End Of Days - Pipeworks Brewing Company

DirtyBikeBrewing

4.95/5  rDev +31.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This was probably one of my favorite milk stout varieties I've ever had. These guys hit it on the head.

A - Black like night. Great carbonation and head.

S - Smells of rich spicy chocolate.

T - Spicy, smoky and super chocolatey

M - Great body and not to much residuals

O - Great beer. If you like spicy things this one is for you.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 18:58:19 | More by DirtyBikeBrewing

Hjammer

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bomber poured into a Duvel tulip. 2nd batch (batch #12), the one with the blue print and blue wax.

A: Minimal tan/off-white head that doesn't stick around for long. The beer itself is colored a very deep and saturated dark brown, clearly not black though. Like the fur of a chocolate lab, only darker.

S: Light chocolate, butterscotch, caramel, milk duds? Something reminds me of a wheat beer a bit in the smell, just a bit. A tad bit of heat from the chillies too, only a hint.

T: Mild/dark chocolate up front, coffee, toffee, earthiness. Nice bitter finish which reminds me of some coffee as well. And of course, here comes the heat! In no way do the chillies overpower the stout flavors, but they add just the PERFECT amount of spice.

M: Decent amount of carbonation. Somewhat watery for a stout, but it's not too distracting for me personally. The spiciness from the chillies lasts a little bit. Just the right amount of afterburn.

D: I could drink multiple bombers without worrying about too much cocoa/coffee bitterness, and too much heat from the chillies. No issues in this department at all.

O: Easily my favorite offering from Pipeworks. I love stouts, and I love spicy food, so maybe there is some unfair bias, but regardless this is definitely one to seek out. I've let a few of my non-beer geek friends try some pours from previous bottles, and they have all been intrigued by this brew. I hope to keep drinking this one well past THE END OF DAYS.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 03:24:25 | More by Hjammer

MostlyNorwegian

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Umm. Wow. Pulled this one out to let it warm for about 45 minutes before serving and that really still wasn't enough to pull everything Beejay and crew put in back out of it. Nice light boozy ring in the swirl showing off the 8.2 abv inside. There was a sort of dark caramel color in the base of the glass translating into a very dark brown almost black up top. You can't see through the glass that's for sure, and I don't recall much head, so it must've been thin and died out pretty quickly. I'm not terribly concerned about the carbonation because this is a kind of beer where the flavors should have a lot of room to be themselves and the carbonation needs to be natural in in its presence to the point of taking a back seat to them.
Really well done for where the flavors introduce themselves into the palate and tasting. The peppers only seem to say hello in the most polite way on the back and afterwards with a pleasant warming that sort of mimics the alcohol ringing the glass from swirling. Up front, it's a dance between the vanilla, lactose, cinnamon and cacao. That's also where the smell is. The cacao, and the vanilla seem most prominent from what I can recall. The ancho peppers are in back someplace, and just as in the tasting, they take their time to be detected.
This isn't a beer I'd want too many of in one session, but it's definitely one that is remarkable in what it sets out to do. Which must be something between a desert beer and a breakfast beer. Definitely one to pour into a goblet of some sort to let warm up as there is a lot to talk about with it, if talking about beer is your thing. This is a beer that could handle quite nicely placed into the right kind of barrel and given the time to grow and develop. Definite creeper potential.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 22:02:11 | More by MostlyNorwegian

Listers

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 2-25-12

Poured into globe glass with minor light caramel head. Smells of chipotle and a little chocolate and maybe coffee. The chipotle really hides most of the other notes in the smell. Taste is chocolate and cinnamon sweetness up front which carefully fades into a full heat experience from the chipotle. The slight burn continues and chases the beer down your throat. The tingle remains on the back of the palate for a good amount of time. There is very little carbonation.

I love spicy food and spiciness in general and I feel I finally found a beer to satisfy my need for heat. I have had other chile beers before like Mikkeller chipotle porter, 5 Vulture, and Stone vertical 11 and this one is done better than all of those even though EoD is not even classified as a chili beer. I don't drink many milk stouts so I don't want to comment on how it compares in that category. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 07:05:47 | More by Listers

BeerMeFitz

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours dark brown with little head

S- smells like chocolate and a slight chili scent sneaks in

T-Good chocolate flavors and then the chili heat hits the throat, Me Likey!

M- Little watery but nice feel

O- Looks good and tastes great remember I like spice and stouts...overall WELL DONE BOYS!! I wish I could find another but alas the store shelf is empty

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 20:50:37 | More by BeerMeFitz

wyatt13

Illinois

4.36/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Batch 106. Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into my snifter.

A – Pours a dark murky brown, with a very thin head that quickly disappears. A bit of light is able to penetrate the liquid at the very edges. No visible carbonation or lacing.

S – A nice creamy, roasted stout sweetness. The lactose character of the milk stout is very prominent. A nice complex vanilla character as well, with the chilies poking their head in at the last second.

T – A nice chocolate and vanilla beginning, with the roasted malts tying everything together. The cinnamon and lactose character hold up the mid-palate. The finish is filled with chocolate covered chilies, like a high-quality Mexican hot chocolate. There is an awesome burn in the aftertaste, that is pleasantly spicy without being overwhelming.

M – Very creamy mouthfeel, without much carbonation at all. A little fuller than medium and slightly sticky.

O – Man, this definitely exceeded my expectations. This is extremely well-balanced between the traditional chocolate character of the milk stout, the creamy vanilla and the heat from the chilies. Color me impressed.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 01:01:47 | More by wyatt13

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours black with two fingers of tan head, slowly recede to a ring around the edge.

S- Lots of green, freshly cut chilies, blends pretty well with dark chocolate, cocoa and cinnamon for a rounded spicy aroma.

T- Moderate chili heat up front, has a roasted center of bitter dark chocolate, some coffee and cocoa and cinnamon, towards the end the chili returns with a lingering spice and juicy chili flavor.

M- Medium bodied, smooth and very creamy feel, good amount of heat from the peppers.

O- An excellent chili beer that blends the chilies, spice, and chocolate really well. This is my first beer from Pipeworks and I'm extremely impressed, this is a really awesome, tasty brew.

EDIT: The newer blue wax batch is considerably better than the older batches. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 09:24:00 | More by WillCarrera

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a nonic)
Batch 29??
A- This beer pours a jet black body that is inky with a thick meniscus of tan cream that last a good bit. A bit to dark to see any carbonation.

S- Vanilla bean with oak hints give way to a chocolate nougat aroma and a cinnamon cookie note in the finish.

T- The chocolate nougat turns into more of a roasted coffee with a nice firey spice note to the finish. There are some fruity notes to the chili spice. As the beer opens the vanilla and the spice come through with a slight smokey note to the chili and a wonderful chili warmth lingers.

M- Medium mouthfeel with a soft alcohol heat that blends with the chili heat.

O- This is a nice chili heat that is supported by coffee, roasted malt stout and spice notes with a good vanilla bean in there aswell. It does have lots going on but they all work together.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 20:28:11 | More by rhoadsrage

msbedelia

4.33/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I found this beer to be unique, exciting, and exactly what I was in the mood for at the time. You can taste the cacao and the chile peppers- but it also still tastes like beer (I.e. it's not flavored to the point that its not recognizable as beer, a criticism many lob at flavored beers like pumpkin ales, etc). It receives a 5 from me mostly due to its uniqueness and its agreement with my personal taste. But such a bold and brave beer deserves to be rewarded. A friend desrcibed it was a party in one's mouth, and she's rit even though that's a litrle cliché and juvenile. If you don't like Mexican hot chocolate, you likely won't like this beer; if you don't like beer, you likely won't like this beer (or be on this website). If flavored beers aren't your thing, you may only give this a 3 or a 4. But it was a privilege to taste this beer and will remain a personal favorite for me. Definitely requires long sips, or you'll miss a lot. Enough to make me a lifelong fan of Pipeworks.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 00:05:14 | More by msbedelia

brentk56

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a fudge brown color with a large tan head which fades just a tad too quickly without leaving much behind

Smell: Dried ancho chiles, with undertones of chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla

Taste: Milk chocolate and vanilla, up front, with first the cinnamon and then the chile flavors adding complexity; after the swallow, the flavors blend nicely, with the chile providing some residual heat in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Medium body with low to moderate carbonation; while it is a little thin for the style, I was not as bothered by it as other reviewers

Overall: I like the way this beer turned out, particularly the way the cinnamon and ancho chiles pair together with the milk chocolate; to my way of thinking, too many reviewers are pegging this against Hunahpu's and finding it lacking but that misses the point of what this beer is trying to accomplish

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 18:50:33 | More by brentk56

Florida9

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown, almost black in color. Forms a decent sized light tan head that slowly reduces to a creamy surface coating. Very light lacing.

S: The aroma is dominated by chocolate, milk chocolate to be specific, with notes of cinnamon, vanilla, and just the faintest hint of ancho.

T: More chocolate. Creamy milk chocolate with a moderate sweetness and just a little vanilla. Some spice, mostly cinnamon, but it is fairly faint and in the background. There is a slight earthy, raisin quality from the ancho with a very mild capsicum heat on the finish, but considering the warning on the Facebook page, I was figuring it was going to be much more aggressive.

M: On the heavier side of medium. Lower carbonation. Very mild bitterness. Mild chile spice.

O: On the first taste I thought this one reminded me of Oaxacan mole, but with the heavy chocolate sweetness, it's much closer to Mexican hot chocolate. These vegetal sweet beers typically aren't my favorite, but I found this to be a very nice beer. Very drinkable and very well done.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 01:34:12 | More by Florida9

shodrod

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(poured into a pint glass)
This beer pours a dark black with a nice little tan head. The aroma brings notes of coffee, chocolate, and a bit of fennel. This beer has almost too much going on....almost. The tongue is met with a very smooth, porter-esque front with notes of coffee. From there the cacao nibs make an appearance. And then the finish! Smooth, creamy, and spicy. The chilies add such a whole nother dimension to this. A nice slow burn right at the end.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 04:05:57 | More by shodrod

emerge077

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a large tapered mug, almost got the bomber in on the first try. Fluffy mocha tinged foam, about two fingers width at first that slowly settles to a healthy skim after a few sips. Random flecks of spotty lace, not much though.

Nice chocolate and vanilla aromas, hint of sweet ancho spice melds well, though it's a little subtle.

"Mexican hot chocolate" flavors on first impression, plenty of milk chocolate, trace vanilla, cocoa sweetness, cinnamon and earthy sweet anchos. Yes it does have a bit of chile heat that builds over time, so don't chug it, sip slowly over time, though that's easier said than done. Light smooth feel, creamy from the lactose sugar and very drinkable. It's easy to inadvertently gulp and feel a slight chile burn, but it dissipates soon enough. It's a milk stout, not an imperial stout... not meant to be big or chewy.

A creative brew from Pipeworks, can't wait to see what they cook up next.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 23:42:02 | More by emerge077

Treebs

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle served in a mini taster snifter. Bottled February 25, 2012.

A: Pours a black color with brown edges. A thin off white head forms on the pour and dissipates to a thin ring.

S: Smells of strong cinnamon, light vanilla, some lactose sugar and some pale malts.

T: More emphasis on the cinnamon and the ancho chilis finally come out with a nice warming finish.

M: Super thin, almost bordering on watery. There is a slight pepper heat on the finish.

O: I had this on tap at Stout Fest and it was fuller bodied and more flavorful. I'm not sure if there some variation between the bottle and the kegs they have, but seek it out on tap if you can.

**Updated for new batch**

22 oz. bottle served in a Pipeworks snifter. Batch #62

A: Pours a dark black color with a khaki head forming on the pour. It recedes quickly to a thin collar.

S: Cinnamon and chilies up front. Mild chocolate fudge with some roast to it.

T: Fudgey and chocolaty with a great cinnamon spice to it. The chilies aren't at all vegetal and give a great warming spice in the periphery. The finish is sweet with a hint of vanilla and lingering spice in the throat. Very tasty.

M: Medium to heavy bodied with a low carbonation level. Creamy mouthfeel with a spicy and sweet mouthfeel.

O: This is the best batch yet. Absolutely delicious. Leaps and bounds better than the original batch. Great mouthfeel, full bodied and great underlying spice.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 16:59:31 | More by Treebs

4amepiphany

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Before I really,... really got into craft beers, I took a stroll into my local Binny's and reached for this bottle. I was into DIPA's at the time, although I really enjoyed stouts, until I had encountered Hoptimum by Sierra Nevada. (I love the feel of those tongue-coating beers) That day, I was in the mood for a drinkable chocolate, and I really enjoyed those chili infused chocolates that were popping up here and there. Being of Thai background, I love my heat. This is the stout that sparked by interest in chili chocolate stouts. The chocolate is there. The chili is there, and leaves just enough spice on the tongue to leave you wanting more. Although after being spoiled by Bourbon County's delicious thickness, I immediately thought, "boy, I wish this was an imperial stout with more body", but the flavors are all there and on point. Overall, an enjoyable intro to the chocolate chili world.. as the more you find, the genre just keeps getting better.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 04:59:52 | More by 4amepiphany

ZDub

Illinois

4.06/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a tulip/snifter hybrid glass. A thick "coffee with cream"-colored head erupted and faded quickly, leaving the opaque-brown brew to sit in the glass headless. The smell was nice, a lot of dark chocolate/cocoa, some toasted malt, and a slight hint of vanilla. Tasted moderated sweet with the toasted malts upfront followed by the dark chocolate/cocoa in the finish and a light-ish side of medium mouthfeel. What was surprising was the spiciness. Literally, this beer left a warm spicy feeling at the back of my throat that lingered, almost ground black pepper-like. It was actually very interesting, and although probably not for everyone, I enjoyed the spicy characteristic of this one. A good beer I'd have again, and an interesting take on a milk stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 02:40:14 | More by ZDub

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Half Acre tulip.

A- pours black with a 2 finger light brown head. Spotty lacing resides quickly.

S- cinnamon and peppers dominate the aroma with a hint of chocolate.

T- sweet chocolate, cinnamon and peppers.

M- light body and carbonation. Peppers give it a nice kick at the finish.

O- good and interesting beer. Another sign of good things to come from Pipeworks.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 02:35:06 | More by kawilliams81

Agold

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark with a short off white head. No lacing, no retention, not a super pretty beer. Aroma more than makes up for the appearance. Ancho chilies are probably the best use of the ingredient I have come across. Chilies are sweet and fruity with lots of cocoa and a bit of smoke. It reminds me of a spicy cinnamon brownie. Aroma is exactly as described. Flavor has a nice chili spice, a bit of cocoa, mild fruity roast. The mouthfeel is a bit lighter, but still really nice. Creamy carbonation and very smooth. This beer is outstanding. Very well made with a lot of great characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 05:05:43 | More by Agold

Etan

Illinois

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into a snifter. Batch 12 (blue wax).

A: Pours a thick brownish-black with a nice tan head.

S: Slight vinegary green chile and chocolate. Vanilla comes out as it warms.

T: More vegetal ancho, roasted grain, and chocolate. Vanilla pokes through the pepper. Slight tingly spice on the tongue, and a pleasant heat grows as the glass drains.

M: Slight carbonation, medium-to-thick and silky.

O: Not a big fan of chile beers, but this is pretty good. Really nice heat profile.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 21:05:24 | More by Etan

Stoutfan23DJ

Illinois

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Was poured into a snifter at 55 degrees.
Batch# 29, 650mL bottle with blue wax on top.

Appearance: Pours opaque black, rich brown half finger head that resides to a spotted lacing, leaves a syrupy looking lacing on the sides of the glass. Just beautiful!

Aroma: The smell is very complex, decadent and you’re immediately hit with the four most prominent ingredients; Chocolate from the cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, and spicy cinnamon and chilies. Also get some roasted malts, red fruit, lingering hops, candy sugar, smooth caramel, and that familiar lactose flavor.

Taste: When you take your first sip it begins with the rich, smooth and inviting flavors; the milk chocolate from the cocoa nibs, caramel, vanilla, a slight roast, the lactose milk, and the dark fruits. The rich, bold flavors’ continue to the mid-palate and lingers to the finish. The spicy cinnamon, pepper and chilies suddenly come through, take off but do not take over or dominate the other characteristics. The spices are pretty mild and they give you an after-burn in the cheeks and throat.

Mouth Feel: Good carbonation when first poured but really disappeared with each swirl and sip that I took. Medium viscosity, coats the mouth, and very slight alcohol in the back end.

Overall: This was a surprise to me and I thought it was very well-crafted milk stout. The characteristics of a smooth rich stout, the spices, vanilla, and the cocoa each standout equally and work together well. I have had only a handful of chili beers so far and I think this was just right for me and the best that I have had by far. This was a winner for me and I will definitely get again if I get another chance.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 23:58:07 | More by Stoutfan23DJ

woosterbill

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber shared at a 12/21/12 tasting. Seemed an apt name at the time. ;)

A: Black body, brown highlights, 1/2" tan head. Ok retention, fine lace. Solid.

S: Spicy. Chocolate spiked with chili peppers. Intense and pleasant.

T: Sweet milk chocolate up front, with significant spice and mild fruitiness behind. Tasty.

M: Medium body, soft carbonation, prickly spice. All right.

O: Simple and enjoyable. Worth a shot, but not the most memorable stout I've had.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 02:47:26 | More by woosterbill

pschul4

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pumped for this one from Pipeworks! It's my first from them. Shared with areich6

A- Pours cola brown with very little head

S- I can smell the light chocolate that is typical of a milk stout with a slight chili scent in the backround

T- Nice chocolate flvors in the front with a slight chili burn in the back of my throat, I'm digging this flavor

M- Epic fail here. Quite watery which leaves me very disappointed

O- I wish this taste accompanied a thicker mouthfeel. Flavor is good but mouthfeel kind of ruins this for me

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 02:13:56 | More by pschul4

Khazadum

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Decent appearance, thin collar, not too sticky. Mohogony body.

Big cinnamon. Sharp ancho spice, bits of light toast, where is the vanilla. Chocolate?

Tastes... Weird. Bright cinnamon, burning ancho heat, finishes capsaicin. Hot, burning. Green vegetal pepper and dirt.

Thin, long lasting cinnamon and ancho spice. Decent carb. vlots of heat. Sensitive ninnys need not apply.

Not as good as previous release, but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 03:14:44 | More by Khazadum

MIA4IPA

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a black body with a tan finger head that has diminished with nice lacing. Smell is Vanilla, cinnamon cookie and spiciness. Taste resembles the smell I get a lot of the Cinnamon and vanilla up front and towards the end the chilies let me know they're here. Great mouthfeel, Overall a good Milk Stout and like the theme of End Of Days. The vanilla and the chilies are a nice combo!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:03:45 | More by MIA4IPA

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22oz, bottled 3/29/13
The Bruery tulip

A: Deep dark brown color. Not a lot of light getting through. Light tan head. Specs of lacing. Good carbo.

S: Milk chocolate. Sweet lactose. Creamy. Not catching too much spice on the nose.

T: Touch if spice. Milk chocolate. Some bitterness from roast and coffee.

M: Full bodied. Creamy.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 15:54:00 | More by inlimbo77