With Apologies to Dumbarton's Brewing

I like beer. This ought not to come as much of a surprise to you. And while I like lots of different kinds of beer, my tastes generally run to either really hoppy ales or really chocolatey porters and stouts. Lager? I hardly know her.

For the past month or so, I've been fairly diligently following an uber-healthy 'cleansing' diet prescribed by Dr. KQ (who may or may not be an actual doctor) after I complained of feeling sluggish and bloated following a particularly gluttonous holiday season. I ate tons of vegetables and fruit, lots of fiber (flaxseed and steel cut oats in my breakfast smoothie ever day, like clockwork - and as a result, that's not the only thing that's like clockwork), quinoa, beans, and lean meat proteins (turkey, chicken, eggs). I refrained almost entirely from butter, cheese, bread, beef, pork, and most saturated fats. I even cut back on (though didn't eliminate entirely - don't tell Dr. KQ) my alcohol intake.

Last weekend, I ran my first half marathon, covering the 13.1 miles in a slow but steady 2:04.25. I ate the best Krispy Kreme donut of my life about 10 minutes later, but I never really got a chance to reward myself with a really great beer splurge.

I'm fortunate to live near a Wegman's, a big box grocery chain that caters to obnoxious elitists like me - lots of fancy schmancy organic foods, high-end cheeses, and most importantly a large selection of beer and wine. Last night, in search of something new and interesting with which to pat myself on the back, I grabbed one of these:

New Belgium Brewing's Lips of Faith series explores regional flavors and their expressions in beer. The Cocoa Mole Ale, as you might guess, is inspired by Mexican ingredients, featuring chocolate, cocoa, ancho, guajillo, and chipotle spices, and a bit of cinnamon. Quite simply, it's a phenomenal quaff. The flavors are perfectly balanced, and the subtle heat of the peppers builds slowly with each swallow, lingering after the liquid passes your mouth.

I know you usually get your imbibing tips at our friend Dumbarton's web abode, but trust me on this - try the Cocoa Mole. You'll be supporting a great craft brewer and your taste buds will wake up and say thank you.