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

homebrew311

Illinois

3.96/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance is dark brown with some red highlights at the edges. Not much head retention to speak of. Smell starts with heavy dose of mariscino cherry complete with the sugary syrup it is packages with. Milk chocolate comes through next with moderate malty sweetness . Taste leans towards the sweet side and the flavors come in the same order as the nose. The chocolate is more pronounced and features more of a dark chocolate flavor than the nose. The bock base adds a considerable amount of sweetness and works well with the flavors. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with mild carbonation. Overall, this is a nice dessert beer that is well rounde and drinks smoothly. Not a bad brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2013 23:46:04 | More by homebrew311

Rast

Maryland

3.11/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Served icy at Matthew's 1600 in Catonsville, MD. Wonderful to have a draught option of a beer previously unbeknownst to me. After the obligatory warming period, with frigid phalanges to boot, I gazed. Dark, dark, dark, ah, but what's that I see at the bottom of the glass? Gorgeous deep red peeks through the storm. Upon lowering my nose towards it, I'm hit with a tidal wave of cherry. Subtly would have been appreciated. My tongue confirms what my nose suspects. CHERRY. Creamy swishing makes for a mildly above average mouthfeel. Aftertaste is lingerful. About 2/3 thru the glass, the chocolate became more prominent. Sammy Adams, you've out-cherried yrself again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2013 02:05:40 | More by Rast

deebo

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in the Sam Adams glass this beer has a weak tan head that dissipates quickly. Brown with garnet highlights and clear. Aromas of cherry and chocolate for sure. A bit of a cola aroma. Taste is chocolate cherry cola-weird. Weak on grainy malts or hops this beer is high on carbonation and weak in body given the ABV. A fairly easy beer to drink-recommended for someone looking for a beery cherry cola. A sweet dessert beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2013 01:41:50 | More by deebo

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.73/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Sam Adams signature pint glass. 

Appearance: pretty dark brown with light bubbles, head is thin I do mean real thin maybe a 1/10" if your lucky.

Smell: believe it or not light hops and brief chocolate.

Taste: Complex with a notch sweet and little bitter. You definitely feel the chocolate with its sweet bitter feel.

Mouth: it doesn't blow up my pallets but it makes you happy, medium carbonation that isnt the sharpest but just right.

Overall: almost more of a dessert than a beer, very good and incredibly built. Salud!

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2012 03:50:24 | More by BlurryVisi0n

devinoconnor

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a very dark brown, almost black color with little brown foam from the tap. Smell was strong and bitter, sugary and sweet.

Taste is downright tart. Any chocolate malts are overpowered by the sweet cherries. Cherries remind me of the Sam Adams Cherry Wheat brew, which I actually like... Not here. Too artificial and way too sugary.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and syrupy. Unless you're a sours fan, I'd avoid this.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2012 00:01:35 | More by devinoconnor

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

2.7/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Samuel Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock

Pours a dark brown color. Aroma of sweet cherries, chocolate, toffee and alcohol. In the taste, more cherry, with some sweet bock character, but all too sweet. Artificial cherry flavor, lots of malt sweetness and sugars behind it. Cloying. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and syrupy. Overall, this would be a good choice for fans of sweet beers, but not one of the better offerings from Boston Beer Co.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2012 14:22:25 | More by Stinkypuss

WesWes

New York

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a beautiful dark brown color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a sweet chocolate and crystal malt scent along with a faint cherry aroma. The taste is good as well. It has a quaffable chocolate and cherry flavor; delicious, yet not overly done. It's incredibly easy drinking even at 7%. It goes down quick with a sweet, almost milk stout character. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a damn good dessert style beer. It doesn't wimp out on chocolate flavor. The cherry taste is mild at best, but goes a long way in rounding out the taste.

Serving type: growler

02-02-2012 20:26:12 | More by WesWes

ehammond1

California

2.55/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Nearly black in color with nearly no head and very little stick to the glass. The beer looks somewhat thin.

The aroma is a bit strange; yes, there's chocolate, yes there's some cherry, and yes there's some roasted malt, but it doesn't quite come together as nicely as it sounds on paper. The cherry flavor seems somewhat artificial, perhaps like a (cough) syrup.

The flavor has similar failings: the cherry flavor doesn't come together particularly well and doesn't accentuate any of the positives present in this beer. The roast character is very mild, dominated by artificial chocolate and cherry flavors.

Thin to medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.

I wasn't a fan of the Chocolate Bock or now this Chocolate Cherry Bock. Apparently, they just aren't for me. That being said, the ice cream Churchill's Pub & Grille made using this ice cream was fantastic.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2012 02:28:15 | More by ehammond1

pzrhsau

District of Columbia

4.22/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Nice rich brown color with deep amber hues. The beer has a nice white head.
S: The beer has a nice rich cherry chocolate cordial aroma with hints of smoke.
T: The first flavor you get happens to be the rich dark cherry flavor and it has some background flavor of chocolate and smokiness.
M/O: This beer was on tap at RFD in DC. Very complex and balanced beer. Good for the winter time and very good with desserts.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2012 22:03:52 | More by pzrhsau

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.35/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Chocolate Cherry Bock pours a black color, with a small whitish head. There was a nice sweet smell, mostly from the chocolate. The taste was rather sweet, alot of chocolate and cherry, but it blended very well, with just a bit of a smokey malty undertone. Very easy to drink, and it had a nice strong flavor. Overall a very nice desert type beer. I wasn't impressed with Sam Adams chocolate bock, but this one with cherries is like a candy bar, and i was very impressed.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2012 03:05:31 | More by vette2006c5r

BucannonXC5

California

4.38/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a draft into a pint glass at the San Diego Brewing Company. Black with a slight tinge of red (cherry). Inch of head. Nice amount of dark lacing on the top. Nice looking film on the sides that lasted throughout.

Smelled of chocolate malts with cherry fruits. Reminded me of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia.

Tasted just like the nose, only better. Nice and smooth chocolate malts with that cherry backbone. Basically a Cherry Garcia.

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Smooth, long finish.

I loved this beer. I originally had the look a 4.5, but dropped it down after some consideration. I’m a bit of a Sam Adams homer but this may have been the best I tried.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2012 05:02:52 | More by BucannonXC5

BJRHOMEBREW

Ohio

3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Pours a dark rusty amber with thin head that fades quickly.

S-Smells of maraschino cherries with just a hint of chocolate which reminds of gunpowder, lead and of a Christmas past.

T-Overwhelming notes of chocolate covered cherries followed by the very sweet malt character you would expect from a dopple bock.

M- Sweet and sticky coats the mouth like cough syrup as you take each sip.

O- Not a bad beer just a bit to one sided for my liking.

Serving type: growler

01-02-2012 23:25:18 | More by BJRHOMEBREW

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a chalice at the Lucky Monk.

Another surprise Sam Adams tap-only offering at LM. I guess I should stop being so surprised, right? Anyway, it pours a dark, ruby-tinted black-brown topped by a half-finger of dirty ashen foam. The nose explodes with black cherry, with a light bit of roasted malts behind the din. It's pleasant, indeed, but seems a bit one-sided. The taste holds notes of somewhat-artificial-seeming black cherry, chocolate powder, light roasted malts, toasted caramel, and a hint of toasted coconut. The body is a straight medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly smooth feel. Overall, a nice beer, but the cherry seems to have diluted the usually very nice Chocolate Bock. I'd have another if given the chance, but I wouldn't be as eager to do so as I was this time.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2011 21:41:41 | More by TMoney2591

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Pinocchio's, Media, PA

Poured into a stem glass, a dark brown color, nearly opaque, with a slight tan head that receded to a ringlet. Dark malts on the nose, with subtle hints of chocolate and cherry. So far so good. Taste followed the aroma well, with a solid malt base, overlain with a non-threatening combo of chocolate and maraschino cherry juice; woody, roasty, with a hop presence in the finish. Medium-bodied, and nicely drinkable; despite what many reviewers are saying, I though neither chocolate nor cherry was too overpowering. And even if they were...well, just look at the title of the beer: if you don't like it, don't try it.

I usually find chocolate bocks to be disappointing, but this was one of the better ones I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2011 02:07:28 | More by Rifugium

musicman575

California

2.4/5  rDev -36.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Candied Beer...

I'm offended at the descriptiveness of this beer's label. You have to be more subtle. You can't just come out and say what your beer tastes like.

Speaking of subtlety, there is none in this beer. It is chocolatey like Hershey syrup and cherry-flavored like cherry coke. In other words, it tasted like it was loaded with sugars and artificial flavoring - no love. The 'Bock' part of the beer is just an afterthought. I can't review this like any other bock because the additives totally wreck it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2011 06:10:07 | More by musicman575

champ103

Texas

2.68/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Kindling in Carterville, IL

A: Pours a dark brown, nearly black with some ruby highlights around the edges. A bubbly tan head forms and recedes to nothing. Light lace.
S: Artificial cherry extract right up front. Some chocolate and come roast.
T: To much cherry extract here. Some chocolate and roast, but way to artificial.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. Though a bit light. Not really for me. I can't get past to fake cherry flavor.

To artificial to be enjoyable. Not something I would recommend. Sam Adams does some very nice beers, but their fruits beers are not among them.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2011 03:47:58 | More by champ103

mattcrill

Ohio

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma: Light cherry esters and mild roasted gain notes up front. Very mild and soft aromatics. More stone fruit-like esters as the beer is warmed and agitated. No hop aroma.

Appearance: Dark brown pour with ruby highlights. Thick sudsy tan head that retains well.

Flavor: Mild cherry juice and Hershey syrup-like flavors up front. Bready malt base. No hop flavors. Finish is clean and dry. Aftertaste is a lingering cocoa powder.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation. A slight astringency from what I assume is some of the chocolate and/or roasted grains.

Overall impression: A well done Fruit beer. It has elements of chocolate and cherry while still retaining good base beer characteristics. That's hard to do and this was well done.

Serving type: growler

12-18-2011 21:44:52 | More by mattcrill

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Sawmill Tap Room 12/17/11

Pours a deep, dark brown with a thin lacing of off white head. The nose is dominated by cherries but the chocolate is noticeable too. It smells like pie filling. The taste is at first dominated by cherries with a rich chocolate finish, but as the beer warms the chocolate becomes more forward and coffee notes appear. The cherries stay sweet throughout. It's medium bodied, well carbonated, and very smooth.

This is a fun beer. There's a lot going on and the flavors change and intensify as the beer warms. It's rich and dessert-like, it's sweet, it's smooth, it's good. It's definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2011 15:16:31 | More by tdm168

raznug

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: It pours a dark brown in color with an inch of fluffy light tan colored head.
Smell: It smells of cherry and slight amounts of roasted malts. There maybe hints of a tartness that intrigues me.
Taste: Wow that isn't what I was expecting. There is a lot of flavor there more cherry than expecting but a good balance with the chocolate, tastes a little like a cordial cherry.
Mouthfeel: This is a smooth and easy drinking beer even with the cherry. Man it goes down very easy

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2011 21:41:51 | More by raznug

mdaschaf

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes. Had on tap at the Pickled Pig.

A: Pours a dark brown/ruby color with a small tan head that has little retention and leaves behind very thin lacing.

S: Nice cherry pie aroma, actually has a slight tartness, and a little mustiness as well. Faint chocolate and a little roasted malt.

T: Wow, impressed by this one. Really deep cherry flavor blended with some chocolate, very smooth with a sweet finish.

M: Medium bodied, very smooth, medium carbonation. Finishes slightly dry.

O: Better than expected, went perfectly with the cherry chocolate cake it was paired with.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2011 02:53:49 | More by mdaschaf

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap 12/4/2011 at Rose Alley Ale House in New Bedford, MA served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color with a short beige head that fades quickly and leaves a thin on the glass.

S: The aroma contains cherries, some chocolate, roasted malts and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a lot of creamy chocolate along with a mild cherry flavor compared to the amount you get from the smell. There’s a mild hops presence and strong breadiness from a hearty roasted malt character and lager yeast creating a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium-to-heavy body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down ok, a bit filling, decent kick, good representation of style, this is a flavorful stout-like lager to drink for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2011 02:16:32 | More by TheManiacalOne

JizackFH

New York

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - This beer pours a really dark clear ruby brown color. There is a nice 2-finger tan head resting on top. the head has pretty good retention, and it leaves some scattered lace behind on the glass.

S - The nose has a nice bit of roasted malt. There are some good aromas of chocolate, cherries, and some other dark fruits. The chocolate and cherry blends together nicely, and makes for a quite good overall aroma.

T - The taste starts off with a good bit of roasted malt. There are some nice flavors of chocolate and black cherry. There are some other dark fruit flavors as well. The finish leaves some lingering chocolate and cherry sweetness, as well as a little bit of roasted malt bitterness.

M - This has a medium body and good carbonation. It goes down easy and has a nice smooth feel to it. There is a good amount of sweetness and a little bit of roasted malt bitterness.

O - This has pretty good drinkability. I could easily have a few glass of this throughout the night. Overall, I think this is a quite nice and interesting beer. I think it is definitely worth a try. The cherry character is really nice in this and it mixes well with the chocolate flavors. I would drink this one again.

Serving type: growler

12-12-2011 11:47:32 | More by JizackFH

tsauce2

Indiana

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

P: Tap pour in to a pint glass

A: SRM is chocolate brown with a tinge of red. Clear filtered and translucent. Head is off white, 1 in, dissipates to line the rim of the glass. Heavy carbonation. Light/medium lacing.

S: At proper serving temp, chocolate malt and cherry notes are light but definitely noticable.

T: Tastes like a cherry cordial. Chocolate flavor is reminiscent of classic American chocolate, cherry flavor is pronounced but balances perfectly with the chocolate. Malt and carbonation cause a creamy taste/sensation.

M: Light body. Balance of ingredients and carbonation give the sensation of eating a cherry cordial.

O: Great beer; possibly one of the best beers I have ever had from SA; definitely in the top 3. Perfectly executed balance of flavors. High carbonation gives a creamy sensation, along with the malt content. This is really like drinking an alcoholic cherry cordial.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2011 07:23:54 | More by tsauce2

Rhynes2

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this one at the West Point Market in Akron. Pours a nice light colored head but it fades away quickly. It has a nice red hue to it as well. You can smell the chocolate right off the bat. The first taste highlights the cherry flavor but falls into one of the best chocolate flavors i've seen in a beer. The alcohol is not subtle at all but works with the cherries to really bring out a great flavor. It's not overly sweet either. I'm not always that big of a fan of Sam Adams stuff but this one is great. I'm gonna have to pick this one up again on my next trip out to the market.

Serving type: growler

12-06-2011 17:57:53 | More by Rhynes2

callmeopus

Washington

3.23/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Thirsty Monk South in an 8oz. goblet.
The powerful blast of cherry and almond aroma is all I get out of this beer. Can someone say Maraschino?
The beer, sadly, does not live up to the overwhelming cherry aroma. In fact, all I taste is cherry with just a lingering of chocolate on the back of the tongue. What happened to the beer?

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2011 19:14:08 | More by callmeopus