Lorenzo Imperial Stout - Vista Brewing Review
Or, more specifically, a Mexican Hot Chocolate Imperial Stout. Well, Vista brewing out of Driftwood, Texas, had us at Mexican hot chocolate, and the addition of vanilla bean, cinnamon, Ancho and Cascabel peppers only sweetened (and spiced!) the deal. And Imperial stout it is, coming in at 9.1% ABV.
If you’ve never had a Mexican hot chocolate, know that the cinnamon is the ingredient that really brings it to life. It blends so well with the dark chocolate, and the addition of the chili peppers adds a pleasant heat to the drink, making it all the more exciting on the palate.
I must admit, I’ve had beers with cinnamon in them before and was never really a fan, but I love a good Mexican hot chocolate, and there’s nothing better than a strong stout on a cold day, so let’s see how Lorenzo stacks up in our first impressions.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Pours completely opaque and without any head formation.
On the Nose--The vanilla bean comes through the strongest with the slightest touch of sweet cinnamon following. Lorenzo is certainly a stout with the right amount of roastiness (maybe from the peppers) and maltiness.
On the Palate--As expected, this stout is complex. The vanilla and cinnamon are expressive beside the chocolate malt depth. Lorenzo has a unique smokiness from the chiles. The finish is dry and the flavors don’t build on themselves so the beer isn’t numbing on the palate but is fresh and complex each sip. With such a high ABV (9.1%), it really isn’t that noticeable amongst the depth of flavor. It is medium-bodied and pretty light in the mouth, even surprisingly so for such a strong beer.
Food Pairings: With cold days, of course, and any of your favorite chocolate desserts or heavily spiced dishes like chili.
Final Thoughts:
While it’s always a risk to try something like this, especially if it’s not your thing, it can be exciting to taste what innovative brewers are concocting. I was initially worried about the cinnamon after some previous experiences with not enjoying the spice in beer, but Lorenzo really is true to the flavor of a Mexican hot chocolate. The cinnamon was there, the vanilla was there, and the bitter chocolate was there to balance them out. Besides a touch of smokiness, I don’t get the chiles much, but they are certainly an interesting addition that add to this stout’s great depth.
Truthfully, this beer is not for everyone, and of course the brewer didn’t intend it to be. If you like a lot of adjuncts in your beer, particularly sweet ones, this is a great selection for you. It is a unique sipper with some honest flavors and a lot of depth as well as alcohol.
If you want to try Lorenzo in its purest form, visit Vista’s taprooms in either Driftwood or San Antonio before they run out of this seasonal.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew