Barrel Aged Cocoa Porter With Chiles
West Sixth Brewing Company

 

 

As the always-steady Cocoa Porter goes within a deep and bourbony cocoon, it emerges as a more robust, spicy, bourbony and more chocolaty version of itself.

The Barrel Room beer pours the expected dark brown and hazy appearance with a short creamy froth capping the snifter. Rich chocolate, vanilla, cream and bourbon entice the nose along with a spicy zest to the nose. Its soft but lavish taste is woven of milk chocolate, latte, vanilla milkshake and sweet caramels.

As the sweetness slowly recedes, its decadence continues to layer upon the middle palate with a sultry sweet flavor of coffee, kaluha, sweet cream, vanilla and chocolate. As the spices of chili pepper calderns from within the alcohol from bourbon provides a spicy balance in the low-lying presence of hops. A smoky chocolate finish gives the session a Mexican hot chocolate demeanor, except in the absence of cinnamon.

Its full and lavish body carries a modest carbonated level and allows for full saturation of sweetness on the tastebuds. Decadently dessert-like, the porter finishes with wood caramel, spice and vanilla with its charred oaken charm and an aftertaste of simmering spice and frappuccino.