Chili Beer, an acquired taste maybe

Porters at Balgowlah can always be trusted to offer some new beers to try. This particular offering would appear to be a gimmick but has actually been around for some time. The http://www.chilibeer.com/ tells an amusing story of a bloke who started a brewery in 1989 in Cave Creek, Arizona. He got sick of “yuppies” asking for pieces of lime to add to his beer, so he started adding a serrano chili. People liked it and whilst it isn’t being made in Cave Creek anymore, it is still being produced. It is now made in Tecate, Mexico.

I’m a fan of hot foods, but I’ve got to say I really struggled to get this down. There is no escaping the chili at any stage. The strong aroma of chili hits you from the moment the bottle is opened. I poured it into a glass and I was overwhelmed by the smell as I took my first sip. The chili flavour overwhelms any beer taste – and this is simply a hot, spicy drink.

I enjoy a jalapeno on a pizza, in a Quesqadilla or even in a Mexican pie – but in a beer? There was no unbearable pain – it just wasn’t that potable. An acquired taste, maybe, but not by this drinker – I just couldn’t go a second.