Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 9.6%
Joe’s Take
This week’s NC beer of the week post is actually a new release as well. Nick and I headed over to our favorite taproom in Greenville, Tapped and decided to give the 2020 release of “Bourbon Barrel Aged Sexual Chocolate” by Foothills Brewing in Winston-Salem, NC. This big boozy imperial stout is packed with chocolate and coffee and is aged in Weller’s and Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels.
I ordered a 10 oz pour of “Sexual Chocolate” and got the dark boozy brew in a nice snifter glass. It was a deep black and let no light pass through. The stout sported a brown foamy head that died down to a ring around the edges. The beer lived up to its name and was a fine looking beer that resembled a glass of liquid dark chocolate.
The snifter did a great job of concentrating the aromas, highlighting the potent smells of vanilla, bourbon, and sweet malt. The nose made it evident that the beer was bourbon barrel-aged as there was plenty of boozy, vanilla, and even some oaky bourbon goodness. Playing on the bourbon notes, there were hints of roasty coffee and rich chocolate that made it to my olfactory receptors. Next, I picked up grapefruit, citrus, and dank hops….okay maybe not, just checking to see if you were paying attention.
Mouthfeel was pleasant with the barrel-aged behemoth and it was one thicc boi. By that I mean heavy-bodied but surprisingly light feeling with the level of carbonation of the brew. I was actually expecting a bit less carbonation from the beer, but I liked how it “lifted” the beer up and made it so it wasn’t too heavy feeling.
“Sexual Chocolate” was full of complex flavors that made drinking it a whole experience. During the tasting, I was able to make each flavor profile more apparent by thinking about the associated context. For example, when I tried to get a sense of the flavors from the bourbon barrel aging, I picked up on sweet boozy notes, with hints of vanilla and char. When I was looking for more chocolate and coffee flavors, I easily found them. Now this effect could have been caused by the almost 10% ABV and since I was over halfway through the glass at this point, but I think the complex flavor profile evolves as you progress through the beer. There was a lot the beer had to offer and might even be worth revisiting to get a full picture.
As I have said before with other beers of this style, I would avoid pairing food with this beer and just enjoy the brew as a solo flavor journey. The intensity of the beer would likely wash out any flavors presented by your meal anyway (unless it was equally intense).
I recommend you get out and enjoy this year’s release of “Bourbon Barrel Aged Sexual Chocolate” if you can. The flavor experience is worth making a special visit to your local taproom or bottle shop.
Abbreviated tasting notes
Appearance: Dark inky black, no light penetrates. Tan to brown head that dissipated, leaving a thin ring of foam behind. (4/5)
Aroma: Bourbon vanilla sweetness, no-hop character, sweet malt. Boozy sweetness and coffee/chocolate peek through. (4.5/5)
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slightly more carbonated than I expected. Mouth coating on the finish. Slightly viscous. (4/5)
Taste: Roast coffee, sweet alcohol and chocolate. Vanilla, bourbon, slight char. (4.5/5)
Drinkability: Slow sipper, strong flavor, and strong alcohol. Be careful! (3.5/5)
Total: 20.5/25
Nick’s Take
Today, we’re reviewing another barrel-aged stout (if you are a fan of this style, make sure to check out our post for the Goose Island “Bourbon County” releases, as well as our post for Mother Earth’s “Silent Night” releases). While trying some new brews at Tapped in Greenville, NC, Joe and I found ourselves in the middle of a special release from Foothills Brewing: a 2020 edition of their imperial stout, “Sexual Chocolate,” that had been coffee-infused and aged in bourbon barrels. The entire description of this brew sounded appealing, and we immediately named it our subject for the next NC beer of the week post.
My pour of this barrel-aged, coffee-infused imperial stout looked incredibly rich and full of flavor. As I retrieved my snifter from the server, it sported a nice, creamy tan-looking head above the almost jet black beer. However, in the short walk back to the table, the foam had almost all dissipated with the exception of a tenacious ring stuck around the edge. From the side view, it’s like looking into a container of crude oil, with no discernable light making its way through. This description might be intimidating or unappealing to some, but I assure you, this tends to yield a fantastic stout.
I was not too surprised to find some delicious and enticing aromas on the nose. Of course, you can’t be named “Sexual Chocolate” without chocolate. It was a bit semisweet, or perhaps best classified as cocoa. Mixed with this were notes of molasses, sweet vanilla, the advertised coffee (which added some rich, roasty aromas), and some spices. Underneath this complex and pleasant mix were hints of alcohol from that almost 10% ABV measurement, and they were certainly displaying the time they spent aging in the bourbon barrels.
As soon as I could make note of the appearance and aromas, I quickly advanced to sipping the stout. I was a little eager and took too large of a drink for the initial inspection, and was met with a solid hit of tingling and spritz on the tongue. I imagined this was a combination of the bourbon barrels, the coffee, and possibly some components of spice flavors, though it definitely had mild carbonation. A few subsequent (smaller) sips confirmed the mouthfeel I initially noted, but in a much more manageable intensity. This imperial stout was slightly viscous and provided a nice mouthcoat, which later proved to be useful in allowing my palate to detect the wide array of flavors present.
For as complex as this edition of “Sexual Chocolate” is, I never once thought that it was too much. In fact, everything seems to harmonize. As a fan of fresh roasted coffee, the coffee infusion created excellent roasty flavors throughout, and when combined with the sweet chocolate and vanilla flavors, you could almost say it creates a mocha vibe. In addition, I found some sweet molasses, a touch of cinnamon (not sure if this is a self-imposed flavor), and of course, bourbon. This is a dessert beer if I’ve ever had one, but not something you’d guzzle down.
Personally, I don’t know that I would pair this with dinner, but it could complement a stew or a red meat dish (something with strong flavors or seasoning). My recommendation would be a light dessert like a custard or a cheesecake. I enjoyed this coffee-infused, bourbon barrel-aged edition of “Sexual Chocolate” all on its own, too. It took me a little longer than normal to down my 10 oz. pour, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. That just meant I was able to savor this – which should always be the case with these special releases. We hope you are able to find this 2020 edition from Foothills Brewing to taste it for yourself!
Abbreviated tasting notes
Appearance: Tan, creamy-looking head upon pouring but quickly dissipates to a solid ring around the edge. Beer itself is dark brown/black and opaque. (4/5)
Aroma: Semisweet chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla. Deep inhalations bring out the boozy smells from the high ABV. (4.5/5)
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly sharp/tingly upfront, from spices. Medium body and some viscosity that coat the tongue. (4/5)
Taste: Black coffee and chocolate combine for a mocha profile. Vanilla, molasses, and some spice (cinnamon comes to mind). Barrel-aged qualities come through in retronasal. (4.5/5)
Drinkability: Sloooow sipper, but really complex and tasty. High ABV and some of the pronounced flavors (spices and roast/coffee) result in a beer that is best when not rushed or overindulged. An enjoyable experience nonetheless. (3.5/5)
Total: 20.5/25
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