Choklat - Southern Tier Brewing Company

StJamesGate

New York

4.49/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Jet black with ruby highlights and sepia foam that fades.
Ridiculous nose - straight chocolate truffle dusted in cocoa.
Caramel, brownie batter, hints of blackberry and vague branchy hops.
Bitter cocoa nib linger and perfumed, rosewater linger that lasts forever.
Full, chewy, round.

A crazy beer - tastes more like chocolate than chocolate does. It tastes like *more than one kind* of chocolate - both powdery and gooey. Young's isn't even in the same conversation.

There's also a nice lavender undertone, as TBN pointed out, there's not even a whisper of the 10% ABV and it's never unbalanced.

I don't know how well it works as just a beer - it's more like a chocolate liqueur - but it's the best kind of gimmick and huge fun to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 17:31:17 | More by StJamesGate

evanforbeer

California

4.66/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a velvety, syrupy jet black with tan head,

smell- rich milk chocolate, think hot chocolate/ Swiss Miss. a touch of licorice and wood

taste- Chocolate bar up front, pure hot chocolate. I've never tasted such an overtly chocolately beer-- and it's very, very good. Vanilla, a touch of black licorice. Mildly sweet, but then emerge notes of oak, some dark fruits (fig and some cherry), and slightly bitter but lush roasted barley. Finishes with dark chocolate, dark roasted barley and a touch of hop citrus. The tongue is coated with the roasted flavors and warmth of the booze.

Feel- velvety with some bite from the roasted barley and hops. Booze is detectable but fairly mellow. Not very heavy-bodied

overall- For a long time I never gave this a chance. I was certainly pleasantly surprised when I got this on tap after a few other beers I wanted had been kicked. I am very impressed with the richness of the chocolate, while maintaining its balance and not being overly sweet and displaying a great overall flavor profile. Fantastic brew

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 00:18:22 | More by evanforbeer

stumac

Texas

4.63/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 5

Pours up black with dark brown head. Quickly fading. No lacing. Nose is dark, rich chocolate, dark malts, vanilla bean. Taste is burnt malts, chocolate syrup, no real apparent hops but I know they're there. Full bodied, low carbo. Dessert beer. Me and Amanda give it two thumbs up

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:28:53 | More by stumac

keithmurray

Louisiana

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - dark brown body with tan head

Smell - aroma of rich milk chocolate

Taste - milk chocolate is the star here, roasted coffee bean as well

Mouthfeel - heavier side of medium bodied, sweet chocolate upfront, bitterness lingers at the back, medium carbonation, booze is noticeable, but not dominant

Overall - good stout with a good chocolate profile

Price Point - $6.99/22 oz bomber

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 00:09:04 | More by keithmurray

rdilauro

Connecticut

4.49/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

To start with, I love stouts and I love chocolate and/or coffee stouts. I've enjoyed so many brews from Southern Tier, I could not wait to taste this one.

From the time, I popped the cap, I knew I was going to be in for something good. The pour was like a dark mountain river water, cascading over rocks , splashing along the way until it hits its destination.

It almost poured like a dark thick chocolate syrup. The aroma was beyond what I anticipated. I couldnt even wait to evaluate the other characteristics, I quickly took my first sip.

It wasn't a beer, it was like drinking the most round and full chocolate beverage, rich in flavour, perfectly balanced, a big mouthful, long lasting after taste. The CHOCOLATE comes through loud and clear.... BUT it is also gentle.

Anyone who has tasted other Chocolate Stouts, really needs to try this one. It was a close to perfect as any beer I have tasted in the past several years

I want this one over and over and over again. As a beer, as a desert, as a treat, this is
something very special

3/10/13
One thing I did notice at this tasting. While everything was what I said it was, it did have a bit of a strong alcohol taste this time. Not that that was bad, but I've had high ABV stouts that seem to mask the alcohol better.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:18:34 | More by rdilauro

weonfire

Kentucky

4.36/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A - Black as night. Light mocha head, pencil thin. dissipates in 1-2 min.

S - Cocoa, dark bitter chocolate and vanilla. wish it were more potent. maybe use milk chocolate?

T - Initially smooth cocoa, lite roast, coffee/expresso. hop level is moderate/low. finish contains slight bitter taste. 10 ABVs masked very well.

M - light froth, viscosity is low, coffee taste lingers

O - Really nice and smooth. I do wish a bit more milk chocolate was used. It seems all chocolate used was the dark cocoa. Milk chocolate might increase scent. Overall all flavors are blended really well. Very nice. could definitely have one more of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 00:38:36 | More by weonfire

Steamer

Missouri

4.76/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a bomber into a 16 oz chalice. Jet black with an brown, very thin head that is gone quickly leaving a sparse ring around the edge of the glass. The strong aroma of dark, dark chocolate hits your nose immediately, like liquid chocolate mousse; sweet coffee overtones; outstanding. Roasted walnuts, caramel, plum, slight bitterness fades to sweet malty after taste, warm alcohol. Heavy and sticky, low carbonation. This one has it all; a complex blend of flavors and aromas. I expected the chocolate to dominate the taste like the aroma, but I was pleasantly surprised when the other flavors came to the forefront. An amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 02:47:20 | More by Steamer

farrago

New Jersey

4.19/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Aggressive pour yields a thin head of very dark brown, that’s gone quickly too, any lacing is incidental to tilting the glass side to side. De rigueur impenetrably black liquid, razor thin touch of orange rust to the edges, impossible to gauge carbonation visually. The nose is pure chocolate through and through, like chocolate cut with chocolate and a dash of chocolate on top, after that you might discern malted milk balls, vanilla, banana and a smidgeon of black licorice but really this is one repeat bass note of thudding chocolate. Full-bodied, layers itself on the palate until you have to make a concerted effort to move your tongue, creamy and soft, however, the carbonation actually manages to give it a needed nudge forward now and then. Not sure where it comes from but there’s a vanilla, caramel whiskey oak barrel thing going on. Minor plum and blackberry fruit accents. Not much roast nor clearly present hops. Yet, it is not without a bitter, more dark chocolate aspect. No alcoholic burn. This is about as close to pure chocolate flavored a beer can get retaining a soul and without it becoming a laboratory malt beverage.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 04:11:03 | More by farrago

hopoilcrazy

Tennessee

4.29/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

22oz bomber

A - Nice eggshell head that dissipates quickly. Little to no lacing. Very dark with slight ruby/port tones.

S - The first aroma that hits is a powdery chocolate. Almost like opening up a carton of dutch processed cocoa and getting some of the powder in your sinuses. Its pretty intense. And so is the booze in the nose

T - Hershey's chocolate milk. Great malts. Very nice hop backbone that is solid and really balances the sweetness. This beer is very well crafted. Bourbon booziness

M - At 10% I would not expect to feel a booze tingle but I am definitely getting that.

Overall really nice but it is a little bit harsh. Nothing to really fault it for, but I am also not blown away by the depth of flavor

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 09:14:29 | More by hopoilcrazy

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a nice thick and chocolaty black with a nice khaki head, almost like the foam from chocolate milk. The beer’s body is opaque and impenetrable, and leaves a lacing of thin and slippery curtain bubbles on the sides of the glass. On the nose, the beer smells thickly of sweet roasted chocolate with a touch of milk chocolate. Light cocoa powder lingers on the nose, and all in all this beer provides exactly what you think it would have from a chocolate beer. On the tongue, the beer tastes sweet and bitter roasted, with beautiful chocolate and roasted malt flavors with a touch of char in the finish. The beer begins with cocoa powder, moving into Hershey’s chocolate syrup, and then traveling towards more bittersweet dark chocolate, slowing closing into the finish of roasted malts, char, and faint lingering milk chocolate. On the mouth, this beer feels medium to thick in body and velvety smooth. The mouth is left dry and slightly charred from the roasted malt. Overall, this beer is deliciously chocolaty with a nice bitter balance from the bitter roast of the malts. The big chocolate flavors upfront fully deliver what I wanted from this beer and leave me very happy. This is a big flavorful chocolate beer with some very nice chocolate flavors. It is definitely a sipper as the flavors are big and the beer is thick in the stomach. Try this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 01:17:42 | More by Maxwell

NEPABeer

4.61/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

After the recommendation from a colleague at work I gave it a shot. The bottle recomends using a snifter glass and being served at 48 degrees, I used a pint glass and prefer it around 40 degrees and enjoy the variety of flavors as the beer warms.

A- Light carbonation that creates about 1 1/2 fingers of a milk chocolate colored head, that dissipates fairly quick for a stout, seated upon an opaque black coffee.

S- Dark chocolate lightly mingled with espresso.

T- Pure Cacao followed by notes of coffee and a mild vanilla. Upon exhale there is a surprisingly mild taste of alcohol considering how much of a high test beer this is.

M- Smooth while leaving an oily residue.

O- One of the best beers I have had to date.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 18:57:25 | More by NEPABeer

sommersb

Tennessee

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Tasted On: 02-21-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 22 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Snifter
Purchased: Single from The Bottle Shop, Franklin

A: Black and opaque, topped with a tan head a finger and a half high. Retention is fair, with a nice amount of lacing clinging to the glass.

S: Wonderful aromas of sweet, milk chocolate and vanilla, with some hints of lightly roasted malt.

T: Taste is of bittersweet chocolates (more sweet than bitter), plus dark cherries, oak and vanilla. The taste seems to mellow as the beer warms up a bit.

M: Creamy mouthfeel with a full body. Moderately carbonated, there is some alcohol warmth and a finish of semi-sweet toasted cocoa nibs.

O: I thought this beer was an excellent marriage of chocolate and a stout. It reminds me very much of a sweet/milk stout, but on a double/imperial level.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 04:55:56 | More by sommersb

Spectre

California

4.65/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A.Black with a tan head. Leaves a lot of lace around the glass.

S.Honestly smells like Nestlé Quick. Pure scent of sweet chocolate.

T.Milk Chocolate. Absolutely no flavor of alcohol.

M.Thick and smooth, goes down too fast to consume slowly.

Overall this is an incredible stout. I can see how some people would hate considering it doesn't taste like beer in any way but its still great.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 06:28:15 | More by Spectre

GallowsThief

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Out of a bottle into my tulip.

A – Deep dark black with an inch of milk chocolate head that settled down to a nice sheen. Clingy lacing down the glass.

S – Mocha, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, dark fruits and vanilla.

A – Roasted malts out of the gate. Nice mix of chocolate flavors to follow. Reminds me a bit of a malted milk ball. Touch of vanilla and toffee with caramel. Little bit of a bitter coffee flavor at the end. You can feel the alcohol at the finish.

M – Medium bodied and extremely creamy mouthfeel. Coats the palate and leaves a nice sweetness. Moderate carbonation.

O – Very nice all around. Nice rich flavor that is not overbearing. Sweet but not cloying. You certainly feel the ABV which is the way it should be. As it warms up it just gets better and better.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 23:52:23 | More by GallowsThief

JohnnyMc

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Part of the amazing Blackwater Series.

Pours out a pitch black with an extremely dark mocha looking head.

The aroma is pure chocolate; milk and dark chocolate, some caramel sweetness, a hint of vanilla and some nice roasty notes.

The taste is rich and complex without being overly sweet or bitter. Tons of milk chocolate and bittersweet dark chocolate notes dominate the beer. There is some subtle vanilla notes, a little bit of caramel/toffee and a decent amount of roasty malt notes.

The body is full and the mouthfeel is extremely rich and creamy.

There is no alcohol taste or smell and only a very small hint of warming as it goes down.

This beer lives up to the name and tastes like liquid chocolate with a decent amount of sweetness and bitterness that balances everything out. An excellent beer and not too expensive.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 05:19:53 | More by JohnnyMc

blkcld

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Serving type is bottle poured into a snifter at recommended serving temp.

A: Pours jet black with very little to no head, but a cappuccino colored lacing. No noticeable carbonation, and just a slight lacing on the glass.

S: Exactly as advertised. Chocolate is very forward on the nose, with a slight caramel malt underneath. The chocolate is so prevalent on the nose, that you have to really be diligent to try to find any other smells from this one.

T: Again, Chocolate is the initial taste when trying this one. A bit thinner then i expected. For some reason i thought this beer would be a bit thicker. Alcohol is very well hidden. No alcohol burn at all, and is an extremely easy beer to drink. They go down very easy. After the initial taste of chocolate, there is a slight caramel flavor that comes out. The only lingering taste is a slight chocolate/caramel flavor that is barely perceptible.

M: Way thinner than i expected. Not watery by any extent, but an extremely thin beer for the style.

O: This beer goes down very easy, and if you like chocolate, then you will probably really enjoy this beer. Some may find the chocolate a bit forward or overpowering, but you know what you are signing up for when you pick up this beer. I actually enjoyed this more then i expected to, and will definitely be trying this again in the future. One thing though is the pairing of the beer if you are drinking this with a meal. I would either drink this as an after dinner drink, maybe with ice cream or cake, but would not drink this with a lighter main course dinner. Bottom line: Very good!

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 21:35:55 | More by blkcld

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

22 ounce bomber poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a black color with a half finger head and no lacing.

S: Mostly milk chocolate with a touch of dark fruit and roasted malts.

T: Lots of chocolate up front, but there are some roasted malts as well.

M: Medium to heavy bodied with some carbonation. Smooth.

O: A little chocolate heavy for my tastes, but it's as advertised. Great for someone who wants a chocolate forward stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 04:02:26 | More by nUgZ

cfrobrew

Texas

4.34/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

a Dark as night. Pours thick with very little head, small ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass throughout.
s Like a chocolate bar, it smells like someone is melting chocolate for brownies.
t Slight malts flavor that gets pounded by a chocolate or cocoa flavor right away. Similar to a younges but much more enjoyable and smooth.
m The difference from the younges in that its not thin, this is definitely a stout. Great mouth feel.
o I really enjoyed it, great beer! Nice and dry, which is nice for a chocolate beer. Can hardly tell its 10% when its cold, comes out more as it warms up. Very very well done. Ill definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 20:36:57 | More by cfrobrew

themind

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

To me this is Southern Tiers best brew. I really enjoyed this beer! Deep chocolate flavor with a good aroma. This beer to me is a top notch chocolate stout that I will purchase again for sure. Hides the ABV well and goes down smooth.

Bottom Line: Great chocolate stout!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 02:11:45 | More by themind

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.28/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pure blackness and the creamiest head of any beer around, this truly special brew is a work of art! Tremendous lacing and a thick tan head sits atop the darkness for the duration.

The scent is one dimensional but that's not a bad thing. Pure milk chocolate in a glass of milk the aroma is sweet and wonderful.

The taste is chocolatey, slightly metallic but creamy at the end. Touch of alcohol ruins what could be an intense sweet chocolate finish. I don't get a lot of malt but there is a dry chocolate malt taste within the body of the beer. It very well constructed, very tasty and smooth to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 22:05:04 | More by KYGunner

McNealc31

Ohio

4.73/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Darker than expected with a tight, light brown head. As expected, however, the aroma is full of chocolate. Bitter chocolate is indeed the most pronounced flavor, but there is so much more going on. Vanilla, some coffee, and oak. Wouldn't be surprised if this were barrel aged (but not bourbon barrel aged). Long, dry, chalky finish with hints of marshmallow. The 10% ABV really warms on the way down, too.

To recap, huge flavors, well balanced, great texture, and a heaping helping of booze. What else would you expect from Southern Tier? It's excellent.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 03:19:24 | More by McNealc31

brureview

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

The beer poured a very deep dark chocolate color with some lacing.

I could smell the aroma with the glass on the table in front of me- strong waftings of milk chocolate.

The mouth feel is very smooth and transitions well into the taste. One of the most important tasting aspects of a stout or porter is that there should be some continuity between aroma, mouth feel, and taste.
Sometimes I have been disappointed in a stout with a great aroma, and a finish without similar aromatics.

In this beer the taste is deep chocolate, cocoa with some bitterness. Slight alcohol in the finish. I prefer less or no alcohol in a stout finish, but it wasn't very emphasized in this beer.

Overall an excellent chocolate bomb, with alcohol added. I didn't like the bitterness or the slight alcoholic finish, otherwise an excellent beer.

Serve at 48F in a snifter.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 22:45:11 | More by brureview

hustlesworth

Ohio

4.95/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- at first, the dark, tan cappuccino colored head is hesitant to form but as the snifter fills up, foam cascades to the surface of this this viscous brew. Sadly, it hastily diminishes to a thin soapy ring. Lace is spotty and minimal. The body is so think and black that it looks like a bowl of melted dark chocolate.

S- insane and powerful dark chocolate aroma. Cocoa, chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup, everything chcocolate. And quality chocolate at that. There's a black roasted coffee smokiness nestled in the background. Hops are hidden, or slightly earthy at most. This one solely focuses on the chcocolate. Awesome.

T- this is just freakin bonkers. Up front it's chocolate ice cream. 80% cacao. Hot fudge sundae. Devils food cake. However it can be described as a wholly holy chocolate elixir would be appropriate. The flavor transition is easily broken down into 3 parts. First is just a mouthful of melted chocolate and nothing else. Just high quality chocolate. Abruptly, it shifts gears to huge roasted malt character with espresso and bittersweet cocoa, damp wood, stone, soil, mild smoke, and peppery spice. As the malt fades, hops move in and mesh with the roasted bitterness to form an herbal, rustic, earthy and lasting bittersweet finish.

MF- smoothly grainy particle chocolate feel. Like its big and rich and smooth and creamy but it's not totally liquid. You can feel the molecules and shit. Coating coffee cocoa feel on the cheeks. Some hop oil feel too. Carbonation? Who even cares about that now?? It's understated and modest, quiet and only preset as a tiny little tickle. Exactly as it should be.

D- completely imperceptible alcohol makes this one a real monster. I mean, I'm throwin this bottle down like a seventeen year old girl on her first mudslide. As a matter of fact, I think the chocolate hides the booze in the same way ice cream masks the vodka in that mudslide. Now I'm back on the mothership. Such concentrated flavor in this beer you would have to eat it with... Idk probly just strawberries, cream and vanilla. This one without a doubt rewrites the book on imperial chocolate stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 07:55:39 | More by hustlesworth

DenverLogan

Colorado

4.81/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

From 22 oz bottle. Poured in long stem St Feuillien glass.
Big brown head with various size bubbles...some lacing beginning early.
Color: Mahogany...dark.
Aroma of molten chocolate cake...rich, sweet, cocoa, figs, plum, dark chocolate, must be ... oh, oh, oh, Madagascan vanilla. Giant aroma from start to finish.
Flavors of dark sweet and bitter chocolates, tropical pepper, subtle touches of various tropical fruits, some noticeable alcohol punch. Oooh...punch me again ~~~
Oh Oh...don't these guys make some great brews, despite a bitter finish or something funky, this is nice.
Sometimes they make the mother lode, trend setter, totally admirable brew, as I might say this and the Pumking are..oh oh...
Where were we? Malt, malt, malt...must be expensive to make these beers...like the big fruity New Glarus, they don't hold off on adding delicious ingredients, in this case, malty, chocolate bodaciousness. Oh yeah....ayieee~!!!

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 06:20:21 | More by DenverLogan

gr0g

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pitch black in color with a small, light khaki-colored head. The fine bubbles produce some sparse, splotchy lacing on my snifter. Big aroma of dark chocolate and cocoa powder, very befitting of the beer's name. Astringent roasted malt provides the underpinnings. Some slight floral and pine notes from American hops.

The flavor, while tasty, can't quite live up to the promise of the aroma. It starts sweet, but the sweetness is restrained by bitterness from roast and hops. Lots of dark chocolate, intertwined with astringent roasted malt. Some grassy Northwest hops show up on the finish. Mouthfeel is a bit thin for a high gravity stout, having a texture that's more akin to a porter. More heft would be appreciated. The carbonation holds up pretty well and is moderately soft.

A rich and flavorful offering from Southern Tier - one that's not cloying. The mouthfeel is a little lacking, but otherwise, Choklat is worthy of the respect it gets.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 00:59:53 | More by gr0g