Lips Of Faith - Cocoa Molé - New Belgium Brewing

peabody

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours out kinda redish amber like dark ice tea with very little suds. Some lacing around the glass.
Smell is kinda like red hots and carmel. No alcohol in the nose but there is a burning sensation.
Taste is sugar malt, burnt cinamon and red hots.
Don't know what mole taste like but this must be it. Very strong but good. No alcohol here either.
Mouthfeel is sticky and hot. There is some spice here that will burn the tongue. The hot stays with you for a while.
While I like different types of beers I don't think I would buy this again. Just not my cup of tea.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 00:43:36 | More by peabody

kagent777

Utah

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle purchased while in Denver back in February. Poured into my beer goblet.

Appearance: A darkish reddish brown with about a 1 finger head with larger off white bubbles. Even leaves a solid sheet of lace as I drink the beer down.

Smell: I said, "Ohh, that smells just like mole sauce from Red Iguana." My wife, who does not like beer at all, said, "It smells less like fizzy dirty water." Especially after it sits for a few minutes, the smell intensifies a little. Nailed it.

Taste: This has got to be one of the most original beers I have ever had. This one reminds me so much of mole negro sauce from the Mexican place near our home. It starts out with the cocoa, followed by some spices and then a little heat. The "burn" goes all the down the throat. The alcohol is well hidden for a 9.0 ABV beer. I cannot give it a five because I would not want to drink this everyday, but New Belgium really nailed this beer. Kudos for experimenting!

Mouthfeel: Body and carbonation are fine. Finish is long but not overwhelming.

Overall: A very tasty experiment. I really enjoyed this beer and will look for it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 03:51:18 | More by kagent777

nickfl

Florida

3.7/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours with a small head of off-white foam on top of a hazy, dark-brown body. The head settles fairly quickly and leaves only minor lace.

S - Coco powder, chili powder, and cinnamon with some toffee malts in the background. Smells like a spice cabinet.

T - Sweet malt with some caramel syrup flavor up front. Lots of spicy character comes out in the middle with notes of chocolate, clove, cinnamon, allspice, and myriad other spices. Finishes sweet with more spices, coco, and caramel.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a fairly sweet finish.

D - Really interesting, this is unbalanced and weirdly milk chocolate like, but not undrinkable. It would best be described as similar to Mexican hot chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 03:04:36 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: almost no head on a hazy deep mahogany brown body.

S: cocoa, chicken broth, roasted malts, black peppers and light chili spice.

T: very complex and interesting with cocoa almost like home made chocolate milk with perfect degree of chili spice. the sweetness and spiciness is very well balanced.

M: medium body and moderate to high carbonation.

Overall: this beer is very interesting and complex. It is actually really nicely balanced and unique in a good way.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 03:02:35 | More by kylehay2004

rfbenavi80

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I have a love hate relationship with chile beers, I love hot and spicy things, but mixing them with beer has to be done right or they taste like crap. This one should be interesting.
Bottle poured into a New Belgium Globe.

A- Pours a deep brown with 1 finger of fizzy light brown head that fizzles away after a while.

S- Chocolate, roasted red chiles, cinnamon. Smells like somebody's cooking Chicken Mole.

T- Lots of chocolate up front with a faint hint of sweet roasted peppers. The heat from the peppers is very mild, and pleasant. The entire Mole sauce spice profile is there. Cinnamon is the one that stands out, but the spices round out the sweet from the chocolate, and the heat from the chilies very well.

M- Nice medium body. Low amount of carbonation.

O- Wow, really impressed with this one. New Belgium has made a chile beer right. The whole sweet / heat flavor profile is done well. Would buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 10:03:48 | More by rfbenavi80

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Light to medium brown body with a very faint strand of bubbles around the rim.

S- Some hazelnut, cocoa, chocolate malt and a hint of pepper.

T- Faint malt and chocolate taste up front, with heat coming through at the end.

M- Surprisingly light bodied and very drinkable.

O- Interesting and different, drinkable and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 23:35:15 | More by stephenjmoore

dirtyskunk

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark clear amber with lovely head retention. Complex nose with nicely balanced cocoa, cinnamon spice, and dried chili. Sweet and smooth and full bodied but drinkable. Good platform for the interplay between chocolate and spice. Love the chili, I'm not usually a fan of chili beers but this is fantastic. I think they used dried chili which gives it a sort of sweet, grassy, almost herbal flavor up front and a slightly harsh heat in the back. Not too hot though, and the caramel and chocolate malts even it out. Obscenely drinkable for the style and for the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 05:03:38 | More by dirtyskunk

Falcon91Wolvrn03

California

4.18/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance – A very dark but translucent brown. A very thin head, and little lacing.

Smell – Smells of chili, cocoa, and cinnamon.

Taste – This one actually has a surprising chili bite! But it’s tempered by a sweet cinnamon and cocoa flavor.

Mouthfeel – Medium body, creamy, nice carbonation, a slight burn from the chili.

Drinkability – This is quite drinkable, in spite of the chili bite. The chili does an amazing job of covering the 9% abv; I never would have guessed it to be that high.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 05:51:11 | More by Falcon91Wolvrn03

RickS95

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It pours a very, very dark brown but it's more clarified that I'd have guessed. There are some reddish tints within the brown. The head if a contrasting white, but it's fleeting and you're left with little in no time.

There's some depth just in the smell. Chocolate right off the bat, then some chile, and finally some spicy cinnamon. Very malty.

High spice. Chocolate and malts are there, but the cinnamon and the different chiles dominate.

Hot and on the edge of too hot, but it pulls up just shy. Sweetness is only there for a second before a little heat from the cinnamon is introduced, then as the beer works it way toward the throat, the heat from the chiles show up to warm the throat. As if that isn't enough, the alcohol makes an appearance deep in the finish.

A good beer. Not for everyone and those with an aversion to spice may want to pass, but it's relatively drinkable for being so high in ABV and so spicy.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 02:11:20 | More by RickS95

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle. Served in a nonic pint glass, the beer pours a mostly clear reddish/brown color with about a half inch light tan head that didn't stay around for too long. There's a decent amount of lacing. Aroma is mostly sweet, it smells like chocolate, cinnamon, caramel, and some chile peppers. The taste is similar to the aroma, it tastes like chocolate, chile peppers, cinnamon, caramel, and a little bit of coffee. There's a good lingering spicy finish, and the pepper flavor is much stronger in this brew than I expected it to be considering the aroma isn't very spicy. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's a bit slick and coating, but it also seems somewhat thin at times. Moderate carbonation. Overall I think it's a good, tasty brew that I would like to try again.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 21:37:15 | More by bluejacket74

claspada

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a semi-clear medium-dark brown color with a thin off-white head that fades pretty quickly. Just a few spots of bubbly lacing on the sides of the glass.

Aromas begin quite cinnamon forward with some mild but increasingly intense chocolate. The spice/peppers are noticed, but in the background.

The tastes are quite spice forward, both cinnamon and chile pepper. The chocolate and toasted bready maltiness in the aroma is completely overpowered by the dualing over-spicing, which is unfortunate, as they really drown out the other aspects of the beer.

The mouthfeel is light-medium bodied with medium carbonation. The finish has quite a bit of lingering spice. The heat isn't overbearing at all, but it is disproportionate to the other characteristics of the beer. Typical thin mouthfeel that is found with many of New Belgium's beer thanks to them filtering and not bottle-conditioning anymore

Overall this beer started okay but ended up completely falling flat for me. The spices overwhelm the flavor profile of the beer leaving it too cinnamon forward in the end (which says a lot because I love it, I put a crap-ton in in my oatmeal everyday). LOF series beers are quite hit or miss, you can guess where I feel this one falls.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 20:10:20 | More by claspada

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Purchased at the Wine Source in Baltimore.
Bottled on 12/21/2011
22 oz. bottle
Label reads: "Say hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, and chipotle peppers. But don't fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have you saying 'ole for mole!'"

I had somewhat high expectations for this beer as my friend said that this was one of the best beers they have ever had in their life. Bold statement...

Pours a deep ruby chestnut color with excellent clarity. Tan head fizzes away at a moderately fast pace and leaves practically nothing on top. The body is very dark, deep dark brown with red highlights.

The aroma is exciting; definitely different than most beers. Chocolate is there with some spices. It has a creamy, "lactose" aroma to it. Smells sweet. If I didn't know there were peppers thrown in, I'm not sure I would be able to pull that aroma out. However, if you concentrate and when it is warm enough, you can get some of that pepper aroma.

Extremely flavorful beer! There is a burst of spicy pepper notes, cinnamon, ginger, clove, followed by a saccharin-sweet chocolate finish and a long, spicy heat from the peppers. This is one tasty beer! The one thing I would maybe change to improve upon would be that cocoa flavor. It truly is a bit too much and is oddly giving me the impression of artificial sweetener.

The beer is medium bodied with plenty of carbonation. There is a lingering bite from the heat of the peppers.

Cocoa Mole is a "style bender" and a good one at that. Peppers, chocolate, spices...it's all mole, but could there be such a thing as Mole Beer? Overall, this would be a good food beer, otherwise it didn't do enough for me that I would drink it again on its own.

Pair it with something Mexican...mole (duh) burrito, peppered flank steak, churros.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 21:16:29 | More by MusicaleMike

Bobheed

Texas

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a muddy reddish brown with about a half finger of a tight eggshell head.

S: Has a nearly identical smell to Abuelita Authentic Mexican Chocolate. Lots of earthy spices and some pepper all engulfed in chocolate undertones

T: Follows the nose fairly well, but with more peanut butter. I'm greeted by intense cinnamon, chocolate, and peanut butter, then hit very hard with chiles. The heat fades quickly, but comes back in the aftertaste

M: Medium-thick body, very creamy, and has just the right amount of chile to give you a nice tingling sensation on the tongue

Overall this was pretty darn good. Chile beers aren't usually my kind of thing, but this one stands out above most to me. Would recommend to any chile beer fans or anyone who likes Mexican hot chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 02:52:37 | More by Bobheed

snaotheus

Washington

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle split into two big snifters

Pours a dark dingy, cloudy brown with a small head and a fair amount of continuing carbonation. Smell is fruity, spicy and sweet. Some chocolate.

Taste is interesting. It keeps reminding me of something I can't quite identify. It's some spice that I can't name. My wife could tell me. Some chocolate, pretty sweet.

Mouthfeel is slightly thick. Overall, this is pretty good. I don't get much in the way of chili, though.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 04:46:41 | More by snaotheus

nimrod979

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bomber bottled on 12/21/12.

Appearance: Pours a dark somewhat hazy amber with a thin beige head. Very little retention. No lacing.

Aroma: Interesting. Cinnamon, spice, caramel, chocolate malt. Even some dark fruit thrown in there. Unique.

Taste: Shew. Where to start? Lots of spice up front. Cinnamon is very prominent. Chocolate malts. Dry powdered cocoa. Spicy chili and chipotle flavor on the back end. I think the cinnamon is little too strong though. Lots of interesting flavors. Definitely different.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Plenty of spice adds a little kick of heat (could also be the alcohol). Dry, and leaves an almost chalky feeling in your mouth, which makes you think of the powdered cocoa. Spicy kick on the finish.

Interesting offer from New Belgium. I enjoyed it for it's uniqueness and complexity but I think the cinnamon is a little too strong and that makes a bomber hard to finish. It's definitely the dominate flavor. Perhaps best suited sharing this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 23:55:56 | More by nimrod979

Mora2000

Texas

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a brownish-red color with a tan head. The aroma is full of chocolate and cocoa, with some light chili notes and some roasted malt. The flavor is a little more complex. There is a ton of milk chocolate and roasted green pepper notes, as well as some cream and some roasted malt. There is also a little bit of heat from the peppers. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice chocolate-chili beer, a style that has become more popular and I am always excited to try.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 03:03:49 | More by Mora2000

Skunkdrool

California

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A-dark brown, mostly clear, nice tan head
S-Ancho, chocolate, light yeast, vanilla
T-Cocoa, cinnamon, guajillos in throat, ancho on tongue
M-Killer body, spongy, great carb
O-Stoked. Well rounded. Very drinkable considering how high the abv is. Looking forward to seeing this age

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 00:39:04 | More by Skunkdrool

MasterSki

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased at West Lakeview Liquors. Served in a tulip.

A - Creamy tan foam settles to a thick collar, wispy partial cap, and a few splotches of lace. Transparent dark ruby body.

S - Tons of milky cocoa, biscuits, and toasty malts. There's some mild vegetal pepper and spice mixed in, and a hint of alcohol.

T - Taste is quite similar, with oodles of melted chocolate, toasty biscuits, and a mildly spicy and peppery finish. Alcohol is better-hidden here, and the cocoa elements dominate until the molé shows up a touch in the lingering aftertaste.

M - Smooth, medium-full body, with pleasant lower carbonation, and some peppery heat and spice in the finish.

D - This was pretty enjoyable. There are probably a bazillion calories in here, but it tastes great and the alcohol is quite well-hidden. I imagine it'd be tough to drink a whole bomber by myself, but it's a nice beer for sharing. Delivers exactly as promised - would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 18:10:42 | More by MasterSki

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.48/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet.

A: Light head tops a ruby-translucent beer. Dark brown. Pretty, with good lacing!

S: Musky, but not much. Chocolate and chile dust.

T: Disappointing...perhaps it's too old? Sort of flat, muted flavours, with an excellent spicy bite on the aftertaste that can't ameliorate the mediocre maintaste.

M: Spicy-smooth. Thin and flat.

O: An enjoyable experience, chock full of chocolate and peppery spices. Still, unremarkable and unrecommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 09:30:22 | More by AgentMunky

Pencible

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This poured a nearly clear dark crimson, with moderate tan head.
S: It smelled like sweet milk chocolate and chili powder, with some earthy caramel and copper hops and pumpernickel bread.
T: It tasted like sweet milk chocolate and spicy chili powder and earthy caramel, with some copper hops and pumpernickel bread. It had a clean sweet and spicy aftertaste.
M: It was somewhat thick with moderate carbonation. Nice full body.
D: This was a very nicely balanced beer with great scent and taste. Decent body and smooth finish, so very easy to drink and enjoy. I loved the kick at the end - just enough to be serious but not overpowering. Probably best fresh. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 19:56:39 | More by Pencible

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle poured into a pint glass at cellar temperature.

L - Ruby-brown color with a 2-finger white bubbly head that recedes very quickly with only a ring around the liquid’s edge that remains. No lacing. Lots of bubbles.

S - This smells terrific. Cinnamon is very apparent, as is the chocolate, with a subtle underlying chile pepper aroma. Smells sweet and spicy.

T - Follows the nose very well. Sweet cocoa and hot cinnamon show up first. As the chocolate fades and the cinnamon lingers, a smooth smokiness sets in. It ends with a great spicy finish from the chile peppers. As you take more sips, the spiciness builds and builds. Very nice.

F - Medium-bodied with nice carbonation, hot and tingling mouthfeel, and a dry and spicy finish. Cocoa, cinnamon, smoke, and spice linger for a while. A hot, but pleasant, throat warming and tingling sensation from the spice.

O - This was a very tasty and unique beer. New Belgium follows through on exactly what they advertised: an ale with cocoa and spices. I was a little skeptical from the appearance, as this basically had no head, but the rest of beer delivered. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more Lips of Faith beers and some different chile beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 02:21:20 | More by BlackBelt5112203

bigaltemple

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Dark, chestnut brown with great ruby highlights. Decent clarity. Two-finger, light tan head turns to a thin collar. Bits of spotty lacing get left behind.

S - Smells great. As advertised, cocoa and cinnamon come through easily. Definite milk chocolate. Get a sense of the chilies as it warms, but they never become too prominent in the nose. Solid malt base with notes of allspice and nutmeg complimenting the cinnamon.

T/M - The chocolate and cinnamon come through here as well. Some roasted smokiness from the ancho and chipotle peppers. Provides a pleasant bite of heat in the finish. Thin, light-bodied that works well with the carbonation level. Prickly enough to prevent the chilies and spices from being too heavy on the palate.

O - Truly enjoyed this one. Another interesting offer in the Lips of Faith Series. I hope to see this one again.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 01:03:21 | More by bigaltemple

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-pours a dark brown with an off-white head that dissipated relatively quickly. Its appearance is somewhere between porter and a brown ale.

S-Smokey, cocoa, spicy, and malty

T-Much like the nose with cocoa and a hint of coffee up front and then some smokiness with a spicy finish as the chile burns the throat. Complex and delicious.

M-Seemed somewhat thin but I don't have much experience with this style but it was nice.

D-A friend of mine split a bomber with me and I felt like that was about as much as I could drink. Its complexity combined with its smokey and spiciness make this a sipper for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this beer. The Lips of Faith series in my experience has been great. I recommend this.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 14:19:15 | More by thegodfather2701

monkeyonmaibock

Wisconsin

4.4/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice copper into my pint. I found a somewhat metallic nose with a hint of cinnamon and malt. Hints of cocoa and vanilla immediately hit my mouth with a sharp bite of cinnamon to follow. After a few brief seconds, the spice from the peppers hits my throat. I was very surprised at how awesome this beer was as New Belgium just always seems to be so mainstream and ordinary. This beer is a sipper and I found that the cocoa and vanilla come out even more as the beer warms.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 14:22:56 | More by monkeyonmaibock

henrysunset

Washington

3.7/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle from malt and vine. I saw a short review in the NW beer magazine, so I needed to try it. I think it was 8$.

Well filtered dark ale, with tan head that holds.

Scent is light, a bit of malt.

Taste is roast, spice and malt. Cocoa, and coffee. Actually nice.

drinkability is fairly good. I would like this with dessert or rich food.

I would enjoy this again, especially if paired with chocolate and fruit.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 02:20:30 | More by henrysunset