Bootleggers Black Phoenix

Brewed by Bootleggers Brewery
Style: Stout
Fullerton, California USA

22oz bomber courtesy of a generous BA, poured into a tulip. I’ll start by saying I haven’t a clue how to level-set a rating for a chile beer, so I’ll stick with a stout review. Pours reddish brown out of the bottle and sits almost completely black in the glass underneath a thick tan head that recedes very quickly to a collar. The aroma is excellent - starting with some roasted coffee and dark chocolate malts. But there’s definitely an intriguing pepper burn in the nostrils that keeps me from confusing this aroma for that of a straight-up stout. The taste starts with sweetness, chocolate mostly, with a heftly dark malt backbone. There’s some coffee bitterness that starts to come out, but the real uniqueness hits in the finish where the chipotle peppers come in. They start with a solid pepper character but then you realize your tongue is burning in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with soft carbonation and leaves that interesting burning sensation after each sip. This is a very complex and original stout with the peppers really bringing something different to the table. I really enjoyed this one.

On tap. Pours with a small, tan head and a black body. Aroma of coffee, metal, bitter baking chocolate and vanilla been. Taste is strong bitter, and very dry, lightly smokey roasted coffee with chocolate and an odd hint of burn...did not know that this was a pepper beer. Creamy mouthfeel butt an dry burning finish. Decent but as far as LA area coffee beers, Requiem from Gentleman Scholar takes the cake!

Pours pretty black in this dim lighting...the head was thin, heavier along the glass’ edge, and slightly off-white in color. Nose showed notes of chocolate, roasted malts, and raw pumpkin. Subtly smokey flavors with some sweet waves of chocolate, and roasted malts. There may be just a tickle of capsicum heat in the back of the throat, but nothing you’d probably notice if you weren’t keen to chilis being used in the brew. Surprisingly thick and coating for 6.7% alcohol...flavorful for sure, but I wish the chili came through more...I feel the heat in my throat and stomach, but the heat wasn’t too apparent in the mouth. Pretty roasty overalll with some chocolate, some smoke, and the scratchiness in the throat from the chili. Overall, i quite like it.

Poured very black, roasted malts, coffee, little pepper, slight dark chocolate.

This was a pleasant surprise. Very dark brown with only a tad head/lace. Aroma is nice and coffee/chocolate. The flavor really matches the aroma. Nice dark chocolate flavor with coffee aftertaste. I liked this beer and would buy it again.

Appearance: Pours a midnight brown with floaties in the body. Not much head to be found, but a few suds here and there at the top. Aroma: Moderate whiffs of coffee and roasted malt in the front and a little bit of roasted pepper in the back. Taste: Prepared coffee, dark chocolate, and smokey roasted hot peppers. Mouthfeel: Full bodied, and warm on the throat. Overall: Highly drinkable, pretty complex, really tasty.

On tap @ Beachwood BBQ.Black with a one finger creamy beige head, good retention. Lots of chocolate and chocolate malt (the shake, not the grain) and roasted malts with a hint of earth. Flavor continues with the same goodness and the addition of some cold coffee. The finish is semi-dry and a little burnt, bitterness @ a 3. Some heat does rise after a few sips on the lips and tongue. Smooth medium body with moderate creamy carbonation. Pretty good--didnlt motice any smoke, though.

22 oz bomber. Pours a very dark brown cola with a medium tan head. Aroma of bitter coffee beans, chocolate malt and chipotle peppers. Taste of bitter malts, bitter chocolate, coffee beans and chipotle peppers. Interesting concoction, but not much of a fan.