Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

IntriqKen

California

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've been wanting to try this one for a long time and was happy to see it in the SA Winter pack this year.

Color is almost black with ruby red tones when held to the light. Full 2 finger thick head of dark tan tight bubbles that fades slowly to a wonderful lacing.

The is definitely sweet chocolate and roasted malts. REAL chocolate...not merely chocolate roasted malt. The taste yeilds an interesting combination of both sweet and bitter sweet chocolate and a mouthful of roasted sweet malts. Very light hop bitterness on the end makes a nice balance with the sweet chocolate and malt. A nice, fresh chocolate aftertaste.

This one from SA definitely didn't disappoint me. I think they found a way to create a remarkably balanced chocolate bock.

This one will remain on my 'must have' list of winter beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 22:15:39 | More by IntriqKen

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3/5  rDev -17.8%

05-26-2013 00:27:52 | More by Photekut

brewcifix

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +30.1%

05-25-2013 15:10:43 | More by brewcifix

pagardner

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +23.3%

05-25-2013 00:46:15 | More by pagardner

Sinatra89

Indiana

4/5  rDev +9.6%

05-23-2013 02:08:36 | More by Sinatra89

Rdc67

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%

05-22-2013 19:20:20 | More by Rdc67

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%

05-22-2013 15:53:50 | More by InspectorBob

stella77artois

New York

3.25/5  rDev -11%

05-22-2013 15:22:33 | More by stella77artois

Erice78

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%

05-22-2013 01:43:48 | More by Erice78

HopsConley

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%

05-21-2013 21:50:44 | More by HopsConley

jonkerbaugh

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%

05-21-2013 19:24:24 | More by jonkerbaugh

johntfox

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -11%

05-21-2013 18:01:01 | More by johntfox

Lucoli

New York

4/5  rDev +9.6%

05-21-2013 01:10:22 | More by Lucoli

Herky21

Iowa

4/5  rDev +9.6%

05-20-2013 03:18:33 | More by Herky21

Matt73

New York

3/5  rDev -17.8%

05-15-2013 18:08:34 | More by Matt73

erialbill

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

05-15-2013 12:55:30 | More by erialbill

lucasj82

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -11%

05-15-2013 01:41:03 | More by lucasj82

pstam87

Illinois

4/5  rDev +9.6%

05-14-2013 01:57:02 | More by pstam87

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%

05-12-2013 20:17:05 | More by BeerForMuscle

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -17.8%

05-10-2013 15:04:06 | More by twenty5

leftoverburrito

Oregon

1.5/5  rDev -58.9%

05-09-2013 22:04:43 | More by leftoverburrito

blknikon

Massachusetts

2/5  rDev -45.2%

05-07-2013 23:08:32 | More by blknikon

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

"Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock combines our carefully roasted malts with the robust flavor of premium dark nibs from Ecuador. We slowly age the brew on a bed of cocoa to impart bold flavors of rich chocolate and a smooth velvety finish. Cheers!" Brewed in the style of a Bock, although it varies a good deal from this style. Available exclusively as part of the Winter Classics Collection for several years now.

Poured from a 12oz. bottle to a snifter. Served north of 54º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a semi fizzy creamy foam head of a mocha cream tone. Retention is below average, head thickens to a shallow cream but doesn't linger long. Body color is deep dark brown with ruby highlights and high clarity. Carbonation is spritely and plentiful. Head quality is shallow for this otherwise decent looking beer. It's obviously much darker in color than the average bock. 3.25

(Smell) As a bock, it stands that this beer has a similar bready malt character but also a semi-sweet cocoa nib backbone. Lager characteristics are still noticeable, but a sweetness with a coffee and mild earthy hop contribution does make things more complex. Potency is above average- the beer shows a lot more than it hides. It's a very inviting aroma overall. 3.75

(Taste) This is much farther from a bock than it smelled, but is rather enjoyable on it's own merits. Moist chocolate brownie malts pair with a lightly toasted caramel bread and a touch of lactose sweetness. Bitterness comes from cocoa nibs and a mild earthy hop bitterness. Still notable in the background is a mild lager cleanliness, although it doesn't contribute much to the flavor of this beer, it adds some slickness to the texture and adds focus to the chocolate. It's most certainly chocolate-heavy, no doubt about that. Sweetness is not over-the-top, but might come close to cloying for a few. Very easy to drink for a dark beer. It flows very smoothly, and as it warms, the chocolate becomes even more noticeable. Perhaps sailing too far on the cocoa boat for some, but the taste is spot-on in my opinion. I personally enjoy the flavor, it really comes out in the upper 50's, and whether it's regarded as a stout, porter, or roasty bock, it holds a unique, enjoyable identity for itself. It's quite the filling beer. 4.25

(Mouthfeel) Texture is creamy and smooth with a smack of sticky milk-chocolate lactose sweetness on the finish and a mild bready chewiness. Body is heavy for a bock and medium/heavy overall. Alcohol presence is low, well overshadowed by the bread and chocolate. A very filling beer- certainly comes off as deep and heavy for a lager style but the textures are next to ideal for the flavors involved. 4

(Overall) This beer has received as much disdain as it has praise. Even for style purists, I can hardly see what the fuss is about. Make no bock about it, chocolate bock is a dessert in itself- chocolate hardly does the name justice. The balance, however is remedied by the lager strain and a moderate cocoa nib bitterness and earthy hop blend, so drinkability is still high, despite being a filling drink. This would make an excellent complementary dessert beer with something equally bold in chocolate flavor and depth. 3.75

Boston Beer Company's
Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock
3.98/5.00

Vertical Reviews:

Winter 2011 (1 year, 6 months aged)

Head has thinned out a touch to a crispier froth, yet the same retention quality marks and colors remain. Aroma is a lot sharper and still maintains a bready chocolate malt tone for a mild sweetness, although the hop and coffee characteristics have faded and a mild tartness has set in. Flavor reveals a closer balance between chocolate and biscuity lager notes. Texture is slick and less creamy, a touch thinner and slightly drier although it still balances sweet over bitter.Some of the depth of the original beer is lost but it's far from the worst aging I've tried. Try saving one bottle at most for yourself, if you thought the fresh batch was too intensely flavored, this might be a bit more to your liking. I personally recommend a fresh batch of this beer.

Recommended age: Fresh

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 02:36:09 | More by Jadjunk

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%

05-04-2013 19:53:47 | More by ZEB89

speedvagen

Ohio

2.5/5  rDev -31.5%

05-02-2013 22:08:41 | More by speedvagen