Mar 23, 2017

Flying Dog Chocolate Habanero Stout

The final offering in this year’s Heat Series from Flying Dog Brewing is an earthy and tasty stout. Chocolate Habanero Stout weighs in at 6.3% ABV (30 IBU) and is crafted with cocoa shells and chocolate habanero peppers. Don’t let that last ingredient fool you, this chili is called chocolate only for its color — there isn’t any chocolatey sweetness in this fiery treat. The darker (and hotter than a typical habanero) pepper also provides a bit of earthiness and subtle smokey flavor that are both perfect when employed in this stout.

This full-bodied stout has an excellent flavor profile complete with an earthy nuttiness, cocoa, roast coffee and a mild chili heat. The peppery heat isn’t too strong, but does affect the entire mouth and leaves a light glowing warmth in the chest after each sip. I particularly like the combination of the roast malt and light sweetness in conjunction with that peppery warmth — it served me quite nicely on a cold evening.

I’m a big fan of what Flying Dog has done with their Heat Series. Each beer has been unique with flavors that meet their accompanying chili pepper variety. For 2017, the brewery has stepped up their game with some outstanding beers exceeding expectations set by last year’s batches. I think the Gose has just the right amount of chili heat, but for the other three beers, as a bit of a chili-head, I’d like to feel a bit more burn. That aside, if you want to try something a bit different and fun, check out the beers in this series.

This is a review of a promotional sample.