Mole Stout - Ska Brewing Co.

oberon

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured nearly black except for some deep brown highlights when held up to the light,a half finger tannish colored head atop.Cinnamon and chile really stand out in the nose,a hint of vanilla and earth thrown in as well.Sweet chocolate and spices upfront on the palate,maybe a bit to sweet,charred chile flavors in a lingering after taste.It's a bit one sided with the cocoa and cinnamon-like flavors,I did like the little bit of char and spice in the finish though.

Serving type: can

09-28-2012 18:09:21 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

This can is an Austin Powers joke waiting to happen...(but, then again, I never liked those movies...) It pours a deep, murky black-brown topped by a half-finger of off-tan foam. The nose comprises cinnamon, earthy peppers (complete with mild heat), roasted malts, light molasses, and brown sugar. The taste brings in more of the same, with the peppers and cinnamon combining for a unique flavor combination, all whilst the roast dances fancily behind it all. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a sorta/kinda dry finish. Overall, a very nice peppered stout, one that could probably stand to be year-round... Good times.

Serving type: can

10-06-2012 04:47:00 | More by TMoney2591

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a very dark brown to black color with no head. The aroma is heavy on the peppers, with a lot of the roasted ancho notes coming through strongly. I also get a hint of chocolate and some roasted malt. The flavor is very nice. What really comes through early is some cinnamon and chocolate, as well as a hint of heat from the peppers. I also get some of the earthiness from the chilies as well as some nice chili flavor. The chocolate and chili notes meld very well together, with just the right amount of heat and sweetness. Medium mouthfeel and low carbonation. A very nice stout and I am glad more and more breweries are brewing beers similar to this one.

Serving type: can

09-25-2012 03:23:52 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.43/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a jet-black color with a one-finger, light brown head of bubbly foam. It left sticky rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of chocolate, chillies and a touch of cinnamon. So good.

T - Just a good as the aroma. Roasted malt, chocolate, spicy chillies and some cinnamon. Great balance of heat and sweet.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is a really good beer. It's not a sixer I'd want to session all night but one or two really hits the spot.

Serving type: can

10-30-2012 01:55:41 | More by zeff80

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

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.15/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours mahogany with 2 fingers of mocha colored head. Average head retention & some lacing

S: Chocolate, vanilla, white pepper & slight smokeyness

T: Mocha, cayenne pepper, carob, vanilla, & faint woody hops up front, Firey pepper & cocoa as this warms. Finishes with vanilla/mocha sweetness, some white & serano pepper,plus just a bit of herbal bitterness mixing with some cola& coffee grounds flavor

MF: Light/medium bodied, slight carbonation,

A very good chile beer, wish I bought more than a sixer...

Serving type: can

10-30-2012 06:08:59 | More by russpowell

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

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

kylehay2004

Florida

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

A: no head on a near completely black body with little light getting through forming a red tinge.

S: chiles, chocolate, roasted malt and hint of vanilla.

T: the one is very complex. cola, cinnamon, grass, vanilla, chile, chocolate, smokey, roasted malts. This one is all over the place.

M: medium body, thin for what I was wanting/expecting and moderate to high carbonation.

Overall: this is a very disorganized beer. the parts are good however the sum of the parts are off.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 05:02:10 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

3.73/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with a small head of tan foam on top of an opaque, black body. The head disappears rapidly and leaves no lace.

S - Chocolate, smoke, chilies, and cinnamon with a touch of roasted grain.

T - Dark bread with a touch of cola up front. Some chocolate and sweet toffee in the middle. Finishes with lots of vanilla, cinnamon, clove, and smoky chilies and a lingering heat.

M - Medium body, moderately low carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - It sounds good, smells good, and the individual notes of the flavor profile are nice but it just doesn't come come together. It is kind of disjointed and the base beer just isn't big enough to deal with the spices. I would love to try an imperial version of this beer, but I don't really like it as it is.

Serving type: can

11-01-2012 05:01:03 | More by nickfl

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can pours a deep black color with a small tan head. Not much for lacing or retention.

Nose is laden with chipotle and ground ancho. But wait, there is more spice action to speak of...almost like a pumpkin pie type of spice aspect. It definitely fits with the mole...I really want to cook a chicken in this.

Taste shows some really nice pepper and spice blending. Masterful job Ska! The pie spices are just enough to be noticed and are right on par with the spicy, but not hot peppers. The stout aspects are not overlooked with a chocolaty twist and provide some much needed sweetness to keep things from getting too spice/pepper leaning. Despite the bold flavors this beer is quite drinkable. I am not usually a huge fan of chipotle beers, but I find this one to be a very well done (smoky) chile beer.

Serving type: can

10-28-2012 22:04:56 | More by twiggamortis420

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

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

liked this way better than the new belgium one. poured blackish brown, super dark, with almost no head. looks almost flat, but there is some depth to the color. smell is bitter bakers chocolate and cocoa powder, with just a hint of pepper. the flavor is that dusty cocoa up front, with a lot of smokey malt to balance it out. i feel no chili heat in this at all, which i like. the peppers provide just a subtle bit of flavor, nothing too drastic. the chocolate in the finish is also very nice, a little sweeter than on the front end. feel isnt as good as it could be. it needs some more carbonation to pep up its big body. that said though, this is a cool new beer from ska. i would like to make a pot of chili with it at some point. those flavors would be outstanding in there.

Serving type: can

10-06-2012 01:11:03 | More by StonedTrippin

tdm168

North Carolina

2.58/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at The Pit.

A - dark black with no head but fizzy bubbles like a soda

S - very faint nose, maybe some cinnamon

T - faint roasted malts, cola, faint chocolate, cinnamon

M - medium bodied but it's overcarbonated which thins it out a great deal

This was incredibly disappointing. It tastes like cola with cinnamon. There may be some more spice to this than just cinnamon but it gets buried under the intense cola flavor. I'll be avoiding this at all costs.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2012 08:19:33 | More by tdm168

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

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

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

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had to ding the appearance because while this beer started out with a huge head it was almost immediately gone. Dark black with a few bubbles at the surface. Aroma is cinnamon, cocoa, peppers, pretty good. Flavor follows suit but is really not robust enough and feels like it has a watery aftertaste. Both Cocoa Mole from New Belgium and Mexican Chocolate Stout from Copper Kettle are better beers, probably due to the body being thicker.

Serving type: can

09-29-2012 19:17:54 | More by ArrogantB

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

homebrew311

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

One of the coolest style of beers I've seen in a can to date.... let's see how it holds up to my favorite Mexican sauce. Appearance is a fizzy opaque brownish black. Head is non existent, as is any form of lacing. As I take a long deep smell, the first thing that comes to mind is Red Hots candy. This candy cinnamon quality remains at the forefront and basically dominates other notes. There's some mild dry cocoa in the background. The taste is similar. Candy cinnamon a la Big Red gum or Red Hot candy, plus dry cocoa, and a touch of roasty malt profile. The finish features more cinnamon and chocolate with the chili leaving almost zero heat. The mouth feel is a bit prickly with a medium body. Overall, this beer is enjoyable, but not amazing like I was hoping. New Belgium's Cocoa Mole pulled this off in a much better way. This brew feels like a novelty "candy" beer. Interesting nonetheless.

Serving type: can

10-09-2012 23:04:26 | More by homebrew311

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

wedge

North Carolina

3.28/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Making an impulsive batch of chili on a brisk autumn evening. I figured this is as good a night as any to crack this.

Almost black in color with a sliver of chestnut across the bottom, capped by a nice creamy looking head that is there one second and completely gone the next. Aromas of cinnamon sweetness and semi-chocolaty malt, modest chili smoke, and fruity esters. A little more pepper character in the flavor. Cocoa sweetness, cola, spices. No real heat at all. Increased chocolate flavor as it warms up. Medium bodied and very lightly carbonated which takes some of the life out of it. If they get the carbonation fixed in future batches, this will definitely be better.

Serving type: can

10-09-2012 00:30:19 | More by wedge

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

beer2day

North Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Dark brown pour with 1-finger of brown cream head. No retention and zero lace.

Caramel malt, cocoa, and a milky sweetness define the nose. Not unappealing, but not overly nice either. Cocoa lends a nice flavor, but the sweetness is a little much. Getting a hint of pepper.

Flavor is more cocoa, caramel, but the pepper gives a hint of cinnamon, at least at first. Pepper comes in at the very end and lends a bit of fire to the back of tongue.

Feel is very thin. I realize the abv is fairly low, but the feel is just too thin.

Overall, worth a shot if you like pepper. I'd pass on it if I saw it again.

Serving type: can

10-05-2012 02:14:02 | More by beer2day

Domingo

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev +5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Seems cinnamon/pepper/chocolate beers are popping up everywhere these days.
Pours a standard dark brown color that's nearly black. Carbonation is heavy coming out of the can, but goes dead flat in seconds. The mouthfeel stays thick, but visually there's nothing going on after the first pour.
Cinnamon and roasted malts are big on the nose. Semi-sweet chocolate as well.
The flavor takes a slightly different turn. Roasted malts and a pretty potent smoky chili pepper notes come up big up front. Not as sweet as I would've expected. Darker chocolate comes in the middle, followed by a kiss of cinnamon. There's not really a "burn" but the finish fades out with pepper and cinnamon. Drier and more peppery than I would've figured.
I believe that Copper Kettle's Mexican Chocolate Stout is still the flag bearer for this "style" and this is one of the takes that's probably most like it. It's less spicy and much lighter on the cinnamon character, but it keeps that beer's drier and balanced philosophy.
Pretty solid and well crafted. A good beer for fans of chili beers as well as someone looking for something off the wall.
Kind of an oddball because it goes dead flat so quickly. The mouthfeel holds up, but the visual doesn't reflect that at all.

EDIT: Having had more of these, the peppers really are a little heavy in this one. They aren't adding heat, but they're compounding the roasted notes from the stout. It's really tasty at first, but after about 1/2 can (once it warms up), they grind on the palate a bit. I haven't had that with other beers like this.

Serving type: can

10-04-2012 14:15:53 | More by Domingo