Choklat - Southern Tier Brewing Company

donniecuffs

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

At the Mohawk House in Sparta, NJ. Into a tulip, it poured black with one finger of dark brown head, with good retention and lacing, and no carbonation. The nose revealed an intensely sweet chocolate smell, almost like Bosco chocolate syrup, along with a bit of anise and molasses. Dare I say, the beer smelled one-dimensional. The taste did confirm the one-dimensional aspect of the beer...tasting like dark chocolate M&M's...HOWEVER, it worked. I mean, with a name like 'Choklat', I didn't exactly expect a potpourri of flavors, and the intensity of the chocolate flavor worked. Just a little too sweet, though, and the finish was revealed the alcohol content in its entirety, with only modest dryness. Furthermore, the feel was thick and slick. Definitely a sipping beer, but I wouldn't recommend drinking this stand-alone; this beer screams out to be paired with a creamy dessert.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2010 03:43:07 | More by donniecuffs

biophiliadude

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Let me start off by saying wow- what a beer! I've had all the Founder's Breakfast's (Yes I mean Canadian, Kentucky, and Breakfast) and this beer gives them a run for their money.

Tulip, multiple times

A: Standard stout black, nice coffee colored head.

S: Amazing! Hersey's chocolate syrup. I also got some of that Cadbury, more caramel forward chocolate at the end.

T: Boom! Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate, and a little bite of booze. Seriously, this tastes exactly like Hersey's chocolate, but it's not cloyingly sweet, more of a dark chocolate finish leaving a slight bitterness.

M: Full bodied for sure!

D: You can't drink a bunch of them since they are 11% but I had two or three in a session over the past week.

If you see this on tap seek it out. I love imperial stouts but don't like the coffee aspect of most of them. This stays true to it's name.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2010 19:29:48 | More by biophiliadude

taigor

New York

4.53/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into 8oz glass.

A - Poured non-transparent jet black color with small head that dissipated quickly leaving average lacing around the glass.

S - Very strong and sweet smell of chocolate with hints of coffee.

T - Just like smell it is very chocolate upfront, creamy and smooth with a slightly bitter coffee finish.

M - Full bodied with average carbonation.

D - Definitely a sipper and with high abv very well masked by sweetness you have to be careful not to overdo it. Would highly recommend this stout if you like liquid chocolate in the glass.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2010 12:34:44 | More by taigor

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Draft at Capone's. Deep brown to ebony with a soft, foamy caramel head. Big nose of melted chocolate, and a nutty roastiness. Flavor was a lot of rich chocolate, much more than I've ever gotten in an imperial stout. Pretty impressive in that regard. Despite these merits, I felt sick and sluggish toward the end of my 9oz. snifter of this. That, to me, is the eternal downfall of most imperial stouts: I just don't have it in me to finish the blessed thing. There should be a ratings criteria for "drinkability" or "does it make you feel sick" or something to that effect. I suppose those points should be deducted from the overall score if the beer TASTES good but makes you feel sick due to how heavy it is, but I'm just saying.

***EDIT this was an old RateBeer rate where there isn't a category for "drinkability", but I'm leaving the rant in for asthetic reasons.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2010 02:17:01 | More by JAXSON

jabergess

Georgia

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Before we start this review, you must like Hershey's syrup. Plain and simple. If you do you will absolutely love this beer. If you don't, a sample is probably all you can handle.

Smell - chocolate
Appearance - just like an imperial stout should look
Taste - we've discussed this already - Hershey's chocolate
Mouthfeel - warm, dry, slightly bitter

I'm not going to sit around and drink this by the gallon. It's very rich. But damn it's good, I wish I could.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2010 05:01:07 | More by jabergess

ExtraStout

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This was a guest beer at Willibrew. Pours nearly jet black with dark brown at the edges only when held to a bright light. 1 finger tan head dissipates to small amount of lacing.
Smell is chocolate, a hint of roasted barley, and a slight amout of sweetness that hints at the alcohol. Did I mention it smells like chocolate?!
Taste initially is sweet with huge amounts of bittersweet chocolate. There is again some roasted flavors, but these are swept away in more chocolate. The alcohol is barely evident in the taste. The flavor is like a beer version of sipping chocolate. Very nice.
Mouthfeel is smooth and becomes smoother as the temperature warms. Minimal carbonation, which is fine by me.
Drinkability is very high...provided you like chocolate. (Did I mention it tastes like chocolate?) ABV is evidence is the start of a buzz but does not interfere with the other flavors. Despite the dominant chocolate, there is enough else going on to make this a beer that is definitely worth drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2010 19:14:29 | More by ExtraStout

pointyskull

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This a deceptively drinkable Imperial Stout, one that masks its 11% ABV with the powerfully rich aroma/taste of chocolate.

I've had other Imperial Stouts that have tried this approach and failed miserably.

Not so with Choklat.

A deep black color, typical of the style, hides its real value.
Drinking this was almost secondary to just enjoying the smell of it. Mouthfeel held its own with aroma, delivering deep cocoa and chocolate textures instantly.

I cannot recommend this one enough.

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2010 13:48:33 | More by pointyskull

JonB1958

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at the Bavarian Lodge. I'm not normally a stout drinker, but others recommended I try it anyway, and so I did.

Considering it's not my favorite style, this was an impressive beer. Even before it hit the bar, I could smell the chocolate. The color is typical of this style, of course, very dark with a thick, tannish head that stays well.

Mouthfeel is very thick and rich, and in addition to the chocolate that dominates---and I mean dominates...there is nothing subtle about it--you get some coffee as well. The alcohol content is surprising, given that it's not noticeable in the tasting. It's very well disguised.

I wouldn't want to drink a lot of these--I'm not sure you could, really--but it was an interesting experience, and I wouldn't turn down another.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2010 14:54:32 | More by JonB1958

animalchin

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap luckily at the Blue Tusk in Syracuse. Served in a tulip glass. A nice black body with a tan head that doesn't last for long. Some moderate lacing. Smell was a roasted chocolate and caramel. Most definitely the strongest chocolate taste I've ever had in a stout. The name does not lie. The alcohol is only slightly apparent in the taste - but for 11% it's nothing over the top. Not as thick in the mouthfeel as I was expecting.

Overall Choklat is the most enjoyable beer I've had from Southern Tier. I would definitely look for this again...and again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2010 23:07:56 | More by animalchin

thekevlarkid

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Three Penny Taproom this beer was an opaque, black color with a thin, tan head. The retention was not much to speak of and the lacing equally lackadaisical. The aroma was fantastic; chocolate, chocolate and chocolate! The flavors were similarly dominated by Belgian chocolate with hints of roasted malt, bitter hops and alcohol. The hoppy bitterness made the sweet elements more like bakers chocolate. Highly enjoyable and as chocolaty as any beer I've ever had. The mouthfeel was rich and lush, the body full and the carbonation medium/light. Perhaps a little one-dimensional, but as a man with a penchant for sweets (candies, women, beers...) I found it delightful.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2010 15:35:27 | More by thekevlarkid

Lunch

Maryland

4.85/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia, MD into a 12oz. snifter at the approriate temperature (03/05/10)

A: Pours a deep, rich, motor oil black caped off with avery small tan head that dissipates almost immediately leaving no lacing whatsoever.

S: Wonderful aroma of milk chocolate, dark chocolate and coca with some roasted malt.

T: The chocolate theme continues and the palate is assaulted with a rich milk chocolate like no other beer I have ever had. Layers of dark chocolate, cocoa and roasted malt and a slight hop bitterness round out this superb chocolate imperial stout.

M: Extremely thick and viscous with low, but appropriate carbonation along with a slight alcohol burn.

D: The excellent chocolate flavor and aroma keep you coming back for more and more with an 11% abv. hidden to near perfection, but its richness does limit drinkablity slightly.

Overall if you are looking for an outstanding chocolate imperial stout, look no further. This beer is even better on-tap than it is out of the bottle. My highest recommendation

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2010 21:30:08 | More by Lunch

weatherdog

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap served in a 10oz. snifter at Brixies in Brookfield Il

It poured a nice deep brown with a lasting cream colored head. Medium lacing proceeded to layer the glass.

The nose is 100% pure Hershey's chocolate syrup. No ifs and ir buts about it to me. It doesn't just smell chocolaty to me it smells exactly like the syrup. After that I can't even smell the beer to try and pick anything else out without focusing on the chocolate. I've never had another beer trigger a sensory memory like that before.

The taste is like a creamy bitter chocolate liquor to me. It's fresh so the alcohol stands out among the crowd but it isn't harsh, just present. This is a nice sipper and I think it some age will be awesome to this beer. I also think it's an excellent candidate for a nitro-tap.

Just a nice dessert beer that will fill you right up.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2010 06:06:38 | More by weatherdog

Augustiner719

Connecticut

3.4/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Had on tap at the Sunset Grille in Brighton MA.

Appearance: Squid ink like in texture and appearance as it swirls and sticks to the glass. Pitch black and syrupy with a small to medium head that leaves a collar. This beer has legs as it hits the glass.

Smell: Smells like herseys chocolate syrup to a T. Huge melted chocolate aroma rather than cocoa. Sweet but balanced aromas of chocolate, espresso and cappachino come to mind.

Taste: Overly sweet for my liking but balanced throughout. Huge kick of melted chocolate and bitter espresso on the back end. If the abv werent hidden so well i would drop this a whole point just because its a bit overly sweet.

Mouthfeel: Cloying and sticky. Doesnt hit the palate quite as thick as it looks, but its really just a dessert beer and i cant see anyone drinking a whole bomber of this stuff.

Drinkability: This would be a great dessert beer in a 6oz sample but otherwise its too over the top for me. I like how strong the chocolat flavor is and how it lives up to its name, but i cant drink more than 12oz of this stuff in a whole night.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2010 20:35:22 | More by Augustiner719

homebrew311

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: jet black, looks viscous in the glass, some white head that goes away quickly

S: onslaught of rich and sweet chocolate. The chocolate is dominating on the nose and I am not picking up a whole lot in the way of a base beer, perhaps it is because the added chocolate marries so well with the rest of the flavors

T: just like the nose, a huge rich and sweet taste of fine and delicate chocolate. There is some heat on the end from the alcohol but it pairs nicely with the chocolate.

MF: silky and smooth, somewhat chewy texture, low carbonation

D: wow... this is a dessert beer if I've ever tried one. Simply delicious. I don't think there is another beer that more successfully pairs chocolate with beer. But @ 11% along with the super rich chocolate, this can only be enjoyed in small quantities

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2010 23:08:36 | More by homebrew311

jt31914

Michigan

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

A: Dark black with little to no head - like dark chocolate in color; wonderful lacing.

S: Straight chocolate - very balanced and nice.

T: Creamy and balanced chocolate taste with a hint of bitterness on the finish; super balanced beer.

M/D: Just awesome - smooth, creamy, and pleasant.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2010 01:06:00 | More by jt31914

Kolsch

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On Tap at Pepperwood Grille, Greensburg PA.

Appearance: Served in Snifter. Dark cola, with little head. Kinda flat looking.

Smell: heavy dose of bakers cocoa and dark chocolates.

Taste: Like high end chocolate, like Ghirardelli's. Hershey chocolate comes to mind as well but way much better tasting than waxy, cheap Hershey chocolates. Semi-sweet. Goes down pretty smooth and not at all cloying. Low carbonation (attests for the flat looking head). ABV is not detected at all but did feel it kick in after I finished my glass. Could I have another? Definitely! Could have 2 more, but may not get up after that.

Overall: one of the few Stouts advertised as Chocolate and this lives up to its name. Hands down best Chocolate RIS I ever had.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2010 17:26:37 | More by Kolsch

civilizedpsycho

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Had a jet black color with a small but fair sized tan colored head. The head dissipated pretty quickly, but it all still looked pretty appetizing.

Smell: Strong chocolate smell. This was by far the dominating aroma and it almost smelled like Hershey's syrup. It smelled delicious.

Taste: Not only did it smell like chocolate syrup, it tasted like it too. It made me think I was drinking a liquefied, lightly carbonated chocolate bar. There was no hint of alcohol. Fantastic.

Mouthfeel: Had a nice full body that was pretty creamy and smooth.

Drinkability: This is the only downside to this beer. It's a little rich for my taste. I think I could only have one, maybe two in one sitting before I got too full to have anything else. The high alcohol content also takes it down a notch. This is a really good beer, but I could only have one from time to time.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2010 16:34:41 | More by civilizedpsycho

Stigs

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

9.5oz pour from Fat Heads, served in a small snifter

A - black, pitch black...thin layer of dark tan foam, laced a bit the whole time

S - woah. chocolate...the kind when you were a kid making chocolate milk with Hershey's syrup, and you used to much and left with a big oil slick at the bottom of the glass. exactly that smell. some big bittering and earthy hops, and a faint bit of roasted coffee.

T - just about the same thing as the nose, Hershey's syrup straight out of the bottle and melted Hershey's kisses. bittered by some hops near the end, thats about all the character and variety this one has to offer.

M - insanely thick and creamy, just a touch of carbonation to help speed things along.

D - about as i expected from a brewery which doesnt ever mess around...yummy but one-sided. struggled about halfway through this baby pour. definitely glad i had this on tap in such a small serving as opposed to opening a bottle and finding people to work on this with. quite unique.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2010 03:47:39 | More by Stigs

MrMcGibblets

Illinois

4.8/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

pours a thick black with a light brown creamy head and lacing. dark chocolate dominates the nose with some coffee and dark fruit underneath. taste follows suit, like drinking a dark chocolate bar. sweet chocolatey malts through and through. somehow this manages not to be cloying despite clearly being on the malty/sweet end of the spectrum. some roastiness and underlying hop bitterness bring balance. no alcohol noted even at 11%. carbonation struggles through just a bit. full-bodied, lingering semisweet chocolate finish. has that chocolate mouthfeel even as it makes it's way down. surprisingly drinkable.
have also had this via bombers and on-tap, and am liking this more and more. insert every positive descriptor for chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. alcohol is very well hidden. not overly viscous even at this abv which i also like.
update: i just love this stuff more every time, kind of like the movie office space, it really grows on me. crazy good shit. every time i have it, i can't stop drinking it, even though the abv is dangerously high for me.
drinkability lowered just a bit due to the fact that almost every time i drink this stuff, i end up peeing somewhere random in the middle of the night.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2010 16:22:06 | More by MrMcGibblets

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a rich, deep, near black with a tiny rings of brownish head. Smell is of melted, bitter and semi sweet chocolate. Taste is of melted bitter and semi sweet chocolate. Its a freakin' melted candy bar! Rich, smooth, creamy, bittersweet - maybe a tad thinner than what i hoped for. Mmmm. Southern Tier really nails these imperial series beers.

I started off the night with one and it filled me up before my meal arrived, but i had to have another for dessert! Went back to a 3rd at the end of the night. Gimme some mo!

Tastes fantastic when blended with a small bit of their Creme Brulee.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2010 17:22:31 | More by rfgetz

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on tap at Brass Rail deli in Campbelltown 1/27/10.

A - The beer pours like syrup thick and dark w/ mahogany shade and caramel brown letting some light in at the base of the glass. There is a rign of beige for a head w/ tight bead.

S - The smell! whoah prepare for salivation! the aroma is noted from across the table as rich with cocoa aroma- the odor of fudge like brownie batter w/ a hersheys cocoa sweetness and beer undertone - intense and fragrant dessert nose

M - The feel while sweet isn't dominated completely by malt texture - there is moderate carbonation keeping slightly balanced w/ subtle roasted and a rather intense creamy feel. There is spice from hops w/ hint of alcohol in the back end. The feel has a dry roasty warm finish

T - - The taste is a chocolate lovers dream -beer disguised as liquid chocolate! I am a fan of dark cocoa and this has that going for it - slightly bitter but creamy with a caramel edge from the sweet malts. There is slight toasted essence like a graham cracker dipped in fudge, but still creamy and smooth. The flavor has a nice compliment from spiced hop notes which seems to balance the beer and alcohol is mild in the flavor

D - A sweet Imperial stout - however it nails the chocolate stout style in a realm of almost not beer-like. The drinkability is very high except it is 9% and hides it well. The stout itself is well made with no real flaws, it couldn't fit the name better.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2010 17:29:07 | More by Slatetank

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Mahaffey's Pub in Baltimore -- 01.23.2010.

Poured a very dark brown, about the color of rich dark chocolate. A tiny bit of head to it, and minimal amounts of lacing as it went down. The smell was pretty one dimensional, but it was done incredibly well--lots of dark chocolate and cocoa nibs atop a little bit of roasted malt. The taste was very similar, except there was an off bitterness to it, which detracted a lot from what was in the nose. Mouthfeel was medium-full with good carbonation. A little heavy to be too drinkable, but for its style and ABV, I wouldn't complain.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2010 15:37:31 | More by Thorpe429

ArrogantJaron

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

In a pint glass at THE OLD BAG OF NAILS in Upper Arlington, just north of Columbus Ohio.

A- The 16 ounces poured beautifully! It has a rich, dark color, or rather lack of color since it is completely black. Much like the dark cocoa it is named after! A slight, smooth, milk chocolate head of less than a finger appeared but dissipated quickly. A light spiderweb of lacing is apparent at first but is gone as I get deeper into the drink.

S- It's simple and wonderful.... Chocolate! I don't know if I could honestly tell the difference between this beer and a hershey's dark chocolate bar if I was blindfolded! There is a slight fruitiness near the end of the nose, but not much!

T- Again, the name says it all! It starts with chocolate, in the middle it's chocolate and it finishes with chocolate! There's very little bozziness at all especially for a 9% beer! It is rich and pith and bitter! Just like great dark chocolate! Southern Tier always produces what the beers name implies! In this case, it's the best chocolate stout I've ever had!

M- A full, rich mouth comes along with everything else that this beer comes with. Like drinking dark chocolate milk! Smooth and strong

D- even though I truly enjoy this beer, the sweetness is a bit much so that I don't think I would drink more than 2 pints at one sitting. Although, I fully recommend this to anyone at anytime! Fantastic flavor and completely in a class of it's own! A great dessert beer!

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2010 02:23:00 | More by ArrogantJaron

Redrover

Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It was served in a thistle at the Tap House Grill in Seattle (cost was $8.50). The beer is black with ruby highlights and a dark tan head.

It has a huge aroma of chocolate. I could smell this beer two feet away.

The chocolate taste is like a malted milk ball. Not dark chocolate not milk chocolate, but something in between. There is a bit of fleeting licorice and a whiff of alcohol heat. Reminds me of chocolate milk in the finish.

The mouth is well calibrated for this type of beer. It made for a perfect end to a tasty meal. I would love to have regular access to this one. Not a session beer by any stretch of the imagination, but a beer to enjoy a couple of times per month.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2010 19:05:44 | More by Redrover

Aberration

Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tried this one at the Armsby Abbey in Worcester, MA. Very dark with a deep brown head. Rich beer, great for sipping. Thick and robust with an intense chocolate taste.

Getting the choklat as my last beer of the night was certainly a good idea, it was like a fantastic desert to top off the night!

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2009 21:00:26 | More by Aberration