Chocolate Tom (Old Tom With Chocolate) - Frederic Robinson Limited

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.7/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

11.2 oz bottle pours a medium brown color with a small off-white head. A few splotches of lace, but nothing special. I do like the bottle though, bonus points!

Nose is more vanilla than chocolate...maybe vanilla yogurt. Light cocoa dusting comes into play as it warms. Nutty yeast without alot of minerality so many British beers exhibit.

There's the minerals, coming on strong in the flavor along with the same cocoa-dusted vanilla yogurt I was getting in the nose...cola even. Interesting, but it is not really chocolaty or much of an Old Ale. It is, however, a tasty beverage. Mouthfeel is less than medium, especially for the style and lacks any sort of sweetness, which is kinda expected for a Chocolate Ale or Old Ale. I like it well enough, but I am not feeling compelled to go out an buy another.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 00:44:37 | More by twiggamortis420

doktorhops

Australia

3.03/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Old Tom With Chocolate... sounds good, cat and chocolate together at last, and in a beer too. This is a new addition to Dan Murphy's and how could I resist the lure of a new review, it's intoxicating (literally).

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Body is a murky mixture of amber and brown, with a half centimetre cream coloured head. Quite within the Old Ale territory then... actually most Old Ales don't even have a head, so I'll give it extra points for that.

S: A heady aroma of chocolate liquor, Brandy, dark fruits and almond (???) wafts pleasingly from this brew and straight away I can tell that I'm in for a good time.

T: Hmmm, intriguing... not as bold in the sugars as expected. The chocolate that was clearly displayed on the bottle is an afterthought and hardly as noticeable as in Young & Wells Double Chocolate Stout. There is a slight booziness to it that you would account for in most Old Ales however apart from that it is quite different, overall the flavour feels quite muted, as if they watered down an original "hard" batch of Old Tom and added some chocolate flavouring. Disappointing actually.

M: Mid to light body, mild carbonation, perfectly average.

D: As stated above the aroma led me to believe that I was in for "a good time", alas the flavour was far too muted to tell myself that I was having "a good time". This is a once off brew for me as there are several other Old Ales that exceed it in price and quality such as: Hook Norton's Twelve Days ( a staple in my fridge now), Olde Suffolk English Ale, and Theakston Old Peculier (of course!).

Food match: Old Tom, the cat, roasted and served with a chocolate sauce.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 04:27:50 | More by doktorhops

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

11.2 OZ BOTTLE. Pours dark amber with creamy white head and nice lacing. Aroma is of bread crust, chocolate and ripe fruit. Body is full and crisp. Taste is of cacao, milk chocolate, earthy hops and bready malt. Finish is long, semi-dry. Nice, balanced brew with just right amount of chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 02:45:24 | More by mikeg67

janubio

Spain

2.73/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

330 ml. bottle. Pours a decent head, that doesn't linger much. Amber colour, with beatiful shades of red and orange to the light. I really can't find chocolate in the aroma, which is alcoholic, like a liquor, with aratificial vanilla and fruits. Medium body, thin palate. Taste is like a medical syrup, with chocolate, and fruits. It doesn't seem to work for me...

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 13:55:50 | More by janubio

Offa

California

4.05/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Although I don't like this as much as the regular Old Tom, it is excellent nevertheless, characterful and very drinkable with a nice chocolate element adding nicely to the otherwise old-ale character.

Red, it has a medium-big tan head steadily shrinking to a foamy ring.

Aroma is chocolate/plain cocoa, hints of iron, fruity maltiness (plum wine), and bread crust, hints of earthy wood.

Taste is lightly winy fruitiness up front, then some chocolate, light woody-tea-like bitterness at finish. It is lively, engaging, fruity-and slightly woody ale with a hint of chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 00:00:26 | More by Offa

EPortJake

United Kingdom (England)

4.1/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - dark reddish brown with a half finger frothy head. Looks like a slightly darker brown ale
S - heavy malty smells , alcohol a hint of banana and some chocolate (was expecting more chocolate)
T - well it tastes like a strong ale - fruity esters, very malty, biscuit, caramel molasses and some roasted mlalt. There is a chocolate taste on the farewell, but it is not too strong. Hopping is earthy and moderate, and probably the minimum you could get away with at this strength of ale.
M - medium bodied , smooth. Despite the frothy head, the carbonation is actually fairly low
O - a full on ale that is quite moorish - beware quaffing it though as it will have you on your back. A good ale here.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 20:24:02 | More by EPortJake

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Going from Old to Chocolate, 'cause why the hell not? This stuff pours a deep garnet-brown topped by over a finger of dusky tan foam. The nose comprises cocoa, molasses, light clove, light cinnamon, light roasted malts, light oak, and a touch of black tea. Things are a bit more ephemeral than the Old Tom, though thankfully still quite pleasant. The taste brings in more of the same, with the emphasis decidedly on the cocoa, which now takes on a powdery character. There's also a slightly deeper roast, a pinch of black pepper, and a hint of dark fruits way in the background. The body is a lithe medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, a very nice beer, one that shows you can go crazy with chocolate without overdoing it or completely overshadowing every other flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 15:36:44 | More by TMoney2591

FLima

Brazil

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It poured very little foam. Very dark woody colour and with a clear chocolate aroma. Flavour was even richer, it tasted chocolate, slight black currants and port wine. Not overly sweet, elegant taste.
The 6% alcohol content was completely hidden. Very interesting beer, and amazingly drinkable once flavours matched perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 23:42:48 | More by FLima

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.85/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 330ml bottle with a BB of Sept 2012. Picked up a long while back from a supermarket. The rear label describes it as a blend of Old Tom ale and quality cocoa, with a hint of Madagascan vanilla.

Poured into a Delirium chalice. A deep reddish-brown hue with good carbonation. Yields a large head of creamy off-white foam that remains for a few minutes before collapsing to a surface layer. Aroma of sweet chocolate notes, underpinned by fruity ale and hints of vanilla. Yeast esters and a whiff of booze lurk in the background. Unusual but nice.

Tastes of fruity strong ale with chocolate overtones. Slightly sweet. Notes of milk chocolate, dried fruit, caramel, vanilla, yeast esters and faint stewed leaves. A warming hint of booze in the background. Dry and mildly solventy, with little bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is velvety smooth with great body. Lightly tingly, but seems a bit flat. Mildly astringent, with an aftertaste of fruity yeast notes and a hint of chocolate.

Interesting and quite drinkable. The chocolate character is quite distinct; it smells almost like a bar of milk chocolate. It's an odd brew - the chocolate and strong ale flavours don't entirely blend or complement each other, yet it seems to work nonetheless. It's different from every other chocolate beer I've tried; the usual pairing is dark roasted malt and chocolate, which results in a deep bitterness that is absent here. It's not as good as the original Old Tom, but goes down nicely. To summarise: unusual but tasty. Worth trying if you come across it.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 22:53:57 | More by jazzyjeff13

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

3.53/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 330ml brown pop top with nice raised lettering and labelling. Picked up on Lindisfarne for 2.99 (British pounds). Split with my wife into two stemmed tulips. Here's to one of the last survivors of our summer 2011 trip to England. Best before September 2012.

Appearance: This is a different looking beer than the regular Old Tom, which is 8.5%. Orange-amber brew with a nice ivory cap with good retention.

Smell: Dark fruit esters, a hint of caramel, and dusty chocolate and old-fashioned chocolate cream soda. A bit odd, but pleasant.

Taste: Lots less chcoolate than fruity esters, though there is a bit of chocolate cream soda. Still, this is more of a low-gravity old ale than 'chocolate beer' in my mind. Which is not to say it's bad, it's just not what I expected.

Mouthfeel: A bit shy of what I'd expect for 6%, but I think all the Old Tom versions use some simple sugars to lighten things up a bit.

Overall: Tasty, but not quite what I was hoping. I really like the regular Old Tom,a nd if offered the choice, I'd probably take that over this one. Still, this is in no way a bad beer, and as a traditional English ale, ticks the right boxes so to speak.

82

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 02:52:17 | More by BedetheVenerable

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fat 11.2 oz bottle.

A - Crystal clear mahogany body with a soft, foamy head. Small bubbled carbonation.

S - Flavorful bitter brown ale scents, with toasted grain, molasses and bitter/nutty notes. Some hints of cocoa but none too strong.

T - A silky, rich and robust brew. Complex and perfectly balanced. The flavors of bitter grains, nutty oils, toasted malt and semi sweet chocolate meld harmoniously. A certain lactose sweetness to it.

M - Rich, smooth and creamy. A silky ride with a soft body and clean aftertaste, lingering a bit. Light and soft carbonation gives a smooth feel.

O - Interesting beer, hitting all the right notes. Not one to knock your socks off, but hard to find any flaws. If you are looking for a chocolate bomb, this one isn't for you, but a great beer nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 02:26:53 | More by BeerForMuscle

DoubleJ

California

3.88/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had a late dinner, and it's calling for a dessert. Sure, I could go for a Toblerone, or even some pie, but dammit, chocolate beer sounds like a good choice for the time being. Let's pull the bottle from the fridge, warm it up a little, and pop the lid of this stubby 330 ml bottle. On to the beer:

At points, the color of the beer is chocolate brown, but good lightning shows a beer that is closer to amber brown with orangish hues. The head formed on top is small, and its retention is middle of the road. However, it does leave acorss some creamy lacing around the glass. That nose doesn't get much chocolate across. The old ale elements of diacetyl, dried toffee, and a whisper of fruitiness come across stronger.

Now we come acorss the chocolate. Mixed with this old ale, this is one combination that I like. The flavor of semi-sweet chocolate comes out powdery. Caramel and buttersctoch notes compliment the chocolate well. Very subtle alcohol notes of able to senses, however they barely interfere with the overall beer. It's a medium bodied beer, and is a gentle ride in the mouth thanks to reasonable balance and controlled carbonation. The aftertaste of semi-sweet chocolate and hard water linger pleasantly.

A chocolate beer can be a hit or miss, but I think that the folks working on Chocolate Tom have done a commmendable job with this beer. It's got chocolate, not too much and not too little. All you chocoholics should get your hands on a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 04:51:26 | More by DoubleJ

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.6/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours two finger khaki head that fades quickly to a ring, leaving some lace. Deep clear mahogany color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Chocolate nose and flavor is sweet and baked chocolate. $4.99 for a 330ml bottle from Julio's Liquors Westborough, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 22:12:54 | More by jdhilt

EgadBananas

Louisiana

2.83/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a dark brown opaque color with a rocky 2 finger head. Nice lace. Aroma is mostly malty caramel smell, with a mild chocolate sweetness mixed in there. While to aroma is mostly nice, the taste kinda loses it a bit. It's malty, a little nutty and a much milder chocolate note. Finishes a bit bitter and metallic. Feel is on the thinner side, but has a nice creaminess.

Over all, it's an average English ale. Wish they'd have done a better job with the chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 22:26:46 | More by EgadBananas

claspada

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear dark amber/copper colors with a big fluffy khaki head that slowly dissipates leaving some spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with toasted bready and caramel maltiness. Then as I go back in again I get milk chocolate bar surprisingly which I didn't originally detect. In the background there is some English fruity yeastiness. Chocolate is more and more apparent as it warms but never in your face, subtle aromas overall.

The tastes follow the nose with a small burst of chocolate but it isn't too strong and doesn’t overpower the underlying beer; toasty, bready, caramel maltiness once again are definitely still able shine through. Hints of vanilla are also noticeable in the finish; these seem to become stronger as the beer warms up.

The mouthfeel is medium to light bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is a little thin and lackluster which is the only downside of this beer but I can't be too picky considering it's only 6% ABV.

Overall this was a nice subtle, simple yet tasty offering from a brewery across the pond that I am not too familiar with. Chocolate flavors are nice and subtle and balance the base beer quite well. I wish for my money that this beer had a bit more of a punch in flavor and mouthfeel. More of a strong Mild ale or an English brown by American standards than an Old Ale but definitely something I enjoyed. Because of the elevated $ tag though, I probably wont revisit anytime soon because Fullers makes tastier examples with their 1785 and Vintage ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 23:34:30 | More by claspada

CrazyDavros

Australia

2.68/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours dark copper with a large, fading head.
Skunky aroma at first, with only traces of chocolate noticeable. Some faint nutty and roasty malt is present
Flavours have similar problems, although a bit more chocolate presence helps, along with some nutty malt. However there's an overriding grainy note throughout and very little supporting malt. Also some industrial booze notes show up in the finish.
Body feels watery.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 07:51:40 | More by CrazyDavros

metter98

New York

3.6/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is clear dark reddish amber in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense beige head that quickly died down and left a small patch of bubbles on the surface in the center of the glass as well as a ring of bubbles around the edge.
S: Light to moderately strong aromas of dark chocolate and cocoa powder are present in the nose, which become stronger as the beer warms up.
T: Like the smell, the taste is rather chocolaty but these flavors aren’t too strong and don’t overpower the underlying beer, allowing some notes of dark malts to shine through. Hints of vanilla are also noticeable in the finish; these seem to become stronger as the beer warms up.
M: It medium-bodied and slightly smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink; the addition of chocolate and relatively low alcohol content might make this style a little more palatable to novice craft beer drinkers. I wouldn’t mind having this as an after dinner drink or pairing it with a dessert.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 04:31:33 | More by metter98

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.78/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Black Raven imperial pint glass. Pours a medium coppery amber. Half finger fine off-white head that dissipates to a ring with slight lacing. Interesting aroma of chocolate and faint light fruit. Pleasant. Light to medium bodied. Flavor is dominated by chocolate with a light base of toasted and sweet malt and faint nondescript sweet fruit. Finish is dry bittersweet chocolate a bit abrupt, but leaves a lingering cocoa memory. The flavor combination is well done. I'd like a bit more malt in an old ale, but this was satisfying and interesting. I will definitely revisit this.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 04:10:34 | More by LiquidAmber

Dentist666

Russian Federation

3.25/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

0.33l bottle.
Pours light brown/dark amber beer with good tan head, leaving some nice laces. Rather specific aroma: sour with vinegar & metallic tones. And pleasant cocoa nose. The taste is plain and, I daresay, close to dark lager - roasted malts & moderate chocolate tones. Low carbonation and slightly bitter aftertaste. All in all, it's an example of average beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 18:03:57 | More by Dentist666

thierrynantes

France

3.85/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (33 cl.) purchased from Bière & Chopes, tasted in 2011.

Appearance : dark amber color with a tan foam head.
Smell : malty aroma with notes of chocolate.
Taste and mouthfeel : roasted malt flavors, leading to a bitter chocolaty finish.
Drinkability : a good beer in the style Old Ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 17:54:27 | More by thierrynantes

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.1/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I was quite apprehensive about trying this to be honest.

When opened it smelled rather sour and almost vinegary but shortly thereafter the chocolate elements started to hit the surface. Smells and tastes sor of like what is called 'plain chocolate' in the UK which, if you didn't know, might as well be just called cooking chocolate given its spine curling shrill to the palate.
Still, reasonably rocky head and a fairly dark coppper brown in colour.
Interesting body, soft like candy sugar. Sour cherry and light fluffy furry to taste and though it smells ok it just tastes too confected and manufactured for its own good. And it just doesn't come together. Could really do with more bitterness and being more full bodied.

Better than I thought it would be though. But that's not saying much.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 22:51:47 | More by Zimbo

ADZA

Australia

3.83/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear amber hue which leaves a two finger creamy head and sporadic lacing,the smell is cocoa,dark chocolate eclairs,caramel and nutcake,the mouthfeel is medium bodied and could be thicker with tastes of sweet honey roasted peanuts,caramel,chocolate eclairs,fruit and nut cake and finished with a toffee barley sweetness and overall i enjoyed this and am annoyed i only bought the one of but i will be going back to my favcourite bottlo and buying more thats for sure a nice balance between chocolate and beer for me cheers.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 14:15:11 | More by ADZA

rvdoorn

Netherlands

3.4/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Look: the beer pours a dark brown amber with almost no head, but leaving a nice brown lacing.
Smell: Malts, chocolate, toffee and some sugar syrup
Taste: Malts, hops, chocolate milk, toffee with a spicy finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body, high carbonation
Overall: Not a bad beer, but for me the chocolate tastes like cheap chocolate bars were added after brewing

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 10:55:15 | More by rvdoorn

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.95/5  rDev +11%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml Brown bottle , best before Sep 2012, poured into a 'Hoegaarden Grand Cu' stemmed tulip.

Good reddy brown colour, head soon left leaving a tan coloured collar and a few pieces of lacing as the beer level fell.

Pleasant chocolate aroma is given off which carries on into the taste, true chocolate flavours throughout make this an interesting blend.

Different and well made, good carbonisation and throughly enjoyable. Really for a winters night, but equally as good as a summer nightcap.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2011 20:48:42 | More by BlackHaddock

redsonja

Netherlands

3.8/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A; amber brown no head

S; toffee chocolate

t: toffe chocolate some bitter

M; bitter in the aftertaste a hind of toffe chocolate stays in your mouth.

O; for me a real english beer ale with a hint of chocolate not that dominant but nice in the background nice beer for springtime not to heavy for the summer and not to heavy for the winter.
i like it chilled in the sun

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 12:02:30 | More by redsonja