Six Rivers Chili Pepper Spicy Ale

Six Rivers Chili Pepper Spicy Ale - Wheat Ale with peppers added (2012)

Brewed and Bottled by Six Rivers Brewing Co., in McKinleyville, CA. USA.

Year Round Brew(?)

22 fl. oz. / $4.69 USD / 6% ABV

About: "HOT! Spicy ale made with assorted chiles blended with our wheat ale." Not too much info, but found more: "2004 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medal Winner! Our Weatherman Wheat (An American style wheat ale brewed with 50% wheat, Saaz and Hallertauer) infused with Carlos' special blend of fire roasted chiles."

Thoughts: Just look at that funny label and tell me you don't feel a state of exaltation. ;) It started out light in color but developed into a deep orange colored amber with a crackling and bubbly, one-finger head that quickly faded away. This beer is very murky and clouded. The only thing visible is a heavy amount of fast rising carbonation bubbles. 

Scent is light, and full of wheat, but some really great chili peppers are evident. The more I lean in the more I can get freshly chopped jalapenos. This is on of the very few instances where the more I smell the beer, the more I can actually smell it. Which is strange and unusual... though, I myself am... strange and unusual. Or something.

First gulp, and Hell yeah! This is spicy. This is love at first bite. The beer is peppery and has a heat up front that doesn't let up. Two more gulps in and my mouth is feeling the burn. This is great for heat fiends. It could be a lot hotter (mind you, I do extreme heat foods on a regular basis - it's all I cook pretty much), but I do feel the sweet tingling on my lips. I love the taste of jalapeno oil and spicy peppers... not to mention beer! So I don't think I have to tell you that this one is awesome. Not to throw down accolades on the overall taste or anything, but consider me stunned that I found a beer that actually fuckin' delivers.

Feel the burn? Do you like your lips tingling? I do.

It's great to finally try a chili beer that comes through. It's not terribly complex being a wheat based ale, and it's not the greatest thing I could have imagined, but this one is all about the heat factor. And that's something many other breweries are promising and not delivering on with their so-called "chili beers". When I want a chili beer, I want it hot! Not the bullshit that I've been constantly handed, with a subtle and gentle flavor enhancement. I can now only dream of the day in which I try Ghost Face Killah. It's top of the wishlist, baby.