Dark Charge - Bourbon Barrel-Aged - Molé
Braxton Brewing Company - Braxton Covington

 

16 ounce can, canned 11/27/23. Part of the Dark Charge 2023 release, 15.2% ABV. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch and a half frothy tan head that stayed around a while. There's also a lot of lacing. The brew smells like burnt/charred malt, vanilla, cinnamon, chiles and cocoa. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some oaky and dark bready flavors noticeable too. All the flavors mesh well and no one flavor overpowers the others. Kinda wish the ancho chile had more of a kick but that's really not much of a complaint here. Mouthfeel/body is full, it's a bit coating and creamy with a good amount of carbonation. Overall I thought this was pretty good, definitely worth trying if you get the chance!

 

Spicy, savory and full of char, the Braxton brewers once again take their Dark Charge series beer and layer it with gentle additions of chilies, cinnamon, cocoa and bourbon barrels for a rich and tantalizing take on the Mexican mole with a Kentucky kick.

Jet black and building a rapid honeycomb froth, the stout's mocha foam sits ominously in the glass. Aromas of dark roast coffee, char and wonderfully burnt sugar mingle with those Mexican spices while rounding the nose with savory carmamel, bourbon and dark fruit. Strongly roasted on the early palate, the flavor of brown sugar and dark chocolate take on scorched and savory character.

As the sweetness develops, the taste of chocolate grows stronger and allows a brownie-like cakiness to read dessert-like. But as the roasted malt sweetness trends nutty with candied walnut and seared brown sugars, the beer's savory whisky influence emerges. Smoldering embers, espresso, and bittersweet chocolate accompany a sweet and spicy balance of cinnamon, cocoa, caramel and vanilla into a sharp campfire-like and peppery finish.

Redolent with Mexican spices and creme de cacao, the full bodied stout has a savory effect due to its boozy alcohol, its lush sweetness, and coffee-like tannins. Raisin and currants tease the finish with a light and sherry-like nuance on its way to a long, spicy, decadent aftertaste.

 

 

A Tavour treat. Let me start out by acknowledging that I haven't had any beers with chili that I really enjoyed. Mole pours a dark brown with a minimal tan head that lasts quite a while. Aroma is sweet, chocolate and lots of cinnamon. Tastes of nacho chiles, dark chocolate and cinnamon. Nice warming from the alcohol.

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a short light beige head that left a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of spices are present in the nose along with notes of chocolate.
T: The taste follows the smell and has prominent flavors of mole spices - chili and cumin seem to stand out in particular.
M: It feels a bit more than medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This stout is quite drinkable considering its strength and hides any traces of alcohol from the taste.

Serving type: can

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had on tap. Oh my, now this is something. Really like the other variants of dark charge I have had, but this one is a little much of one flavor for me. The cocoa and peppers really bit a bitter start before going slightly sweet and decently spicy. I like hot peppers in stouts, but they have to be balanced, and usually a more wet body, this did neither. Good aspects, like the barrel character, but overall disappointing.

Had in bottle in 2021, my previous review stands