Hatch Chile
Chain Reaction Brewing Company

i generally shy away from beers with chili peppers in them, especially ones that arent mexican style stouts in barrels, but i am so glad i got to try this one, it might be the best i have had in the style. a strong amber ale as a base, which i think suits the peppers really well. a nice deep copper color to this and a frothing khaki head from the tap. it is immediately obvious that the peppers have been roasted in the traditional fashion, i get the cooked heat in the nostrils, still some of the vegetal green elements, and then the seedy heat, as well as traces of smoke and earth, it stands right out, but is super well supported by a rather sturdy crystal malt complexion that i think is needed for balance, anything lighter would be easily overwhelmed, and thats true in the flavor too. the baked earthy sweetness of the malt gives a warming kilned element that grounds the light heat in here. it smells way hotter than it tastes too, a little warm going down but not fiery or anything, yet the flavor of the pepper remains so perfectly intact. i love how robust the malt is here, its critical. this is brilliantly designed beer, its carbonated and fluffy and i taste it forever on my tongue after the swallow, which is maybe not the best for tasting other beers, but sure is enjoyable. these guys remain one of the most underrated breweries in the state, if not beyond. this is among the best chili beers i have ever known.