Like a bourbon-caramel dusted with chili powder, and dipped in a layer of dark chocolate, Breakside Brewing’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged Aztec tantalizes the palate in a tour-de-force for the senses.

Using cocoa nibs and two different chili pepper varieties, Aztec is laced with honey and the whiskey signature of bourbon barrels, resulting in one of Breakside’s most award-winning beers.

Aztec’s aroma of spicy pepper and distinct bourbon trick your palate into expecting an onslaught of pure heat. Instead, layers of creamy chocolate, caramel, and sweet honey nectar open with the first sip. Aztec’s lighter base of Munich, CaraPils, and Pilsner malts highlight barrel flavors of oak and vanilla, along with delicate hints of coconut, and aromatic chili. Unsurprisingly, this 12.0% ABV delicacy finishes with a boozy boldness.

Without a distracting amount of heat, Breakside deftly integrates Habanero and Serrano chilies into a caramel malt base, intensifying the depth of their rich fruit spice. The extreme flavor and heat of chili peppers can be difficult to wrangle, and many brewers temper these rogue adjuncts in a rich Stout base.

The tantalizing Mexican combination of cocoa and chili has cropped up in many much-loved special releases (Abraxas, BOMB!), and the community snatches them up quickly. Breakside’s golden take is not to be missed.

Breakside - Bourbon Barrel Aged Aztec - $13.99 for a 22oz bottle
Style: Bourbon Barrel Aged Strong Ale; ABV: 12%