Garrison Jalapeno ale

by Stacey Langille
(Beer Delegate, NS, Canada)

Garrison Jalapeno ale: hot hot hot. The beer, not the reviewer

Garrison Jalapeno ale (you say hah-luh-peyn-yoh) will spice up your beer life.

Ever since my first taste of “spicy” food, I was hooked, not obsessively so, but drawn to its power. The sensation that no other food could seem to bring, a break from the normal every day fare, that is what spicy food does for me.

I have long done jalapeño shooters to amuse my friends and it never seems to stop at just one. “Yes, can we have that nacho platter with 4 sides of jalapeños please?” is usually how it goes. It is because of the little “kick” I get when taking a bite of a spicy dish. Some say it is an adrenaline rush or an endorphin injection but whatever it is I have always enjoyed the sensation.


A new sensation has kicked my taste buds into high gear, Garrison Jalapeno Ale. Spicy is good but tasty and hot is better. As far as taste is concerned, Garrison Jalapeño Ale is delicious. It has a blast of spiciness that bursts in your mouth and ravishes your tongue.

The whole “party in your mouth” thing is actually going on with each and every sip. I enjoyed my first bottle with a dish of Spicy Pad Thai and the two went together like beans and rice! Spicy food lovers run, don’t walk and get this beer in your fridge and then in your belly. This one is not recommended for the faint of heart as it really does supply the kick I have long sought.

Garrison describes it as unique in the Maritimes (and anywhere north of Santa Fe!). They say it will cool you down and warm you up at the same time using Jalapeño, Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, & Jamaican Hot Peppers to create a truly unusual brew. This is quite a mix of hotness so I figured I could go into more detail on the types of peppers Garrison have blended for this amazing brew.

The jalapeño is a medium to large size chili pepper which is prized for the warm, burning sensation when eaten. The habanero chile is one of the most intensely spicy species of peppers. The chili's name is derived from the name of the Cuban city of Havana, which was formerly called "La Habana," although many Mexicans claim that the habanero originated in Mexico.

The Scotch Bonnet is a variety of chili pepper similar to the habanero. It is one of the hottest peppers in the world. Found mainly in the Caribbean islands, it is named for its resemblance to a Scotsman's bonnet. Eaten raw, these peppers are also known to cause dizziness, numbness of hands and cheeks, and severe heartburn.

Jamaican Hot Peppers are so far eluding me as I could not find out any solid information, but the rest definitely proves Garrison gathered the right peppers for the job.

We humans are peculiar creatures and some of us (like me) take a nerve response that normally signals danger and turns it into something pleasurable. This is what many call a crazy love of spicy food. Now Garrison has supplied us all with another “crazy” pleasure. At 4.6% ABV, Garrison Jalapeno ale is great for lovers of all things hot & spicy. Cooking with this beer should also be a taste experience, but it will have to wait for the next trip to the beer store as the first pack disappeared rather fast! Cheers!