Cocoa Fuego
DuClaw Brewing Company

 

 

 

I cellared this bottle without reviewing it first, not sure why but here is my review:
poured chilled from the 12oz into a glass.

The color is black with a thick tan head that settles to nothing with opaque clarity and very fine bead with head that revives when swirled. The smell has a cocoa aroma with nutty earthen scent and light peppery accent yet mostly malt with chocolate complimentary in the smell. The feel has a good balance of sweetness in malt with light spice of pepper with heat that builds to a dry finish with moderate carbonation.

The taste is decent -malt is dry and nutty with chocolate adding some creaminess in texture yet not overly sweet with smoky pepper flavor coming mid palate with slight heat in the back of the throat and subtle toasted malt flavor that is nutty with mild sweetness of cocoa - the balance of pepper and chocolate with spice lingering is enjoyable. There is a lingering warmth with slight smoky mineral quality in the finish. Overall this is a pretty tasty stout -a good amount of pepper flavor but not too hot to overwhelm the cocoa flavor. I must have tried this fresh but I don't think the aging has had a detrimental effect

Pours opaque, dark brown in color with 1/3 inch head. Taste is dark bread, baker's chocolate, BOSCO, and chipotle heat at the end. Makes for a tasty full bodied stout. The heat adds a nice element to a solid base beer. The peppers are not over the top. I would get this again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottled on 11/12/15. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours almost black with a small tan head that fades leaving some retention and not much lacing. The aromas are full of chocolate syrup. Hints of marshmallow as well. Malts are there. Smells good. The flavors are malty with lots of chocolate. There's some vanilla in the mix. It's not really spicy although there's a subtle spice kick in the finish. The chipotle peppers are there though, just balanced. I will say it becomes spicier the more you drink it. The chocolate notes really shine. Alcohol goes unnoticed. The mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium-bodied with active carbonation. It's smooth and makes for a nice sipper.

This is a solid stout. It's nothing too crazy, but works during the cold weather. I really like the aromas and it becomes more enjoyable as it warms. It's friendly for those who aren't crazy about super spicy beers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12oz bottle that has been in the fridge over a year...time to purge. Poured into a matching Duclaw pint glass the brew appears dark brown with a khaki head.

The nose has a bit of chocolate and then a sweetness to it almost like cola moreso than malt.

The taste carries that same cola sorta flavor, chocolate, raison and lots of citrus/peppery warmth. I get the feeling this is big on the dark crystal malts moreso than roasted. Layers of dark fruity flavors with not much roasted/stout profile. Cocoa in the aftertaste with more pepper burn.

This is medium bodied with modest carbonation. By Duclaw standards this is pretty good. The peppers are not hiding and pleasant cocoa flavors. The name is very fitting but the stout base is kinda strange with its cola qualities.

 

 

12 oz bottle, poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Pours a beautiful, completely opaque, pitch-black color with a quarter of a finger of off-white-colored head that quickly dissolved away into no head what-so-ever.

Aroma: Very aromatic! Lots of roasted malt aromas, imparting notes of toasted dark bread, freshly ground coffee beans, dark chocolate, a touch of smoke and lots of earthy, spicy aromas of roasted chipotles and adobo. Delicious aromas!

Taste: Delicious flavors too! Lots of bready roasted malt flavors, up front, imparting notes of toasted dark bread, freshly ground coffee beans, a touch of smoke, dark chocolate and lots of earthy, spicy flavors of roasted chipotles and adobo, which left some warming, tingling, almost numbing, spicy, heat sensations on the tongue.

Mouthfeel: Chewy and smooth as there is no carbonation what-so-ever. With an ABV of 7.5%, there is no alcohol on the palate.

Overall: This is another great beer by DuClaw! I love the chocolate and spicy, earthy, chipotle spice flavors blended together with lots of great, bready malt. I’m definitely going to have to get some more of this beer to pair with some Mexican food, preferably a molé!

 

 

Great brew if you are looking for something different. Just enough heat from the peppers to make it interesting. Good for having 1 or 2, but anymore would simply be too much. I recommend trying this beer.

 

 

 

 

 

I love this beer, more so on draught than in a bottle, but still.

It's got a smokiness and a spiciness at the end. Not overly spicy though...nothing that sets your mouth on fire. Nice full mouthfeel, but crisp.

The description might put you off, but I've been in large groups where everybody enjoys it, so give it a try.