Caribbean Chocolate Molé Cake
Siren Craft Brew

Siren/Cigar City Caribbean Chocolate Molé Cake Imperial Milk Stout, 8.8% ABV. Pours black with a one-finger tan head that left no lacing. Nose is chocolate and peppers. Taste follows, light and faintly sweet chocolate, some pepper burn, and moderate bitterness. Dry mouthfeel, overall excellent. Not sure what's up with the weenie 11.2oz can with a bumpy label.

This is my second Siren. The first was five years ago and I made two points: Siren is a very accomplished and dedicated crafter; and, the brew was too expensive for a cheapskate like me. In the intervening years, nothing has changed. For the $9.99 I today paid (plus tax), there are better desserts. But the way Siren sneaks in the mole' in the finish and then owns it, that can only be the work of an excellent crafter. (Note: I happen to be a sucker for a great mole' and this one is nearly great.)

I like the way this Mole' Looks, a big full foam that lasts long. Smells mostly of chocolates. Tastes seem balanced, but by the finish my ears feel the mole's heat. In my mouth, Mole' could be more viscous... but it has already done its job.

Would I have this again? As a cheapskate, $9.99 is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nonetheless, thank you.

Look: It pours very dark brown with a brown Head. Head retention is average.

Smell: It has deep dark chocolate aromas with rich coffee. there are some sugary elements with some light cherry notes.

Taste: It has a smoky flavor with chocolate. There are also strong expresso flavors with cacao. There is a little bit of heat in the finish.

Feel: It has a full body with a little bit of pepper like heat in the finish.

Overall, an interestingly complex beer with plenty of aromas and flavors.

330 ml can, best by 310823 stamped on the bottom of the can. Served in a chalice, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch or so tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. I like the aroma, the brew smells like chocolate, chili peppers, Molé, roasted malt and some coffee. For the most part I think the taste is just like the aroma, but there's also some woody and caramel flavors noticeable too. Chili pepper spice had more of a kick as it warmed but wasn't strong at all, but I don't think an overly strong chile spice was the intention here either. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit creamy and coating with a moderate amount of carbonation. I liked this brew, worth trying if you come across some!

 

 

 

330 mL can from the LCBO; best before Aug 31 2023 and served barely chilled. An affixed sticker lists this at 7.6%.

Pours black as night, crowned with at least an inch of foamy, creamy tan-coloured head that melts away within three or four minutes' time. A generous collar of dense suds remains in place indefinitely, with each swirl of the glass generating a new pattern of spotty lace. Hints of earthy spice and mildly pungent chiles (chipotle?) on the nose, as well as robust notes of cacao & dark chocolate. I'm also getting cinnamon, devil's food cake, cream and very subtle cypress wood.

A delicious stout that drinks a lot like Siren's standard CCC, though the molé does put a unique spin on that familiar theme. Cacao nibs, chocolate milk and fudge at the forefront, with cinnamon and chocolate cake not far behind. I didn't get any chile heat whatsoever on the first sip, but it does ramp up ever-so-slightly over the course of the glass, most noticeably mid-sip and towards the finish. Finishes with wood, molasses, coffee grounds and plenty more cacao/chocolate dissipating into a mildly spicy aftertaste of cinnamon, chile and dark chocolate. A full-bodied stout with low carbonation; feels silky-smooth and somewhat creamy on the tongue. Excellent drinkability for its strength.

Final Grade: 4.25, a very worthy A-. Siren's Caribbean Chocolate Molé Cake is so much more than just a quality stout - it's a beer absolutely worth trying if you're able to find it. The judicious use of cocoa and subdued chile heat are a natural combo, whilst the spice and lactose sweetness both add further depth to the experience. I like this more than CCC - wish I could pick it up whenever I feel like it, but the history/availability of other UK craft beers suggests I had better stock up ASAP.

355 ml can served cold into a pint glass. LCBO purchase for $5.25CDN. Listed at 8.8% ABV, but LCBO sticker indicates 7.6% ABV

Appearance - An aggressive poured yielded a black beer with three fingers if frothy tan head. Excellent head retention.

Smell - Chocolate cake, hint of spice and a touch of pineapple. The roasty notes and cake-iness shine through prominently.

Taste - Lots of chocolate cake, some dark chocolate mixed in for added bitterness. Hints of spice and pineapple although quite subdued. This is mostly just delicious chocolate cake.

Mouthfeel - Smooth and rich, full bodied with soft carbonation.

Overall - Pretty outstanding take on the spiced Mexican chocolate cake flavor. Quite impressed with the depth and that nice slow burn from the heat that just ever so slowly builds and builds.

Can: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of sweet chocolate notes with some vanilla and cinnamon with some clear chili notes. Taste is a complex and balanced mix of vanilla, cinnamon with some sweet chocolate notes offset by chili notes with what appears to be light barrel-aged notes. Body is full with a nice creamy texture and good carbonation. Solid mix of flavors with great balance.