Paddock Wood Xocolatl Porter

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

So, yea, this is a pretty old review that I never posted... better late than never.
Pretty much totally black, poured out a thick brown head which did go to a ring, minor spotty lacing. The aroma is complex - deep roast, borderline burnt, thick almonds or hazelnuts, chocolate, some coffee, some mild hops. Really good flavours of chocolate, bitter hops, good dark roasted malts, this beer is huge! Hard bitterness that is a combo of the coffee and hops, some nuttiness and dryness. Full dodied, smooth, minor carbonation, some initial sweetness that goes to mid strength then finishes huge with tons of coffee bitterness, total mouth cover, less hoppy bitterness when at room temperature. Crazy breath! Totally drinkable and I wish I had lots.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Very dark black color. Taste is very much like the London Porter from the same brewer. Light flavor that is not heavy. Slight hint of cocoa but not enough to make it very obvious. Nice beer for a barbeque as it adds flavor to any food that you are eating.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 4

Very dark dark brown, no cap was produced at all no matter how hard I poured the brew into the glass only a small sparse ring of bubbles around the glass, when I swirl to try to get more of a cap nothing happens, this looks very thick and oily. Mild aroma, mostly consisting of bitter chocolate, some earthiness, and camp fire smoke hiding in the back, I guess this aroma is ok just a little too mild and not exactly all that exciting. Flavor seems all wrong very watery and light, this seems like a diet pop with a aspertain taste. Mouth feel is horrid soft watery and completely flat. Overall the only way I can describe the taste is diet burnt water with a dry finish. Highly disappointed with this brew the fact that the beer was completely flat with zero carbonation ruined the look and mouth feel and the complete lack of anything worth talking about for flavor killed this beer. It’s not like it tasted bad it just tasted like a watered down beer. This must have been just a bad bottle after reading the other reviews of it, might try it again if I get it for free. Review done while watching Mythbusters.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Paddock Wood Variety 6 Pack with 2 Xocolatl, 2 Bock, 2 Rye IPA. Brown 355 ml bottle, with a Mayan Temple on the label. Very dark, basically black color, almost no light comes through when held to the light. The head is thick and creamy, the color of chocolate milk (reminded me of Rogue Chocolate Stout). Foams shrinks, but never disappears and leaves thick lacing. The smell has lots of dark chocolate and chocolate roasted malt. The taste is more of the same - roasted malt, bitter chocolate. There is a bit of a smokey, burnt bittersweet chocolate in the finish. Good mouthfeel and body, thick creamy without being cloying or sticky. Well balanced, not overly sweet or choclately. Very well balanced and flavorful. Another good one.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottle: The serve: As requested by the brewer this 3 week old sample was stored at 39 degreesF and served at 50 degreesF The Pour: a deep opaque black that defies light to pass through the glass...lots of suspended protiens and cocoa. Lovely mocha colored parfait cap last and laces the glass. Aromas: wow! Cocoa in spades..some coffee and roast tones...light sweetness...very pungent. The Quaff: Big chewy front side thick and rich in body and creamy punctuated with cocoa coffee much like a milk stout but with intense chocolate flavors...nid palate the wonderfully executed hopping shows up to complicate the flavor profile with herbal-botanical bittering which carries into the long drying finish to leave a charred-metallic after taste. Post indulgent imprint: This beer could easily pass for a chocolate stout because of the body and character, but the outstanding trait is the marvellous balancing act the brewer did in getting the cocoa, black malt char and hops to do a perfect 3 way balance creating one of the best balanced chocolate ales I have ever tasted.