El Mariachi - Rum Barrel-Aged
Aardwolf Brewing Company

 

Virtually no head production. Perhaps 1/8 of a finger eventually appears, but quickly fades, leaving behind a thin dark brown ring around the edge of the glass. Body is about as deeply dark black as I've ever seen.

Dominant note on the nose is chocolate, while the rum blends with the chili peppers and vanilla in an unexpected but pleasant way. Cinnamon is present but restrained, also blending with the vanilla. Very, very pleasant nose. No impression of booze or heat. Rum and oak emerge more as the brew slowly warms.

Rum is fairly prominent on the palate, surprisingly. Vanilla is the most dominant of the additives. Some green vegetal tones; cinnamon is very restrained. Not exactly a thin body, but something about the flavor profile somehow comes across as watery - like Yoohoo instead of chocolate milk.

Some back of the throat heat, likely due to a combination of the high ABV and the pepper blend. Wet mouthfeel with a long finish, although the rum mostly packs its punch up front.

The peppers manage to retain some heat despite the barrel aging, and the vanilla is quite potent, along with the chocolate. The rum presents strongly but well-integrated. I admire the restraint in the cinnamon; while it's a delicious spice in this kind of beer, I would argue that most brewers add too much. Overall, another fantastic flavored barrel aged stout from Aardwolf.

 

 

2018 version, 22 ounce bottle. Poured into tulip.
Pours a deep, dark brown, with root beer highlights . Medium brown head. But recedes quickly.
I got a big whiff of Jamaican rum upon opening first, then roast. Molasses, chocolate, vanilla too. I can’t get back to the rum on the nose. Even Mrs Strohme2 can’t get any rum.
The taste is mildly dark chocolate, raisins, smooth rum, vanilla, coffee. Mellow bite of pepper. Or cinnamon. Something spicy. The spice does not linger but I can tell that it’s there. Reminiscent of a spiced rum cake.
Slick mouthfeel and a body on the thicker side. This beer is fairly sweet but I’d expect that with the adjuncts.
Overall, everything is blended seamlessly. No alcohol booze, just flavors that transition from one to another until they fade away.

650ml bottle, 2017 vintage, poured into a 14oz snifter glass.

The beer pours a thick and sludgy black color, very opaque with a thin half finger of caramel colored head that has minimal retention and yields a few small spots of lace. The aroma is pleasant, strong chocolate, very rich and cake batteresque with a mild rum character, light spice, a hint of oak, sweet vanilla with just a touch of the pepper heat. The flavors are quite good, brownie batter and chocolate cake, light spiced rum, mild oak, a bit of char and roast that brings out the pepper blend, not too spicy but with a low lingering heat that is balanced nicely by the vanilla bean's sweetness. The mouthfeel is good, coating medium body, slick and smooth with a warm finish.

Verdict: A very nice barrel aged adjunct stout from Aardwolf Brewing. The rum isn't too overpowering and is integrated nicely with the peppers and chocolate. Well balanced and approachable, good stuff.