Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout - Brooklyn Brewery

Anthony1

Colorado

2.75/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

poured into a snifter.

poured like oil. it was black and creamy. had a moderate head that was chocolate brown, lasted a short while, then melted into the beer.

smelled of dark roasted malts loaded with chocolate and coffee. chocolate was the definate leader of the pack with a close finish to the malt then the coffee.

the flavor was filled with bittersweet dark chocolate that was melted over a camp fire, smoke infused.

very full and very thick. was ok, but not a major fan of dark dark chocolate. was a bit hard to handle.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2009 16:39:20 | More by Anthony1

DawnL

New York

2.75/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Brown lacing atop a jet black brew.

There isn't very much on the nose.

The palate has some cocoa and a wooden hops character. It doesn't seem to go with the style.

The finish is very bitter and not very chocolatey. There is a chalky character from the cocoa?

I found this brew rather disappointing.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2009 15:52:47 | More by DawnL

treehouse

California

2.75/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

creamy and milk chocolatey right when the cap is popped...a bit of tobacco and dark stone fruits on the nose.

malty and kinda tangy with bitter chocolate overtones in the mouth...over roasted coffee beans..the odd tanginess is slightly fruity and i feel like it doesn't belong here...long lasting...

as it warms it doesn't get any better...

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 01:37:40 | More by treehouse

ElizabethCraig

Indiana

2.75/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2

Split a bottle of this with my husband on 10/1/2011.

Lets start this review with my kind of apology/explanation.

I really do like stouts! I don't always like Russian Imperial Stouts, but generally I do like stouts!

Really!

Ok, here goes:

The appearance was dark black with a slightly tan head. There was more head in my husband's sample glass than in mine, but that happens sometimes.

Scent: dark, acrid, slightly sour. I'm slightly concerned at this point, but my mind is still open.

Sigh, the taste is where I just didn't get it.

Dark dry and musty that fades to a dark very acrid/burnt chocolate. Ends slightly sour on my palate. Not sweet, not sour, really *ashy* like extremely charred coffee.

Body is medium to rich. Very nice texture to it.

I'm not a fan of this beer at all. When I drink overly dark roasted poor quality coffee, I start getting pain in my hands and knees (my bad spots) and this beer flared up these tender/painful points just like overly charred poor quality coffee.

I'm not giving up on the style since generally I like stouts and I like some RIS's, but this is not the beer for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 17:05:11 | More by ElizabethCraig

blakesell

Ohio

2.78/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Winter 05-06 bottle right after they ramped up the alcohol, year old 12oz bottle poured into a Belgian tulip.

Appearance- Solid black with a thin head of tan foam. Lacing is like glue and leaves legs on the sides of the glass.

Smell- Chocolate and espresso with much roasty malts and some hop bitterness. A bit of lactose creaminess in the nose, but not too much. The bulk majority is the perception of milk chocolate.

Taste- Wow, everything that was previously great about this beer is now gone. The big chocolate flavour is now just a lingering memory. Alcohol burn and hop bitterness is most of what is left. The smooth creaminess is gone and now we have a very difficult to drink stout in our glass.

Mouthfeel- Sticky and cloying. Creaminess that should be there is hardly there at all. Bittering hops seem to have replaced this and make this much less of an enjoyable brew.

Drinkability- Nearly a drain pour. For some reason when they ramped up the alcohol they decided not to taste test the batch and this beer has suffered. This year's batch (06-07) is much better still having the big alcohol but retaining it's previous chocolate character.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2008 01:42:29 | More by blakesell

beerkeeper

Maryland

2.8/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Found a bottle of 02 in my cellar. poured into a glass still maintained a substantial head the nose still has a nice roasty chocolate presence, but one gets a bit of sourness intermingled. in the mouth one still gets a good dose of carbonation, but these beer has passed its peak. the sourness on the nose comes through on the palate and coats the side of the mouth while the chocolate malts slide over the tounge. the aftertaste is much better than the initial flavoring, leaving behind a roasty flavor.
just came back to this beer after 30 odd minutes the noose got stronger but hte palate definitly fell apart. this beer works much better as a two year old

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2005 00:02:17 | More by beerkeeper

andrewt960

New Jersey

2.8/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Let me start off by saying I am one of many who didn't fall in love with this beer. Perhaps it was the hype. I read so many positive posts and talked to my beer guy, thought it was going to be gold in a bottle.
A- Poured a dark black, with a nice head that faded quickly. The head was chocolate brown in color that had minimal lacing. I was very excited to taste based on looks.
S- Smelled of hazy chocolate in the distance, however more roasted malts, and of alcohol.
T- The taste was a bit surprising in the sense that it had a lot less chocolate that I had anticipated. I wasn't expecting chocolate milk, but it was totally over powered by the strong alcoholic smell.
M- It wasn't bad in the mouth, but the alcohol was too strong. Laced the mouth and stuck around in the throat.
D- I think if I was more into sipping, which this beer is intended for, it may be nicer. I didn't chug it, but I may have sipped too frequently to let my pallet adjust. I have 5 more to try and get it right.
Overall, I think I'll stick with the hoppy kick that I've been on, and leave this behind.

Footnote- The second was nicer, a klittle more gentle, and enjoyed a little more.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2008 01:51:36 | More by andrewt960

blacklabel67k

Massachusetts

2.85/5  rDev -31.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Really thick dark and syrupy... zero light coming through the glass

S-Smells like alcohol with a little bit of chocolate and coffee and roasted malts.

T- Bitter chocolate, overwhelming alcohol taste that ruins the beer imo.

M-Smooth and drinkable.

O- I felt this beer was average at best for the style. The alcohol takes over the taste of the beer once it starts to warm up imo, so I think its best to drink this cold. (unless you like the alcohol taste).

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 22:34:43 | More by blacklabel67k

scottum

Vermont

2.88/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Served nice black black with a short brown head. Chocolate is big and strong. Way too strong!!! I love how the smoked taste blends in with the rest of the malts. This beer would be very good, but they tried to pack too much chocolate into it and that just did not work out for them. My advise: try again on the recipe, but this time don't be so coco-happy.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2003 13:03:58 | More by scottum

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

2.88/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Brooklyn- Black Chocolate Stout

Appearance- Dark black with a dark tan head. Good loking lacing at the top of my glass.
Smell- Sweet chocolate, heavy with the sugar.
Taste- A chocolate coffee blend with 10 scoops of sugar! Too sweet.
Mouthfeel- The sugary sweetness is just too much. It hurts the cheeks. Warming and slightly bitter in the end. Alcohol is hidden.

Overall- If you like your Stout's packed with sugar this is your cup of tea, otherwise I'll pass.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2006 23:39:13 | More by NJpadreFan

gkatsoris

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: The head alone is what sells it; 2-3 fingers high, and it will not fall. The head is a nice chestnutty brown, and the beer; Black. I mean no light penetrates this beer, scary.

S: Kinda alcoholy. Slightly nutty. Honestly not much there.

T: Hints of chocolate, very alcoholy, and again not much there.

M: Very creamy. Not much carbonation. The beer coats the tongue nicely. Goes down very smooth.

D: I kinda think this beer will be sooo much better in 6 mo to a year. I just hope I can keep them in the closet for that long.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2007 23:03:12 | More by gkatsoris

talkingpoints

Connecticut

2.93/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Just brought home the Brooklyn Chocolate Stout and was ready for that famed experience that the limited bottling implied. The pour was impressive as a dark chocolate filled my beer mug, the smell was pretty good with those hints of chocolate coming to bear. The taste, this part gets tricky. At first I thought it was exceptional on the mouth but then this taste of alcohol just overpowered the beer, which is weird since this is a chocolate stout. It was a decent stout but you couldn't drink more than one in a sitting. I will probably move on to something else for the winter without looking back.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2004 13:39:38 | More by talkingpoints

lbkornlb14

New York

2.93/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

This beer had a great coffee smell, and taste, i held it up to a 100W bulb and couldnt see through it, I find beers of this nature, for me, hard to drink. They seem to be too much, and get dumped after 3/4's. I mean, if stouts/imperial stouts are your thing, youd probably love this, but I wasnt a fan, good job as always by Brooklyn but I would never get again.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2008 04:12:14 | More by lbkornlb14

ChowHound

New York

2.95/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I love an imperial stout, and this one at first glance and whiff appeared to be a winner. Very dark with a creamy looking tannish head. Aroma of soft chocolates, dried beef, and roasted nuts had my mouth watering. Carbonation was too low in my estimation, and the flavor, while rich with chocolate malts, was too sweet and the texture too thin for an imperial stout. Also, a very strong taste of alcohol was always present, not something I like in a beer. Nasty aftertaste as well. For all its reputation, this brewery should be putting out better beers.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2005 18:11:30 | More by ChowHound

tyee

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This is a black, black beer that I was excited to see hitting the Chicago market. It poured completely black with a a short tan head. The smell was coffee, sweetness and soy sauce. The taste was coffee, burnt malts and a little bit of chocolate. The mouth feel was frothy. This beer tasted young and was kind of a mess. I found the carbonation to be quite high for a RIS. The 10.6% alcohol was noticable.Overall, I found this harsh and difficult to drink. Maybe a couple of years in the cellar will do it good.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2007 16:14:56 | More by tyee

cmkendrick

Texas

2.95/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Poured a 12oz bottle into my favorite pint..

L - Looks like a glass of dark chocolate, with a little tan head.

S - Roasted malts, and of course a little chocolatey.

T - I taste the chocolate and little coffee, but the burnt taste is a little overpowering and it leaves a pretty bitter/tangy aftertaste for me.

F/D - A thick and smooth feel, but also with a little higher carbonation than I would prefer. The alcohol doesn't come through too strong at 10%, but the bitter/burnt taste for this beer makes it a slow sipper for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 03:50:07 | More by cmkendrick

Cresant

Kentucky

2.98/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured this 12 oz, brown bottle, dated Winter 06-07, into a Samuel Smith tulip glass. Body was the color of very used motor oil. Head never developed, but a collar of graham-cracker-colored foam stayed for a few minutes then nothing of the head remained.

Smell was subdued. Chocolate covered raisins or maybe raisin bread. I could not pick up more.

Taste was mildly sweet. Not cloying. Cocoa. Bittersweet chocolate. Peppery. Malt and hop presence, yet primarily cocoa. Alcohol hints came out late, rather well hidden. Rich with a lingering bitterness in the finish. Interesting but not especially complex, but I will age this one and taste it later.

Mouthfeel was smooth. Fully bodied and filling. Mild carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2006 15:23:14 | More by Cresant

Damian

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Drank from a 12 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Downtown Wine & Spirits, Somerville, MA

Poured a transparent black (thick like motor oil) with a small frothy film of mocha-colored bubbles which quickly disappeared.

Smell was sweet and complex, yet not particularly pleasant. Deep, roasted malts, port wine and soy sauce came through strong along with notes of raisins, brown sugar and a distinct oakiness.

Taste was sharp and biting. Port was once again noticeable up front before the huge alcohol bite kicked in. As the alcohol subsided, notes of brown sugar, dried fruits, burnt malts and salty licorice became apparent. Some hoppiness was noticeable on the swallow, which continued into the finish. The aftertaste was a mix of potent hops and deep, roasted malts, with a noticeable alcohol warming in the throat.

Medium-heavy bodied with a frothy, pillowy mouthfeel. The amount of carbonation was quite excessive and stung my palate.

This is a harsh and rather difficult to drink beer (even for this style). Worst of all, I could not detect any hint of chocolate in this so-called "Black Chocolate Stout."

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2007 16:14:14 | More by Damian

winomark

Missouri

3/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pitch black with a frothy, tan head.

Aroma: Sweet malt and chocolate. Some alcohol present.

Taste: Rich coffee and chocolate. Dry, bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Coating, but dry. Slightly sour and acidic.

Drinkability: Balanced, but not a favorite of mine.

Tasted blind at the Saint Louis BA tasting 12/14/03

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2004 06:26:17 | More by winomark

thlayli87

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a deep opaque black with a razor-thin head. No lacing. Smells of dark chocolate. Tastes very boozy. Smokey with some chocolate notes. Mouthfeel dominated by searing alcohol. Overall the flavor just gets completely overwhelmed by alcohol. Not terrible by any means but I wouldn't get this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 23:12:19 | More by thlayli87

schlimenhaumer

New York

3/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet at low altitude in NY. Surprised I haven't reviewed this one yet despite how many times I've had it before.

A: Pours an opaque dark brown with a thin, creamy mocha-colored head that fades away quickly.

S: Black chocolate is a very good description. This smells almost like a bar of dark chocolate with a bit of alcoholic heat in the background. Some faint molasses notes as it warms.

T: Unfortunately this one doesn't taste as good as it smells. Very bitter from start to finish -- reminds me of raw coffee grounds. The alcohol also comes through much more than expected. I remember enjoying this beer much more in the past, so perhaps I got a bad batch...

M: Full-bodied with a slick mouthfeel and a dry finish.

O: Definitely not one of my favorite imperial stouts. I doubt I'll revisit this one -- too many better options available.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 04:33:34 | More by schlimenhaumer

cdizinno

South Carolina

3.03/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Poured a pitch black with a dark tan colored head. Minimal lacing.

S: Alcohol aroma is overpowering. Mostly roasted chocolate. Some malty caramel and roasted coffee smell.

T&M: Bitter chocolate with a chalky roasted coffee finish. Smooth and rough at the same time, if that makes any sense. Syrupy molasses up front with a dry alcohol after burn.

Decent stout. Not my favorite, but good.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2010 00:24:49 | More by cdizinno

ithacabaron

California

3.05/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

'03 bottling.

This pours the color of burnt oil that's been let out of an old engine during a change -- slick, deep, rich and black, black, black. The head settles comfortably on top with fairly large bubbles, and swirled, multi-toned highlights.

Smell is pretty good as well, with aromas of dark, burnt candi sugar and burnt chocolate...very rich, even in smell.

Unfortunately, for me, that's where this fell apart for me. The stout has good dark chocolate flavor through it, but the chocolate seems a bit chalky, and dry, instead of smooth, as if it were made with chocolate baking powder. Additionally, the aftertaste is one of ashed cigar...not wholly bad, and an aquired taste, but, in my mind, not a positive for the beer by any means.

Mouthfeel is very rich and smooth, with a drying end, well fitted to the style.

Due to the tasting notes, I can't give this a real high drinkability rating.

Incidentally, just 12oz. of this stuff got me buzzed. Should be noted.

One important note...I tasted this, and then, noting the similarities, cracked open an extract chocolate stout I had homebrewed, using some adjuncts and malto-dextrine...I could barely tell the difference -- knowing what was in my beer, and the fact that I can replicate it for a fraction of the cost with low-grade ingredients, how can I give this a really great grade?

Anyway, maybe I got a bad bottle, or maybe I missed something with this one. I'll probably try it again for that reason, and I encourage others to give this at least one try -- they might like it a lot more than I did.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2003 04:09:13 | More by ithacabaron

mapofthedead

United Kingdom (England)

3.05/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Deep, coal pit black with a small tan head.

S: I got licorice,chocolate and coffee with a definite alcohol "bite" at the end.

T: Chocolate hits me in the face, nice and sweet with a more bitter after taste - but not unpleasant. There's some coffee kicking back there somewhere too...

M: Slick, lingering, not all that nice but okay.

D: This is a one a night beer, good, but just once.

Notes: 355 ml bottle poured into an Imperial Pint Glass. No BBE or freshness date was found on the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2009 23:43:13 | More by mapofthedead

AgentZero

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Black opaque, not as thick as I was expecting on the pour. Nice two finger head that was a nice brown. No real lacing on it after dissipation, but some interesting lacing stripes throughout the drink.

S - Roasted malts, slight chocolate burnt cocoa. Actually get some dark fruits in there.

T - Mostly roasted malts and some coffee taste. I'm not really getting much chocolate here, although it is slightly present. The dark fruity taste is there, but gets fainter the longer you drink. The beer gets better as you go, but it tastes pretty ordinary. Alcohol is pretty present.

M - Little thinner than expected, and not particularly carbonated. Not all that great.

D - It's not hard to drink, but it would be hard to drink more of.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2009 04:46:47 | More by AgentZero