2016 Share This: Molé by The Bruery

15392894_10103789029780910_3409779641185004719_oRating: 6/6

2016 Share This: Molé by The Bruery is an 11.1% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with Ancho Chilies, Chipotle peppers, Cinnamon, Vanilla Beans and Cacao Nibs

Label:
LEND A HAND
Share This beer and be part of bringing mobility to our friends in Mexico – the Source and inspiration of select ingredients in this beer. For every bottle we produce, Free Wheelchair Mission receives one dollar. #sharethisbeer

Share This is a series of beer that spotlights unique ingredients and important causes. This rich mole-inspired imperial stout collaboration with Chef Anne Conness supports the work of Free Wheelchair Mission in Mexico.

==Introduction==
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Released to the public as the second beer for charity from the “Share This” series. This time they obtained inspiration from Mexican cuisine, the awesome dish of Molé. The last time the Bruery made an awesome Molé beer was when they made the Smoking Wood variant which was a tap only release. It was definitely awesome and one I would love to review one day if it is re-released. This series is definitely awesome as it does donate a dollar for every bottle sold to the cause of the Free Wheelchair Mission. Yes, it is not much money but this is a microbrewery after all. It’s good to see breweries who do more not just for communities but for causes that really help people. Let’s see how this one is, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, prunes, cherries, raspberries, capirotada Mexican bread pudding, vanilla, flan, crème brulee, dulce de leche cajeta/caramel, Pan Dulce, chipotle, guajillo, ancho chiles, cinnamon, nutmeg, rich chocolate abuelita, Kahlua liquer notes, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Bakers chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, piloncillo sugar cone, grilled bananas, anise, coffee and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Super rich chocolate abuelita, Kahlua liquer notes, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Bakers chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, piloncillo sugar cone, grilled bananas, chipotle, guajillo, ancho chiles, cinnamon, nutmeg, dark fruit raisins, prunes, cherries, raspberries, capirotada Mexican bread pudding, vanilla, flan, crème brulee, dulce de leche cajeta/caramel, Pan Dulce, apple pie, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, Danish cream cookies, marshmallow smores, graham crackers, burnt candi sugar, waffle cone, molé spices, champurrado, molasses, anise, 3 leche/ 3 Milks cake, coffee cake, mocha, java, steamed milk and Mazapan.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with rich notes of chocolate abuelita, dark chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, peppery hints, dark fruits, marshmallows, flan, earthy notes and champurrado. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV, dark body, creamy, velvety, silky, syrupy, chewy and viscous mouthfeel and a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
An exceptional breaking brew. Easily, a new favorite Molé, or in this case, the best Molé beer I have ever had that was more about Molé, not Mexican chocolate, as that is another story best told in a previous review. For a Molé beer though, this is damn insane and delicious. Definitely a step above some of the other Molé beers I have tried in the past. The chocolate and spices are there but not overly spicy and sweetness is not overwhelming either. Everything just comes together very well and complex. Definitely a highly recommended brew.
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Anime Corner:
Sombra from Overwatch was used in this series not necessarily for the label colors but for the use of a Mexican anime/video game character. Sombra, or Shadow is a hacker who uses her skills to manipulate the corrupted systems of power for the greater good. While her colors and ethnicity go well with the flavors of the brew (like dark fruits) and the culture of the cuisine, the “doing something for a good cause” is what I liked about this pairing as this beer is all for a good cause.

Sources:
http://img0.reactor.cc/pics/post/full/Blizzard-фэндомы-Sombra-(Overwatch)-Overwatch-art-3415270.jpeg
https://animebeers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/fa99b-sombra.jpg
http://img1.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/full/Sombra-(Overwatch)-Blizzard-фэндомы-Overwatch-art-3471483.jpeg

Winter Ale by Telegraph Brewing

64285_10101099852279180_679892906_nRating: 4.6/5

Winter Ale by Telegraph Brewing, in Santa Barbara CA, is 7.1%ABV Winter Warmer brewed with spices.

Label: 
Inspired by Mexican hot chocolate. Telegraph Winter Ale warms even the coldest of nights with hints of cinnamon,allspice,and sweet ancho chilies. Using generous amounts of chocolate and caramel malts,we brew this beer in limited quantities as a special treat for our friends and families. Be sure to enjoy it cool,rather than cold to fully appreciate its complexity.
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The aromas of this beer are of caramel, apples, cinnamon, sugar plums, spicy chocolate, ginger, cloves, butterscotch, brown sugar and caramel. The flavors are close to a quad but lean more toward a spicy side than a bready side. Although some raisin bread pudding can be detected. This is quite nice. The ancho chillies come out alittle bit later as it warms up but only like peppery and spicy notes rather than heat. There are also flavors of chocolate abuelita, plums, apples, slight apple pie, cocoa, cinnamon, brown sugar, ginger bread, cloves, all spice and nutmeg. The beer has a nice cinnamon after taste that lingers for a while. It is a sweeter but more spicier. This one is worth trying as it is still very good and I am sure it would be good for the holidays too. While it is not abundant in chocolate, that is still no reason to not get it. The beer shines in its ability to balance out the sweetness with it’s spicyness which is really good. Like I said I almost got some nice quad characters. Which is definitely a reason to get this again.