Lips Of Faith - Cocoa Molé - New Belgium Brewing

pants678

California

2.8/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Looks like a stout, thick and black with quite a bit of action going on just after the pour. Frothy white head.

You can smell the chiles right oft.

Chocolate and chile but not peppery in the way I'd expect. The chocolate's pushed off in the details as the heat is up front. There's cinnamon but there's so much of an amalgamation here it's hard to point anything out. Seems muddled, never unravels--I wish there some something sweet here. No idea about hops on this one. Not really pushed to try it again.

Carbonated like a stout, feels sorta milky with a dry finish.

Serving type: on-tap

09-09-2012 23:48:52 | More by pants678

outdoor7or24

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle purchased at Jay's in town, poured in pint glass and shared with SingingTheNews today on a rainy Saturday.

A: Autumn red brown, it's dark, but holding it to the light reveals its true color. One finger head that quickly fades, very light brown colored.

S: Cocoa, peppers, roasted malt that has a hint of sweetness to it, smoke, some cinnamon hints at the finish.

M: Thin, watery body.

T: Cinnamon, heat, peppers, spicy chili, chipotle, a hint of caramel at the finish

O: I really like this beer, after the first bomber I went and picked up another. Hope to see this again in the future. The complex flavors + the spicyness of the brew are a great combo.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 19:23:45 | More by outdoor7or24

FosterJM

California

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1469th Review on BA
Draft to Tulip
12oz

@Eureka!Burger, Claremont, CA

App- When poured was a solid mix of browns and reds. Had a good depth of color in the glass. Nice dense center and the color flowed outward. A small 1 finger off white creamy head fell to a nice bit of cling and lace.

Smell- Was a bit let down with the nose on this one. Didnt pop with anything outstanding or layered. A small malt backbone with maybe some chili spice notes. I'm gonna chalk this up to being cold, but even at last smells on bottom of pour wasnt very aromatic.

Taste- Its a nice beer. Has a good amount of balance between the savory malts and the spicy chili spices. I got a bit of the chocolate first and even a touch of some darker plum flavors. The spice is not over the top and actually quite pleasant from a drinking standpoint, vs. say a GFK or Crime and Punishment.

Mouth- Its a solid creamy medium bodied beer with a paired creamy silky prickly medium carbonation. Had a residual spice flavor. Not much cocoa.

Drink- A tasty spiced beer. Nicely balanced and well flavored. Not a fast drinker, but a nice sipping beer to say the least. I'd have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2012 14:35:06 | More by FosterJM

cosmicevan

New York

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

thanks mike! enjoyed on 8/8

a - pours purple with thin bubbly head.

s - smells crazy. spices cinnamon pot pouri with some cocoa. lots of sweet nutmeg like candy. WILD and different.

t - mmm...tastes nice. chocolate with cinnamon. some spicy pepperiness. peppers.

m - prickly carbonation. the peppers and spicy heat. tickles my mouth. spicy heat that works.

o - extremely unique. spicy, cinnamon and chocolate. the peppers and heat really is a wild combo. for a chile beer, this one works!

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 02:04:08 | More by cosmicevan

southeastmat

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

A: Brownish red. Dark and ruddy. Head is big on first pour. It fades quickly. A lot of carbonation bubbles.

S: Whoa what great smells here. Sweet cinnamon. Pepper. Hints of nutmeg. Complex and inviting.

T: A bunch of sweetness on the front. No hoppiness but a lot of hot pepper notes as you continue. As the beer warms that pepper becomes more pronounced. Almost overwhelming. This is a change of pace beer for sure. Great pick for a special dinner or a celebratory night.

M: Light to medium. Dry on the finish as the beer warms.

O: Great stuff here. A lot going on and so much to savor. A fun one-off beer that is a great representation of this style.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 01:43:02 | More by southeastmat

denver10

Colorado

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

Pours a dark brown with a brownish head. A sweet, cinnamon aroma paired with somecocoa, roasted malt and some pepper. First flavor to hit is a huge bomb of sweet cinnamon that teases of being too much but ends up being just right as it pairs with the cocoa, roasted malt and the heat of the peppers in the finish. A nice creamy medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, a very nice brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2012 20:44:20 | More by denver10

facundoCNB

New Jersey

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

a clean reddish brown pour with a small amount of off-white head, great retention. smells of cinnamon, cocoa, raisins, slightly spicy with a lot of sweet malt notes.
oh my! a wonderful cinnamon spice taste up front with a burning feeling in the throat. notes of chocolate, brown sugar, nutmeg... can't really tell what actual pepper this is, but the spicyness is pretty much blending in with the alcohol content and causing a subtle up front, followed by raspy burning sensation in the throat. medium body, nice and creamy, moderate carbonation.

i haven't ventured much into this style... i believe this is my third chile beer, though it is also the best one i've had. i hope my experimental chipotle stout comes out this good!

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 05:16:05 | More by facundoCNB

KVNBGRY

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

OK, I had this beer twice. The first time i tried it, The bartenter (whom I wont name) said it tastes like licking an ash tray... So I tried it, and lo and behold, it... tasted like an awkward beer. (I've never had an ashtray before) The second time I tried it was to try and confirm the previous statement. I thought of green chilies and spices and... even tacos. It worked, and I liked it. This is a creative brew that I'll buy again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 03:40:44 | More by KVNBGRY

thekevlarkid

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Off tap at the Frisco in Columbia, MD, this beer was a dark brown color like stained walnut wood. The one finger of khaki-colored head was only so-so but it did leave lacing in scattered streaks. The aroma was rather faint for what ended up being a highly flavorful brew. I smelled mostly caramel, chocolate and candi sugar. The flavors were outstanding. I tasted chocolate, fruity esters, toffee, Belgian candi sugar, light red pepper and spicy capsicum notes as well as a touch of bubblegum. Well balanced and not overly spicy while still managing to hide the 9% ALC very well. The mouthfeel was frothy, the body medium and the carbonation delicate. Delicious and complex, this one is well worth ones time.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2012 14:17:03 | More by thekevlarkid

lacqueredmouse

Australia

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

Bottle purchased from Bevmo in Sunnyvale, CA. Shared with @LaitueGonflable and @tobeerornottobe in Sydney, Australia.

Pours a slightly hazed ruby red hue, with an inconsistent, bubbly head of pale beige. Body is pretty light and a little insipid. No visible lace. Carbonation forms when the beer is tilted, which belies the inherent lightness in the weight. It's an OK looking beer, but not better than that.

Nose is fresh, spicy and very, very odd. Bright, fruity sweet pepper characters with hints of genuine crushed black pepper and a vegetal plant skin kind of aroma. This is backed by a pleasant chocolatey sweetness that takes the place of the malt. In fact, aroma-wise this could be like any other beer: chocolate instead of malt, capsicum instead of hops. It's very unique.

Palate is a similar mixture, and actually really nicely captures the flavours of Mexican molé. Genuine cocoa characters meld with a spicy, fruity chilli character, without actually getting too much heat from the peppers. Mild fragrance dances above, but at it's heart this is a chocolate beer not a chilli beer. Just as molé is about the cocoa. It's fascinating stuff.

Feel is smooth, but slightly grainy. It has a decent basis that supports the rest of the beer though.

Overall, solid stuff. It's very interesting, and does a pretty good job of hitting its targets. Is it successful as a beer? There's very little to compare it to. I'm personally impressed at its style and experimentation, but I can't see this becoming a more widely accepted genre.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 07:29:32 | More by lacqueredmouse

oline73

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a Chimay goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours an almost opaque dark amber/mahogany color with a half finger of off white head. The head fades to a ring around the pour.

Smell: This beer smells really good. Chocolate notes with cinnamon and some chile pepper. Sweet malt and some dark fruit.

Taste: Like the smell. This is a fairly sweet beer. I'm getting some chocolate along with some cinnamon. The finish is where the hot pepper hear shows up. The heat enhances the other flavors and doesn't overpower them.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the syrupy side of medium with tingly carbonation and a dry/chalky finish.

Overall: This is a really good beer. It promised mole and it keeps that promise. I would definitely have more given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 01:40:34 | More by oline73

bmoriarty

Illinois

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

Fresh, into a half pint tasting glass.

First off, this is my first time drinking a mole, so I don't have a standard to compare this to.

Pours a rich brown that looks reddish orange held up to the light. Initially a thick off-white head, about an inch, that faded slowly to a thin film that doesn't quite disappear. Very little lacing.

Peppers, spicy, and cinnamon dominate the nose, but the chocolate comes through as well, adding balance. First impression is of a very complex and unique beer.

Taste is almost a reverse of the smell - it starts with chocolate, then the heat follows. It's not quite a spicy hot, more of a warm glow, like chipotle and poblano peppers rather than cayenne or jalapeno. The cinnamon isn't obvious but is there, does a good job of tying everything the pepper and chocolate together.

Mouthfeel is a little syrupy, but nothing to really complain about.

Overall, it's interesting. Definitely a specialty beer, and it makes you crave a glass of water every few sips. But as your palate gets used to it, it's easier to drink. Very good, if also very unique (in my experiences).

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 04:49:17 | More by bmoriarty

czfreeman

Michigan

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

Excited to see this one. I honestly didn't think it was going to be this good however.
Served on tap in a 10 oz NB goblet. Dark brown/black in appearance. Creamy white head, decent carbonation.
First smell...wow. This is great stuff. Heavy on the chocolate upfront, then an amazing depth of aromatics to follow. Cinnamon, chili in the back, it reminds me of the best pumpkin beers blended in with a nice cocoa touch, then all kicked up by the chili spice.
The flavor is more spicy than anticipated, but not overly so. Upfront cinnamon, squash, chili, cocoa, biscuit, all finishing with a lingering spice that welcomes another sip. All flavor remain in check, and perfect level of carbonation.
Drinkability is good, but not great. I find that my 10oz portion was enough, and I would not want more than that. I suggest drinking this beer with a glass of water as the spice/sugar/chocolate flavor needs to be broken up a bit. That being said, water or something to cool the palate is a must with spicy Mole, so in a way this beer really fits the tee well.
Very well done.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2012 21:49:27 | More by czfreeman

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

Gobzilla

California

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

A: poured a dark brown in color with brown highlights and had a little head which left plenty of lacing sticking to the glass.

S: there was plenty of chocolate malts noticeable on the nose with some spice, some cocoa sweetness but mole pepper character to it as well.

T: I loved how it had good chocolate cocoa sweetness upfront and great mole pepper spiciness on the finish. It had various spices, and a slight syrupy sweet flavor to it.

M: the brew was medium in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a sweet, chocolatey, pepper spice, mole, and hot spicey finish.

O: this brew was very interesting and very tasty, I would love to have this beer again and again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 00:16:14 | More by Gobzilla

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