Choklat - Southern Tier Brewing Company

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.75/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomber, served in a snifter.

A - deep black color with a short-lived tan head, leaving a fizzy ring and a few spots of lacing.

S - it smells like Chocolate (duh!). Aroma is all about the chocolate, and I like chocolate.

T - the sweet chocolate flavors dominate the taste for the most part. Bitter espresso coffee taste on the finish but then it leaves a sticky sweet chocolate taste.

M - full bodied brew, creamy with mild carbonation.

D - I found it pleasant as an after dinner sipper.

Final Note: if you love chocolate, you'll love this stout.
I would pour this over coffee ice cream in a minute, if I had some, but I doubt I'll be drinking it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 01:38:43 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a pitch black color with a good 1 inch of bubbly tan head which takes quite a while to settle, leaving good lacing. Smells are over-abundantly chocolate syrup and roasted chocolate malt, with some coffee and alcohol thrown in for good measure. Taste is pure chocolate at first, from semi-sweet chocolate baking powder to chocolate syrup to milk chocolate bar and finally fudge, it's mostly all chocolate, with a touch of coffee and hops to the finish. Medium in body with a slightly syrupy consistency. Very drinkable and masks it's ABV well, but this chocolate packed beverage may get slightly sickening after a while.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 00:17:37 | More by HopDerek

Doomcifer

Rhode Island

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

Pours an oily, PITCH BLACK with a big tan head that lingers around for the long haul. Excellent lacing. Aroma is of you guess it....Chocolate, and LOTS of it. Smells like Hershey's chocolate syrup, milk chocolate, sweet, hot fudge, tootsie rolls. It's dessert time!
Tastes of more milk chocolate, hershey syrup, dark chocolate, hot fudge, just a touch of hops in the finish. Mouthfeel is very thick and viscous. Decent carbonation, oily coats your mouth. Once again Southern Tier amaze me at how they can cover up the alcohol presence in these big beers. At 11% abv you would expect there to be a considerable burn, but there isnt. Just a warming sensation in the belly that comes a little after consuming this master brew. An exceptional apertif beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 22:59:04 | More by Doomcifer

taez555

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a pitch black body with a small off-white almost tan head.

Nose is "oh my fucking god" chocolate. This smells like a combination of the greatest cup of pure milk chocolate, chocolate milk or hot chocolate with touches of espresso, coffee, dark burnt coffee beans and pure vanilla beans.

Taste is full, full, full, milkshake full bodied full bodied. Waves of milk chocolate, toasted espresso beans, dark chocolate, dark toasted malt and a very present mild citrus bitterness that flows in and out of the chocolate flavor. Alcohol is mildly warming, and it's surprising how well hidden the overall alcohol content is. You can't even tell this beer is 11%. An earthy hop bitter flavor lingers on into the finish.

These big chocolate beers fight a battle with the bitterness that distracts from the chocolate flavor and this is no exception. Probably one of the best chocolate beers out there, but the bitter citrus quality fights a battle with a milk chocolate throwing it out of a balance a bit. Still.... like I said, probably the best chocolate beer I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 21:24:56 | More by taez555

Biscuit033

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark Brown with ruby specks at the edge with a thin tan head.

S: Muted sweet chocolate and some cream.

T: Chocolate milk made with Hershey's chocolate syrup with a hint of alcohol.

M: Full and oily like chocolate milk.

D: Too sweet and high in alcohol to make it a continuous drinker. It would make an OK after dinner beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2007 18:54:29 | More by Biscuit033

Lupe

New York

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

Pours dark as night - no light comes through and just a hint of brown towards the bottom of the glass when held to the light. Tight 1-fingered cocoa colored head that quickly settles and leaves some sticky lace.

Smells like a thick chocolate milkshake. Dark and milk chocolate, coffee, with a hint of dark fruit and alcohol. Wonderful.

Chocolate up front with chocolate milk that leads to darker chocolate and a roasted coffee bitterness. Some unsweetened cocoa and vanilla as well. Almost like biting into a 70% cocoa Lindt bar. Slight alcohol bite towards the end, but well hidden at 11%. So rich. Hops don't show at all, but after a burp you realize there is a huge dose of them in this beer. Aftertaste is like a good truffle. Delicious.

Full bodied, velvety smooth, thick, heavy, and so creamy. Not something I could drink all night, but a great sipper that wants to be gulped - drinks easier than it should.

Great beer. No other stout like it. Finally a "chocolate beer" that delivers. Just an incredible chocolate bomb dropped on the palate, with deceptive complexity.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 04:54:08 | More by Lupe

Blanchette

Illinois

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

This one is *incredible*. By far the best chocolate stout I've ever had; it somehow blows Rogue's out of the water.

Appearance: Dark as night. Thick head and a really strong lacing. Really a good head for this much alcohol.

Smell: Smells like chocolate milk. That's all I get, and it makes my mouth water.

Taste: Up front is chocolate milk -- certainly the creamiest and fullest tasting chocolate stout I've ever had. In the middle of the sip you taste the booze for a second, but then the hops shine through and let you know that, in fact, this is beer. Aftertaste is heavenly: chocolate here dissipates and you get a very robust imperial stout w/ heavy malts. A deceptively complex beer.

Mouthfeel: What it should be. Thick, thick, thick. Heavy.

Drinkability: It gets heavy fast. Not something I could drink all night. But that's, of course, not the point of the beer.

This one was tremendous. If you're rating based on styles, it is flawless since there are no chocolate stouts in its class. So I rated compared to other RIS that I've had... and it's near the top of the pack.

At $6.49 a bomber, Southern Tier is both producing world-class beer while doing it at a price that allows everyone to savor excellence on a regular basis. There are simply no beers at this price range that compare.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 01:31:44 | More by Blanchette

mattcrill

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle inspection:
11% abv
27 plato
195 lovibond
2 row barley
carmel 60
barley flakes
chocolate malt
Bittersweet Belgian Chocolate
Kettle hops: Chinook, Willamette
Serve in a snifter at 48F...hell yeah! that's a label!

Aroma: Sweet chocolate, a definite hop nose, low fruity esters, and warming alcohol cascade out of the glass. Hops open up a bit as the beer warms.

Appearance: Shoe leather brown pour with a tan head that is fizzy and almost soda-like. Rings the snifter as it fades.

Flavor: Big chocolate flavor up front, milk chocolate, hop bitterness, and some background alcohol. A nice roasted profile emerges as the beer warms up. Finish is dry and clean.

Mouthfeel: Slightly astringent, full bodied, slick, and medium-high carbonation. Leaves a milk chocolate aftertaste on the palate.

Overall impression: A big, bold chocolate stout. I was suprised at the hop presence on this one. I didn't expect it to be so forward given the style and chocolate addition. All sorts of great things going on here (hops, chocolate, good recipe) but they just didn't seem to "knit" together well. Good beer? Yes. Worth they hype? Probably not.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2007 22:36:09 | More by mattcrill

Kendo

New York

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured into a Stone Imperial Russian Stout glass (sort of a mix b/w a snifter and a small tulip). Body is black. Even half empty, light is not getting through, except around the edges, where there's a brownish-crimson hue to it. A 1-finger chocolatey-colored head is on top but settles pretty fast. No lacing left behind, but I find that's usually the case with this glass.

S: Wow. Choklat is right. Smells of dark chocolate, milk chocolate and a hint of coffee at first. As it warms it's almost all chocolate. Dessert-like and incredibly inviting.

T: Again -- chocolate. Up front it's sweet, more like milk chocolate, but then there's that dark chocolate bitterness -- maybe even coffee-like bitterness -- around the edges of the tongue. I wrote "Battle between milk and dark chocolate. Dark side ultimately wins." That's a good thing because otherwise this would be too over-the-top chocolatey sweet. . . .Some heat from the 11% ABV is noted down the gulley, but incredibly, it's not there in the taste at all. In the end I wrote "like drinking a melted dark chocolate bar mixed in a glass of Yoo-Hoo." That's not a bad thing at all -- unless, of course, you hate chocolate.

M: Very smooth and creamy; doesn't seem to have a lot of carbonation going on, which helps make it even smoother. Body definitely qualifies as heavy.

D: Very, VERY good for a beer of this strength, though I must admit at times I slowed down a little bit because of the chocolatey sweetness. The dark chocolate-type bitterness helps with balance, but a whole bomber of this is a dessert-type sipper due to the chocolatey sweetness. I really debated whether to give this a 4 or a 4.5. Tough call, but I settled on the 4 because this can seem a little too one-dimensionally sweet from all that chocolate.

Notes: The amazing thing about Choklat is how well-hidden the 11% ABV is. Honestly, I really don't taste it at allm, thought the warmth from the alcohol is felt a little bit on the way down. . . . In the end this is a fantastic beer, perfect for a cold winter night near the fire. . . . Forget pairing this with food, this is a meal -- dessert -- in and of itself. Yummy stuff, even if it may be more like a chocolate licquor (sp?) rather than a beer. . . .

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2007 17:49:31 | More by Kendo

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

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

22oz bottle in a Duvel tulip.

Pours an inky dark chocolate black with at least 3 finger widths of fluffy tan head. This settles down into a handsome foam covering, then a creamy outside ring, and finally just some silky wisps around the edges. I was hoping for a little more retention throughout but it held up fairly well. Aroma is unbelievably strong with the smell of dark chocolate. Much like wafting a warm mug of hot chocolate. I can literally smell it from over 6 inches away from the glass. Not much else shines through although the aroma does feel heavy, probably from the alcohol that is present.

The taste naturally matches the aroma. Just insanely deep with dark chocolate madness. I've never tasted a beer that's so over the top with it. Unlike the aroma, some other notes actually manage their way forward a little bit. Mostly roasted malt, coffee, and a little vanilla. The sip finishes with some burnt notes and hop bitterness that lingers on the back of the throat. Mouthfeel is a beefy, viscous medium that coats the mouth and seems to get thicker as it warms. A tiny bit more creaminess would have surely put this over the top though. The 11% ABV is worn right out there but is covered over well by the other flavors and actually helps beef up the taste. To me, it can only truly be felt in the aftertaste.

Wow, I guess you could say that one's enjoyment of this would probably hinge directly on if they like chocolate or not. I happen to love it, so count me in as a big fan of this new Double Stout. It is WAY over the top with it's primary flavor but luckily the sturdy supporting cast and hefty ABV actually help keep it from becoming too much. Me thinks that Southern Tier has a winner on their hands with this one folks.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2007 03:55:29 | More by Kegatron

bluejacket74

Ohio

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

22 ounce (650 ml) bottle. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown with about an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Once you smell this beer it's pretty obvious this is a chocolate (I mean choklat) stout. It smells like bittersweet/dark and milk chocolate, with a little bit of coffee too. But this is definitely a chocolate bomb, which is a good thing. The taste is similar to the aroma, and I can also taste a bit of vanilla. There's a great mix of sweet and bitter in this beer. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full. It's extremely smooth, creamy, and a little slick/coating, but also a little bit thinner than I expected it to be but it still has a lot of substance to it. The low carbonation helps make this very, very easy to drink. I didn't notice any alcohol in the aroma or the taste, but you know it's there after drinking it. In my opinion this is easily one of the best beers I've had this year, or ever for that matter. This is the 2nd bottle I've had of this, and it's just as good as the first. Southern Tier has a winner with this beer, hopefully they'll make more of this soon!

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2007 01:50:11 | More by bluejacket74

RocPorterFanatic

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a chilled 650mL bottle into a 20oz. Imperial Pint glass. Pours rich dark brown, like baking chocolate with the smell to match. Its completely opaque. The smell of the Belgian chocolate is instant and takes your breath away. There is no mistaking what you are about to taste. The smell is rich dark chocolate and coffee and its amazing. As the beer settles, there is moderate lacing from the rich coco like head. The 1st taste is exactly what you're smelling....chocolate and coffee with modest carbonation. Simply amazing. Southern Tier, you've done it again. Can't wait for my trip to the brewery.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 23:17:20 | More by RocPorterFanatic

Imstillthegman

Delaware

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

Wow. Souther Tier does it again. This is the best Chocolate Stout I have ever had. Extremely smooth and creamy. Any way, on to the review.

Pours out as a thick, pitch black liquid. Dark cream colored head. There is a little bit of lacing, but not too much.

The aroma is fan-freakin'-tastic. Huge chocolate nose. Bitter bakers chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and some espresso to balance it all out a little. Sweet, yet bitter. Yum.

The flavor follows the same path as the aroma. Rich chocolate, cocoa, malted-milk balls, bitterness from the chocolate or the espresso (hard to tell). There is even a bit of a hop kick in there. Just almost amazingly good. After a couple of glasses the sweetness does start to get to me a little, though. That is the only low point (and a small one at that).

Mouthfeel is velvety smooth and exceptionally creamy. This is one tasty stout. After having it both on-tap and from a growler, I can't wait to crack open a bottle and compare them all. Find it, drink it, enjoy it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2007 15:14:30 | More by Imstillthegman

geexploitation

Indiana

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

Pours black, with some caramel highlights, and an espresso-foam head that fades to a dusting. The nose is nicely complex, with dry cocoa and milk chocolate, nuts (almonds?) and yeast. On the palate, creamy bitter chocolate flavors with green hop bitterness in the background. Sweet in the middle, and drying chocolate at the finish. Mouthfeel is thick and heavy, with a bit too much raw alcohol bite. Overall, this is a very good result for mixing two things (chocolate and beer) that often don't play very well together. The chocolate flavors are relaxed and well integrated, the bitterness is prominent but not overpowering. Rich and pretty satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 04:00:38 | More by geexploitation

beerphan

Pennsylvania

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

22oz bottle -> pint
no date ( 2007 )

Pours black with an average mocha head. Leaves some lined lace.

Nose: Chocolate bomb! Chalky milk chocolate, smelled like a Milky Way candybar. Glorious.

Thick slick chewy mouth. Deep roasted malted chocolate malts all over. Some touches of coffee, but this brew is all about the milk chocolate and dark chocolate.

Shared with family at Christmas dinner. The perfect desert beer. Drinkability score reflects a desert beer not a session beer. Best chocolate brew I've tasted from a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 03:09:25 | More by beerphan

drseamus

New York

3.78/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

A: An aggressive pour into my DFH snifter resulted in a jet black body with a nice thick mocha head.

S: Sweet smooth milk chocolate and a touch of vanilla. It smells almost more like hot chocolate than beer but it definitely wants to make me drink it. There is a slight alcohol hint as well.

T: The only flavor that is stronger than the milk chocolate is the dark chocolate. Incredibly smooth and very tasty. The chocolate is almost too strong and overwhelming; I'd prefer to taste something else as well. The bitterness from the dark chocolate lasts into the aftertaste. Overall, it's a bit sweet for me.

M: Nice heavy body, but not thick like some other imperial stouts. Very smooth all around. Ends with a bit of thinness.

D: This is a great beer but is a touch too chocolaty. I understand it's a chocolate stout, but the chocolate is a touch too strong overall and it's a bit too sweet. I actually had a bit of a hard time finishing the entire bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2007 03:38:49 | More by drseamus

tkarsies

Ohio

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

Served at cellar temperature into a pint glass.

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. This is my first beer by Southern Tier, and if they are at all like this, I can't wait to try more.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2007 03:14:40 | More by tkarsies

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

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

Pours jet black, with a brown-ish tan head. In the aroma, sweet cocoa and a small hop, yet very small. In the taste, chocolate and cocoa, and a small hop in the very end. A smooth cocoa mouthfeel and a semi dry chocolate aftertaste. Hides the alcohol completly, chocolate is HUGE in this. Almost like chocolate milk or cocoa, but better.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2007 21:02:09 | More by OWSLEY069

dreadnatty08

District of Columbia

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an obviously pitch black color with a not so dark head, just white of tan, good tracing and it closes to just a cover of bubbles. Aroma is just incredible: tons of Tootsie Roll, vanilla, slight citrus notes, cream soda/malt like flavors. Overall, it smells like a Chocolate beer with a capital C. On the palate, the chocolate flavor is just overwhelming. It is on par with Rogues' Choc. Stout, but certainly the alcohol kicks things up a notch. This is simply dessert in a glass. I'm a little dissapointed with a thinner than expected body, but overall it's a wonderful beer. Finishes with a slight tannic like chocolate flavor. Also, there isn't too much coming from hops or malt, but that is okay in a chocolate beer. Recommended pairing with any sort of chocolate dessert, or as dessert by itself.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2007 23:07:10 | More by dreadnatty08

Hibernator

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Southen Tier Imperial Choklat Stout
22 oz brown bottle
Served in an oversized brandy snifter

* Christmas Day 2007 *

Pours an opaque black that is a magnificant color. Little spots of sticky lace decorate the glassware. Looks really nice.

Pleasant nose that reminds of freshly brewed espresso, light mango fruit and a box of chocolates.

Yowza, this is seriously rich and flavoful. We're talking Hershey's chocolate syrup with sugary molasses, quality chocolate and vanilla beans.

Reminded me of a Rogue Chocolate Stout & Rogue Imperial Stout combo. Simply a great beer that is complex and smooth with an 11% ABV that is quite well hidden. A perfect companion to a ripping fire and holiday vibe.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2007 18:19:25 | More by Hibernator

Hautacam

Connecticut

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

Dense, dark , black with just a hint of of a head.
Smells really nice..bakers chocolate, alcohol and coffee.
It's starts out both sweet and biting...super dense roasty malts and a bittersweet chocolate followed by the warming ethanol.Some of the bite may be from hops , but I can't tell...could just as likely be the chocolate. The chocolate flavor dominates...and it's Good Chocolate, too! There is some coffee...Kaluha-type , black Russian thing going on which becomes more evident with warm up.It finishes dry even with the almost syrupy mouthfeel. The body is about as dense as it gets...low carbonation, but enough. A really enjoyable after dinner sipping brew. I'm glad that I had two people to share this with, so I didn't get stupid drinking the whole thing... 1/3 of a bomber is just right. A treat !

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2007 17:42:20 | More by Hautacam

Damian

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Drank from a 1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Liquor World, Cambridge, MA

Poured a near pitch black with a thin, whispy, coffee-colored head that faded to a stubborn ring of lace. Short-lived sheets of lacing trickled down the glass on every sip.

The aroma was amazingly rich and chocolatey. Steaming hot fudge would be the best way to describe it. Possibly some milk chocolate as well. A strong bourbon-like quality also held strong, along with traces of oak, vanilla and molasses.

The taste was rich and complex but definitely darker and roastier than the aroma. Burnt malts came through up front with luscious Belgian chocolate dominating mid-palate. Notes of espresso and bourbon permeated the beverage from start to finish. Oak and roasted malts appeared on the back end with a kiss of hops on the finish. By the drink's end, a touch of alcohol warming came out as well. The aftertaste was chocolatey and sweet with noticeable caramel notes.

Mouthfeel was creamy and smooth with a fine yet tingly carbonation. The body however was a bit thinner than expected for the style.

Drinkability was outstanding. Aside from the fact that the 11% ABV was barely noticeable, Choklat made a terrific pairing with my David Glass chocolate cake.

Southern Tier really did it again with this outstanding release.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2007 22:14:06 | More by Damian

orfeu

New Mexico

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

Profoundly dark. Soot black with an obsidian glistening. Topped by a short-lived light khaki-sand head of foam. Sticky, dense sheets of lacing remain on the glass. Fabulous chocolate Twizzler aroma: big, round, soft cocoa with a luscious milky background, like a snifter full of devil's food cake batter. Assertive and chewy cocoa flavors up front, followed by a muscular black-roasted bitter char bite. The finish smooths out into a slightly earthy hop whimper with a lingering pine-needle acridity. Here, at the end, a bit of alcohol heat shows itself, but only as a reminder. A bit of rugged Chinook flavor emerges in the aftertaste, along with the doughy, sweet chocolate flavor that predominates throughout this beer. Thick, ponderous mouthfeel throughout, but never syrupy or overly heavy. Very dry at the finish, all things considered. An amazing creation -- sort of like Young's Double Chocolate Stout with gigantic balls and a snarlingly bitter attitude. I'll buy up all I can to get me through the winter.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2007 04:03:34 | More by orfeu

JAramini

New York

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

Being a New York State beer drinker, this makes me wonder if the rest of the country knows and appreciates the incredible things that are happening at the Southern Tier Brewing Company. No other brewer has given me more new beers that blew me away in the past year than this one.

According to the bomber, this beer uses:
2-row barley
caramel 60 malt
barley flakes
chocolate malt
bittersweet belgian chocolate
Kettle hops: chinook and willamette

The beer looks like an imperial stout ought to look. Black, with a pillowy tan head that dissipates quickly as it wrestles with the 11% abv brew.

You're not ready for how chocolatey this smells. It's like a mug of cocoa with marshmallows as you curl up next to a roaring fire.

The smell was great, but I wasn't sure if I wanted my beer to have such a pronounced chocolate taste as the smell hinted at. I was worried it would be too sweet and bothersome (like I found their Javah Imperial Stout). Wrong. This is perfect. The sweetness is there, but is never cloying. The chocolate predominates, but it goes down so smoothly it seems totally appropriate and never excessive.

The mouthfeel is nice and thick and creamy, as an imperial stout should be. In the aftertaste you get lingering chocolate with some roasted malt notes. Maybe the hops are there, but this isn't their party.

I don't know what kind of voodoo is going on behind the scenes at Southern Tier, but this does not taste like an 11% beer. It is just far too easy to drink. I didn't notice any alcohol flavor or burn to the beer. Just a smooth creamy dark chocolate shake.

Southern Tier knocked this one out of the park. This feels like a breakthrough beer to me. I don't know what their distribution area looks like, but I think this is one people are going to be clamoring for everywhere. It is a perfectly made beer that everyone deserves to have cross their taste buds.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2007 02:52:09 | More by JAramini

Wildman

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer poured as pitch black with no light getting through that black depth. It formed a huge dark tan foamy head that coated the glass with lace as it subsided. The aroma kind of hits you over the head with malt, chocolate aroma almost like cocoa, and a hint of coffee/toffee. Almost feels more like I am settling down to drink some hot cocoa on this very windy cold night. The flavor was of malt, coffee and chocolate with a slight burnt quality to it. The body was medium with a sweet, yet burnt aspect to the finish. The warming effect of the alcohol present is in the background. A very nice sipping beer for a cold night.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2007 02:37:38 | More by Wildman