Sexual Chocolate - Foothills Brewing Company

ddtprm

South Carolina

4.88/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Enjoyed this beer on tap on 2/4/11 from Brixx Pizza in South Charlotte along side a pizza with proscuitto, artichoke, olives, garlic, and mushroom. ...Dang, I'm hungry again. $6 for a shaker pint.

Appearance is a deep, dark black with no light shining through. It had a beautiful 2 finger deep brown head that lasted quite a while. Lacing was above average. It wasn't until I reached the very bottom of the glass was I able to see any light through the beer.

This brew smells glorious. Semisweet chocolate and dark roast coffee dominate here. Some high abv beers you can really smell the booze...not so here.

Taste...OH DEAR GOD. Foothills seriously knocks it out of the park and into the next zip code with this one. Hardly a hint of alcohol. The taste follows the smell here. Absolutely exceptional.

Mouthfeel is actually not nearly as chewy and viscous as I was expecting. It is very creamy and smooth. It has the consistency of whole milk. I actually enjoyed this aspect of it a lot more than I expected to.

What really takes this beer over the top is its drinkability. Big beers like this can scare a lot of beer novices. Especially ones as dark as this. Our waitress, who at her own admittance is not a beer drinker, said it was love at first sip. This beer goes down amazingly quickly and easy. It seemed to have been served right around 50 degrees, which i would say is the perfect temp. There is absolutely zero alcohol bite or off bitterness you might expect with a chocolate heavy beer.

I had 3 pints of this stuff during dinner and easily could have had more. Yeah...it's THAT good. Seek this stuff out. NOW.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2011 15:55:04 | More by ddtprm

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Foothills Brewing Co. during SC release weekend - 1/28/11 & 1/29/11

*I should note that both the 2011 and the 2009 were on tap. For the purposes of this reivew, I will be covering the 2011.

A: Dark heady brown, fading to black. It isn't the most viscous stout I've seen, though it's certainly near the top of the list. Moderate unsticky head, minimal lacing.

S: Very very nice, the highlight of this brew. Rich hints of dark chocoa nibs and a faint trace of herbacious hops.

T: Good. Very good in fact. But not great, not the "wow" I was expecting. Everything I tend to look for in an RIS is there: a minor essence of hops up front, slight spice on the mid-palate and the malty backbone on the finish. Where I found a slight - shall I say nick in the paint, is the chocolate, the heavy amount of Hershey's syrup I got all the way through. I felt that there wasn't a sense of balance. I'm all for EXTREME!!! - believe me, I am. But I find that the absolute best beers, regardless of how far the envelope is pushed, find balance between every ingredient used. For as much as I enjoyed this one, I did not find the balance that I had hoped for. Instead, I found a melted Hershey's Kiss in my mouth.

M: A slight bit flabby and thin considering all the cocoa running through it's veins. I would tone down the carbonation levels, and create a beer with a bit more weight and viscosity. What is being presented is certainly above average, but again not what I had expeted.

O: I am overjoyed to have had this on tap. Though I found it not to be the best RIS I've ever consumed, it is definitely in the upper echelon. To be honest, my expectations were through the roof - this is (dare I say) a whale, and one I had been dreaming of trying for some time.

With a little bit of age in proper storing conditions, I honestly believe this young and brash 2011 vintage will be marvelous, as the '09 was remarkable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2011 23:54:28 | More by Rhettroactive

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had this on tap on-going for the last 2 days/nights at Sexual Chocolate Day 2011. I had both the 11' version and the 08' one.

A: Poured black as night, with a nice mocha head that remained at least a ring around the brew throughout the entire session. Only a higher power would be able to tell the carbonation level.

S: Very intense coffee notes, with.... you guessed it.... chocolate imbedded in the dark madness. No soy sauce or anything of that nature just yet.

T: Here is where the two versions I tried differ. The 08' was MUCH sweeter and fruitier than the 2011. The finish was substantially less dry and had a very milk chocolate candy quality. The 2011, while still very good, had sort of a sawdust flair on the finish that reminded me of a dark, unsweetened, baker's chocolate.

M: 2008: Chewy and very sweet. The licorice blended into the cocoa quite well. 2011: Very dry, bitter, and not as smooth in general. Both were thick in texture and carbonated satisfactorily for the style.

D: I'm giving the 2008 an A- and the 2011 a B+. However, both are very worthy entries in a very competitive style.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2011 12:09:22 | More by Chaney

CBlack85

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Duckworths in Charlotte, served in a pint glass.

The beer is completely black with no highlights, even when held up to the light. There is a big, creamy,light brown colored head that slowly recedes leaving behind lots of sticky lacing.

Lots of dark/semi-sweet chocolate (I really expected more creamy milk chocolate aromas), roasted malts, and coffee. There are also some smaller hints of dark fruit, toffee, caramel, and molasses that round out the nose. Very nice, appealing aroma that draws you in, and makes your mouth water.

The dominant flavors are that of roasted malts, molasses, some coffee, and to a lesser degree dark chocolate. I expected a huge chocolate bomb, but the use of chocolate seems to be an accent, rather than the focus of the beer. A slight smoky/charred flavor adds a bit of bitterness that balances well with the sweet flavors. Just a hint of alcohol burn that becomes more noticable as the beer warms, but still never tips you off the the big 9.75% ABV. A very well crafted beer. Full bodied and mildly carbonated, dangerously easy to drink and very smooth.

Beers with this much hype surrounding them can oftentimes disappoint. This one does not, I am not sure that it is the best RIS that I have ever consumed, but it definately deserves the fanfare.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2010 18:56:49 | More by CBlack85

emmasdad

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep, opaque black, with a pretty decent amount of light to medium brown head. Aromas of roasted malt, dark chocolate and mocha/espresso. Nice flavors of cocoa powder, espresso, roasted malts, and a little bit of sweetness. The body here is a little bit thin, but overall a pretty nice example of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2010 05:32:47 | More by emmasdad

robsharpe

North Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Sometime last year I came across Foothills Brewery out of Winston-Salem, NC and immediately took to their ales. Once I started paying attention I head about their Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout and I was able to enjoy a glass with dinner last night.

This was on tap and I enjoyed it in a snifter. It was quite dark in appearance and in the aroma I was able to smell a subtle dark chocolate. The taste was well balanced with the a slight bitterness. It was exceptionally drinkable.

This is by far one of my favorite beers.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2010 16:08:20 | More by robsharpe

cdizinno

South Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Delayed review from notes taken in Feb. 2010. Full pint of 2010. Then a subsequent tasting of '08, '09, and '10 tapped at the Flying Saucer in Columbia, SC.

A: Pint had minimal dark tan head with little to no lacing. Almost black color. The '08 had a better head with nice lacing.

S: All were fresh baked chocolate, dark malts, and a espresso. Coffee and fruits were also present.

T&M: The 2010 was nice and smooth, but the 2008 was the smoothest and most balanced tasting. The '09 was the booziest and thinner than any stout I've ever tried. All were sweet with roasted flavored. Malts, dark cocoa, rich chocolate, and some coffee/espresso. Semi-dry and medium bodied (with the exception of the '09).

Quality brew but not a favorite of mine in the category. I typically do not enjoy aged styles, but the '08 was probably the best as a sipper. The '10 was a bit smoother, but not as flavorful as the '08.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2010 18:36:21 | More by cdizinno

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Didn't know anything about this brewery until my non-drinking bro-in-law took me there Fri night - the locals at the bar mentioned Sexual Chocolate, and it was then I remembered the name... on w/the review:

Poured into a 10oz glass with a short tan head over a deep opaque black color - nearly impossible to review a beer's real Appearance in a bar, so giving it the benefit of the doubt.

Smelled of good, roasted bean quality with a lightly sweet / bittersweet chocolate. Some nuttiness present. Served a bit too cold, so didn't pick up everything that is probably there.

Pretty creamy mouthfeel - roasted malts come thru first in the flavor, with some dark chocolate and well bittered with the hops. Light coffee, and some toffee come through as it warmed. Overall, it was a little lighter on the palate than I would've hoped for from a celebrated RIS, but pretty nice mouthfeel nonetheless.

Drinkability is terrific, with only the mouthfeel keeping it from hitting a five. My brother in law said he'd be willing to sit in the line next year to get me a bottle from the annual release, since he works a few blocks away, so I will definitely take him up on that!!

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2010 02:51:15 | More by BeerImmediately

mdfb79

New York

4.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Review #200. Had on tap tonight (4/5/10) at Churchkey in Washington, DC. This was the 2009 SC and was served in a 10 oz. snifter.

a - Pours a dark brown with one finger of brown head and nice lacing and froth.

s - Smells of cocoa, sweet chocolate and malts, roasted malts, and maybe some dark fruit. As it warms up, got a little coffee as well.

t - Tastes of bitter chocolate up front, followed up cocoa, roasted malts. As it warms up maybe a little vanilla and dark fruit.

m - Medium body and low carbonation, very smooth and creamy. Very easy to drink.

d - Overall I thought this was a great beer. I've had 09 and 10 SC and think the 09 is much better. I think the time on it lets the hops fade and lets the chocolate and some other flavors like the dark fruit come out more. For 9.75% ABV this is very drinkable and I can't wait to try my bottles of 2010 SC with some time on them.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2010 02:38:57 | More by mdfb79

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.4/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2009 vintage on tap at Church Key today. What a pleasant surprise!

The pour is quite gorgeous, black with a dark brown head with great retention and lacing. I found the nose excellent. While there was a definite faded hop character with a mildly oxidized character, the blend between dark chocolate, roast, cocoa and a toasted bread sweetness was very very good. The palate opens with a blend of chocolate flavor and a surprising, mild lactic tartness. Flavors of dark chocolate, toasted bread, a moderate caramel sweetness all appear on the palate. Some dark fruit character is noticeable as well, with some plum character. Mildly bitter on the finish with a great dark chocolate bitterness, this beer tastes great. The mouthfeel is borderline exceptional. Medium to full in body with a soft, lush carbonation, this feels exceptional smooth on the palate, a lushness which works beautifully with the delicate chocolate character and the bitterness. This really is a top notch stout, I'd have drunk more but for the $10 pours. Much better than out of a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2010 01:28:47 | More by DefenCorps

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.25/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

At Churchkey in DC, a 10 oz snifter for $9 of the 2009 vintage. First time I've ever seen anything from Foothills in DC/Nova/MD area.

This experience with the beer wasn't all that impressive. The beer is served in a snifter that is about 4/5 near black, opaque liquid with a large, dense foamy tan head that hangs around the duration of the beer and leaves thick sheets of lacing. Aroma is mild blend of expected roast malt, cocoa, milk chocolate, slightly powdery. Carbonation is very low throughout and body is generally silky and smooth, but marginally thin for the style and slightly watery in the finish. Flavor is one dimensional, natural milk chocolate and cocoa powder with a mild sweet malt body. Little to no hop, fruit, char or alcohol presence resulting in an overall lack of balance. I'm waiting to try a bottle of the 2010 release and have greatly diminished expectations for that, but I'm still holding out hope that will be a little more complex, interesting and nuanced. However if this keg was representative of what everyone else has sampled for this beer, then for me this is easily one of the most undeservedly over hyped and sought after beers I've tried.

edit: Reading other reviews from the same night it's like we had two different beers. I wonder if I had a dirty glass or...I don't know, something seems off. Wouldn't be first time that's happened to me there.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2010 00:58:22 | More by yourefragile

jpmclaug

South Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Draft pour into a snifter at Revolution Pizza in Charlotte

A - Black as night with a nice tan head that sticks around as long as the glass isn't empty.

S - Smells like roasted barley, a hint of coffee and ... dark chocolate!

T - Huge roasted malt flavors at first with loads of dark chocolate flavor at the end. Full of flavor from start to finish. Reminds me a lot of eating a piece of dark chocolate. The alcohol flavors are covered up real well and I love that about it.

M - Really smooth drinking beer. Medium to heavy body.

D - I really love this beer. The chocolate flavor is very pronounced, you can't taste the booze and it is easy to drink for such a bit stout. Easily the best dark beer I've ever had.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2010 02:28:49 | More by jpmclaug

adam42381

Florida

4.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewery. Poured into an 8 ounce tulip glass.

Appearance: Pours a near-black coffee color with a 1 finger dark tan head which dissipates quickly. Almost no lacing.

Smell: Coffee and roasted malt with hints of chocolate and caramel.

Taste: Strong coffee taste up front with hints of caramel and malt. Nice dark chocolate aftertaste with just a hint of bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-to-full bodied, nice and creamy. Just the right amount of carbonation.

Drinkability: Very high considering its high ABV.

Overall: Excellent representation of the style. This is one to seek out. One of the best Imperial Stouts I've ever had the privilege of drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2010 20:54:27 | More by adam42381

beer2day

North Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Barley's in Greenville and Nick's in Clemson, SC.

Pours jet black with a lighter tan 2-finger head. Excellent head retention and nice thick lacing down the glass.

Nose is very big and roasty. Roast malt definitely dominates. Chocolate is a close 2nd in the nose, with alcohol coming in as well.

Very creamy, smooth hit. Dark chocolate malt with faint cherries and raspberries backing it up. The finish has nice hints of sweetness as well as roast flavors. Really nice.

Perfect body. Just what I want in an impy stout.

Great, great sipper. I like this much better on draft than out of the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2010 14:53:13 | More by beer2day

jpro

South Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow... had this on tap at the Mellow Mushroom. Poured an opaque black with a dark tan / light brown head - not much lacing to be had, although there was decent head retention. Smell was dominated by chocolate, primarily cocoa powder and straight up milk and dark deliciousness. Taste was also heavy on the chocolate - whoa... brownie batter in liquid form! A touch of sweetness (a la molasses) on the finish. Not much of a hop bite or any indication of 10% (??!!) abv. Mouthfeel is silky smooth, and the finish is ridiculously smooth and unparalleled amongst RIS's. Drinkability is hella up there! Great stuff - lives up to the hype!

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2010 04:51:00 | More by jpro

Lunch

Maryland

4.83/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Review # 200

Served on-tap at Foothills Brewery in Winston-Salem, NC during the 2010 Sexual Chocolate release into a Foothills Brewing Signature glass at the appropriate temperature (02/05/10). This review is for the 2010 batch.

A: Pours nearly black with a motor oil quality capped off with a finger of a tan head that dissolves to a foam and leaves some patchy and sticky lacing.

S: Wonderful aroma of milk chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, graham cracker, and some espresso/coffee. Hints of toffee and caramel are found as well.

T: The taste follows the nose and I must say that this is quite a tasty beverage. Milk chocolate, cocoa, and roasted malt highlight the profile along with layers of graham cracker, coffee, espresso, toffee, and some caramel. Wonderfully balanced and extremely complex.

M: Full-bodied with appropriate creamy carbonation. Thick at times, but never syrupy.

D: I could drink this all day long and it is so well-crafted and expertly balanced. The 10% is not found in the taste at all.

Overall I must say that is an exceptional Imperial Stout from Foothills and one that is deserving of its great praise. This was tasted at my first ever beer release and it did not disappoint. Great brewery, run by great people and producing some great beer! My Highest Recommendation.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2010 20:32:01 | More by Lunch

MacDaddyJ

North Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had as part of a wonderful 3 year vertical at the Flying Saucer in Charlotte, NC!

It poured a deep and opaque black color with a dark brown head. There was a big chocolate aroma with notes of espresso, more chocolate and a subtle following of molasses, dark sweet toffee and dark fruit. Smooth dark chocolate backbone, both bittersweet and malt, with complex notes of coffee, dark toffee and dark fruit. Each sip leaves you craving another. This Imperial stout weighs in around 10% ABV and is worth every bit of hype it gets!

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2010 08:09:29 | More by MacDaddyJ

OSUBeerStudent

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Both 09 and 10 vintages on tap at Tyler's in Durham. This is for 10.

A - Nice half-fingerish dark brown head on an opaque body. What I'm looking for.

S - Very good stuff. Nice smooth blend of the espresso, coffee, dark fruits, bit of roastiness. Smells good but not exceptional.

T - Excellent. Plenty of what I smelled, espresso, dark fruit, roasty malts, chocolate. This isn't like Rogue's or anything, though - the chocolate is present throughout but not overpowering. It's an aspect of the flavor but not the flavor itself. This is how chocolate stouts should be made. It's also an exceptionally smooth-drinking beer. Heavier on the chocolate and malt than espresso - good.

M - Also excellent. Carbonation's just right (good thing I suppose since it was the release night there Wed). The thickness is a great balance for a strong imp stout.

D - This one is truly remarkable. The alcohol is blended so well into the flavor that you don't get a warning sign until you break for a moment. The chocolate/espresso stays great as it warms up, too. Every glass was great from start to finish. I could've kept drinking this throughout the Duke-UNC game, but 3 before/throughout was enough.

Notes for the 09 edition, just differences - the main difference was in the actual balance. Tons more chocolate and sweetness in this than the 10. The 10 had a great balance of roast, coffee, and chocolate, while the 09 definitely tilted a bit far to the chocolate side. This showed up in smell and taste, and the sweetness lowered drinkability some. Otherwise it was still quite good and I'd gladly drink this at home had I made it to the release, but on tap is fine with me.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2010 05:36:58 | More by OSUBeerStudent

mralphabet

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the brewery

A: Very dark almost black. Very little head, nice little ring and very nice lacing.

S: First smell I'm getting is sweet roasted malt and molasses followed by a dark chocolate and a hint of coffee. Not as much chocolate as I was expecting, but smells very Imperial Stout like, so it follows the style.

T: Just like the smell... Sweet roasted malt, dark chocolate, molasses and coffee. There is really no hops at all. Again a very Imperial Stout.

M: Very smooth and creamy, no carbonation to speak yet feels oddly thin in the finish. I'm a little mixed on this one. It does improve as it warms up. Not as full as other Imperial Stouts.

D: Very easy to drink, the high ABV makes it a 1 or 2 in a session kind of brew. It is a must have if you are in the area in February.

I have to say it was not as much chocolate as I was expecting. Still worth a stop by to try it out.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2010 04:12:59 | More by mralphabet

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Poured into what looked like a pilsner glass, I would have rather had a snifter or tulip, but oh well. It pours pitch black with no head to speak of, but a ring of mocha colored foam.

S-Espresso, dark chocolate, and hops are mostly what I noted in the nose.

T-Dark chocolate, espresso, cream, and some hoppiness stand out at first. When it warms it gets better as more milk chocolate and cream notes become more dominant. The flavor was good, but not as complex as I expected.

M-Rich and creamy, but slightly thin.

D-The drinkability is through the roof. I must admit it doesn't have the feel of an imperial stout, it seems almost like an American stout/porter. It drinks so smooth and doesn't really challenge you, which is good but a little disappointing.

Overall, I am glad I tried this beer, but also glad I wasn't able to make it to the release party where I would have spent $50 acquiring the maximum number of bottles. I have had better representations of the style, but enjoyed it nonetheless. I don't want to seem like I am being critical of Foothills, because I enjoyed the beer and the meal I had with it. I think I just expected too much.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2010 16:41:26 | More by thegodfather2701

NCBeernut

North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this in a 3 year verticle at Flying Saucer. Served in snifters. The scoring for this review is for the fresh '10.

Pour is black as hell with a pretty nice brown pillowy head on it that sticks around for quite a while. Aroma is heavily roasted with a bit of char and faint alcohol...anise-like qualities here too, but only faint. Pleasant roastiness (roasted barley and chocolate malt) without much astringency. Just a hint of chocolate. Very full bodied. Some raisin is present. Munich-like maltiness in the finish. Just a hint of burnt wood.

The '08 - The nice soft roasted characteristics have given way to semi-astringent char. The alcohol is more noticable, especially in the nose. Vinous and sherry like characteristics have developed from mild oxidation. Munich maltiness is not as noticable. Definitely not liking this as much.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2010 16:04:41 | More by NCBeernut

zoso493

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this one on-tap at the brewery the day after the bottle release.

Appearance: This is a pretty dark chocolate colored brew, as one might expect. It's not the darkest of imperial stouts, but it's not letting any light through. On tap, it had a fairly diminutive head that dissipated quickly and left to lacing to speak of on the glass.

Smell: This one has an overwhelming smell of chocolate syrup, but in an extremely smooth and natural way. This is easily the most chocolatey smelling beer I've ever sniffed. I couldn't pick out a whole bunch else in the nose, but it was pretty sweet smelling.

Taste: Really, really smooth beer. The chocolate is obviously the most pronounce taste but the roasted malts come up big to balance all that sweetness. For such a fresh beer, there is almost no trace of the hops, which works very well in an imperial stout. Very well put together brew.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel was a little bit disappointing and thin in this one but it was extremely smooth and drinkable, so all was not lost.

Drinkability: As I've mentioned a few times before, smoothness if the name of the game with this beer. It goes down really easily, and you'd never guess it was 10% ABV by the taste alone.

Overall, this is a very nice imperial stout and easily the best chocolate stout I've had to date (though I admit I haven't had a whole lot of them). It is a really well constructed brew and a pleasure to drink. If you live fairly close to Winston-Salem, it is definitely worth dropping by Foothills for a good meal and a very good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2010 04:24:57 | More by zoso493

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had both the 2009 and 2010 versions on tap at the Sexual Chocolate Release - 02.06.2010.

Poured a very dark black; nice head and appeared to be pretty thick. The smell was full of dark malt, chocolate, some molasses, and bits of coffee. Similar taste but with more deep dark chocolate and nice roastiness. The mouthfeel is a tad bit thin for the style; no noticeable alcoholic warmth (at least in the 2009 version). Highly drinkable and something I was very glad I sought out.

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2010 11:58:47 | More by Thorpe429

GeezLynn

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewery 2/6

A: Black with dark brown edges and small tan ring of head. Not in a large enough glass to showcase the appearance much.
S: Rich chocolate malt, cocoa, a touch of vanilla, some oat mustiness and bit of hops.
T: Definitely the best feature of this beer with loads of bittersweet chocolate and a heavy dose of blackstrap molasses. There's also a touch of sweetness and some hops along with a little coffee present, but somewhat subtle.
M: Very silky and smooth, although a bit thin for my preference.

Overall, a very nice, refined RIS that carries a lot of dark chocolate character. I would definitely go out of my way to have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2010 02:56:17 | More by GeezLynn

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this at the release on 2/6/10. 2009 vintage poured into their pint glass.

A: Served with just a thin wisp of white film at the top. Beer is opaque black. Lacing is rather thin but understandable given the style. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Not too bad but not outstanding.

S: Smoked malt, slight bit of coffee, chocolate, cocoa powder, and a slight soy saucy sweetness. A hint of dried dark fruit either rainsins or prunes.

T: Smoked malt character assaults my taste buds at the beginning. Its a bit much, covering the dark fruit and cocoa presence that I'm looking out for. Soy sauciness is present and a bit sour but in a good way. This lasts throughout the beginning and middle, fading into a prominent aftertaste at the finish. Cocoa is also there but has a certain grainy aggressiveness that hides the other flavors.

M: Medium to full bodied and one of the smoothest RISs that I've had. Carbonation is very low and absolutely silky smooth. Not oily and sticky like most in its style, but with a body that no doubt outmatches its peers. Finish is messy with a bit of smokieness and a slight soy sauciness that fades rather quickly.

D: In my opinion, this is one of the top over-hyped beers. Sure, its pretty good, but nothing outstanding and definitely not worth the hype. Seek it out if you live near the brewery but honestly, there are a bunch of year-round RISs that I'd much rather have. Not bad by any means, but a let down because of the publicity.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2010 17:24:35 | More by SpeedwayJim