Chai A Sutra
Hailstorm Brewing Co.

 

 

Pours a thin black color. Thick tight tan head dissipates steadily until it leaves a one finger tan head. Slight lacing is left above the head, but slides down the glass as you drink it.

Smell is a pungent aroma of chai spices. Nothing else - just an overwhelming chai spice that stings the nostrils. Yes, its as advertised, but the chai just overwhelms any aromas of the beer itself. Even warm the chai overwhelms anything else.

Taste unsurprisingly follows the nose. Tons of chai spices, clove and an extreme bitterness punch the mouth initially. Some of the roasted stout comes through underneath. The stout has roasted malts, a bit of chocolate, but mostly any notes are overtaken by the chai spice. Very bitter towards the back end.

Feel is thin, mild carbonation. Very dry and almost powdery feel to the beer - tastes like it has too much chai spice in it.

Overall - very meh. If the goal was to turn super strong chai tea into a beer, then they succeeded. I was hoping more for a balance between the stout and the spices but got none of it.

 

 

 

22 ounce bottle into a snifter.

Pours a deep brown, opaque, a very frothy one finger head, lots of foamy lacing. Smell is foremost spices- seems like lots of clove, a little roasty as it warms, malt, vanilla, some molasses. The taste is led by the spices- clove is prominent, more roasted malts than the nose. molasses, some chocolate, vanilla peeks through. Smooth for the high ABV and spices. Full bodied.

Lots of chai, with lots of flavor. Thinking it's the best chai beer I've had. Well worth a purchase.

 

 

 

 

Double Cool. Second beer in a row that I'm the first to provide a review for and both from two of my favorite locals. Also my 400th beer rated. Bottled 10/19, poured into my trusty NvU snifter. Black with light non lasting foam. First sniff cleared the sinuses, but it mellows a lot as it warms. In taste, though, the Chai spice is forefront-mild to middle level heat but not too much of a burn because the stout sweetness comes up from the back. Slight tang with a creamy feel. Glad I tried it, but it's not good enough to overcome my aversion to spicy beers.