The Bruery Share This: Mole

**Aroma:** “Nose is relatively mild. Light chocolate up front. As it warms, a bit of alcohol and more chocolate. Low hops aroma, no sweetness. Light sherry note. As it warms, slight fruity esters (plum, pear, cherry). Less chocolate and roast than expected. Some woody English character. Black licorice mixed with dark chocolate.” **Flavor:** “Rich roast and chocolate up front that is moderately dry. Moderate astringency throughout the sip that emphasizes the alcohol at the end and into the aftertaste. Smooth and strong, roast is medium. Alcohol warmth gets your attention without being harsh. Hop flavors medium strong, resinous, spicy. Some tart notes in the aftertaste. Thin bodied.” **Overall:** “Dry with roast, chocolate, and alcohol that are all fighting to be #1. The roast and alcohol finish in the aftertaste leaving the chocolate hanging. Slight sharpie note, perhaps a bit too much black patent malt. Seems to be aged, mostly good oxidized but some flattening of malt notes.”

**Aroma:** “Strong bold aroma. Some toffee and caramel. Strong malt sweetness, sweet cocoa powder, and almond with lots of vanilla to fill the gaps. Strong butterscotch or Butterfinger.” **Flavor:** “The flavor starts with a dry chocolate sweetness and carries through with some bitterness that leaves a slight astringent finish. Lots of roast character in the flavor. Rich sweet milk chocolate and almond throughout with vanilla supporting. The butterscotch continues into the flavor, but with an increase in complexity, from intense chocolate and roast. The warmth hits in the finish. And the beer finishes with some chewiness left on the tongue.” **Overall:** “Some nice chocolate and malt sweetness. This beer is pretty heavy through the finish. Not bad, just a little odd. Butterscotch or Butterfinger on the nose and more in the flavor. This beer is like drinking a liquified butterscotch chocolate malt ball.”

**Aroma:** “Big chile aroma, followed quickly by dark roast coffee, almost burnt and somewhat ashy. Fruity and spicy coffee dominate, with some cinnamon underneath. The base stout smells rich and highly roasted. A hint of chile and mole spice. Relatively light aroma overall.” **Flavor:** “The flavor is much richer than the nose, with a nice explosion of strong stout characteristics of roast and chocolate malt, as well as lots of coffee. Medium-hot chile, black pepper, and some alcohol warmth. Raisin, plum, and dried fruit, with a touch of caramel. Big sweet body that lasts, and the finish has a hint of spicy heat, ash, and chocolate.” **Overall:** “Might be a bit too much going on—the flavors seem to stand apart rather than blending harmoniously. The very dark roasted coffee flavors are a little overpowering, lending a harsh burnt finish. The chile feels quite hot because the roasted and acidic coffee flavors add to the heat. It’s an interesting beer overall. The coffee is nice, but the beer could use more complexity and a stronger mole character.