Chili Pepper Ale - Six Rivers Brewery

Elimination

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +44.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

What a surprise this was. When the waitress set down our samples, we started going around the tray trying each one. I had forgotten that they had a chili beer, then the first sip WHAT!? This was the first chili beer ive ever had, but damn I want more of this one.

Look: slight yellow, brownish, little head

Smell: habenero, green chilies, wheat with spice, almost like smelling someone cook very spicy tacos

Taste peppers or all sorts, a whole garden full, spicy very spicy, low hop taste

Drink would be great with a contrasting dinner, something not spicy honestly. But I could only imagine what this would taste like if it came back up.

This was very very good, I love spice so I would love this beer. I understand not everyone loves the burn of peppers when drinking a beverage, but I am one of those people I guess. It is different, very different, but this is one that deserves a try. I have friends who think they are big bad manly men and they drink keystone LIGHT like it shows how manly they are. They would cry there little eyes drinking this beer, now this right here, Is a real mans beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2010 00:11:54 | More by Elimination

DarthKostrizer

California

4/5  rDev +28.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Look: Pours a nice golden yellow with traces of orange throughout. 1/4 inch head with little retention

Smell: The first thing that came to my mind was spicy nacho cheese sauce kind of reminded me of being at a baseball game

Taste: There is not a whole lot going on here or maybe it is that the peppers just overpower the rest of the beer. But this is a chile beer and exactly what I was looking for and expected

Mouthfeel: Low to Medium body with medium carbonation and a very nice hot burn on the roof of your mouth. At first it isnt all that hot but if you drink it fast the beer actually gets hotter on the palate

Overall: I actually think this is a good chile beer. Not a lot of balance going on so that kind of kills the score but over all not a bad little beer

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 00:30:46 | More by DarthKostrizer

MrVonzipper

California

4/5  rDev +28.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear pale gold color with a 1-2cm bubbly white head with good retention and lacing.

Smell is all chili. Roasted chilis. Slightly soapy/cleanser smell in there? But most of all it really does smell like spicy nacho cheese.

Flavor is all chili as well. Maybe a touch of wheat in there but the heat dominates the palate. Although the spicy chili dominates the flavor, there is a good variation of different chili flavor notes.

Mouthfeel is Light bodied with medium carbonation. Nice palate tingling spiciness that lingers but isn't too overpowering.

Overall this is a good beer for what it is. There are excellent variations of chilis with a good spiciness. It could use a little malt body and touch of sweetness but I think it's just meant to be about the chilis. I recommend this is you like chilis and spice.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 05:04:05 | More by MrVonzipper

jeffjeff1

California

3.98/5  rDev +28%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked this up at Monument Wines and Spirits the other day.

Appearance- yellow color, thin head that dissipates quickly

Smell- peppers, wheat, very nice smell, I love peppers

Taste- peppers, very nice and refreshing, very good flavor(at least to me)

Mouthfeel- light to medium bodied

Drinkability- I thought this was very good. It has a great pepper smell and flavor to it. I would love to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 17:47:30 | More by jeffjeff1

jera1350

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +28%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Ben for sharing this one.

A cloudy, dirty yellow look with a thin head on top. A bit of lacing.

Smells of smokey roasted chili peppers. Some green pepper in there also.

The taste is much like the smell, but more intense. Fresh roasted ancho peppers, plenty of spicy pepper and some fresh green and chili pepper as well.

Very dry and spicy. Most of the heat comes in the back of the throat, but there is some on the palate as well.

This is definitely not for everyone, but it is for me. I like chili beers and this one delivers. Very well done for the style. I will be revisiting this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 17:45:36 | More by jera1350

spongemonkey

California

3.88/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yes. This beer tastes like chilis. And it's hot. This should come as no surprise since there's a big red chili on the bottle along with the words ''spicy'' and ''HOT!" This pairing is excellent, chilis are not just heat, they have fruit flavors as well The fruitiness of the chilis is a natural match for the floral wheat ale. The The heat is a welcome note, most fruit beers are cloying crap for people who don't actually like beer. This isn't. The first drink is a surprise, and not necessarily a pleasant one. But wait a moment, let the endorphins hit, and then form an opinion. Nice work 6 Rivers.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 04:18:50 | More by spongemonkey

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured a finger of head on a hazy, medium straw colored body. Low retention on the head.
The aroma is first a little grain and then a lot of habanero/jalapeno pepper.
The taste is HOT pepper all over the place. Drinking this 22 oz bottle will be challenging.
Crisp texture, moderate carbonation and medium body.
No doubt it's a chili pepper beer; as advertised. It is warm.

Edit: I couldn't finish the bomber. The heat was too much.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 03:28:10 | More by Fatehunter

glid02

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle shared by Mark – much obliged!

Pours a golden color with a half-finger white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of garden vegetables – green peppers if I had to choose – and large amounts of spicier chili peppers. Very slight pale malt aromas back it all up.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Slight pale malt flavors that are barely discernable kick things off and are joined almost immediately by huge amounts of green pepper flavors. Midway through the sip the spicier peppers begin to do their work, quickly firing things up. The spiciness carries through to an ending that can only be described as hot. The spiciness continues through the sip, finally subsiding five minutes later.

Mouthfeel is good. It’s got a nice thickness with decent carbonation.

Drinkability is not so great. It admittedly comes with the territory but there’s no way I could drink even 12 oz. of this by myself.

Overall I’m surprised by the low scores of this beer – what else would one expect from a chili beer? A nice beer for the style and also one of the spicier ones I’ve had.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 01:48:45 | More by glid02

Snow81

Minnesota

3.63/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Cloudy orange haze

Head: Fluffy cream head that dissipates quickly

Smell: Super earthy, grass and a very large chili pepper on the nose

Taste: Super spice all over and hot chili pepper

Weight: Medium to light body and low carbonation

Finish: Spices, spice and more spice

Over all this is almost like drinking liquid hot sauce

P.S. I don’t like hot foods with my beer because it tarnishes my palate, but what happens if my beer tarnishes my palate, if you would to ask me for another Six Rivers Chili Pepper Ale I would say no thank you.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 03:28:56 | More by Snow81

phichifiji00

California

3.6/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Amber. Pours 1/2 finger of white head that fades quickly, moderate lacing.

Smell: chili pepper, citrus, slightly estery, floral.

Taste: chili, wheat malt, citrus, bready.

Mouthfeel: light-medium bodied, moderate carbonation, spicy.

Overall: A good chili beer. Lots of heat, but the underlying nuances peak thru. Drinkability is good (if you like chili beers).

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 06:06:02 | More by phichifiji00

UCLABrewN84

California

3.48/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to drewone for sharing this one at Wowcoolman's tasting.

Pours a murky orange with a foamy khaki head that fades to nothing. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt and chile pepper aromas. Taste is much the same with a slightly sour chile flavor on the finish. There is a medium amount of chile heat in the back of the throat after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with a pretty nice chile flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:59:42 | More by UCLABrewN84

pkalix

California

3.36/5  rDev +8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

murky straw color; no head to speak of. a pool of micro bubbles is floating on the surface- a hallmark of a crummy beer. or a novelty...
very nice chile aroma. i'm not much impressed with novelty beers most of the time but ioccasionally come to appreciate them.
taste is okay. a little bit of heat. a little bit of organic taste and a some chili flavor.
mouthfeel is thin.
i have really enjoyed a chili beer after a session of trying 'serious' beers. i dont know if it's because this one uses wheat in it, but i much more prefer the Cave Creek version over this one. this leaves a 'chemical-ly' aftertaste in my mouth. maybe because i'm making this my first (and probably only) beer of the evening it seems a little off compared to the Cave Creek version.
the heat hasnt been intolerable for me, but maybe that's because there is no regulating a pepper. some are hot and some are not. i guess i just got a 'cool' one.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 04:44:21 | More by pkalix

TheStove

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bomber into a 12oz wheat beer glass for two servings.

Good to above average appearance. Nice hazy deeper orange color with a light head. decent lace retention as pour settles. Interesting smell; sweetness of a Hefeweizen is the initial whiff but quickly overpowered by the smell of chilies.

First sip is a similar experience with a moderate up front wheat beer sweetness giving way to a pretty strong chili kick. Kick remains and dry finish helps the chili flavor to linger on the tongue and, heck, even in the throat. Nice contrast to a lingering yet far less potent taste of the wheat beer that remains on the tongue. Moments of sweetness jump out amid the chili flavor. Mouthfeel is nothing crazy, less heavy than a good wheat beer but gets confused by the chili flavor on the tongue.

This one is definitely a grower. The first few sips and swallows can be tough for those who don't like chili or aren't into hot stuff. Getting through the bottle seems to offer a fluctuation between the intensity of the first few sips and a bit of adaptation to the heat. You'll probably need multiple glasses of water to get through this.

Overall I'd give it a better than average. Fans of chili peppers and heat will probably enjoy how much of a scorcher this one is but I think it tends to be slightly overwhelming especially when trying to think about the style providing the backbone for the fire. I like it because unlike a Habanero Helles I had at Boston Beer Works, this one brings the pain and means business when it comes to the chili. Again, I think the fire could be toned down just a little so that the wheat beer flavor isn't so tough to pick out by the end.

Looking forward to washing this one down with a stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 05:34:26 | More by TheStove

BilbosNuts

California

3.23/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear, pale yellow color with loads of carbonation that rise to the top and cling to the sides of the glass. Only a thin film sits on top leaving no lacing.

S: The aroma is solely strong spicy chili peppers with a wheat backbone. Basically exactly what you'd want in a chile beer.

T: The taste is significantly lacking from the aroma. The spicy peppers are there but don't make their presence known until the finish. Up to that point, it is just a typical wheat ale with a touch of heat.

M: Light bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. It has a really spicy kick on the end that lingers.

O: This isn't bad for a chile beer. The aroma is very good in my opinion, but the other aspects are certainly lacking. It does pair well with my turkey and jalapeno sandwich though.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 01:13:13 | More by BilbosNuts

rkuhnel

California

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

This is a bit of a shock to the senses. Looks like a normal yellow beer until you put it under your nose. Then there is no question this is a pepper beer. Mouthfeel is actually quite decent, however and pepper is what this tastes like. You are not even sure it is beer. Remarkable for its type, however, and while it is a bit of a novelty, it is actually decent to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2007 19:00:17 | More by rkuhnel

Zorro

California

2.88/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Doesn't look like much, hazy orange gold color with barely a little white head.

Smells strongly of chili pepper. Fruity chilli with some of the sour scent you get from jalapenos. Some smoke from the roasting. Beyond that nothing else.

Starts out slightly sweet with a big pepper flavor. Medium level of heat. Pretty quickly this becomes nothing but pepper.

Mouthfeel is light.

Overall this isn't much, it is just hot. Not something I would buy again, there are hotter and more flavorful Chilie beers out there. This is closer to the bottom of the pack than the middle.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 00:49:23 | More by Zorro

CruZnBrewZ

California

2.83/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Second time having this beer. First Chili beer I've ever had so have no real comparison.

Appearance: pours a hazy gold with light to medium head.

Smell: the aroma of the chilies is overwhelming. it smell almost makes my noise burn. Smells like what I'd perceive it to smell like.

Taste: WOW! The aroma does not disappoint in the taste. Chilies, that's all I can say.

Mouthfeel: my pallet is burnt, but it does feel like chilies have invaded my taste buds. very thin consistency, but the chili spice is too overwhelming

Overall: If you are looking for a Spicy, Hot Chili beer that burns your mouth than this is it! Very fun beer to use as a novelty, but I could not enjoy more than a few sips. I think this beer would be a lot better if it was blended down with more of it's base wheat ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 08:15:02 | More by CruZnBrewZ

Giovacchini

California

2.7/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A-pours a hazy straw yellow with a thin white head that disapates.

S- roasted jalapeños, bread, wheat, and chipotle chili.

T- wheat, the spice is only really present gong down, jalapeño pepper flavors, and bread.

M- watery with little carbonation and a dry finish. Spiciness lingers at the back of the throat.

O- I didn't like this beer. It had a muddy wheat flavor followed by a bile-like burning spiciness that coated the back of the throat. Overall I won't be partaking in this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 00:19:41 | More by Giovacchini

mactrail

California

2.53/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

I'm not sure you cold tell this was beer, if you took a sip with eyes closed. After a couple of sips, my mouth is so on fire that it just gets worse. A beer that needs a beer chaser. The one redeeming feature is the peppery aroma. The peppers themselves seem like they are just hot. Slight fruity flavor in the midst of the burning sensation. The only use I can see for this is a tiny glass served like salsa with an otherwise bland meal. Utterly undrinkable in the normal sense of the word.

Brewery claims it won silver at 2004 GABF, possibly in the juvenile beer joke catagory. Give your buddy a gulp of this stuff right after you spring the Whoopee Cushion on him. I have to compare this to Ghost Face Killah, for its total commitment to bottled silliness.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 05:34:38 | More by mactrail

JoRado

Minnesota

2.48/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

I have been searching for a good chili pepper beer for awhile now. I hadn't seen this one before so I was excited to try it

Served into a tulip glass.

A: Pours really clean and clear-ish, not very inviting actually. Hardly no head at all.

S: Overwhelming smell of bell peppers! Didn't even smell like chili peppers...very strange.

T: Overwhelming taste of hot peppers...and that's it. From the beginning and past the end of the sip I taste hot peppers. The taste stays on your tongue and lips even after you've done drinking. I just wish there was more taste to the beer along with the pepper taste.

M: Very watery in my honest opinion.

Overall I had high hopes for this beer and was let down. I actually didn't even get through a quarter of the bomber I bought. If this pepper taste could maybe be infused with a stout or porter style that had more depth in the beer I could really see it working out better. Well, my search goes on!

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 20:30:41 | More by JoRado

jsprain1

Minnesota

2.25/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A- Pours an ever so slightly hazed pale golden. Still more clear than all out hazy. Head is initially very thick but it's gone within half a minute.
S- Smell is spicy peppers. It's one dimensional but it's pleasing on the nose.
T- It is palate wrecking peppers. There is not much of a beer character. Beginning to end spicyness. The finish is particularly burning.
M- Light body and almost fizzy carbonation. It gives the impression of jalepeno seltzer water.
O- A chile beer should have elements of chile and beer to it. This only has elements of chiles. I think if there was some balance to the beer it's a style that could work well. As is, it's hard to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 01:35:31 | More by jsprain1

OleJohnnieAle

Minnesota

2.25/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

A: Cloudy orange haze minal head

S: WOW.. my nose is on fire! I love spicy stuff and definatly red pepper overwhelming.

T: and the taste follows the scent. CHILI PEPPER! WOW spicy hot and not tasting much else!

M: Medium to light body and low carbonation

O: WOW... HOT SAUCE IN A BEER! I love hot stuff and I love beer but I DO NOT love this. Not my type of beer. Beer is usually refreshing and something I love to drink after I eat spicy food... no relief here.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 00:40:15 | More by OleJohnnieAle

Dlish

California

2.15/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

Found this bottle at the bevmo near Belmont shores. I was first captured by the word CHILI Pepper. Being I love Rogue's chipotle ale and I have seen only a have full of chili beers that this one is worth a shot. So the beer is cold lets get a drinkin'

A- pours orange blond, very haze looks like its a hef or white Belgium yeast.

S- Woo Jalapenos! Kind of reminds me of hot nacho cheese there is a bit of floral hops in the background but really this smells like jalapenos.

T-Wooo the heat! Jalapenos with a light malt profile very thin in malts. Then all the jalapenos and chilis come out with all there heat, as I swallow. The amount of heat is unpleasant I like the jalapenos taste but the the amount of chili needs to be taken down in less they add a significant amount of malt and hops to take it down. The only real and memorable taste is the heat.

M- HEAT and it is giving me a heart burn.

O- Disappointed, this is like drinking jalapeno juice, and there is only one flavor. I think there needs to be a significant amount fine tuning to add and make it more palatable. I mean in less you love the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 02:24:05 | More by Dlish

GRG1313

California

1.88/5  rDev -39.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Pours a medium honey orange with no head. Light and clear but looks like orange water.

Nose is very light with almost no character at all. There is a hint of esters and some very light orange fruit. Hint of toasted butterscotch.

Mouthfeel is thin and give the initial impression of a sour - until the flavors hit you.

Wow; pretty much undrinkable for me. Flavors are an initial hit of citric fruity orange that quickly fades to pure pepper heat - no character, no appeal, just hot! Much too hot to enjoy as a drink and the heat wipes out any other character.

Finish is all just hot black pepper that fills your mouth and throat.

Not my style or preference. Will kill any other beer and most foods. Don't even try to taste other styles after this one; it is a "real" palate wrecker. If you just want a hot spicy drink, for some reason, this is for you. But, this one is a one dimensional novelty that has been handled with much to much of a heavy spicy pepper hand. Just my opinion. (The heat and burn in my mouth and throat has not diminished in over ten minutes!)

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 04:22:10 | More by GRG1313

yourefragile

District of Columbia

1.48/5  rDev -52.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Why have I been forsaken? Palate annihilation. Rancid salsa. Sweet potato. Pepper and more pepper. Garbage disposal. Gagging. Wretching. Decay.

I like spicy things. I like peppers. I like beer. This is not a graceful creation combining the "good" of any of these things. If you seek the novelty of this, strain some rancid salsa and splash some MGD64 in for a "beer" presence. Blargh.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 05:05:16 | More by yourefragile