Boatswain Chocolate Stout - Minhas Craft Brewery

womencantsail

California

3.2/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks for sharing, Richard.

Pours dark brown in color with a rather sizable tan head. Not a bad aroma, actually. Some chocolate along with roasted malt and a mild toffee sweetness. There might even be a touch of vanilla. The roasted malt is the most dominant flavor, but there is a little bit of toffee and chocolate in there. The vanilla that seemed present on the nose doesn’t really come through at all. The body on this beer is incredibly thin and light.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 17:08:25 | More by womencantsail

UCLABrewN84

California

3.28/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

$1.99 at Trader Joe's. How could I pass that up?

Pours an opaque black with a 2 inch foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on the top of the beer. Foamy thin rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, chocolate syrup, and some dark cocoa powder. Taste is of dark roasted malt, unsweetened cocoa beans, and some slight coffee bean flavors. There is a slightly sour and roasty bitter flavor to this beer as well. This beer has a crisp carbonation with a bubbly mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good stout especially for the price but not worth buying again in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 06:01:16 | More by UCLABrewN84

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

It seems that my tour of Trader Joe's Boatswain series concludes on a high note. Although my impressions of the others were not favorable, this rich ale raises my enthusiasm a little.

The stout pours like most do- dark brown and nearly opaque. A slight sedimented haze is likely due to the additions of fine cocoa powder. While building a formidable sandy-tan head, the beer laces well with intricate patterns left on the glass.

The usual suspects of robust coffee, chocolate, and burnt woods are all represented in good balance- at least to the nose. But complementary notes of walnut, grain, caramel, and ash play a part in their subsidiarity roles.

Playing both roles of malty-dry and semi-sweet, the flavors of malt and grain seem to retain a moderate level of caramel sweetness that's accompanied by grainy-sweet flavors and low-lying malt taste in support. A mid palate of chocolate and wood give a rounded taste to the roasted malt and caramel flavor while developing into a coffee-like bitterness late. Still an elevated bittersweet chocolate flavor hangs over the beer as it marches over the palate. Yet, the cocoa doesn't make as much of an impact on the beer as the label insinuates- I would have easily believed that the entire chocolate flavor would have come from the roast of malt alone if the label hadn't said otherwise.

The malty-sweet character exists just as well in texture as it does taste and it seems to linger indefinately on the palate without developing any efforts toward dry-malt finish or lifting from the tongue. The residual sweetness clings to the mouth with a sugary weight and never achieves dry refreshment nor savory lingering. It's caught in no man's land and gives cola-like impressions as a final impression.

While the Chocoalte Stout certainly lives up to its namesake, it does little to celebrate what's best about its malt, hop, or chocolate makeup. It's content to live in so-so land of beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 16:51:55 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Yup, a random Trader Joe's-bred bomber. The price was right, honey. This stuff pours a very deep black-brown topped by a finger of light brown foam. The nose comprises chocolate powder, light roasted malts (bordering on the acrid-ish), and a hint of coffee. The taste holds notes of sharply bitter roasted malts, dry and bitter coffee, and a touch of dark chocolate powder. Everything seems burnt, overly-roasted, and too bitter for its own good. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, an average stout at best, one that really doesn't express all that much chocolate character, and one that goes too bitter and roasted for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 03:20:21 | More by TMoney2591

Zorro

California

3.83/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer is now being sold by Fresh & Easy in California under a different name.

Labeled "Underworld Brewing Chocolate Stout" it is the same beer.

Nearly lightproof beer with a small brown colored head.

Smell is strongly of coca powder with a fairly sweet scent. Smells like a Milk Stout patent malt and coffee in addition to the coca powder. Little bit of toasted grain scent but mostly this smells of chocolate.

Starts out mildly sweet with a strong charred grain flavor. Get sweeter as you drink it and the chocolate taste really comes on strong. Tastes like Milk Stout with a slight smoke and coffee taste, but this is really a chocolate beer.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall the best beer yet from Fresh & Easy. Two bombers of this for $5.99, a good deal on a tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 07:27:36 | More by Zorro

kojevergas

California

3.11/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

5.4% ABV confirmed. 650ml brown glass bottle with standard unbranded gold pressure cap and generic bland brown label acquired at Trader Joe's and served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. 66 IBU. 14.26 original gravity. "Stout Brewed with Cocoa Powder."

Served cold, straight from the fridge, and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger dark tan colour head of nice cream, average thickness, and above average (~3 minute) retention. Body colour is a solid nontransparent opaque black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Light even lacing as the head recedes. Head texture is atypical of a good stout; it's not as creamy, frothy, or soft as I'd want. Overall, it's pretty standard fare for a chocolate stout. There's nothing unique or special here, but I don't notice any overt flaws either.

Sm: Cocoa powder, definitely. Chocolate malt. Dark malts. Lightly earthy roasty character is somewhat present, but doesn't bring a lot of depth. Light earthy coffee grains. Cream. Hop presence is imperceptible; maybe some minimal floral character, but hops here are just to preserve. I get light vague hints of a dark fruit, but nothing truly evocative or interesting. Burnt bready grains. A mild strength aroma, overall - and a generally good one for the style. The chocolate malt doesn't stand out - in fact it's rather generic - but it gets the job done. I'm looking forward to trying it. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable.

T: Lumpy chocolate is there - lacking refinement and any delicacy of execution whatsoever. Very clumsily handled. Cocoa powder, chocolate malt, dark malts, caramel malts, and overdone floral hop character for the style. Quite imbalanced; this one is a real mess. Haphazard; lacks focus. The notes that are here aren't necessarily bad; it's just poorly put together. Good sweetness/bitterness balance though. I get a sort of wine-esque rich tannin character on the back end; it bothered me initially but I'm warming up to it. Hints of burnt bread. Maybe some weak dark fruit buried beneath the poorly layered malts. It's not boozy, hot, or harsh. No yeast character comes through. As it warms, a bit more of that vague dark fruit pokes through; it's hard to identify but I think it's some sort of stonefruit. This is a mess of a brew, but it has some likable flavours. Overall, I do like it. There's just so much potential for this to be far better than it is.

As it warmed, I started noticing metallic notes coming through. That's a definite issue and may explain why other reviewers have disliked this brew so much.

Mf: Too smooth and wet for a stout; it has quite the case of porter envy. Lacks the creamy character I want from a good stout. Pretty good carbonation. Pretty good presence on the palate. Good thickness. Not rough or scratchy. Approachable. Good body. Not at all hot or warm. Not astringent. Suits the flavour profile generally well, but it needs tweaking.

Dr: A drinkable chocolate stout offered at a very fair price point. It has its flaws, but overall it's rather enjoyable. Very easy to drink; I could and would down a few of these in a session. I'll very contentedly finish the whole bomber by meself. I think many are coming down hard on this beer merely because of where they bought it and/or its price point. I could see this doing very well at a blind tasting.

C+

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 03:35:48 | More by kojevergas

mactrail

California

3.8/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

"Brewed with cocoa powder," which seems to accentuate the malty sweetness. Has a nice dose of hops, though I would question the 66 IBU claimed on the label. Modest bitter aftertaste. Nice appearance, from the dark mahogany color to the lacing swirling along the tulip glass. Really quite well balanced, from the touch of candy to the hoppy bite. Light body with a pleasant carbonation in the mouth. Nose of chocolate and burnt barley. Really not a bad beer.

From the 22 oz bottle. Another beer sold by Trader Joe's and brewed at the old Huber brewery in Monroe, Wisconsin. Label says "Rhinelander Brewing Co."

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 04:02:08 | More by mactrail

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.31/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

22 ounce bottle. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours very dark brown with about a half inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both decent enough. The brew smells like roasted/grainy malt, bittersweet and milk chocolate, along with a bit of coffee. Taste is pretty much just like the aroma, but the dominant flavor is roasted/grainy malt, with some cocoa powder/bittersweet chocolate noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's a bit slick with moderate carbonation. Not a bad overall beer. Can't complain much when it's $1.99 a bomber (from Trader Joe's of course). Worth a try at that price.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 00:33:23 | More by bluejacket74

ehammond1

California

3.13/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle

Thanks for opening this with, Chris!

A dark brown body with no clarity. Minimal light brown head without a lot of visible carbonation. This leaves the glass oily without any real cling.

The aroma is a pleasant enough combination of roasted malt, slight coffee, and cocoa powder.

A very average, unexciting flavor. The roast, chocolate, and coffee elements are present, but are all faraway. There's also a chalk-like chocolate presence that takes away from the overall enjoyment.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Simply average.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 19:22:21 | More by ehammond1

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.08/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a tumbler pint, the beer is a dark brown coloring, thin in appearance, with a ring of light tan film around the surface. Aromas of bittersweet cocoa powder on a rich, roasted backbone. The nose is a bit one-dimensional. Flavors are thin and smooth, with a touch of roast and smoke on the bittersweet chocolate backbone. Slick and light in mouth, the beer has a roasted coffee and mocha aftertaste. Rich, bitter finish...not bad, but lackluster.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 02:00:06 | More by GarthDanielson

flexabull

California

3.23/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

$1.99 at Trader Joes, figured this was worth a shot at that price.

Pours a dark flat black color with a decent light brown head that quickly faded, not much lacing.

Aromas are kind of vegetal, with some pronounced cocoa, coconut, and molasses.

Taste is a bit thin, smoky, almost burnt chocolate malts, cocoa, faint sweetness, and a pine hoppy bite on the finish.

Mouthfeel is ok, but thin for the style.

Overall, a pretty decent beer. It's far from great, but it's worth trying with the price tag it has.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 20:41:15 | More by flexabull

JamesS

Indiana

3.58/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber for 2 bucks at Trader Joe's in Indy. Poured a very nice deep dark chocolate brown, with some very nice head and decent initial lacing. Decent roasty aroma with a nice chocolate hit and earthy hoppiness underneath. Nice chocolate flavors, seemingly from powdered cocoa, with some light roastiness underneath and a bit of stout astringency. Goes down well, but the flavors don't merge as well as they could.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 16:30:06 | More by JamesS

chinchill

South Carolina

3.84/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle with a Boatswain label from TJ’s served in a De Koninck snifter at about 55F.
Pours a very dark brown, clear but looks black in the glass excepting the brown edges. The dark tan head has decent retention and the glass is nicely coated with lacing after each tip. Plenty of dark and medium chocolate in both the aroma and the flavor [near 4]. Excellent sweet/bitter balance, if a tad more hoppy and bitter than usual for a chocolate stout. A hint of licorice lingers into the slightly smoky aftertaste. Creamy smooth medium-full body with excellent carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 00:42:28 | More by chinchill

HalfFull

California

3.58/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a large wine glass, showing a solid black with a half an inch of mocha foam. Offers decent retention, settling out to a light surface film and leaves good lace.

Aroma offers dominant notes of carob and cocoa with some faint spice as well. Some earthy hop notes pop out a bit with some warming. Taste follow and adds a bit of dark cherry and chocolate. Nice and smooth in the delivery though a touch thin in feel at first, firming up with some cocoa and spice on the finish. But then at 5.4% I guess it does just fine. And a solid value for sure though not particularly 'chocolately' foor a self proclaimed chocolate stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 02:45:41 | More by HalfFull

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.28/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an Allagash glass on 9/3/12

The beer is a dark, scorched brown that settles near black. A one finger head starts off smooth but has an ending appearance of very fine sand paper. Overall retention is thin but it lasts the whole time. Decent lace, too.

The nose takes a toot toot for the old snoot snoot of powder and melds it with roasted grains and a faint nutty twinge, resulting in a pretty decent smelling, chocolate-forward stout. The taste has a much more tangy roast, especially upfront and the tanginess is pushed to the forefront by a thinnish body and bristly carbonation. Beyond the initial fussiness are more pleasant flavors of dry, roasted chocolate and subtle earthiness. Swirling out the carbonation pulls some of the tangy flavors from up front and shows off a body that is smooth and a slightly more pronounced than originally displayed.

This is the best of the Boatswain Four, hands down. It isn't spectacular, but I find it tastes fairly good and it's easy to drink. Great price, too.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 05:57:06 | More by Ryan011235

yesyouam

New York

4.08/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Boatswain Chocolate Stout is a black ale with a slightly reddish cast. The smooth, dense, brown head has decent retention. It has a roasted aroma with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and toffee. It feels smooth and full bodied with a clean, dry finish. A little grit is left on the teeth. There's a hint of sweetness, but it's dry overall. The chocolate flavor is very dark and pretty subtle. There's a bit of caramel going on mid-taste. The chocolate is probably most prominent in the dusty aftertaste. The bitterness is very subdued and is just enough to balance things out. This is a very solid, drinkable and enjoyable stout.Boatswain Chocolate Stout is a black ale with a slightly reddish cast. The smooth, dense, brown head has decent retention. It has a roasted aroma with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and toffee. It feels smooth and full bodied with a clean, dry finish. A little grit is left on the teeth. There's a hint of sweetness, but it's dry overall. The chocolate flavor is very dark and pretty subtle. There's a bit of caramel going on mid-taste. The chocolate is probably most prominent in the dusty aftertaste. The bitterness is very subdued and is just enough to balance things out. This is a very solid, drinkable and enjoyable stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 00:59:14 | More by yesyouam

augustgarage

California

3.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22oz bottle into my Samuel Smith nonic.

Opaque seal brown liquid capped by a thin lion head of foam. A light dusting and steady collar are all that remain after a few moments despite a vigorous pour. Thin lacing, no legs.

Hefty roast barley aromatics suggest dark roast coffee, black malt, and cocoa powder. Grainy nose overall with a hint of pine as well.

Rustic roast malt base with a faint metallic note on the palate entry. Lots of grain and specialty malt comes through next along with a mild peppery bitterness and a growing chocolate sweetness. Not very well integrated though the balance is decent. Chocolate barely registers until the aftertaste where it lingers on the tongue.

Rather light-bodied with adequate carbonation.

Reminds me of a Foreign Export Stout to some degree - a touch sweet and rough overall, but quite drinkable and almost as good a value as "two buck Chuck."

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 03:46:51 | More by augustgarage

notchucknorris

California

3.65/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Black with a nice light brown foamy head. The head recedes a little too quickly though and completely disappears.

S: Tootsie roll, subtle yeast notes, marzipan, chocolate and a bit of spiciness.

T: Roasted malt, some powdery cocoa powder and a hint of earthy hops on the finish. For me, the taste was a little too one-dimensional and it got old before the bottle was through. Still, at $1.99, this is an absolute steal. Very worth the price.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 09:30:03 | More by notchucknorris

secondtooth

Indiana

3.39/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a black with tawny brown highlights. Rich head of foamy suds. Thick tree-line lace.

Nose is cocoa. Simply put, cocoa. Not bad at all.

Taste is definitely overwhelmingly chocolate. I get a silky milk chocolate character more as this brew warms up. Not a complex nor multi-dimensional ale, but decent enough.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 22:48:58 | More by secondtooth

barczar

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an opaque deep brown with ruby highlights and a fleeitng half inch burnt caramel head that leaves no lacing.

Roast malt, caramel, brown sugar, and chocolate open the aroma, with underlying dark fruit and coffee adding complexity.

Flavor is fairly sweet, with roasty malt kicking in a slightly bitter finish. Chocolate and dark cherries, and coffee are present, with chocolate definitely dominating. There's just a touch of acrid flavor.

Body is a tad syrupy, with low carbonation and slight alcohol warmth.

Overall, on the sweet and syrupy side, but decent roast character...and chocolate...lots of chocolate. Definitely a dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 05:35:19 | More by barczar

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 1.5" mocha head with average life. The body is deep dark as coffee. Smell is milder than I expected and with roasted malt but not really any chocolate. Then the taste was the opposite with a good amount of dark chocolate but not really any coffee or roasted malt coming forward. Medium body and medium finish. I still fully enjoyed it, and it was ultracheap at Trader Joe's.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 12:55:28 | More by MoreThanWine

BucannonXC5

California

2.31/5  rDev -29.6%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25

Type: 22-oz. bomber
Glass: Manzanita pint glass
From: Trader Joe’s in La Mesa (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $1.99
Purchased: April 4, 2013
Consumed: April 6, 2013
Misc.: N/A

Poured a pitch black color with 1-2 fingers of brown head. Light foamy, foggy lacing on the sides. Good retention all the way down.

Smelled dark cocoa, coffee beans, butter and smoky firewood, almost an ashtray.

Got a sharp taste of extremely bitter coffee notes right away. That bitterness lingered on the tongue for quite some time. Still dark cocoa and that smoky fire and ashtray.

Full-to-medium body. Creamy-to-oily texture. Average-to-lively (above average) carbonation. Long, bitter finish.

A bit too smoky, but it was actually better than I thought it would be. And for $1.99 what more can I ask for?

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 05:21:06 | More by BucannonXC5

ToasterChef

Maine

3.2/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A chilled 22 oz bottle is split between two tulip glasses.

This is an opaque dark brown beer with a nice brown foam head. The head only began to rise up once I started to pour the beer vigorously. It has lasted a long time. Once it finally began to settle, it leaves behind good lacing. Some clinging carbonation was visible initially, but the beer is too dark to make out any rising bubbles.

I can smell a good portion of toasted malt and some chocolate, but not as much s I thought I would.

The flavor also doesn't have as much chocolate as I hoped there would be. I can taste a lot of crystal malts. There is a little bit of toast, but not as much as you often find in beers this dark. Chocolate sweetness can be tasted as I swallow.

The beer isn't as thick as I thought it would be. It's certainly a heavy beer, but it doesn't have the same body as a really exceptional stout. Carbonation is average. A sticky coat is left behind.

This stout won't blow you away by any means, but for a sub $3 bomber of stout it's pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 20:04:09 | More by ToasterChef

TheSixthRing

California

3.43/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a near black deep, rich brown. The head is tan and a good finger width before dissipating into a sticky lacing.

Smell - I'm picking up faint traces of roasted chocolate malt, cocoa and a touch of coffee, and that's about it. Not a whole lot going on here.

Taste - More roasty chocolate cocoa and coffee. The layers are fairly simple, but work well enough.

Mouthfeel - Fairly light body for a stout, but the carbonation is right on target.

Overall - Very similar to the Bison Organic Chocolate Stout in many ways, but I'm digging this a lot more.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 03:27:25 | More by TheSixthRing

DmanGTR

New York

2.4/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

22oz bottle from Trader Joe's. $2.29, haven't seen a bottle of craft beer so cheap so I figured why not?

Poured very dark, nearly black, with deep garnet hues in the light. Tan bubbly head that remained as a thin cap. Looks decent so far. The aromas are very one dimensional. Reminds me of a biscuit with honey on top getting toasted, with aromas of coffee and cocoa, but a fake, extract-like chocolate. Also, I'm getting a LOT of metallic aromas here, rather off putting. Actually, it is quite off putting. A big bit of booziness despite the lower abv. There is a strange sourness that just doesn't belong here. The flavor starts sweet with malt and chocolate but the sourness creeps up again along with the metallic flavor and kind of ruins it for me. The body is thin and very carbonated. Overall, this beer is plain disappointing. I added a bit of bourbon to see if it makes it any more drinkable but unfortunately, I wasted a couple teaspoons of bourbon. Ended up drain pouring it.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 03:51:41 | More by DmanGTR