Because "Beery Tart" would have been sexist.

Brewery: Boston Beer Co.
Location: Bahstin, MASS
Name: The Vixen
Type: Bock
ABV: 8.50%
If memory serves me correct, this may be the first Sam Adams beer I've reviewed. Definitely not the first Sam Adams I've had though. However, this super limited beer caught my eye. I like chocolate. I like chili. I like chili infused chocolate. I like beer. What's that you say? You brewed a beer for me? Oh, Mr. Adams...you shouldn't have! The Vixen presents itself in the form of creamy, melted semi-sweet chocolate looking liquid that is accompanied by a tight (and quickly disappearing) light chocolate milk tinted head. There isn't going to be a whole lot of light passing through this beer. The nose is what i like to call "interesting." I fully expected to be assaulted by chocolate and spice and cimmanin. What I got instead was just that. The malts give off a cocoa-y aroma. Midway through the cinnamon faintly comes up and it seems like that nice mixture of slightly sweet yet slightly spicy. Lastly the chili pops up only to remind you that there may be some heat to enjoy. I also got a fair amount of sweet, dark fruits. Listen, I know I use that description often but its what I've got! So if you're tired of reading it I am open to suggestions for beers to try. Now, I've had Rogue's Chipotle Ale before (AMAZING to add to chili, by the way) and I was basing my knowledge of chili infused beers off that. This isn't that type of beer. The mouthfeel is velvety with only a noticeable amount of carbonation. Chocolate comes through easily. But after that, there isn't really a whole lot of spice going on. Don't get me wrong, this beer tastes good! I don't think I'm off base in saying that a healthier dose of chili could have taken this bock to the next level. I couldn't coax a strong chili flavor out of this beer even as I let it warm up some. As a bock, The Vixen is very good. The sticky, sweet chocolate-ish malts are delicious. The slight tang from those pesky dark fruit notes provide a dry finish. A mildly roasted bitterness brings up the caboose. All in all, it's a good back. Though not a very good chocolate chili bock I do give the macro-craft brewery some kudos. They definitely packed some good flavors into this beer and I doubt a large part of the population who drinks Samuel Adams even knows they do fun and quirky one-offs like this. It just would have been a bit more fulfilling if those chili and cinnamon flavors blended (or appeared) throughout creating a nicely layered beer drinking experience.

The dame walked into my office sobbing and I could tell right away she was trouble.