Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout

I picked up a 6-pack of this brew at the liquor store across from my work to celebrate my upcoming mini-vacation and birthday with my coworker John. The stately label proffered a sense of elegance that I couldn’t turn down, along side the affirmation that this was, in fact, an imperial stout. That being so I knew I was in for a rich, dark, thick, and sweet beer that would pack a wallop (at 10.6% abv, I knew that, at least, would be true).

When opened, the Black Chocolate Stout gives off a pleasant roasty-sweet aroma of cooked malt and barley. This beer pours an impressive midnight dark brown with a decent head of tight mahogany bubbles which fades to virtually nothing after a minute or so. The taste is a true joy to a lover of stouts such as myself; rich, roasty-sweet malted barley, dark cocoa, and a hint of black raspberries. The mouthfeel is perfect, smooth and rich with a lingering presence that is very welcome as this is not a beer that I would drink a lot of or drink quickly. This stout is meant to be savored over a period of time, with creamy characters coming more to the forefront as the beer warms.

Black Chocolate Stout is a seasonal offering by the Brooklyn Brewery, available only during Winter. I highly recommend finding yourself a bottle, or a 6-pack, and enjoying this beer with friends, pleasant conversation, and a roast beef sandwich on dark bread with horseradish and a big fat smile on your face.