Widmer Brothers Reserve South by Northwest SXNW

Using rich Mexican chocolate nibs, cinnamon, toasted pecans, and green chilies, this brew will feature decadent chocolate notes with a subtle spice character to pique the taste buds. A complex blend of traditional southwest flavors brought to you by way of the Northwest.

3.6

151 reviews

Portland, United States

Community reviews

3.3 Mahogany pour with a fading tan head. Chocolate and sugary aroma. Nutty flavor with a nice smooth flavor. Chili’s not evident in older bottle from 2012, but evident in fresh bottle. Decent, but not worth having again.

3.9 On draught during the 4th Annual Fire & Brimstone Festival at Hop & Vine. Deep brownish-hued black. Aroma is molasses, pecan, cinnamon, and sticky sweet caramel. Taste is similar, but it has a touch of chili heat. Sticky sweet finish.

3.8 Pours mahogany into a snifter. Tan head with little retention recedes to nothing. Pecan and cocoa aromas. Thick with dark caramel. Thin with dark caramel, pecan and cocoa upfront turning to a warming chili finish.

1.6 Bottle shared with nate..rancid taste and arome...worst beer I’ve had in a while. .had 2 drinks and dumped it

3.8 draft poured a dark brown with off white head. the aroma was of roasted malts and cocoa. medium bodied and full flavored. took me a few sips to figure this one out. cocoa nibs and chilies....you don’t really feel the chilies in the mouthfeel but subtly in the belly afterwards nice and warming...do get some spice mix in it as well...possibly cinnamon. kind of shocked by this one. but very pleasantly surprised and this is pretty darn good.

3.6 Time to dust this one off, 22 oz bottled on August 8, 2012. Almost black with a small, thin tan head, fully diminishing. Aroma of hot peppers, cinnamon, chocolate, plenty of spices, light vanilla and light toasted/roasted malts. Similar flavor, spicy, nutty, woody, mildy sweet with light earthy bitterness. Medium body, the alcohol is hidden well. Soft to flat carbonation, still drinking pretty well, though.

3.8 22 oz. bottle shared by/with AirForceHops & his friend. Pours dark reddish brown with a small off white head. Aroma is cocoa, nuts and spice. Smooth as silk palate with notes of chocolate, pecans and just a little bit of heat. I was told the bottle was a couple of years old, so the heat from the chilies is probably more intense in a new bottle. None the less, very nice.

3.8 22 oz. bottle. Dark brown color thin tan head. The nose is malty with nuts, light spice. Flavor is really nice. Full body with the spice being real subtle in the finish. Big chocolate, cocoa nibs, cinnamon and light chili, very tasty.

3.9 22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 8/8/2012. Pours slightly hazy very dark reddish brown color with a 2 finger fairly dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Slight spotty lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of milk chocolate, cocoa, toast, light roast, chile pepper, clove, cinnamon, herbal, brown bread, light nuttiness, and toasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt, cocoa, and spice notes; with good strength. Taste of milk chocolate, cocoa, toast, brown bread, light roast, clove, light chile, light nuttiness, light cinnamon, herbal, and toasted earthiness. Zero bitterness and minimal pepper heat on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, toast, light roast, brown bread, light nuttiness, light chile, light cinnamon, and toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice robustness and balance of dark/bready malt flavors with moderate cocoa and light spice/chile notes; with zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a moderately creamy, smooth, and slightly chalky mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warming present after the finish. Overall this is a very nice spiced strong ale. Good balance and robustness of dark/bready malts, cocoa nib, and light spice/chile flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the ABV. Would have liked more spice presence in the taste, but they have obviously faded due to age. Still a very enjoyable offering overall.

2.9 Appearance: the beer is pitch black, can see the slightest brown on the edges when held up to the light, pours with a small tan head that dissipates quickly Aroma: sweet, coffee, chocolate, dark roasted grain, Taste: dark roasted grain, sweet, coffee, hints of bitterness on the finish, you also get some chili spice on the finish too Palate: leaves a spicy aftertaste, heavy mouthfeel, soft carbonation Overall: pretty cool to add the chili to this stout, think of a stout with a spicy finish

3.7 A nice complex beer. Pours a cola color. Aromas of chocolate and nuts. Flavors are bitter chocolate, coffee, burnt nuts, and a great mild heat at the end. Almost Ginger like. Nice.

3.9 22oz bottle (in a box) poured into a snifter. Poured reddish brown with a tan head. Not sure if I tasted the green chilies but did imagine at least that they were part of the aroma. Definitely got the pecans and alot of other subtle notes that changed as it warmed. Really interesting beer and one that I am surprised to be liking this much.

3.9 A thick chocolately concoction with zero cream on top. Tastes exactly like the bottle says... Chocolate, pecans, heat. Surprisingly drinkable, not just another annoying gimmick.

3.5 Pours pitch black no head what so ever. Aroma of toasted nuts, chocolate and hints of the chili. Up front you're hit with a slit heat from the chilis. Then settles in chocolate coffee. Very unique. First chili beer I've actually enjoyed.

3.8 Bottle, the eighth in our tasting lineup of Beers of Fall. No pumpkin in this one, but it was agreed that the profile fit the season. Dark brown with golden amber highlights. Nutty chocolatey aroma. Nice malt profile, roasted nuts, chocolate, light fall spices, and a welcome tingly heat in the finish. Very good.

3.5 Poured into a tulip snifter out of a 22 oz. bottle. Pours a dark cola brown with a one finger caramel colored head. Sweet, roasted aromas of carame and vanilla. Moderately thick and a little creamy, with microscrubbing co2 for balance. Sorghum, cocoa mix, and caramel.

3.7 Bottle from MGM Woodbury, dark brown pour with res hues, ring of tan head. Aroma is some chocolate/cacao, maybe a hint of vanilla and chiles. Taste is chiles up front and then a rather sweet nutty malt finish.

4.1 Pours a dark cola brown, similar to a brown ale. Very aromatic. Full of nut and cocoa notes. Very sweet. Flavor is bright and rich. Lots of cocoa, but not too bitter. Finishes sweet and spicy with Cayenne pepper notes. Drinking a bottle leaves a nice beer buzz plus a little endorphin rush from the peppers.Very good.

3.7 16th February 2013 Opaque dark brown beer with a tidy pale tan head. Palate is light and a little crisp and dry. Mild sweet creamy malt. Mild minerals. A little chocolate and a trace of nuts. The chilli kicks in late and is nicely judged. Builds in heat but never overwhelms. Light fruit before an airy finish. Nicely joined up and interesting.

3.7 22 ounce bottle, bottled on 8/8/2012. Served in a nonic pint glass, the beer pours very dark brown with about a half inch off-white head that fizzled away quickly. Not much lacing. Aroma is nice, it smells like chocolate, sweet spices, nuts, and some chilies. The brew tastes like nuts, chocolate, dark fruit, sweet spices, chilies, and some dark bread. The chili spice does linger and get stronger as the beer warms up. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it’s a bit slick, but also thin as well. Wish it was thicker. Overall, I liked this brew. There was more heat in it than I expected, it’s a nice, flavorful beer. $11.49 a bottle.

3.2 Bottle from The Common Market. From the sounds of it, SXNW showed promise. I love chili stouts. Pours a dark dark brown with a full tan head. The aroma is mostly of a malt bomb IPA, fresh baked bead aroma. No chocolate, no spices, no chilies. Gets better as it warms but not the improvement I would hope. At 9.3% this hasn't held up over the past year.

4.5 Pleasantly surprised. Strong cocoa nose, subtle nutty and spice notes. Dark chestnut color, thicker than I was expecting in appearance. Taste bursting with bittersweet chocolate and spice with a palatable sweetness and a lingering booziness. Body is well rounded, nearly full. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this distinctive beer.

3.7 Bottle from Canal’s. Pours out a dark, almost black brown color with a thin tan head. Aroma is of mole sauce, chilies, roasted malts, chocolate and some sweetness. Taste is complex, chocolate, nutty earthy notes, light sugar coated pecans, green chilies, some medium roast. Solid.

3.6 Clear dark brown pour with almost no head. Reminds me of cocoa mile, but the base beer just isn’t as good. Definitely has a solid amount of Heartburn on the tail. Cocoa and chili. Pretty good.

3.7 Pours dark brown with low tan head. Aroma of chocolate, light spices and pepper, can’t find much else. Taste is milk chocolate initially before a peppery finish with the chili clearly present. Can’t really find the pecans, though... Body is medium and creamy with soft carbonation. This actually works quite nicely!

3.5 Pours ruby-brown into the glass, with a fully diminished head that leaves no lace of which to speak. The nose is of sweet, spiced bread. Flavors are similar, with tons of chocolates, caramel, vinous notes, light prunes, pie spices and finishes with dark chocolates, spices and accelerating chile heat. The mouthfeel is vinous, providing a medium body that allows activity through a coexistence of subtle carbonation and budding heat from the chilies, making for a very interesting brew here. An enjoyable and interesting offering, especially for the multiple-accessed areas of the palate.

3.3 On draught at Matt’s. Pours black with creamy small head, lasted pretty long. Nose is chocolate custard, penaut butter, malt, and some spice. Taste is a lot of the same with mostly chocolate, a little pepper in the finish. Not really sure what to make of this. Its not bad but its certainly not good either, flavor profile is a little bland and mouthfeel is all over the place.

3.7 750ml bottle, from Party Source. Shared with caterwaul and co. Bottled 8/8/12. Moderately hazy brown / red color. Thin light brown / tan head. Couple bits of lace. Really interesting aroma... Definitely some mild chile peppers, you get the toasted pecan (a marzipan-like flavor), some good chocolate. Some light roast. Bigger body. Lighter, kind of crisp carbonation. Lightly dry in the finish. Lightly thin... Appropriate for a porter. Some caramel candy, and definite nuttiness.. Moderate bitter taste, big sweet too, not cloying, though. Light, lightly spicy bite to it, but it’s nice. Kind of a poblano pepper bite. Interesting, spicy stout porter. Not too sweet, not too much alcohol taste from the 9.3% ABV. Pretty well done and enjoyable spiced stout. Creative.

2.8 Bottle Appearance: Dark brown Aroma: Dark malts, maybe some spice Taste: Fairly bland, with a subtle bitterness Palate: Average carbonation, a bit flat even Overall: Unable to discern any independent nut or spice characteristics. Ends up being a not so pleasant mash-up.

3.8 Pours dark brown with a touch of ruby. Grassy aroma, some pepper & roasted malt. Very tight coffee flavor with some nuttiness. Tasty! very good for sipping overall...