Isla Caliente
Harsens Island Brewery

Bottled 11/25/16
L: Pours a very dark brown with a big tan head that fades away quickly. No lacing.
S: Chocolate, coffee, roasted malts.
T: All that and more plus the chilies which provide some heat.
F: Very thin for a stout, excessive carbonation.
O: An Xmas gift from John in Michigan, I suspect this is a one and done beer.

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 12/14/2016. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big chile pepper, smoke, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, and toasted dark bread; with lighter notes of dark fruit, charcoal, herbal, wood, and roast/toasted earthiness. Nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt and chile pepper notes; with good strength. Pretty strong on the peppers in the aromas, but not overwhelming the base stout too much. Taste of big chile pepper, smoke, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, and toasted dark bread; with lighter notes of dark fruit, charcoal, herbal, wood, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate herbal/roast bitterness and light pepper spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of chile pepper, smoke, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toasted dark bread, light dark fruit/char, herbal, wood, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and chile pepper flavors; with a nice malt/bitter/spiciness balance; and no astringent roast/pepper notes after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitter/spiciness and carbonation, increasing through the glass. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/sticky, and lightly chalky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Minimal warming alcohol for 7%. Building pepper heat/spiciness through the glass, but not overwhelming. Overall this is a very good chile spiced American stout. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and chile pepper flavors; very smooth and easy to drink, despite the increasing pepper spice/heat. Quite strong on the pepper flesh flavors with nice balance of the base stout. Could have used less carbonation, but was still very drinkable and enjoyable.