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There's a chili in my beer
"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com – brought to you by Hornitos, OR-G, Party Armor, Red Stag, Absolut, Fireball and Malibu – is back for another round! The whole month of February, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun articles on bars and clubs – including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!
If I find something unexpected floating in my milk, I'm none too pleased. But, recently, I found something unexpected at the bottom of my beer bottle and I didn't mind a bit. After all, I'm willing to try something "new."
Visiting Stack*d Burger Bar in Walker's Point for a story, I was presented with a bottle of Cave Creek Chili Beer, a lager laced with an entire chili pepper in the bottle.
I say "new," because I realize chili beer is not new to everyone. Go to BeerAdvocate.com and there are reviews of nearly 100 of them.
This one, brewed in Tecate, Mexico, by the MolsonCoors-owned Cerveceria Mexicana, is the only one I've sampled. I was impressed from a gimmick standpoint, but only mildly so as a beer fan. The latter in me prefers a good beer that doesn't need a schtick.
While the pepper added some kick – a lot or a little depending on your palate – and made for a fun tasting, it didn't really make for an awesome lager.
Goldschlaeger, of course, has those glistening shards of precious metal, and some mezcals have a worm – rather off-putting, if you ask me, compared to a chili pepper.
What's your take on booze floaters? Do you like them? Gag at the idea? If you like 'em, what's your favorite? Use the Talkback feature below to share.
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dexxter | Feb. 6, 2012 at 3:56 p.m. (report)
O'so brewing Luplin Maximus beer has a hop flower in every bottle.
Had one at Bomb Shelter about two weeks ago.
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Subdude | Feb. 3, 2012 at 3:17 p.m. (report)
Try New Belgium's Cocoa Mole... no actual piece of chili in it but a very interesting cinnamon/chocolate/chipotle party going on.. Had it on tap at Benno's last night.
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Booters9 | Feb. 3, 2012 at 11:14 a.m. (report)
Adding to beer cheese soup, chili or brats sounds like an awesome idea! I'm going to have to try that!
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brewerfan13 | Feb. 3, 2012 at 10:13 a.m. (report)
I had a crazy hot chili beer at Twisted Pine Brewery in Colorado. It was called Ghost Face Killa and was made with the Ghost Chili and 5 other hot peppers.
I only had one sip and it was horrible. It was like drinking heartburn. I don't understand the chili beer craze. Give me a good Belgian Wit any day!
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EatWisconsin | Feb. 3, 2012 at 9:05 a.m. (report)
I once won a t-shirt for finishing 4 of them back in the mid-90s at a VFW post. They are ok as a novelty but awesome for cooking. Add to beer cheese soup, chili, butternut squash soup, or cook brats in it.
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