ABV: 7.0%

As I write this showcase, it’s a Sunday night, I’m behind on work, and my flight to a conference leaves in about six hours. Given those realities, it’s not really surprising that I’ve reached for a bomber of Iron Horse Brewery’s Mocha Death to sooth my nerves. The thought of coffee, chocolate, and dark beer wrapped into one promises to calm my frazzled mind and besides, bottles with skulls on them are always more appealing.

The Mocha Death is exactly the beer I needed to help my last minute work go a little more smoothly, because it is a smooth, velvety beer. It pours a thick, deep brown with a reddish tint and the tan head recedes quickly into thin lacing on the glass. The nose is full of cocoa with hints of baked goods and espresso, and ends with a sweet booziness. The mouthfeel is – you guessed it – smooth and creamy, with a stickiness that again suggests baked treats, such as brownies or German chocolate cake. The taste follows with strong chocolate notes, roasted malts, and coffee. Yet despite the coffee influence, the beer is not bitter and the absence of the coffee’s acidic flavors makes the beer taste like a liquid version of a Frappuccino – sweet and creamy, with hints of espresso and earthier flavors. The finish is short, semi-dry, and roasty, suggestive of burnt toast.

The Mocha Death is Iron Horse’s winter seasonal, so find it now. In the words of the brewery, “You’re welcome.”

Photo Credit: Iron Horse Brewery