Confluence Blue Corn Lager with Chiles

This is a summer seasonal release from the Confluence Brewing Company in Des Moines, Iowa. This lager is made with blue corn from New Mexico, but this year they added ancho and jalapeno chili peppers. 

The beer pours a red tinted golden. There is a half-inch of white foamy head that fizzes away in a short time. Amazingly, the head has red streaks of chili in it. The aroma is roasted and dried red chiles, over corn, dry, cracked, fresh, with a hint of smokiness. The taste follows the aromas, adding a moderate heat that lingers at the back of the throat. The finish is abrupt and dry. The beer drinks refreshing, with a moderate sting of carbonation complementing the light sting of chiles. This is a quite nice chili lager.