BELCHING BEAVER BREWERY ¡VIVA LA BEAVER! MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER STOUT - a review

by Daver, I guess

Here's something you should know about San Diego, they are fond of the Mexican chocolate. You'll find it at every coffee shop, which is something else I deeply miss about San Diego. At home, I have to buy my own supply to add to my morning java. Or would, if I remembered to look for Mexican chocolate. Belching Beaver Brewery remembered, and made a variant of their Peanut Butter Milk Stout with Mexican chocolate. Behold, ¡Viva La Beaver! Mexican Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout!

The can's label reads, "Viva La Beaver is loaded with notes of creamy peanut butter, cinnamon and coffee. The decadent milk stout is the perfect dessert beer to finish off your meal, and is our highest rated beer, receiving Gold and Silver medals. Sink your teeth into this liquid chocolate treat. Cheers, Tom."

To elaborate, the awards Viva La Beaver earned included 2nd Place at the California State Fair's beer competition in 2016, and gold medals at San Diego International Beer Competition for 2016, 2018, and 2019. They were well-earned.

As with the Peanut Butter Milk Stout, I'm using my curvy Yazoo Brewing glass for tasting. When pouring, the head is this velvety smooth film that just lives on top of a pitch black body. The foam doesn't fade, it doesn't move, it just sits there, patiently, for me to lift this glass to my lips. The bouquet is much more subdued, mild notes of cocoa and condensed milk and vanilla wafting your nose. Chocolate and cinnamon dominate the flavor, with hints of peanut butter and graham cracker all throughout. It's quite like drinking a peanut butter cup, or a chocolate chip peanut butter cookie. They're not kidding when they call this a dessert beer. There's a syrup-y vanilla note at the very end, but when you drink from a glass there's this delightful warm tingle as it goes down the throat. That warmth is the 7.5% ABV announcing it has entered the building. Strangely, it's just not there when you drink it straight from the can. But the coffee notes are much more pronounced out of the can.

It's funny how the drinking method changes the experience for certain beverages. Wine afficionados will know what I'm talking about, the flavor, the aroma, the whole package can change whether you're drinking from one glass shape or another, or just straight from the bottle. It's special when you can get a different, but no less satisfying, result from the can and the pint glass. This is a beer I would happily keep stocked in my beer fridge, even though the ABV would be a powerful reason not to drink this so casually. Drink this brew responsibly, or it'll knock you on your ass. It's a little harder to find than a Bud Light, but if I see it I grab a four pack. Try it, you'll understand as well.