Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout
Mash Lab Brewing

neat chili pepper stout here, not too hot but a lot of pepper character to it, more so than the chocolate or cinnamon or other elements, its somewhat light as this sort of thing goes, and i think its at the perfect abv, study but not imperial, not a huge commitment to drink. close to black in the glass with a slow fading crown of lighter brown bubbles on it and some lace in their wake. aroma is dry cocoa powder for baking, fresh and dried chili peppers, and some nice dark roasted barley providing a kind of coffee note to this, at no point is it very sweet which makes it unique in this space where breweries try to balance heat with sweet, appreciate the different approach. there is cinnamon and vanilla in this, which enhance the cocoa character, and i get the habanero pepper specifically, guajillo and chipotle are also used, light smoke perhaps, a raisin note, but again, not a ton of middle malt enriching this. the flavor is the same as the nose, the peppers are obvious but tastefully dosed, some throat heat but not a long linger and very little on the palate, the cinnamon is warming and a great addition, and the dry cocoa aspect stays central throughout the drink. good back end bitterness to keep it balanced, not too much milk sugar, just a trace of the alcohol on the exhale with the pepper warmth. subtle vanilla and caramel, more dusty and dry through, fast finishing for the style. groovy beer, not epic, but really good, still a step behind the likes of abraxas and the other kings of this hill, but solid. i recommend mash lab, cool spot and clever beers!