This is a milk stout, so it's going to be black. This particular one is black only because it's a really, really, really dark brown. The light tan head is filled with really big bubbles that fizz away to a few lily pads in the middle and a pretty strong ring around the sides of glass. The aroma is sweet chocolate and light spices. I'm not sure what else they put in this, and I'm not goona read the label. Let's just dive in.First sip makes me read the label. There are five types of chili peppers in this beer. It's a really weird sensation to have the frothy, creamy milk center with the Chili's all biting and heat on the backend. Mind you, I generally like somewhat spicy food, and this doesn't even approach a really hot wing sauce, but it was unexpected. Even now, 30 to 40 seconds after having the first sip, my lips are still little tingly from the capsaicin.
Tip-in is light carbonation burn with a building of the spicy pepper while the oats linger underneath, clinging to chocolate for a lifeline. Cinnamon comes from the depths to mingle with the creaminess and spices for the middle before the finish erupts in spices and pepper heat. The trail-off is cinnamon laced peppers and only heat is left on the lips. As the beer warms, the peppers start to go a little nuts.
Bottom Line: The pepper could easily overwhelm the taste, but they don't until it starts to lose the cold; it's still pretty good.
2.5/5
