Sexual Chocolate Bottle Release

The bottle share at Foothills the night before the Sexual Chocolate release.

Dathan Kazsuk | Feb. 2, 2017
Twitter: TriangleAT | Facebook: Triangle Around Town | Instagram: trianglearoundtown


I've been fortunate enough to get my hands on a bottle of Foothills Brewing Company's Sexual Chocolate every year for the past 5 years – and doing so without ever having to stand in line. For the new 2017 release, I decided to make an exception. This was because we were already going to be in that neck of the woods that weekend for a wine event in Yadkin Valley. So why not stand in line and experience what others have done for years?

We arrived Friday afternoon in Winston-Salem and checked into our room at the Marriott by Hanes Mall and got ready for the Friday night bottle share that is held every year at Foothills downtown location prior to the bottle release. We packed up a couple cans of Deep River Brewing Company's Drag the River and a bottle of White Street's Koschei the Deathless to share with the masses.

Beers from Deep River, Bells, The Answer, Fonta Flora, Hardywood 
and others were all available to sample.

We arrived shortly after 7 p.m. and made our way to the back of the brewery, where a few cans and bottles were already open. The first couple of Veil beers were already open and gone by the time I grabbed my plastic cup and tried to pour some. Since they were gone my first beer of the evening was the Wisconsin Belgian Red by New Glarus Brewing. From there it was making my way to as many sours, IPAs and stouts that I can drink – while not drinking too much since I know I'll be up at 5 a.m. the next morning.

There were of course some of the obvious bottles you are expected to see in shares around here, such as Hardywood's GBS, 3 Floyd's Zombie Dust and several crowlers of The Answer IPAs. There were a handful of beers I've tried for the first time that I really liked, such as Toppling Goliath Brewing Company's Pompeii; Dangerous Precedent from Kings County Brewers Collective; Sore Thumb from Destination Unknown Beer Company and the Undefeated Saison from Funky Buddha Brewing.

The staff at Foothills were also kind enough to bring out food for its guests to eat throughout the night. A cheese plate, build your own nachos, mac and cheese egg rolls and veggie trays with dips were all made available to snack on during the night. But by around 8:35 and 30 beer samples later it was time to head back to the hotel for the night.

Close to 100 different beers were available to sample during the 
Foothills bottle share on Jan. 27.

The next morning I woke up at 5 a.m. to get ready for my first ever Sexual Chocolate bottle release. I heard it could be chilly so I wore my long, black duster jacket, long johns and jeans. I should have brought some gloves, because standing in the 32-degree weather for 2 hours was not fun. I was fortunate to be No. 29 in line – but not fortunate enough to bring boots instead of my running shoes. Close to 40 minutes in my toes were completely numb, as well as almost everyone in line next to me. Now I know for my next early morning bottle release.

The line by 7 a.m. in the morning.

A little after 8 a.m. I was inside and sitting at the bar getting ready to thaw out and drink a couple of the Sexual Chocolate variants on draft for the event. First was the Sexual Chocolate aged on bourbon and rum oak with coconut. This was the one I was waiting to sample, but quiet frankly I wasn't to impressed with this one. The second variant was Sexual Chocolate ran through the Randall with Peruvian organic coffee and organic vanilla beans. This was a lot better than the first. By the time I was done with my second beer they started the lines moving by our wristbands. 

At number 29, I was lined up in the second line, and which seemed like 10 minutes later I paid and purchased my beer and was out the door back to the hotel. 

Thank you Foothills for the chance to partake in my first Sexual Chocolate bottle release. All I know is if I'm back for the BBA Sexual Chocolate release I'm bringing boots, gloves, a ski mask and some pocket hand warmers. I'm ready for you next time Sexy Chocolate.