Tag Archives: hot chocolate

Xocoveza – Stone Brewing

by Mike

From Stone Brewing in Escondido California comes their “Xocoveza” an Imperial Stout inspired by Mexican Hot Chocolate.  The beer pours a deep black colour with a brown head.  The aroma consists of milk chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, coffee, spices and some sweetness.  The flavour is of milk chocolate, toffee, coffee, cinnamon, roasted malts, spices and some sweetness.   The alcohol content comes in at 8.1% with an IBU of 50.  This is my first every chance to try this beer and I really liked it.  I had once smelled it as a bottle jumped out of my car and smashed on the ground.   That was a sad day indeed!

Commercial Description:  There’s nothing like making a beer so beloved that people feel compelled to campaign for its return. So, in the spirit of the holiday season, we are very pleased to give our fans the number one item on their wish lists. As illustrated by the avalanche of social media requests, that is Stone Xocoveza, an insanely delicious take on Mexican hot chocolate brewed with cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. First brewed in 2014 with San Diego homebrewer Chris Banker after his recipe won our annual homebrew competition, this imperial stout is layered with smooth roastiness, semisweet chocolate and a touch of spice. Thanks entirely to you, this creamy, mocha stout has gone from initially being a one-time offering to a yearly tradition. Happy holidays from all of us to all of you…and feel free to continue enjoying it long into the spring and summer, as this gem will age beautifully and is definitely not exclusive to the winter season!

For food and cigar pairings head to Stone Brewing’s site.

Hot Chocolate Porter – Ravens Brewing Company

by Mike

From Ravens Brewing Company in Abbotsford comes their “Hot Chocolate Porter”.  Despite the name this beer should be considered chilled and not hot.  The beer pours an opaque black with a brown head.  The aroma consists of milk chocolate, malts and a very sweet finish.  The flavour is of roasted malts, milk chocolate, sweet, earth and some smoke in the finish.  The alcohol content comes in at 6% with an IBU of 25.  Some will find this to sweet and in a way I am surprised I did not but if you like a good hot chocolate just picture this tasting quite similar but cold instead.

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Bridge Brewing –  Uganda Sipi Brown Ale

by steveeh

Mike brought me a coffee brown ale Called Uganda Sipi from Bridge Brewing in trade for the Moody/Fuggles Pear Kolsch.

It pours nicely dark, almost more like a stout dark brown. The head look like a nitrogen head with very fine bubble and a dark tan colour.

The nose give coffee and grain in equal measure, mostly dark malts with dark chocolate notes.

In the mouth is where this beer really shines, starting with a creamy mouthfeel followed by a subtly tingly carbonation and then a milky coffee flavour rolls in. The coffee fades behind a malted chocolate flavour and then everything fades to a nice hot chocolate flavour.