Westbrook Brewing Company Mexican Cake
What the brewers say
“A serious imperial stout aged on cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, and fresh habanero peppers.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Rich chocolate sweetness with no apparent chile note up front. As it warms, slight cinnamon with a light honey and chocolate note. Good stout aroma. Roast malt, a hint of ashy smoke that builds over time.”
Flavor: “Rich chocolate flavor up front with a chile flavor in the middle followed by a long chile spice that starts to grow. It never gets very hot, but there’s no missing it. As it warms, a little bit of a honey sweetness tames the heat, and the heat cuts the sweetness. Roast flavors hang out in the background relative to the forward chocolate notes. Coffee and the chocolate with some nice caramel malt underpinning, plus a very light smoke note as well.”
Overall: “From the aroma I would not have expected a chile beer but with the flavor, the chile spice grows and grows. It’s a sneaky heat and very well done! Very balanced expression of pepper and beer.”
