Sweet Baby Jesus

Stouts and porters aren't my favorite style of beer. Nevertheless, Sweet Baby Jesus has been on my list of must-try beers for some time now. Sadly, I haven't been able to find it in Connecticut.

Recently, when hubby and I were visiting family in New Jersey, we decided to pop into the neighborhood beer store to look for local brews. DuClaw is not exactly local to NJ, but, when I spied a six pack of Sweet Baby Jesus that sucker went right into our cart.

It's been a couple weeks and I finally got the chance try my SBJ. Sweet lord in heaven it was so worth the wait and why in the hell did I wait so long to try this.

Sweet Baby Jesus is - without a doubt - one of the most excellent beers I've ever had the pleasure of imbibing. Wicked good! Or maybe I should say it's heavenly. Whatever.



Sweet Baby Jesus (6.2% ABV) brewed by DuClaw Brewing is a porter. A chocolate peanut butter porter. That's right! I said it! Chocolate peanut butter.

You might be thinking "ew". But this beer couldn't be any further away from "ew". I promise.

It pours a deep sable brown with ruby highlights. The head is a mass of thick mocha colored bubbles that leave behind lovely lacing.

The aroma is roast, cocoa, pretzel, and gently peanut-buttery. Drool-worthy.

The taste is a delight. Much like the smell. The chocolate and peanut butter are well represented but not in the least bit overwhelming. Nor is this an overly sweet beer. This brew has an excellent balance of flavors that simply work perfectly together.

The mouthfeel is medium-ish and smooth. Light for the style but it works, so I'm not complaining.

I totally love this beer. It is truly awesome!

Overall: excellent



(Yes, I opened the beer with a .50 caliber bullet. Cuz, that's the way I roll.

The glass, by the way, is shaped like a .50 caliber bullet.

Chocolate Sombrero

Some people are afraid of clowns.  I'm not. But some of them can be pretty creepy.  I mean, what's really going on behind that make up?  What are they hiding from?  That's the sort of thing that freaks me out a little bit about clowns.

Now the shoes.  The clown shoes, as it were.  That is where it's at.  You know what they say about the size of man's shoe in relation to the size of his . . . uhm . . . 

But I digress.  I want to talk about beer.  Clown Shoes beer. Specifically, Chocolate Sombrero.  In this case, the size of the shoe correlates very nicely with the quality of the beer.

By the way, that's quite a creepy clown they have there on the bottle.  Freaky deaky!

About the beer . . . 

Chocolate Sombrero (9% ABV) by Clown Shoes is a great beer.  It's an imperial stout brewed with roasted dark and chocolate malts, ancho chile, cinnamon and vanilla.  That's a lot going on in one bottle of beer.  In a very good way!

It pours a rich mahogany with a thick tan head.









The aroma is enticing, to say the very least.  Roasty malts, cocoa and chocolate dominate the more sublime scents of  vanilla and other spices.

The flavor wonderful!  Big malt flavor combined with loads of chocolate.  The subtle sweetness is enhanced by the flavors of cinnamon and vanilla.  What about those chilies?  They can be felt more than tasted.  Oh, don't get me wrong, you can taste of hint of the peppers.  But it's the pleasant capsaicin burn that gives this beer a real kick.  The finish is malty and roasty with a bit of booziness on the back end.

The mouth feel is creamy and smooth.  And that hot pepper warmth contributes adds very nicely to that.  This is a pretty easy drinking beer all things considered.  It's so tasty I just drank it right up.  Delish!

Overall: very good!

¡Salud!

Cafe Picaro

Two things that go together well are chocolate and coffee.  So when I tasted Patron XO Cafe, a coffee flavored tequila, I thought, "Wow, this is goooooooood!"  And then I thought, "This would taste great mixed with a chocolate beer."

The first beer that came to mind was Rogue Chocolate Stout.   Which on its own is an outstanding beer and very chocolaty.  Mixed together with a dollop of Patron XO Cafe it is simply awesome.

I dub this concoction . . . 

Cafe Picaro

1 1/2 Ounces Patron XO Cafe
11 Ounces Rogue Chocolate Stout

Pour the Patron into a pint glass and top off with the chocolate stout.  Enjoy!

Good times at the Red Parka Pub

After a day of mead tasting at Sap House Meadery and beer sampling at Tuckerman Brewery we ended up at the Red Parka Pub for dinner and, yes, more beer.

It was early but the pub was already bustling.  Nevertheless, we were greeted with a friendly "hello" from Shelley.  

It took a little maneuvering  but I managed to squeeze my way onto a bar stool.  I had to ask some kindly folks to scoot over a seat so my hubby to sit down, too.  

Comfortably seated and all settled in, Shelley served us up some ice cold brews and some saucy, fall-off-the-bone ribs.  The Red Parka has a fantastic menu but their ribs are sooooo good and their steaks are to die for.

The Red Parka also has a great beer list and there is always something new to try on their rotating guest taps.

Vienna Amber Lager by Trapp Family Lodge Brewery (5% ABV).  Yes, this beer is brewed by the Sound of Music von Trapps who just happen to own a lodge in Vermont and brew their own beer.  This brew is a rich golden color with a very malty aroma.  The flavor is as rich as the color with toasty and caramel malts, it's slightly sweet and very tasty.  The maltiness is balanced out by a dry, crisp hoppy finish.  Overall, this is a very good beer.  


Lucky U IPA by Breckenridge Brewery (6.2% ABV) is a bright, clear amber color with a serious hoppy nose.  The flavor is a combination of citrus and piney hops.  The  hoppy bitterness, which is significant, is mellowed out by a rich maltiness.  The finish is a lingering bitterness that is quite pleasant.  Overall, tart and very drinkable.  A great beer for a hophead like me.

Chocolate Stout by Rogue Ales (6% ABV).  Aaah, this was dessert.  Rogue beer on tap, there was no way I wasn't having this.  The chocolate stout is black as black with a mocha colored head.  The predominant flavors are dark bitter chocolate and smoke.  There is a touch of dark roasted coffee and vanilla that adds character and depth.  This is a chocolate beer through and through.  Overall excellent!

There's always something going on at the Red Parka Pub!  Visit their website and "like" them on Facebook

Rogue Double Chocolate Stout

If were a girl, and I am . . . 

and it was Valentine's Day, which it is . . . 

you might guess that I would love some chocolate, yes I would!

If you're thinking that I want a big red satin and ribbon covered heart-shaped box chock full of bonbons, truffles and other assorted ooey gooey sweets you'd be terribly, terribly wrong.

Rogue Double Chocolate Stout (8.00% ABV) is my kind of chocolate.  

It pours as black as the darkest night with a thick creamy mocha colored head.  The aroma is chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.  Think malted chocolate and you'll get the idea.

The taste?  Well, there is no pretense to anything other than chocolate.  It is rich, creamy and very chocolatey.   The sweetness, though not overpowering,  is balanced out by a tease of bitter hops.  


The alcohol is well concealed but can be felt on the tongue and in the back of the throat.  It is not at all unpleasant; however, it adds a nice feeling of warmth.

The mouth feel is smooth, creamy and almost chewy.  No doubt about it, this is a heavy beer.

This is a big beer all around.  I think I'm in love!

If you love chocolate and you love beer then Rogue Double Chocolate Stout is a no brainer. 

Over all - excellent!

Visit Rogue's website or check them out on Facebook. 

Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout

I've gained a bit of notoriety at the store where I normally shop for my beer.  They have an amazing selection of craft brews and I can usually count on them for a beer that I am specifically trying to find.

Almost every time I go in there I have a list of beers I’m looking for.  The staff is extremely helpful, fairly knowledgeable and never fail to ask if there’s anything they can help me find.

The recognition comes into play quite nicely.  I am greeted and suggestions are offered as to my particular tastes.  It’s pretty cool and I often find a gem that I may not have chosen for myself.

Take, for instance, last week when I was making a beer run.  I had a couple ideas of what I wanted but nothing set in stone.  As soon as I walked in the door, I was recognized and the greeter suggested Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout.

I’m not a huge stout lover but my husband is and my prior experience with Samuel Smith beer has been good so I grabbed a bottle.

I popped it open for “dessert” . . . and all I can say about this beer is WOW”!  This stout  is one of the most remarkable beers I've ever had.  Amazing.

It pours dark as night with a thick taupe head.  It is perfectly effervescent . . . light and smooth and creamy.  The taste . . . WOWZERS! . . . it’s like drinking lightly carbonated dark chocolate.  Really . . . that’s it . . . like alcohol laced liquid devil’s food cake.

O . . . M . . . G . . . YUM!

Forget the whole organic thing . . . unless that's important to you . . . this beer is nothing short of awesome.

If you like beer and you like chocolate and you’re looking for a new beer to try, move this to the top of your list.  I promise you will not be disappointed. 

For more information go to Samuel Smith's website.