New Belgium Cocoa Mole

This 9.0% ABV ale is brewed with cocoa and spices, including Ancho, Guajillo and chipotle peppers. It is from the New Belgium Brewing Company of Fort Collins, Colorado, and is part of their Lips of Faith series. The beer pours a medium dark brown. It looks a bit hazy, but it is dark enough that it is hard to tell. There are ruby tints around the edges. There is a short lived head of very light brown foam. The aroma is mole over a subtle dark ale. The taste is a burst of mole, cocoa, cinammon, and peppers. The peppers are not out front, but blend into the overall mole taste and add a nice simmering of heat on the finish. The mouthfeel is a tad watery for all the flavor, hard to believe it is nine percent alcohol. For a spiced beer that uses peppers, this is pretty darn good.