Nitro Caribbean Chocolate Cake 2020 - Siren Craft Brew
Presentation
4,04 / 5 on UNTAPPD
The Nitro Caribbean Chocolate Cake 2020 is a tropical stout of the sweet stout type (lactose stout) with an ABV of 7.4%. Brewed by the English brewery Siren Craft Brew in collaboration with Cigar City Brewing (Florida), it is the 2020 edition of their annual “Caribbean Chocolate Cake” series. This vintage stands out for its nitrogen carbonation (nitro), which provides a particularly creamy texture and an even denser body, making the beer more indulgent than ever. Below is a detailed analysis of its sensory profile, composition and brewing process, along with an overview of the reviews it has received from experts and enthusiasts.
Detailed Sensory Profile
Appearance and Aromas: Visually, the Nitro Caribbean Chocolate Cake 2020 pours pitch black, topped with a dense mocha-colored head that lingers thanks to the nitro pour (a foam cap several centimeters high that lasts a long time). On the nose, intense chocolate aromas unfold in multiple layers: molten chocolate cake, fudge, and cocoa, evoking a rich dessert. Notes of creamy mocha coffee and dried fruit (dates) also appear, adding complexity. Interestingly, the cocoa nibs used bring subtle tart and fruity nuances (tamarind, sweet lemon) that brighten up the chocolate bouquet. In the background, a faint woody imprint emerges, with hints of vanilla and roasted hazelnut, betraying the infusion of cypress wood. The whole creates a complex bouquet reminiscent of a refined chocolate pastry.
Flavors and Balance on the Palate: On tasting, the beer develops a sweet, chocolatey roundness that is thoroughly indulgent. The attack is dominated by milk chocolate and fudge, recalling a chocolate milkshake, supported by the residual sweetness of the lactose added to the recipe. As the sip progresses, deeper flavors of bitter cocoa, espresso, and burnt caramel appear, partially balancing the sweetness. Notes of dark fruits (dates, prunes) and a praline touch further enrich the profile. The hopping, though discreet, brings underlying hints of candied orange and coconut, along with a light herbal bitterness in the finish. Altogether, it truly evokes a “liquid chocolate cake,” with layers of chocolate, cream, and fruit, without tipping into cloying excess.
Texture, Carbonation and Finish: The texture is remarkable: the body is full, smooth, and silky thanks to the use of oats, lactose, and especially nitrogen carbonation, which creates very fine bubbles. In the mouth, the Nitro CCC is almost “flat” in the positive sense—an ultra-fine effervescence that enhances the velvety, creamy character. One taster described the mouthfeel as “so thick it feels like biting into a slice of cake,” given how dense and creamy it is. Despite this richness, the beer remains surprisingly drinkable: both its sweetness and its 7.4% alcohol are well integrated, making it easy to finish a whole can without fatigue. The finish brings a gentle warmth and lingering flavors of chocolate and wood. Roasted coffee and charred wood notes (from the cypress tannins) add moderate bitterness and a welcome dryness that balance the malt sweetness. Minutes after the last sip, the palate still carries traces of chocolate fudge, coffee, and a delicate woody/spicy imprint, leaving you wanting more. The overall harmony is that of a rich, sweet pastry stout—intensely flavored yet balanced by enough bitter and woody components to avoid heaviness.
Composition (Ingredients) and Brewing Process
Style and Fermentation: The Nitro Caribbean Chocolate Cake is brewed as a tropical milk stout, using classic top fermentation (ale yeast). The lactose (a non-fermentable milk sugar) places it in the sweet stout category, explaining its roundness and “milkshake” character. The lactose makes it non-vegan but is essential to the desired chocolatey smoothness. Nitrogen (Nitro) is injected at packaging instead of heavy CO₂ carbonation: the beer must be poured vigorously to trigger the cascade effect, creating its signature creamy foam. The result is a dense, smooth stout—Siren themselves describe it as “super thick, super smooth” thanks to nitro. Unlike barrel-aged versions, the Nitro edition is not cask-matured: complexity comes from added ingredients and in-tank processing, with wood immersed directly into the beer rather than traditional barrel-aging.
Key Ingredients and Special Additions:
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Malted Barley: Provides roasted coffee and cocoa notes.
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Oats: Add body and smoothness.
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Lactose: Unfermented milk sugar that imparts residual sweetness and velvety texture.
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Hops: Not specified by Siren, but contribute subtle orange and coconut hints plus balancing bitterness.
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Cocoa (Willie’s Cacao): Hand-roasted cocoa nibs from artisanal producer Willie’s Cacao saturate the beer with chocolate flavors, also releasing surprising fruity notes (tamarind, sweet lemon).
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Cypress Wood (spirals): Infused directly in-tank, imparting vanilla, nutty biscuit-like tones, subtle tannins, and dry balance.
Wood Spinning with SpinBot: Rather than barrel-aging, Siren uses spiral cypress wood in combination with their SpinBot system (inspired by Cigar City). This device recirculates beer through cacao, wood, and other adjuncts, maximizing flavor extraction in days instead of weeks. Comparable to a “hop cannon,” it ensures both intensity and control of the aromatic profile.
Other Aspects: A small proportion of smoked malt is noted in some 2020 variants, possibly contributing to faint smoky/woody notes. Yeast is likely a clean ale strain, chosen to avoid esters or phenolics that could distract from the chocolate profile. The beer is unfiltered/unfined, retaining full flavor.
Brewing Process: After standard ale fermentation, the beer is matured with cacao and cypress spirals via SpinBot circulation for 24–48 hours (or longer) until optimal extraction. It is then cooled, minimally clarified, and packaged. The 330 ml cans include nitrogen dosing (likely via liquid nitrogen or a widget), instructing drinkers to pour hard to release the cascade. For 2020, due to the pandemic, almost all distribution was in nitro cans rather than kegs.
Expert Reviews and Specialized Critics
The Nitro Caribbean Chocolate Cake 2020 impressed critics with its indulgent character and balance. On BeerAdvocate, an experienced taster gave it an excellent score (4.15/5, equivalent to an A-) and called it “decadent in the best sense.” He praised the “delicious” chocolate aroma, flawless nitro appearance, and the subtle role of cypress wood as the element that saved it from excessive sweetness. He noted it could have used slightly more bitter cocoa or roast for sharper balance, but concluded that the “liquid chocolate cake” promise was fully delivered.
Beer bloggers echoed this. Big Alex described it as “full of flavor” (chocolate, smoky coffee) yet surprisingly easy to drink for a 7.4% stout. He highlighted punchy hops adding liveliness and even reported a curious “salty note” on the finish, which he felt cut through the chocolate sweetness—a perception possibly linked to wood, roast, or lactose. Overall, he found it well-balanced, subtle, and hard-hitting across aroma, taste, and texture.
At launch, Siren organized a 10-person tasting panel. One participant called the nitro pour “hypnotic,” with its swirling cascade and thick ochre head above absolute blackness. On tasting, he described “sweet, rich patisserie chocolate” backed by roasted hazelnut tones, while the flavor was “simply divine”—dark chocolate, praline, roasted cacao nibs, warming alcohol, and a durable bitterness from malt and wood. Another panelist emphasized the texture: “incredibly thick, smooth, and creamy, like biting into a slice of cake,” dominated by big chocolate with subtle vanilla and woody spice lingering long after the sip.
Consumer and Enthusiast Reviews
The enthusiasm carried over to consumers. On Untappd, the Nitro Caribbean Chocolate Cake 2020 averages around 4.0/5 from more than 3,600 ratings—a very favorable reception. Many liken it to a high-end dessert or “alcoholic hot chocolate,” praising its indulgence. The velvety texture and nitro head are unanimously lauded as “perfectly creamy.”
Users frequently expressed surprise at how drinkable it is given the richness: the balance of sweetness and bitterness, plus the low carbonation, make it approachable even for those wary of syrupy stouts. “It feels like drinking a chocolate cloud,” wrote one user, while another admitted resisting the urge to open multiple cans in a row.
Of course, not all palates align: a minority found it too sweet, wishing for more roast or bitterness in the finish. Still, even these reviewers acknowledged its craftsmanship, framing their critique as personal taste rather than technical flaw. The consensus is that it is an exemplary pastry stout, a “must-try” for lovers of dessert-style beers. Experts and casual drinkers alike agree that the 2020 Nitro Caribbean Chocolate Cake lived up to its name—delivering a true slice of “Caribbean Chocolate Cake” in every sip.
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