Normally that would be fine in a tasty brown ale but the lack of hops just contributes to the overall blandness and lack of a crisp and clean finish.

Lightish body with medium high, assertive carbonation that robs the beer of any smoothness or creaminess I enjoy in the better brown ales; falls a little on the watery side. Ultimately unsatisfying. Not terrible but totally unexceptional.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 04:10:43 | More by tobelerone

avalon07

South Carolina

3.08/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a brownish color with ruby tints and a clear texture. There was a small amount of foamy head that quickly dissipated. Sparse lacing.

S: An underdone aroma of pecans, malt, and not much else.

T: Tasted of pecans, light malt, a little hops, and some caramel. Not quite enough of anything in the flavor. The pecans aren't present enough to make a difference. An average flavor.

M: A decent amount of carbonation with a surprisingly sharp and biting finish.

O: This beer could have been decent, but comes off as mediocre and forgettable. Not nearly as well made as Holy City's Pecan Dream.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 23:27:28 | More by avalon07

daliandragon

North Carolina

3.13/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a sixer of this over the holiday weekend while visiting my sister in law's family in Meridian, MS. Obviously it is my first beer from the Magnolia State. Looks standard brown ale with orange highlights and a hazy tan head that caps quickly. Nose is heavy on the caramel and brown sugars, with a hint of toffee and the namesake pecans.

The sweetness is initially cloying and rather simple in nature. Some obvious nutty and grainy notes come out in the aftertaste. Thicker in texture than most from this style, but it doesn't seem to improve the drinkability. Certainly interesting, maybe even unique, but not very good from a session drinking perspective. Craft brew still in its infancy in Mississippi.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 02:16:16 | More by daliandragon

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from growler into a sampler shaker. Poured brown with a half finger off-white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, pecan, slight roasted malt, and bread. The flavor was of sweet malt, pecan, roasted malt, subtle milk chocolate, and bread. It had a light feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty decent brew. The pecan aspect of the one really managed to carry through which is surprising due to the intensity of them. This really made the brew enjoyable on my palate as I’m a huge fan of them. The aroma wasn’t quite as great as it was kind of hard to pick up on just about anything. Glad I got the chance to try this one again in a different format.

Serving type: growler

11-21-2012 11:44:10 | More by thagr81us

Pegasus

Texas

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Crystal-clear darm amber in color, surmounted by a modest, dense and persistent off-white head. The lacing is thick and glass-coating, the carbonation slight.

Aroma: Pleasant aroma of toasted brown malt, with a hint of nuttiness, and a little sweetness, reminiscent of an English Southern Brown Ale.

Taste: Opens with lots of toasted malt, with little sweetness, and a classic home-baked bread note. As the taste progresses, , there is a modest note of roasted nuts, which I think I can distinguish as pecans. The roasted nuts and toasted malt carry the taste to a graceful and lingering close, with just a hint of leafy hops.

Mouth feel: Smooth and pleasant, perhaps a touch thin, soft carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: A very pleasant and drinkable example.

Presentation: Packaged in a twelve-ounce brown glass long-neck bottle, served in a New Belgium Brewing chalice.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 00:57:22 | More by Pegasus

smokinyodas

Florida

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A mixed feeling for this English Nut Brown Ale, good or bad, depends. Popped this bottle open cold into a glass and gave it time to breathe. First taste I was expecting pecans, but was presented with an overly sweet caramel syrup that put me off, nevertheless this quickly fades away to a mild nutty taste and nice smooth finish. Overall I think this is a good specialty style Brown Ale that should be tried at least once.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 16:18:54 | More by smokinyodas

dogma46an2

Alabama

2.8/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A- crimson undertones. Body is mostly clear.True to style.

S-Not complex. Just not alot of pecan.light malt not constant. everytime ive had it .

T- I found the first few times to be much tastier. there was a form of sweetness that was almost like pie. Really attractive. I got some nice nuttiness and vanilla and cocoa. I was never really happy with it.

M-Quite light and bubbly. Body goes down fairly clean. Carbonation was one of the brightest points of the beer.

O/D-Liked it once, Either way, I was happy to try it. Consistency is key.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 01:05:28 | More by dogma46an2

IsaacmanTX

2.95/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

this beer seems pretty inconsistant. this is my third time to taste this beer, and I have to say it is probably the worst of the three times. I must preface that this was bottled 10 months ago, and although that may have been a part of why it didn't fare well (even with the others doing the tasting tonight), but it tastes more like a mild contamination. It seemed to have a metalic aftertaste, like the PH spiked. Please don't judge this beer by this review because I have enjoyed it in the past, but this batch was definitely not what Lazy Magnolia should be proud of.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 00:51:52 | More by IsaacmanTX

BhamBeerLover

2.03/5  rDev -44.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Light brown color, which was lighter than expected. Very little head and poor retention. Seemed far too highly carbed. Mettalic finish which suggests some sort of contamination to me or a high pH kind of issue with the beer. Then I checked the bottle and it was dated December. Since it is October now this must be a distribution problem or some organization issue within the brewery itself as the store I purchased the beer from is less than a month old.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 00:51:23 | More by BhamBeerLover

bum732

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

S: Nutty, some light caramel, toasted malt complementing some maltiness.

L: Fairly clear, amber, off-white head.

T: Candy-like sweetness, slightly malty and nutty, caramel as well. Medium low clean bitterness, some herbal tea hop flavor. Semi-sweet caramel malt in the finish.

M: Medium carbonation, medium bodied.

Solid beer, really enjoyed the nuttiness. Very enjoyable English brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 01:18:24 | More by bum732

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A-Dark roasted chestnut with crimson undertones. Mild head leaves moderate lacing. Body is mostly clear.

S-Tons of sweetness. Not a ton of complexity. Just a bunch of sweet sugars and light nuttiness. A light flick of cocoa powder.

T-Had it twice, both times on tap. I found the first tap to be much tastier. On the second go around, there was a form of sweetness that was almost cheesy and cloying. Really unattractive. But during the first experience, I got some nice nuttiness and vanilla and cocoa powder. Either way, I was never really happy with it.

M-Quite light and bubbly. Body goes down fairly clean. Carbonation was one of the brightest points of the beer.

O/D-Liked it once, HATED it the second time. Maybe the second keg was screwy? Either way, I was happy to try it but would probably avoid it if I ever saw it again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2012 01:09:58 | More by VelvetExtract

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

served on draft in a tall pilsner glass. Oh well, I guess then only have one type of glass. They need to get some nonic english pint glasses.

appears dark brown, with red ruby highlights. Taste is rich sweet caramel taste. the nuttiness is there too. Aroma is not quite as sweet at the taste. Medium body and carbonation

overall - nice for a pint or too, but could get cloying after a few.

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2012 04:30:56 | More by jmdrpi

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled on tap at Bulldog's in New Orleans.

A- pours dark ruby-brown and clear with a light tan frothy head that lingers long after the pour.

S- faint sweet pecan pie, a bit of malt, brown sugar, pretty subdued overall.

T- nutty, biscuity, swey brown sugar, nearly no hops, finishes very sweet.

M- light carbonation, medium body, goes down smooth and creamy

O- an interesting concept, I would prefer it to be a bit stronger, everything seems a bit contained. This would serve as a pretty good dessert beer as it is very sweet, it overpowers the nuttiness a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2012 03:37:35 | More by Treyliff

Mojo

Alabama

3.55/5  rDev -3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours an absolutely beautiful deep deep amber with a fluffy 1 1/2 finger head, leaving extensive lacing. The smell was very citrus and I did detect some nuttiness but it was buried beneath the fruit. Mouthfeel was pretty good, but nothing special. The taste was very average. I expected more nuttiness since this beer was brewed with pecans, but I mostly tasted sweet malt with grapefruit signatures and some hops. Worth a taste, but nothing too special.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 03:11:20 | More by Mojo

brystmar

New York

2.9/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Ruby red pour with dark brown hues accenting. Has some head initially but it dissipates quickly leaving just the body. Nutty aroma at first, then stale malts take over. Compared to the smell initially, this overall aroma is surprisingly poor.

Taste isn't much better as English yeast imparts its typically dry profile over the sub-par malt base. Some nuttiness creeps in to impart a small amount of alternate flavor, but nothing can save this from mediocrity. Not worth your money.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 22:50:43 | More by brystmar

pokesbeerdude

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to MMAJYK for this one. Into a Fuller's nonic.

A: Pours more red than brown with an off white head that quickly fades away. Clear, no sediment. Color is a little weird but overall it doesn't look too bad.

S: Not much going on here, slight nuttiness, a bit of caramel and slightly buttery. Not bad but not a ton going on either.

T: Like the nose, some caramel and butter, slightly nutty with some citrus on the finish. Slightly toasty as well. Fairly sweet with a long lingering finish. A little lighter in flavor than I expected but not offensive.

M: Pretty thin, carbonation is on the lower side.

O: Not too bad, but a little more malt character would help this out a lot. Still an interesting beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 00:56:02 | More by pokesbeerdude

circus_cat

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark amber, almost light brown body with a one inch marshmallow head, a bit of lacing.

S: Pecans come through nicely up front. Caramel toasty malts follow.

T: Much like the nose, you get nuts up front, followed by toasted malts with hints of brown sugar and caramel. Slightly bitter finish. Dryer finish than you would expect. Very good.

M: I think this is its weakest characteristic. Not a very strong body to this beer. I like a bigger, more full-bodied brown ale. Granted, brown ales are my favorite style, so I expect a lot out of them.

Overall, I really like this brown ale. I think the pecans are a nice touch. I just wish it were a littttle more full-bodied.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 22:14:17 | More by circus_cat

Falzi87

Massachusetts

3.03/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

There's nothing quite like a big whiff of nuts hitting you in the face. If that sounds appealing to you at all, this is your type of beer.

Listen, I like the taste of nuts in my mouth as much as the next guy, but it needed other flavors to balance that out. I expected just a small hint or kiss of nuts, but instead got a whole mouth full.

Although it definitely comes as advertised, this beer was not for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 02:09:14 | More by Falzi87

PorterLambic

Florida

2.78/5  rDev -24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Arrives lighter than expected, a very dark amber - light brown color. Light tan head dissipates fairly quickly. Clear with tons of light getting through.
Smell is weak, just some malt and cider notes with a little vanilla and maybe some nut.
Taste is unusual with some malt, some apple, some nut and all quite weak.
Body is weak, almost watery with a decent carbonation load. Some, albeit slight, warming. This is their first recipe and should be revisited, revamped or recycled.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2012 21:43:54 | More by PorterLambic

acevenom

Louisiana

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Pours dark amber with a tall, biege head that dissipates quickly. Lacing is not left on the side of the glass as the head dissipates. There are roasted malts and pecans in the aroma. The nutty smell is prominent and there's a mild sweetness as well. Sweet bready malts and pecans come through in the taste. There are some hops on the back end. The flavor is also quite clean. The body is light to medium with low carbonation. The beer is very smooth. The drinkability is high. This is a very good and refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 21:03:44 | More by acevenom

wagenvolks

Texas

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a Cuvee des Jacobins tulip. Best by 7.26.12

As an English Brown Ale, the color is a bit more reddish than expected. Head is fleeting and light khaki in color, and eventually disappears entirely. Soft toffee nose with hints of caramel and pecan nuttiness. A bit of green hops in the background as well to balance things out.

Flavor is crisp and juicy with English yeast esters and toffee/nutty maltiness. Still not getting much Pecan, per say, but for the style this is highly quaffable. Thin body, medium carbonation with fine bubbles. Southern Pecan is an easy drinker, but I don't get much Pecan...they should take a line from (512)'s Pecan Porter and crank that flavor up!

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 02:54:51 | More by wagenvolks

joecalderoni

Texas

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pour this tanned nice brown color. A it hazy and not a very lasting head!

S: Super fruity/sweet almost masking completely the nutty aroma. A hint of caramel malts are on the back of the nose! Very little pecan aroma if none! slight diacetyl aroma

T:Big caramel taste as you would expect on a brown ale! Very sweet and low bitterness! Slight nutty taste probably not from the pecans!

M: Medium body beer, low carbonation.

O: An interesting beer but it doesn't live up for the name! I didn't get any pecan flavor or aroma just a common brown ale! Give it a try

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 04:40:35 | More by joecalderoni

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I found a bottle of this in the back corner my review fridge and recall picking this up on a really good deal last winter for $5 a sixer. While the Indian Summer failed to meet my expectations, I think that the Southern Pecan will likely settle a bit better with me, for it is something unique and age is less likely to take away from the finished product. Date on bottle is 09 20 2011, which may be a production date.

Served in a Lazy Magnolia Pint glass at 47º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours out a very fizzy head of a light tan color that fades rapidly, leaving very little cover or lacing behind. Color is a dark amber-brown, mostly clear. Poor head quality detracts much from what the appearance could have been in this beer. 2

(Smell) Most prevalent in the aroma is an aroma of sweet honey and malt, followed through with a distinct nut character (likely pecans). Indicative of the style represented, this beer smells very sweet overall, and there is little trace of hops in the nose to balance it out, relying on the bitter nut of raw pecans as the only bittering source. While it isn't a complex aroma, it is appealing should you be in the mood for a sweet brown. 3.5

(Taste) There's a very prevalent sweet caramel malt, maple and honey flavor in the beginning, followed through with a more balanced raw nut character in the finish. I can certainly taste the pecans in the beer, although they are not the dominant flavors in this beer, taking a back seat to the sweet side of things. Overall it is an enjoyable beer to taste, highly drinkable and sessionable. 4

(Mouthfeel) Texture is largely smooth with a bit of carbonation air on the tongue. Body is a light/medium, a notch too low for me personally, and alcohol presence is very low. Mouthfeel is quite good as it is, although I do think that it could benefit from either having a more creamy or more peppy texture, it passes. 4

(Overall) I didn't find this beer "too" sweet for my personal tastes although I think that some may find that it plays too prevalent a role in this beer, masking any "pecan" character. I was happy to note that pecans managed to still be a star in their own merit, and contribute positively to this beer. In all, this beer is certainly worthy for a try and is one of the most rewarding that I have tried in Lazy Magnolia's lineup. I would suggest that this warrants a try from just about every craft beer drinker that is looking for a twist on the average Brown Ale style. 3.5

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company's
Southern Pecan Brown Ale
3.48/5.00

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 03:19:16 | More by Jadjunk