Lips of Faith: Cocoa Mole

Thanks to Molly for bringing this beer into the brewery for everyone to try. Tasted Friday afternoon along with a bottle of my bourbon barrel aged RIS from a year ago. Reviewed on the company computer. Sample glass served.
9% ABV

Appearance: To  start the beer erupts in the glass with a strong off white head standing at 1/2" on the surface of the beer. Dissipation is slow, but leaves behind a soapy bubbled ring.
Aroma: Caramel and subtle toffee make up the front of the malt bill and nose. Faint notes of cinnamon and gingerbread begin to emerge alongside a touch of vegetal pepper and brown sugar.
Taste: The flavor starts just as sweet, complimented with maple undertones. More of the brown sugar appears here as well. By the middle the spicing emerges revolving around a gritty cinnamon and earthy character. Finally, the finish grips the back of the tongue with an ancho-chili and bite of hot pepper spice that heats the throat as it goes down. Some sweetened phenols are present in the very end. The finish leaves the
Mouthfeel: The body was thinner than the flavor lead to believe. While the beer is thicker in the front, it slims down as the peppers, spice, and certainly the alcohol take central stage. Carbonation is minimal, but enough to give some complimentary texture to the beer.
Overall Impression: Very mild chili flavor with a residual chocolate sweetness. I found the sweetness was more conducive towards amplifying the spices more so than the actual chili or hops. More specifically it helped to resonate the cinnamon flavor over many of the other complexities involved. Nevertheless the balance between the sweetness and the heat from the chili is in perfect equilibrium.