Mole Stout - Ska Brewing Co.

atomicbeer

New Mexico

3.39/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Pours black as coal with a very quick tan-brown head. Looks like burnt motor oil. Aroma is dark chocolate covered nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, very dark roast barley, and bourbon. Taste follows the aroma and has a bittersweet chocolate tang finish. Not getting any of the chile. The boozy bourbon taste leads one to believe this is more than a 5.5% ABV. This reminds me of bourbon filled chocolates. Had this with a chicken mole burrito. Not very food friendly. Would be better with chocolate - Senior Murphy Chile Cream Chocolates to be exact!

Serving type: can

05-11-2013 02:08:01 | More by atomicbeer

dbossman

Nebraska

3.38/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A: Black with a quickly dissipating fizzy head to a point where there is absolutely no head--looks like a cola in that respect; lacing is non-existent

S: Lots of spices up front--smells like a pumpkin pie and then comes the pepper--sweet and spicy; some roasted chocolate malts but mostly a ton of pepper and autumnal spices

T: The pepper is subtle but it plays well off the sweet chocolatey malts; the spices are also much more subdued than I would have thought--based off the aroma profile; this is balanced up front but unfortunately the sweetness becomes almost overpowering toward the finish--cloying actually

F: A touch thin and undercarbonated but the pepper and chocolate provide a chalky and sticky presence that more than makes up for it

O: What a strange, interesting beer; it looks like "still" cola but it sure tastes different; I like elements of a lot of this beer and I hate elements of a little bit of this beer; hmmm

Serving type: can

05-03-2013 12:59:51 | More by dbossman

mfnmbvp

Illinois

2.48/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz. can, with a best by date of 02/23/2013, so I am a little late to the party, but I'm not scared. Well, not too scared at least. I have already drank 4 cans out of the 6, and so far they were all gushers, so I'm expecting this one to explode also and pour ignorant amounts of foam.

Poured into a St. Bernardus Watou chalice.

A - It's official; it is impossible to pour this beer without spilling some of it and having splatter go flying all over. Impossible. Even a gentle pour generates a ridiculous three and a half fingers of fizzy bubbling mocha colored head. The short-lived head is the best looking thing about this beer while it lasts; it fizzles out immediately and leaves behind a flat looking body. Body is a dark brown / opaque black color, but still appears watery and thin. Looks more like a cola than it does a beer.

S - Smell is musty, yeasty, & carbonated. Some light coffee bean roast, chocolate, and chiles.

T - Body is over carbonated, tingly, metallic. Chile spice is hot and rough & grainy. Gives the beer a pervasive hotness which comes off too strong, drowns out the coffee and chocolate flavors, and leaves the beer feeling too spicy & feeling like it has more alcohol than it actually does.

M - Feel is crisp and carbonated. Again, this is more akin to a cola than it is a stout. Not a very heavy beer, just doesn't sit well with me. Hot, peppery aftertaste.

Overall, a failure of a beer from Ska Brewing Co. in my opinion. I can't really pick out a single thing I enjoy about this beer. Gushes foamy head everywhere, flat appearance, smells & tastes like a soda mixed with taco seasoning, with a pervasive chile presence. This isn't a stout, this is just a chile soda with some alcohol added. Avoid.

Ska Brewing Mole Stout ---2.5/5

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 19:38:53 | More by mfnmbvp

jrnichols

Missouri

4.49/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

My wife brought this home for me a couple days ago. I had never seen it before. I'm usually not a big fan of chili beers, but I'm a huge fan of stouts.

A: Extremely dark and opaque. This is one of the darkest beers I've ever seen. Even when holding it up in front of a light bulb, I see nothing. Has a well developed head with moderate retention. I just really enjoy looking at this beer!

S: The chili odor is noticable but mild, does not dominate like other chili beers. Coffee and possibly the slightest hint of cinnamon are also present. Enjoyably complex.

T: Mole Stout is a very appropriate name for this beer. The pepper is mild up front, with a rich, somewhat toasty cocoa finish. The pepper tingles the throat on the way down. Even without the pepper, it would hold it's own among other stouts.

M: The pepper gives it a very remarkable feel, tingling the mouth just the right amount.

O: I had a couple of these the other night and I thought it was a pretty good beer, but now that I'm able to sit down and taste it objectively (and sober) I'm realizing what a remarkable find this is. The most amazing part of it is the pepper, because of how subdued and mellow it is, blending perfectly with the chocolatey toastyness of the rest of the beer. I just can't get over it. Other pepper beers are all pepper, often ruining the palate for anything with a lighter flavor, but I could easily drink several of these with out getting tired of it and still be able to taste my food. Good job Ska!

Serving type: can

04-18-2013 03:03:23 | More by jrnichols

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.46/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Seems like the cinnamon chocolate stout craze is catching on. Fine with me

Dark pour, a bit inky with a semi flat head. Slick.

Aroma is nice, perhaps a bit discombobulated. Cinnamon and chocolate are alive yet struggle to separate from each other. Hard to pick out

Flavors of cinnamon and chocolate are more pronounced yet still a touch weak. There smoothness just needs to come through more. Chile flavor is even weaker, and the chile spice is overcome a bit by some sweetness.
Still, a darn fine beer, just needs a bit of fine tuning. Great dessert beer

Serving type: can

03-31-2013 18:48:04 | More by Mebuzzard

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.93/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a black color with thin beige head, around the .65" range. Decent lacing on one side of the glass. Aroma, didn't really scream chile beer, it did have a strong spice cabinet, heavy on the cinnamon and nutmeg more than anything else. Instead of cocao, it came off more like cola. The spice? Meh.

Taste followed in a similar vein to the aroma, not enough two row, too much spice rack shit. It was one of those beers that was unique for about 2 oz. Then every 2 oz. after that became more taxing, less enjoyable. Had too much carbonation too. You can tell in the mouthfeel that there are peppers there, and the flavor of them isn't too bad, they're just accompanied by too much other weird stuff that is distracting and a negative effect on the overall beer. Tastes like it has more alcohol than it does.

I would actually like this beer without the cinnamon, nutmeg and whatever. Stick with the basics in a chile beer. Chiles, chocolate, 2 row.

Serving type: can

03-01-2013 06:20:21 | More by Beerandraiderfan

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to the creator of the canquest, woodychandler, for this beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is spicy chili peppers. Taste is unique, spicy yet not hot per say, a bit of cocoa, a different flavor that, while good, is not something I would want a steady diet of. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is a unique and unusual beer worth a shot.

Serving type: can

02-06-2013 00:48:34 | More by tone77

MickeyBeer

Illinois

3.56/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz can poured into a pint glass

A- Pours a deep brownish black that is almost opaque. About one finger of tan head that dissipates quickly.

S- I pick up on chocolate and coffee aromas and a little bit of a peppery smell. Also picking smell some roasted malts.

T- The dominating flavors are coffee and burnt cocoa but I can also pick up on the peppers. They are not overwhelming and do not add any real spiciness, but they do add an interesting flavor. It is sweet with the slightest bit of hop presence.

M- Pretty light mouthfeel for a stout with a moderate amount of carbonation. Pretty crisp for a stout.

O-Tasty brew in my opinion and certainly not a typical stout. I wish it was a little more full bodied but I would have it again.

Serving type: can

01-29-2013 01:59:26 | More by MickeyBeer

bark

Sweden

3.2/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

The colour is dark cold brown (50 EBC), the liquid is clear. There is no head, foam or lacing at all.

The dry smell is fruity-spicy with distinct hot notes of reserved chili fruits. Green peppers, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.

The taste is spicy, but not as hot as I ha expected. Mostly nutmeg and cinnamon. Behind the spices, I think I can discern a clean and dry stout with some burned malts. Some clean bitterness, some malt sourness. Cocoa and toffee. Medium body. The aftertaste got growing chili notes and some alcohol. Cola beans and a light spicy sweetness. The finish is warming with some lingering bitter flavours and sweet toffee flavours.

The carbonation is medium strong, the small bubbles sharp and short-lived. The liquid is light and a little dry.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 18:55:50 | More by bark

TheCondor

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - Sweet packaging, cool picture on the front of the can. Like the name of the brew too, very cool! Side poured from a can into a mug with standard vigor. Pours a jet black color with very little head or retention, but incredible lacing. Every drink you take is illustrated in the lacing on the side of the glass!

Smell - Smoky chocolates, malts, dark chocolate, and a hint of peppers and spices as the brew warms. A little subdued but good nonetheless.

Taste - A nice smooth coffee and chocolate flavor is intemixed with spices such as nutmeg and chile peppers. Very unique, as this style typically is.

Mouthfeel - A real smooth finish, similar to the stouts from which the beer takes its name. The chile peppers and hot sauce really come alive at the finish of the beer. Medium bodied with minimal carbonation.

Overall - This is a pretty tasty brew overall. I would certainly recommend trying it, for it is tasty! Very unique style, tasty. you can ue this brew to impress your beer snob friends as something they may never have had. Check it out next chance you get@

Serving type: can

01-20-2013 01:30:32 | More by TheCondor

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Blackety black with a dark brown highlight to it. Very quick dark brown head with no retention. The beer looks oily.

Smokey pepper mixed with coffee, dark chocolate and coffee make up the aroma. Very chipotle-ey.

Super roasted malts mixing well with chocolate and coffee. Palate is slick and oily. This is a chile beer where you can taste the chili's. But they aren't overpowering. Everything seems to come together very well.

Serving type: can

01-18-2013 15:37:42 | More by scruffwhor

metter98

New York

3.6/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a two finger high mocha colored head that dissipated within 30 seconds, leaving only a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are aromas of chocolate roasted malts in the nose along with some hints of smokiness. Some hints of chili peppers become noticeable as the beer warms up.
T: Like the smell, the taste has flavors of light roasted chocolate along with notes of nutmeg and hints of chili peppers.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a very drinkable chili beer because the peppers aren't that prominent and don't contribute any heat to the taste.

Serving type: can

01-06-2013 00:36:02 | More by metter98

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

2.48/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12oz can into a snifter

A: Pours pitch black with two fingers of off white foam that quickly settled to nearly nothing. Horrendous head retention.

S: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and slight chile peppers. I get a bit of milk chocolate in the background. I get really no malt or malt aroma at all, really nothing resembling beer.

T: Slightly smoky chile peppers upfront with cocoa nibs, cinnamon, and nutmeg in the bakcground. Though the flavors are nice, there are really no typical beer flavors at all in this beer.

M: Thin with very low carbonation.

O: A decent drink, but not a very good beer. I really can't taste anything outside of the chocolate, chiles, and spices.

Serving type: can

01-05-2013 00:07:36 | More by coreyfmcdonald

afluentturtle

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a can into a snifter.

Appearance: Poured a dark brown/off black with a small amount of head. No lacing.

Smell: Toasted malts, hint of vanilla, some chocolate, that's about it.

Taste: Non descript stout, chocolate hints, slightly woody. I can't taste any chile peppers at all.

Mouthfeel: Feels pretty light, smoot, not much carbonation. Very easy to drink and I would for sure drink this again of it was free.

Honestly wasn't that special, maybe it needs somthing to set it apart but for me it was just another dark beer. I couldn't find any chile peppers in this brew at all.

Serving type: can

12-28-2012 01:21:13 | More by afluentturtle

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque black in color with some crimson red highlights visible at the edges of the glass. The beer has a thin (less than quarter finger) beige head that reduces to absolutely nothing. No lacing is observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of cinnamon with some lighter notes of chocolate and chilis.

T: Moderate flavors of dark malts, coffee, cinnamon, bittersweet dark chocolate, and some chilis. There is a light amount of bitterness and chili heat in the finish.

M: Medium bodied with light amounts of carbonation.

O: Probably the easiest drinking beer I have tried in the Chile beer style and it has a nice complexity of flavors to it. Not something I would want to have multiple in a session but definitely an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: can

12-23-2012 23:31:51 | More by dbrauneis

Auracom

Illinois

1.8/5  rDev -50%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

Thanks Dan! 5 oz. poured into a C&B tulip on November 9th, 2012.

A - Thin for the style. Deep brown with very little frothy, tan head. Decent amount of alcohol legs.

S - The overall aroma does smell a bit like mole, but its not a particularly complex or big recipe. Cinnamon, light chocolate, coffee grounds, and a little roast.

T - Any promise of the smell is shot down. Light on every flavor here, which includes further cinnamon, dark chocolate, chipotle pepper, and espresso. A bit of dried, caky dirt.

M - Very thin, light body. Low carbonation. Semi dry finish. Feels incredibly watery.

D - Bleh. The feel is among the worst I've experienced in the style. Aroma had a bit of hope but nothing can save this one. Honest drainpour.

Serving type: can

12-05-2012 22:20:24 | More by Auracom

ChadQuest

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The head on the pour fades fast, most pepper beers do for me. The body is a dark brown, translucent near the edges.
the aroma is mostly dry chocolate with just a whisper of peppery spice, the pepper doesn't come through a whole lot.
The flavors have more of the pepper but it presents less as a hot heat and more as a soft accent that breaks the chocolate down and makes it dryer and powdered flavor, really adds a neat flavor without any heat. This one might be good for someone who normally doesn't like pepper beers.

I'd buy a 6er again.

3/c = average.

Serving type: can

12-03-2012 05:54:41 | More by ChadQuest

beersands

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +25%
look: 2 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Color is lovely dark brown, as you would expect in a stout, with the head retention of a glass of mineral water. I poured half of it aggressively and finally decided to shake up the rest in the bottle with my thumb on it to discover the head is a deep brown color. The foam that poured out dissipated in seconds, with an unprecedented alka-seltzer sound. I imagine the large amounts of powdered adjuncts are preventing the head from remaining.

S - Sweet chocolate and spice

T - The first thing that hits me is textbook high-end Mexican hot chocolate. I feel like someone's abuelita just handed me a glass that was sitting in the fridge for awhile. Dark chocolate with various spices and chile following quickly. Smokey pepper, cinnamon, and piloncillo. Its a shame there was no head retention, as this type of drink is typically served Frothy! The head retention was surely sacrificed to the gods of Smell and Flavor here. I will say it was a daring trade off. The last thing I taste is lingering dark bitter chocolate and some balancing sweetness.

M - Medium body. you can feel the powdered adjuncts, but they blend in well enough that it doesnt become irritating. The finish is light, with a slight slickness.

This is a hard one to rate for me. I believe this Chile Beer style primarily exists to provide the connoisier with a new experience. The smell and taste do that in spades. Its extremely difficult to get many of the fresh flavors this beer has to survive the brewing process and arrive on your palete. The mouthfeel and especially the appearance suffer, though. Overall I recommend it, but I feel the brewmaster(s) may have been able to get more head retention somehow. Maybe we could see this in a nitro can or nitro tap.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 14:03:22 | More by beersands

Sunnanek

Sweden

3.3/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours dark brown, almost black with a small reddish brown airy head that aggresivly dissipates rapidly - the sizzeling sound is LOUD. No lacings.

S: Roasted dark malts, somewhat sweet. Milk chocolate and faint coffee, but obviously also chili peppers.

T: Vanilla and dusty dry coffee along with grinded cocoa-beans. Nutmeg and cinnamon. Hard roasted malt. Some, not too obvious chili peppers.

M: Aftertaste lingers with dark malty sweetness along with some dry bitterness. Body is smooth and medium while no carbonation is noticable.

O: Not very exciting. Well crafted but a bit too modest for my taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 19:35:57 | More by Sunnanek

KajII

North Carolina

3.33/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

[Suggested Glassware: Nonic Pint]

The pour was a murky dark brown with a small (less than 1 finger) fizzy light brown head that was fully diminishing and had no lacing at all.

The aroma was of a roasted malt and a leathery doughy yeast with notes of dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, molasses and a mild hint of chilis.

The taste was much like the aroma, lightly sweet and a tad malty with a touch of chocolate and molasses early on and then becoming very lightly bitter with a shot of coffee and a hard to notice hint of the chili peppers towards the finish. The flavor lasted an average time after the swallow, with a mildly bitter mocha coffee taste and a super light peppery feel at the very end.

Mouthfeel was medium in body with a thin watery texture and an almost mild carbonation.

Overall this brew was not what I expected from a Chili Stout. I am always leary about peppery beers, but this one was very tasty with just a light peppery presence. I can see myself having this again...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 18:23:18 | More by KajII

claspada

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a super dark brown, almost black color with a medium sized light brown head of bubbly foam that recedes to leave some super sticky rings of lacing.

The aromas were a little lacking but were centered around dark and milk chocolate. As it warms you get some minimal chillies and a touch of cinnamon.

The tastes are an improvement on the aromas with more of a roasted maltiness, milk chocolate, mocha and toffee. The spicy chillies and cinnamon are more apparent as well in the finish.

The mouthfeel is medium boided with medium carbonation. Finish was crisp, lightly spicy and bitter but overall quite smooth and clean.

Overall this was a nice treat and quite drinkable. For such a low ABV offering this packs a nice flavor that I bet was even more strong when it was first released in early Autumn. Not a beer I would want to have everyday or more than two in a sitting despite the low ABV but a fine offering and quite balanced overall for a spice/chile beer.

Serving type: can

11-28-2012 15:11:27 | More by claspada

Beaver13

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

12 oz can. Pours dark brown, almost black, with a medium fizzy light brown head that quickly goes to a thin collar.

The aroma is nice mole spices - chocolate, cinnamon and chili.

The flavor is sweet chocolaty malts and cinnamon with a nice spicy chili kick in the finish. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and a bit watery.

Overall, a very nice mole beer - very similar to New Belgium's version, but maybe a step below.

Serving type: can

11-24-2012 01:26:03 | More by Beaver13

macrosmatic

Florida

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

Thanks to dogdoc for this one! Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. can into a snifter glass.

A: Dark brown, but when held to the light it's more clear than expected. A good bit of visible carbonation present. Forms a thin off-white head.

S: Dried chili pepper, and maybe some burnt cold coffee.

T: The chili flavor is prominent up front, but unlike so many chili beers, it's not really spicy. Then roasty coffee, and maybe some very dark cacao bitterness. Finishes with the chili flavors fighting with the roast bitterness at the end.

M: Thin body but an almost creamy mouthfeel. Reminds me of a milk stout in mouthfeel, though not as sweet to be sure. I'm going to give this beer the benefit of the doubt that this is the feel that was intended, rather than a big thick stout like so many other chili beers are. The alcohol is well-hidden, and there's a decent amount of carbonation sensation.

O: This isn't bad, especially for a style that often isn't my favorite. That said, I wouldn't seek out another.

Serving type: can

11-23-2012 18:10:30 | More by macrosmatic

bshotbox

3.68/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

this stout was something that I have never had before. It was like a chilly, spicy stout. I think they got the body just right for the spices, no so much for the stout category, seems more like a brown stout at most. I enjoyed it for its creativity but think it would be hard to keep going back to. I think it is worth recommending, if you haven't tried a beer like this it is worth the adventure!

Serving type: can

11-23-2012 16:55:46 | More by bshotbox

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

a reddish dark brown pour with a finger of head which quickly diminished.
smells spicy, yet sweet. cinnamon, cloves, chipotle peppers, chocolate, cedar

a sweet hit of spices up front (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves) followed by chipotle spicyness which isn't very strong. the sweet chocolate overtone makes this an excellent balanced beer.

medium body +, low carbonation with a nice warm feeling.

this is an excellent beer. i just wish it was a tad bit more carbonated, but other than that, loved it.

Serving type: can

11-10-2012 19:03:50 | More by facundoCNB