Mala Vida Chili
Companyia Cervesera del Montseny

08/08/20 bottle @ home

 

 

Bottled on 06/07/2018.

Pours pitch black but nearly still with just a whisp of tiny bubbles on the surface and no lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, dark chocolate, mild molasses and coffee. Light chili burn and mild booziness at the end. Flavor follows, with slightly sweet dark toasted malt with a little char, dark chocolate, dark molasses, coffee; a dark fruit character develops, then morphs into green pepper and then chili with a moderate chili burn in the finish, supported by deep malt and chocolate. Medium to heavy bodied with a mild syrupy character and moderate carbonation despite the still pour. A well made and full flavored chili imperial stout. The base stout is very nice and I would like to give it a try by itself. The chili component is handled deftly, giving a distinct hot pepper burn and mild pepper flavor that lingers a little after the taste, but does not dominate and is well integrated. I liked this one quite a bit. Needs a little more carbonation life to make it look interesting. One of the best beers I've tried from Spain.

5-14

 

Part of Hopcat Chicago's gret bottle list! Poured into a standard tulip glass. Easily drinkable at 11 percent ABV. Since it is infused with chili peppers, patience is needed to allow the beer to warm.....when you do that, you get pleasant (moderate) heat on the palate. Very nice beer.

330 ml bottle into snifter, best before 8/13/2017. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger dense dark tan head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, molasses, chili pepper, toasted dark bread, wood, smoke, blackberry, raisin, plum, light licorice/char, herbal, and roast/smokey earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, chili pepper, and fruity yeast notes; with great strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, molasses, chili pepper, toasted dark bread, wood, smoke, blackberry, raisin, plum, light licorice/char, herbal, and roast/smokey earthiness. Light-moderate roast/char bitterness and pepper spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, molasses, chili pepper, toasted dark bread, wood, smoke, dark fruit, char, and roast/smokey earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, chili pepper, and fruity yeast flavors; with a great roasted bitter/sweet and pepper spiciness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light dryness from bitter/spiciness as well. Light lingering pepper heat, lightly increasing through the glass; never becoming overwhelming. Light carbonation and very full bodied; with a very creamy, fairly slick, and lightly sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is an outstanding imperial chili stout! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, chili pepper, and fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to sip on for the big ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.