Black Chocolate Stout

Brooklyn Brewery

Two out of four mugs

Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout attempts to follow the American craft brewing movement of intense, bold beers. While this stout weighs in big, at over 10 percent alcohol, with rich, dark flavors, it tastes like a mess.

The appearance can be frightening for anyone unfamiliar with this category of heavy- duty brews. Properly served in a wine glass, it looks pitch black with a tan head. The aroma holds the beer’s best feature. A nose full brings out the smell of rich bar of dark chocolate.

This ale offers a variety of flavors, but none seem to compliment each other. The most distinct taste has a grainy quality, similar to heavily toasted Triscuits. Familiar stout flavors also persist with baker’s chocolate and fresh dark-roasted coffee.

Typically, big stouts give off definite coffee and cocoa flavors. The mellow character of the Black Chocolate Stout, however, lacks standouts and identifies more with a mild red wine by presenting a blend of tastes. Accordingly, while this beer could be celebrated for having a delicate mixture of flavors, it comes off tasting more like dirty molasses.

The beer holds potential, but the flavor feels like it’s still budding rather than flowering. Though rough now, a six-pack cellared like wine makes a worthy investment.

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Four out of four mugs

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Four out of four mugs

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Three out of four mugs

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Published on February 20, 2007 at 12:00 pm