12 (New) Beers of Christmas - Xocoveza, Stone Brewing (CA)

Written By: Dion on 12/15/2015

Inexplicably, I missed out on this beer last year, so I was really excited to see it brought back as a holiday seasonal. The label promises coffee, cocoa, peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and does it ever deliver! The nose is well-blended, with each ingredient noticeable, but subtle. On the tongue, a barrage of flavors wash over the taste buds...gentle heat and spice wrapped around the sweeter chocolate, balanced by lightly bitter coffee roast and smooth vanilla. I'm not typically a huge fan of pepper beers, but this is extremely well done.