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

ccrida

Oregon

3.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is dark brown with a small, tan head leaving scattered, foamy lace.

Smell is big chocolate, both sweet and bitter, caramel as well. A little grassy.

Taste is faintly bock like, a little nuttiness, and loads of chocolate. Clean.

Mouthfeel is slippery, light bodied.

Drinkability is fine, a light, chocolatey brew more so than a bock, but nothing off about it, desert like. Which for me means one is plenty!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 22:35:42 | More by ccrida

HufftheMagicDragon

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a glass into a mug. The color is a very dark, yet slightly clear, brown. The smells include chocolate with a slightly nutty hint to it. The taste is average for a chocolate-style bock with slightly overwhelming note of bitter chocolate for the aftertaste and a lack of complexity. The mouthfeel is more towards the coarse side than I would have expected or wanted, however, the chewy feel is perfect for the seasonal. Overall, the beer was nice but is not something I would suggest in general.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 05:09:41 | More by HufftheMagicDragon

BryanCarey

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock pours from the 12 oz. bottle to a very dark brown hue with a nose that radiates the scents of cocoa, light roasted malt, and toffee. The beer has a light tan- colored head of foam that eventually falls apart, but maintains a thin layer as you consume.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock is a sweeter brew with a taste that pretty much follows its nose, but with additional surprises. Yes, you can certainly taste the cocoa, toffee, and light roast, but there are other taste sensations present as well, like raisins, molasses, vanilla, and caramel. The beer finishes with a slight bitterness and the body of the beer, while medium to light overall, is creamy and nice.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock is a seasonal beer first brewed in 2003 and it used to be available only in a single, large 750 ml bottle. Today, the product is available in 12 oz. bottles and I don’t believe the larger bottles are even made anymore. It used to be very pricey on a per- ounce basis. Now, it is sold as part of a 12- pack sampler and the price is much more reasonable. This is great news for fans of the beer, because it is far less expensive and it offers the great taste of chocolate, toffee, and other flavors certain to delight the tastes of chocoholics everywhere.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock is like a dessert and candy in a glass. The taste and smell of cocoa are undeniable and the flavor reminds me of chocolate candy- not a candy bar, but rather like a hard piece of candy flavored with chocolate. The body of the beer is medium to light and the mouthfeel is creamy and nice. About the only possible negative factor I can think of is the sweetness. There is a dash of bitterness to keep it in check, but the beer remains sweet overall and some may say it leans a little too far in this direction. This could turn some people off, but the effort to hit you with a short- lived smack of bitterness is still better than nothing and the aftertaste of chocolate and toffee is still enjoyable.

I prefer the taste of chocolate stout to chocolate bock, but I still like this beer and will certainly drink it again. It makes a great choice for lovers of chocolate and good brew (like me!) and it has many good things to offer.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 04:48:26 | More by BryanCarey

mashedpotatoes

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a winter warmer pint glass, this beer pours nearly black with hints of amber when held to the light. The head is immediately fizzy with zero retention or lacing. Slightly bitter and lack of carbonation is made up for by the robust chocolate taste. Borderline flat chocolate stout/porter style. I didn't so much come away with the "Bock" style after trying this. This beer is saved by it's flavor but it still seems unfinished. Still enjoyable though, I would recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 03:25:05 | More by mashedpotatoes

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

you have to admit, love it or hate it, its original. the pours is black as, with a small tan head that fades fast. smell is a little bit of dark cocoa, but more bitter dark malt than anything else, and a little sweeter english malt, but this is a dark ass beer for sure. the flavor is shockingly chocolate forward, not even dark chocolate really, but almost seriously like a milk chocolate bar, sweet and luxurious, tasty and tempting, dry in the finish, sweet malt profile, but the cocoa nibs are a deadset stud in this brew. not in love with the feel, as a little moe carbonation could lighten things up in a good way, but the texture is creamy and gentle, and the bitterness of the malt is a nice contrast to the chocolate. i think this is balanced quite well, and its not a slammer, but i could have a few of these no problem. may also be nice in an beer ice cream float. i like this more than i should.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 02:15:46 | More by StonedTrippin

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark coffee color with a thin mocha colored head which leaves a little in the way of lace. The aroma is of roasted malts and chocolate. The taste follows suit nicely with a roasted malt backbone which the big chocolate flavor comes over. There is not a lot of complexity in the taste. The mouthfeel is a little thin and watery. Overall it was not a bad beer, but not a great beer, a little more complexity would make this very good.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 20:11:54 | More by goblue3509

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Deep brown brew verging on totally black with a small brown head of rocky foam.

S - Chocolate fudge and german chocolate cake mix. Smells extremely sweet.

T - Yeah, wow. That is super sweet. Chocolate cake mix is what I keep thinking of, along with a touch of tootsie roll. Warming and wintery despite the normal-ish abv.

M - Thick and sugary. Dense. Chewy and doughy.

This is a mega-sweet desert beer that is in no way offensive, but it's almost like ... not really beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 06:24:03 | More by pmcadamis

Freshlikeugh

Hawaii

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

So me and my boy D-Kwon was in Safeway and he told me to buy that Winter pack. I said that sh**s $20 son! Aint nobody spendin that much on drinks. But he said its got that chocolate stuff, the gritty gritty. So I thought it may be worth a taste.
Got home and poured it in my plastic solo cup and it looked dark as hell. I said, this stuff is crazy dark and smells like chocolate 2!
I was snackin on some of them dubble stuff oreos and was like, damn son, these things taste bomb together. Check it, I would drink another one if D-Kwon didnt drink it first.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 11:37:13 | More by Freshlikeugh

ElCommodoro

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

I often avoid beers that add chocolate to their beer because I think it's kind of a cheap way to achieve a chocolate-like flavour, which many malty beers can have naturally and in more delicious proportions. I still think that achieving that effect by correct use of roasted malt is tastier, but exacerbating that effect using actual cocoa can be interesting.
This is a good example of the interesting factor. They definitely didn't go overboard on the chocolate, nor was the result a cloying dessert-like concoction. The chocolate actually gave it more of an exacerbated earthiness and smokiness that probably wasn't otherwise there, being a lager and presumably, not being amped up enough to be a doppelbock. So, the beer was rather nice. I still used it as a dessert because it was still sweet, but it didn't lose its ability to be a beer along the way. The stickiness of the mouthfeel was a bit much, especially for a bock, but whatever. So, it gets a poor mouthfeel rating. It still has some stuff going for it. My favourite part about it, oddly, was smelling it when I breathed out after drinking it. It's distinct from the aftertaste in the mouth, which is actually a bit unpleasant. It's like an after-aftertaste, that makes up for the poor aftertaste you just experienced. But still, a naturally earthy, chocolaty beer is generally better than this.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 10:50:12 | More by ElCommodoro

RWLawman

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - About as black as coffee. Thin head with little retention, and minimal lacing.

S - Chocolate, roasted malts.

T - Sweet chocolate up front, a little bitterness in the middle, followed by creaminess on the back. For a beer called "Chocolate Bock," it definitely delivered on the chocolate front.

M - Moderately thin, but sessionable.

O - Pretty decent bock. Sweeter than I expected it to be.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 07:37:52 | More by RWLawman

Chris_Cali_2o9

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams cup

A- Almost black mahogany, 1"of fluffy khaki head

S- Phenol, acidic, juniper berries, candi sugar, roasty nutty malts

T- Dark fruits, raisins, candi sugar, caramel, vanilla, chocolate covered strawberries, citrus, sweet malts, very unexpected

M- Creamy body, crisp carbonation

O- Completely caught me off guard, i was expecting a bitter dark chocolate flavor, but this is more like a dunkel/belgian dark ale mix. I'm greated with dark fruits and caramel. Chocolate comes through but accompanied by strawberries, citrus slides its way through, with sweet malts finishing it out. I look forward to this beer every year and forgetting what it tasted like made it that much better this year.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 22:03:44 | More by Chris_Cali_2o9

genitempo

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured from bottle to snifter (although, I'm sure a regular pint glass would have sufficed to display the beer's character.) Dark brown with a hint of amber with the light's reflection. Dispelled head with almost no lace.

S - The scent improves with warmth. Much less boozy, with more chocolate and malt pushing through. Maybe a little caramel on the back end.

T - The taste matches the nose spot on. Not overly flavorful, but what's there is chocolate and maltiness.

MF - Flooded with carbonation and well-centered mass.

O - This is like a gateway beer for a diabetic. It's sugary substance and chocolate make it flavorful, but not necessarily in the "right" way. Sometimes, I feel like we experiment with flavors so much, we remove the "beer" element all together. With this brew, I feel like The BBC removed that beer element, and replaced it with a fun-size Tootsie Roll.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 09:23:43 | More by genitempo

BigBarley

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours a silky, deep black, that shows dark amber highlights when held up to the light. Thin, tan head sits atop. Decent retention.

S - mild cocoa scent, roasted, smokey smell, very mild charred caramel background. Nothing strong here, mild disappointment

T - Splash of sweet chocolate up front, mild biscuit malt taste right behind. I would recommend drinking this at room temperature for a more sweet, enjoyable flavor profile. Not very dark flavor, all things considered, but it tastes like what it promises... Chocolate Bock. Easy flavor to drink all day

M - Thin, easy drinking, with foamy carbonation. If you swish it in your mouth you get a foamy, flavorful effect. I'd recommend drinking that way.

O - this is an enjoyable beer, nice, sweet chocolate flavor. The problem is that there's not enough of... anything really. Not enough body, not enough smell, not quite enough flavor. It's enjoyable, but I'd like to see a stronger example of this (so I think I will).

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 19:05:54 | More by BigBarley

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a brandy snifter. Best before March 2013.

A: Thing mocha head fades quickly. The beer is ruby-translucent; blood-dark.

S: Sweet lager mostly, but touches of spice and fruit.

T: Smooth, complex, and compelling. Perhaps the best Sam Adams I've had to date. Rich maple chocolate, gentle dark chocolate dust, and generous (lightly tart) fruit. The aftertaste is smackworthy and sugary maple-syrup-esque.

M: A touch thin, but smooth and zesty.

O: A fantastic beer that is highly recommended, immensely drinkable, and definitely something I will seek again.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 10:00:44 | More by AgentMunky

scvance

South Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a pitch black color with a thin, long lasting tan head. Aroma is more subtle than I expected, but there is definitely chocolate, along with dark malt character, and caramel. The taste is very good, sweet at first, dark chocolate right up front that fades to a coffee like mocha flavor. There is a balance to the sweetness in the bitter chocolate character of the darker malts. Low carbonation, full body, and a very nice creamy mouthfeel. This almost reminds me of drinking chocolate milk. Excellent beer overall, brings unique character to the style while not straying too far away.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 01:41:00 | More by scvance

Seekerpilgrim

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pouring a thick black with a very dirty head, and with strong notes of chocolate, molasses, and a peat-like earthiness, this Bock fits the bill. On the tongue sweet and syrupy, with a hop presence hinted at but not really felt, basically just there to add enough bitterness to balance the cocoa nibs from Ecuador and prevent this from becoming a shake. The molasses shows up in the middle, and the strong cocoa brings up the rear, finishing with just enough aftertaste and silkiness to demand another sip.

In no uncertain terms this beer is delicious. Conceptually, the idea of chocolate and (let alone IN) beer might be off-putting, but the balance here is prefect, and even if you don't like beer there is enough chocolate to please any sweet tooth. Perfect on it's own as a winter warmer, it also goes well with ice cream, a hot cobbler, or strawberries. Yes, beer CAN be just as sensual and seductive as wine. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 06:27:25 | More by Seekerpilgrim

acevenom

Louisiana

4.23/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Samuel Adams perfect pint glass. Pours somewhat transclusent dark brown with some ruby visible around the edges of the glass. There's a thick, light tan head that dissipates at a moderate pace. There are some visible tiny bubbles rising in the beer. I detect notes of faint chocolate with some of the malt. There's some sweetness in the aroma. The chocolate notes are much more prevalent in the taste than in the nose. The chocolate is rich and the roasted malt provides some good backbone to this beer. The body is light to medium with medium carbonation. The finish is smooth and clean. The drinkability is high. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 21:36:52 | More by acevenom

rodlavers

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter, this beers is a deep cola color, hints of dark red, with a one-finger tan head, which dissipates almost immediately. It looks fizzy and perhaps over-carbonated. Decent texture clings to the inside of the glass. Smell is OK...I am not getting much of anything too overpowering; mild chocolate, malt, and hop aromas that are every so slight. Taste is actually pretty good for a "chocolate ale" with the chocolate being rather lighter than bitter or less smooth. The chocolate in here is nice. There are some other artificial coffee and mocha flavors, as well as an artificial sweetness. Mouthfeel is my favorite element here. Smooth with the right amount of carbonation, leaves a nice after taste. Overall this beer is OK. I had it several years ago in a bomber and thought it was OK then, as well. Glad I tried it, prob won't go looking for this in quantity, but might be nice to have around for a taste at some point down the road. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 03:31:33 | More by rodlavers

Alextricity

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a deep black color with a super bubbly carbonated chocolate head that goes away very quickly. Leaves no head after that, and no lacing either.

Smell: A really nice sugary sweet chocolate aroma, and the malts aren't shy either.

Taste/feel: My first bock, and this is alright. There's a good bit of sweetness, but the light bit of bitterness on the finish cuts through it pretty well. I love that I get some coffee profile because of the combination of chocolates and malts here. The feel also fits well -- pretty smooth, with a medium carbonation.

As usual, an above average beer by Sam Adams. Also as usual, not something I'd run out to buy, but something that I'd have if offered with no complaints.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 07:37:48 | More by Alextricity

Tuey13

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours nearly black with a bit of a ruby red tinge coming through in the light.... has a thick and creamy one finger tan head that leaves wonderful lacing as it dissipates.
The smell is roasty, malty, and full of chocolate.
Taste follows the nose... roasted malt and rich chocolate flavors... a little toffee sweetness with a dry finish.
The chocolate smell and taste intensifies as this beer warms... delicious.
I got this as part of the holiday sampler pack from Sam Adams.... I wish that this was available in at least six packs as i would buy it often!!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 06:35:24 | More by Tuey13

mscudder

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint.

A - A deep mocha brown with a thin, tan head.

S - Light chocolate, roasted malts and a powdery cocoa.

T - Some heavy, heavy chocolate here. The low ABV almost hurts this one. Some thin dark malts and vanilla round it out. Really would have liked to see the chocolate be more suppressed or at least more balanced.

M - Medium body and little carbonation. This beer needs to be more full to support all the rich flavor.

O - I see many paid a hefty price for this one! I got it as one of 12 beers in a seasonal for a mere 13 dollars. That said I can say this is certainly worth a bit over a dollar a bottle, but certainly nothing near what I am seeing others talking about.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 05:42:11 | More by mscudder

TheSixthRing

California

3.8/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours near black, with a dark ruby hue where light can penetrate. The head is cocoa powder in color, silky, about a finger width thick and with decent retention. The resulting lace is thick with good stick.

Smell - Notes of milk chocolate and a touch of malted roastiness.

Taste - Light, though rich chocolate notes from start to finish. A touch of roastiness peaks through to kill any oversweetness, but this beer is all about the chocolate flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with fair carbonation. Silky and smooth; drinks easy.

Overall: This is basically a one note beer, but that one note is pretty damn good. I certainly don't mind seeing it in the Winter mix pack, and I wouldn't hate seeing it in 6-pack form, either.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 15:52:21 | More by TheSixthRing

mckenziac

3.08/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Pilsner Urquell pilsener glass. Taken from a Sam Adams "Winter Classics" variety pack.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black color. Has a large-ish, frothy, tan head that dissipates slowly and leaves some modest lacing.

Smell: Has a toasty, malty smell to it, backed by some raw cocoa aromas.

Taste: Tastes mildly hoppy with a strong, roasted malt flavor. Finishes slightly sweet with a heavy dark chocolate flavor with hints of vanilla and some raw cocoa.

Mouthfeel: A bit on the thin side.

Overall: A kind of "meh" beer, in my opinion. I remember when this beer only came in the large, embossed bottles around Christmastime. I seem to remember liking it a lot better back then. Maybe time and packaging have unduly altered my perception, but I definitely am disappointed with where this beer is today. Still, I suppose it could be much worse.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 15:04:01 | More by mckenziac

HalfFull

California

3.13/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into a large wine glass. Pours a dark brown with half an inch of medium tan foam, clear and crimson in the light. Light lacing and moderate retention follow.

Nose of roasted malts and light cocoa. Chocolate is present but subtle given the moniker. Mostly light roast as part of a not too moderately complex malt profile. Touch of chocolate does appear as the foam settles.

Flavor is maltier than the nose might suggest and rather dense in feel with some nutty Victoryesqe character and a notable caramel base behind it all. Feel again is thick more like a liquefied chocolate cake in a way though not that strong in the chocolate. Overall might go well with desert but a bit odd on its own. A bit cloying though not from an obvious sweetness but from a lack of clarity in the flavor and feel, particularly given the style.

Edit. 12/2012. Pour falls flat a bit too swiftly(-1.0), aroma is rather void of notable anything(-.5), flavor is a bit more robust and interesting with more chocolate but still a bit one sided(+.5). Overall rather simple and sweet and quite filling. Surely a Bock in name only and lacking the brightness of a German Bock.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 04:21:49 | More by HalfFull

jadpsu

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours with a decent head but only with average retention, dark brown in color.
Smell has lots of maltiness with some definite chocolate/toffee notes.
Taste: definitely some milk chocolate. Neither bitter or too sweet or bitter upfront, but does have some mild bitterness at the finish.
From my standpoint plenty of chocolate but not overdone. For its style (which I am not familiar with)it meets its label discription.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 02:10:26 | More by jadpsu