Valley Brew Cervesa Picosa Ahumada Roja

Brewed by Valley Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Stockton, California USA

12oz bottle from KrausenJockey, opened on 5/26/07 but accidentally not consumed until 5/27/07
It was a case of getting a little too ambitious and I opened this one and then passed out before I could enjoy it. Thankfully A) I didn’t drink it then, as I probably would have not remembered this lovely beer so vividly. B) The beer was wonderfully conditioned and was in perfect shape, with a lovely appearance, despite sitting out for 20 hours with the cap off.
A deep reddish-chestnut brown beer with violet and crimson hues and a beige head that is large, well-retained and full of lacing.
Dry, crunchy malt gives glimpses of earthiness, dusty chocolate-toffee and light breadiness. Some sweet caramel hits the nose through the middle and then disappears in to a lightly spiced, moderately smokey (chipotles) finish that is neither too mild, nor too aggressive. With warming, the nose incorporates even more malt sweetness, mostly light caramel and even a pinch of some fruitiness. Medium to medium-high strength of aroma that craftily downplays its hand in the pepper department. No alcohol noted, no flaws.
A thin layer of bready malt appears at first sip, but is quickly absorbed in to a soft caramel sweetness that is flecked with hints of dry chocolate. I don’t know what creates it, perhaps the interplay of malt and pepper, but there is a transitional flavor in the middle, that is neither fully malt, nor pepper. Almost fruity, like strawberries or cherries or something. Pinches of vanilla are thrown in and then finally the pepper flavor hits on the finish, starting slowly and building to a highly flavorful and enjoyable spiciness, with light smoke and a touch of juiciness even.
What strikes me the most about this particular chili beer, after having many of them, is that it’s in no way done for novelty (or if it is, it dosent seem like it). It’s not a "HA! Let’s make a crazy hot chili beer!" where the brewer obviously forgets to still make a beer and gets extremely carried away with the chili. Nope, here there is a beer with plentiful malt character up front, passing to a complementary (assuming you like chilis) flavor on the end that balances the sweetness up front. Delicious and near perfectly done on the level of heat so that it can appeal to those not so in to spices. Other than a touch of nuttiness and/or breadiness, I didnt get the huge yeastiness that Jeff mentions. This was phenomenal on a hot day and easily the best chili beer I’ve had to-date.

12-ounce. Thanks, Aspidites! I really flipped for this beer. Especially because so many other brewers try to make a good chili beer and either fail or just make a boring beer. Pours deep hazy amber with ruby highlights. Towering fluffy tan head. Sweet peppery nose--you really pick up the ribs of the bell pepper, that salady vegetal note. Super complex and tangy mid-palate with all kinds of plant life blending across it: cereal/malt sugars blending with peppery sweetness and heat, alongside sharp spicy hops. Really an amazing mixture of flavors that is better enjoyed than discussed, because the vocabulary of beer tasting can’t quite capture it. At least my meager version of the vocabulary can’t. Big capsicum kick on the finish and the clingy aftertaste, Wonderful stuff.

Courtesy aspidites. Dark amber/brown with a huge, spongey tan head. Not much going on in the nose- hints of smoke and a little pepper that grows as it warms, some leafy vegetation, also. Flavor has a strong malt backbone, light to moderate smoke, heat is mild but builds to medium by the end of the glass, and plenty of pepper flavor- red, black, chipotle. Awesome earthy, peppery, lightly smokey and spicy finish. Medium body, balanced carbonation, easy drinking. I’m a chile fanatic, so I’d like a little more heat, still an excellent brew.

Cloudy, deep orange pour. The body has hints of red that resemble the coloration effect that dumping in pulpy tomato juice might have. A towering, fizzy beige head with orange hues settles at a medium pace to a thick ring around the edge of the glass. Salty notes coalesce with pepper and light smoke that wafts calmly by in the initial stages of nosing. Toasted grain notes shine through the spicy affront, much to my delight. It’s those notes that keep this sensory exploration interesting yet grounded. The lush vegetal nature of the peppers, coupled with malt, stems an onslaught of appetite-induced saliva; time to sip sip away. The flavor is more of the same at first, lightly smoked peppers and salty grains. Yeastiness is a thickening factor in a plate that quickly becomes surprising. Hot pepper spice lights up the corners of my mouth in the finish, drying and leaving a chalky trail of smoke in its wake. Carbonation is medium-low, and just a touch more would be desireable to eliminate some of the syrupy nature of the palate. Otherwise, this is a bright and vivid, and certainly entertaining experience. An absolute palate-wrecker, but a fun one. This would pair wonderfully with a simple dish of steamed greens and cheese enchiladas.

Speckled ruddy-orange. Off-beige head settles into a thin covering. Zingy peppery aromatics tickle the nostrils, as touches of red licorice, phenols, and a berrylike fruitiness lurk beneath. Big-bubbled carbonation expands on the palate. Quite airy. Pepper-derived heat immediately pricks the palate with a poignantly peppery spice which lends a fiery glow and intensifies the crackly notes of malt. The thicker malt textures are enhanced by the faint fruitiness which imparts plenty of jammy qualities. Pepper character is delightfully ripe and snappy. Phenols are held in check, though they augment the dryness and slightly allay some of the sweetness. Attenuation is lovely, and the somewhat gooey residual sweetness is beautifully curtailed by the peppery heat. Finishes bitterly yeasty, greenly peppery, and slightly tacky/medicinal, with lingering notes of pepper-dusted tobacco. Bottle conditioned and unfiltered, the way it ought to be, and the peppers are aggressively spicy and vividly defined. That said, needs more cleanness (less yeastiness and tacky sweetness) to better allow the malt to shine through. Well made. Thanks for the bottle, KrausenJockey!

Bottle sampled in mid-July 2006: Pours a hazy dark bronze copper with a thin-lacing off-white head. Sweet malts, fresh hops, smoke, and spicy peppery aroma. Body starts with lots of fizzy carbonation, lightly smoky flavor and a hot, spicy lingering finish. Fairly well-balanced and drinkable and I generally don’t even like spicy things.

One of Steve Altimari’s great creations, personally I loved this beer (yes, I’m also a certified chili head). The aroma of this beer is slightly smoky, like a roasted pepper but it still maintains that malty aroma. Appearance was dark orange in color. Mouthfeel was lively enought to keep things going but never dead and lifeless and never harsh. Flavors are like a nice smoky chili, perhaps adobo in flavor, and there’s a little heat you get as the beer goes down the gullet. Making a chili spiced beer is hard enought and these guys do it up right.

Chipotly nose with a touch of butter and lemon zest. Very malt forward, with a wonderful spice balance. Caramel notes fight for dominance with the big peeper body that builds heat all the way thru each sip. A nice lingering pepper burn.