Teotihuacan - Hillrock Rye Barrel-Aged
Barreled Souls Brewing Company

Purplish hint to this very dark brown brew (ebony in the glass). Head production is decent, and retention quite good for the style.

On the pour, the rye barrel aging gives off an almost-wine like impression at first encounter. It's clearly rye whiskey up close, with a slightly sour oak and mash note. The cocoa is present, as is quite a bit of char, some pepper notes, and an earthy, almost dirty aroma underneath it all. A bit of brown sugar and caramel round out the profile.

Whew! This beer is many things, but subtle is not one of them! Big waves of chocolate, roasted barley, and rye whiskey swirl back and forth, less a series of flavor waves than a perfectly mixed whole greater than the sum of its individual parts. Throughout, the habanero heat is present, adding a very nice complement without ever becoming overbearing.

Tones of chocolate, mash, pepper, cream, toffee, brown sugar, corn, habanero, cream, oak, vanilla, syrup, char, espresso. Rich and inviting.

Thick and unbelievably smooth on the palate. The heat from the habanero is enough to drown out any sense of the sky high ABV, save for a lingering heat in the back of the throat - which still could be from the peppers. Sticky and coating, with a long finish.