Nov. 06--What it is: Pilsen's Moody Tongue Brewing Co. has crafted a beer that's as unique as it is satisfying. Caramelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter -- yes, that's the full name -- amounts to a complex chocolate porter with hints of the sweet and savory flavors found in a churro (a fried pastry popular in Mexico, if you didn't know). The interesting twist is that Moody Tongue infuses these flavors in a relatively light beer; unlike most porters, Baltic porter is a lager, and the use of lager yeast results in a lean, approachable body.
In the bottle: Caramelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter boasts a deep and lovely array of sweetness both in the nose and on the palate: dark chocolate most prominently, but also caramel, vanilla and butterscotch, with a wisp of cinnamon. That light, clean body makes churro porter quite drinkable, with barely any boozy burn. Be sure not to drink this beer too cold, or its decadent nuance will be lost.
Alcohol: 7 percent
Drink it with: Thanksgiving dinner. The combination of chocolatey sweetness and a light body makes Caramelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter an ideal pairing for a meal that veers between sweet and savory, from first bite to last.
Find it: Available in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles at better beer stores.
More information: www.moodytongue.com
jbnoel@tribpub.com
