Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout - Brooklyn Brewery

ironchefmiyagi13

New York

4.31/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The restaurant I work at got this on tap recently so I decided to try it out.

For a RIS lover, I was very pleased with this beer. The color and density of the beer is dark and syrupy. Pours a very thick and creamy head that last around long enough to hold the aroma for smelling.
The flavor, while tasty and drinkable, was just a tad sweet for my taste. You can definitely taste the chocolate, with the coffee shining through. I also tasted chocolate covered dark cherries and raspberries. Very interesting and appealing.
Overall, I enjoyed this beer enough for a second glass. Great for sipping at the bar with friends. Will definitely drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2013 19:58:43 | More by ironchefmiyagi13

Kooz

New York

3.73/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sorry for the stunted review, but until there's an app, it's going to be hard to review beers from bars and restaurants...

Poured dark, almost black with a chocolate brown head and lacing. Perfect.

Smells sweet (but not overly so) and malty. Nothing amazing, but better than average.

Tastes sticky and chocolatey with a sweet aftertaste like sweetened condensed milk. It tastes more like a milk stout than an imperial.

Good body, very nice. Foamy and creamy, and leaves a stickiness in your mouth that lets the flavor get a little more complex after drinking it.

Overall, it's very good. I'd drink this anytime, anywhere.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2012 16:06:38 | More by Kooz

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tried this beer at the Boulevard in Johnstown, PA. Pours out very black with a small mocha head. Lots of legs in the glass. Lots of roasty aromas straight off the pour. In the glass, there's rich chocolate. The taste is a delightful balance of dark chocolate and roasted coffee, although as it warms a touch of sourness starts to present itself. Full mouthfeel, but highly drinkable thanks to a moderate carbonation level.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 03:26:44 | More by WoodBrew

Louski

Pennsylvania

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

Had On-Tap at Grey Lodge in Philly. Poured into standard pint glass.

Deep black body with thick, tan head. Smells of chocolate and malt with hints of coffee. Very distinct dark chocolate taste in that it has a nice bitterness and is not as sweet as I thought it would be. A very filling beer (to be expected) although I must admit that it also served as dessert to a hefty lunch. Overall, a nice above average chocolate stout.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 01:17:01 | More by Louski

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from tap at Sunset in Boston.
Pours a dark oil looking color with thick tan head.
Smell is of chocolate for sure with hints of coffee and roasted malts.
Really great roasted malt and chocolate flavor. There are so many other flavors going on here; roasted coffee, dark chocolate, cocoa...
It almost taste like a Manhattan Special (NY Italian Soda); which in this case I think it really works.
Its delicious, well crafted, and worth every penny. Makes a perfect after dinner or desert brew.

Serving type: on-tap

02-29-2012 14:01:39 | More by DrinkSlurm

legalpete19340

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Came to the table looking very dark and mean. Nearly black with a solid one finger of fluffy tan head. It fell to a skim but coated everything.

S: Very pleasant waves of dark roasted malt, barley, dark coffee and dark chocolate.

T: Rich and smooth with roastiness leading the way. Comes out waves of roasted, almost burnt malt, then bittersweet chocolate and back to roasted malt. The more I drink I pick out espresso. Hints of barley are noticeable along the way and it finishes with slight cream and dark berries. The alcohol sneaks up because it warms a bit but not very noticeable. The more I drink the more I notice some slight hop notes in the mid-end. Kind of mild grassy/herbalness. Very mild and supportive.

M: Rich and creamy with a velvety feel and thickness that support the beer.

O: Very good, I like this beer more each time I have it. Just a big dark monster of roasted malty goodness.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2012 02:28:28 | More by legalpete19340

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

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

On-tap at the Sharp Edge.

Near black with a cream-colored head that rings firm.

Bitter chocolate, booze, candied sugar, smoke, hint of caramel.

Prickly spice hops with a very bitter alkaline cocoa punch. Licorice is strong; big roastiness, semi-sweet, alcohol present, long tingly finish. Earthy/spicy hop comes in pretty hard in a fresh offering. Commanding presence in a beer.

Silky mouthfeel. Hot, because it's pretty fresh. A little syrupy, carbonation is a bit low.

I drink this on draft here every winter. One of my favorite seasonals. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 05:22:09 | More by thecheapies

AMiz602

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Talk about a stout. This is truly one to throw you over the hill. High alcohol content, high roasted coffee undertones, and about as black as the night.

Smell wise, it smells as if you were baking a coffee infused chocolate cake. It is very roasty and smells quite sweet, which when you taste it, is quite different. It is a drier taste, with a very strong cacao-coffee taste. On the back end of it you can definitely taste the alcohol, and lets you know what you are dealing with. It is a heavy drink, but not very syrupy by any means. The head has a real nice brownish hue to it, and makes for a great sit-back-and-relax beer. It is exactly as advertised, heavy, chocolatey, and a spicy stout that is definitely worth your time devoted to it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2012 02:30:04 | More by AMiz602

Cord018

Massachusetts

4.9/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at Surf Restaurant in Portsmouth, NH. Jet black appearance with a nice creamy head. You notice the smell of chocolate right away but also a nice roasty aroma emanates as well. On the first sip you taste the chocolate and maltiness right off the bat. It is just sweet enough. You also get the slight taste of alcohol without it being overpowering. The flavors compliment each other very nicely. Very smooth, velvet like feel in the mouth. I am a big fan of this style of beer and was very pleased with this offering. Was surprised to see it was at 10% alcohol! Very easy beer to drink and throw back a couple which could become dangerous at the alcohol level.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2012 23:10:46 | More by Cord018

elNopalero

Texas

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours a thick black with a good amount of foam topping it.
(At its strength my six ounce pour was a steal for $2!)

Toffee-espresso roast aromas dance around, and pair off with a roasty dark chocolate flavor along with some heavy coffee notes. There’s a noticeable alcohol booziness (whiskey? Bourbon? Barrel aged?) that hangs around. It has a dry finish. A thick beer, yet easily drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2011 18:23:12 | More by elNopalero

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours as black as can be, letting zero light through and with a frothy mocha head. smells like a white russian to be honest, milky and boozey, sweet. has an interesting chocolate taste to it, very very rich, and bittersweet at the end. my brother described it as "if hershey's special dark was even more special". there really is no other way to describe the chocolate in this beer, its s interesting. insanely strong beer that doesnt hide it particularly well, but i dont think it makes apologies for that. mouthfeel was heavyish, hard to drink a lot of beers with such little carbonation and heavy bodies, but a great holiday sipper

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2011 15:33:03 | More by StonedTrippin

hippityhops85

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2009 vintage on draft at the Blue Dog in Lansdale, PA. Poured into a 13oz tulip glass.

Pours pitch black with a beautiful mocha colored head that forms excellent lacing on the glass. A really beautiful stout.

The nose carries bittersweet chocolate, toasted malts, pretty muted although I really had to let this warm up as it was served insanely cold.

After about 20 minutes of allowing it to warm I tasted it. The taste had lots of bitter chef's chocolate that almost came off as metallic. Kind of let down but this. Lots and lots of bitterness.

I've only ever had this brew on draft and after reading the great reviews on here I think I need to try it out of the bottle because the draft has never done anything for me.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2011 13:47:16 | More by hippityhops85

BucBasil

South Carolina

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

Poured on tap at Liberty Tap Room in Columbia, SC.

A: Body is pure black but there is some faint light coming in on the edges. Dark tan head with OK retention.

S: Heavy coffee, roasty note here with not much chocolate to be found. Smoky aroma in there with some char and anise. Surprisingly not really all that chocolatey.

T: Much like the smell: not much chocolate to be found here, but a LOT of roasted coffee and some smoky notes laced in there. Some mocha as it warms which might lend some cred to the chocolate name, but overall more coffee. Some bakers chocolate as it warms more, but no sweetness to be found. Definitely an imperial stout rather than a chocolate stout.

Overall: As a RIS, pretty good. I can see this being a good one to age, but on tap it was pretty tasty. I would have liked to see some more chocolate in here as it was my dessert beer, but good stuff overall.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2011 02:31:31 | More by BucBasil

engagechad

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Purchased on tap at capital ale house innsbrook - richmond va - snifter

Pours a deep thick black (imagine that!) with a dark brown head. Beautiful stout. work of art.

Smells roasty and choclatey, not like sweet chocolate but that dark cocoa smell. Very nice.

Taste follows well, very roasty and thick, sipping beer for sure.

Feels a little boozy as did the bottle version. Very good beer but it could use some refining on the abv feel.

Overall this is an amazing stout, however If i'm getting an RIS it's Raspy over this for sure or smutty.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2011 17:00:34 | More by engagechad

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a tulip at Hopleaf.

Appearance: My pour is an ebony black color with a modest tan head. The glass was

Smell: The aroma is full of deep, dark roasted malts, lots of Belgian chocolate and fudge, and a bit of smoke and molasses. I don't take any hops away from the tap version.

Taste: The flavor is also dominated by the chocolate flavors. The dark roasted malt is noticeable, but it immediately pairs with a sweet and sticky fudge flavor and some dark, unsweetened chocolate flavor as well. A little bit of coffee and smoke step in on the periphery to give it a more robust taste, but the focus on the chocolate is never lost. The finish is semi-sweet with more chocolate.

Mouthfeel: The thick, creamy, and viscous feel of Black Chocolate Stout is one of the strengths. The carbonation adds to the creamy feel but is on the light side overall. After each sip I am left with a sticky sweetness on my lips.

Overall: This was significantly better on tap than it was in the bottle. The unpleasant booziness in the nose and flavor were both thankfully absent, allowing me to focus on the better parts of the beer. This is still kind of a one trick pony as far as imperial stouts go, but it was enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2011 23:00:16 | More by KickInTheChalice

sbrotschul

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I sat down for a nice pint at House of 1000 Beers in New Kensington, PA (http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/15450/?view=beerfly) and was instantly attracted to the name: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. It combined many of the things I enjoy: the tough name of Brooklyn, the color Black, the taste of Chocolate and the beer of Stout.

For a unapologetic, no-holds-barred place to drink a beer, New Ken's House of 1000 Beers is a great place to start.

A: 4.0. This just looked good in the glass. A nice creamy head, small range of bubbles and a glowing edge of black beer.

S: 4.0. Coffee, chocolate and undertones of booze ... a great start.

T: 4.5. Flavor lingered on, with little after taste or boozy response to such a brew.

M: 4.0. The flavors took over the senses, but the beer felt thick and heavy ... almost chewy. Little carbonation with little heat from the alcohol.

O: 4.0. I really liked this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2011 01:02:18 | More by sbrotschul

nmbr0ne

Florida

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from tap into pint glass at The House of Brews in Jensen Beach, FL.

Appearance: Pours a very dark, basically black color with a finger thick, creamy head that leaves a good amount of lacing and retention.

Smell: Very boozy at the front, and roasty through the middle of the smell. I barely pick up on the hints of chocolate though. Leaves more chocolate to be desired in my opinion but great aromas none the less. I also get hints of coffee.

Taste: I can definitely taste (and feel) the alcohol. The hops give it a slight bitter taste that reminds me of unsweetened coffee. Very strong and rich like an espresso. The taste of chocolate is very subtle.

Mouthfeel: Between medium-bodied and thick. Took me longer than an average beer to sip this one.

Overall: Good stout to drink on International Stout Day 2011. Great way to to end my night because you'll definitely not want to drink anything else after drinking this 10% ABV bad-boy.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2011 03:19:02 | More by nmbr0ne

57md

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark black with more than a finger of head and decent retention. The aroma is slightly malty, but nothing to write home about. The taste is robust and malty, but this offering lacks the roasted bitterness I enjoy in a good stout. This may be a beer where the reputation is better than the actual product.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2011 06:06:57 | More by 57md

aorloski

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours an amazingly beautiful dark as night black, khaki head that sticks around. Looks world class.

Smell - Smells like weird chocolate, the only way i can put it. Dark chocolate right up front but not in the bitter hop kind of way. It is more like melted chocolate mixed with alcohol. This being said it does smell pretty good. Oatmeal and chocolate are forerunners, not a single coffee note to speak of.

Taste - Definitely follows the nose. chocolate, big big malts on this one, i can't taste any bitterness which is strange for a big chocolate stout. You get a little bit of the alcohol but not much. Just overall it is a well balanced beer.

Mouthfeel - So good, thick, chewy, coats the mouth and perfect carbonation.

Overall - i LOVE this beer because it is cheap and readily available. It is the BEST stout you can buy for the price and availability. Is it the best? no. Is it awesome? yes. Buy it. It really is a great brew and buy plenty of it throughout the winter. Thanks brooklyn!

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2011 01:38:54 | More by aorloski

biggsbowler

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Vine and Barley, Its black and chocolate, do you need to know more. It is a solid stout. Lots of chocolate and roasted malts in the taste. A good amount of chocolate in the noise but nothing overpowering. This is just a good all around beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2011 13:27:58 | More by biggsbowler

DeschutesNut

North Dakota

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 Vintage on tap at the MN Craft Brewers Guild Autumn Brew Review 2011 in Minneapolis at the historic Grain Belt Complex. Delicious brew. Very subtile and complex at the same time. Am very excited to have a couple bottles of these in the old cellar!

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2011 23:08:49 | More by DeschutesNut

angelogarcia3

New York

4.63/5  rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had the 2010 vintage black chocolate stout at Sapsuckers in Huntington, NY in a snifter glass. This very beautiful dark beer with a medium tan head had excellent lacing on the glass. The aromas of milk chocolate, sweetness, and liquor are very slight on the nose. The first sip tastes like dark chocolate, and chocolate liquor with a creamy, and slight bittersweetness on the tongue. An exceptional beer!

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2011 23:15:29 | More by angelogarcia3

BeerNemesis

New York

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout | on-tap | 10.0% ABV | July 2011

Brewer: Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Glass: Snifter

Appearance:
Jet black, the abyss. A mocha crown—perfectly motionless—rings the periphery.

Aroma:
Iced coffee, dark chocolate.

Taste:
Dark roasted coffee, espresso, brandy. There's a strong alcoholic presence and it leans towards bitterness, which is not for everyone.

Mouthfeel:
Thick and luxurious, this is an incredibly pleasing liquid to swish around the your mouth.

Harmony:
It's a great Russian Imperial Stout, except in that the 10% ABV can clumsily peek through the otherwise well-composed exterior.

Would I get it again?:
Yes, and I have.

Served: July 30, 2011

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2011 18:46:57 | More by BeerNemesis

plfahey

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2007 Vintage. Pint on tap at the Happy Gnome, St. Paul, MN.

Appearance-Inky black darkness and totally opaque. Tall light brown head is dense and fluffy with good retention. Good lacing.

Aroma-Dark Cocoa powder and fudge brownies, with some fruity, plumlike esters. Slight hint of alcohol and vinous character. No hops.

Flavor-Sweet chocolate fudge up front is slowly overtaken, first by dark fruit esters, followed by drier bittersweet chocolate and light espresso flavors. Finishes semi-sweet, with faint hop flavors making an appearance. Aftertaste is fudgy, with a chocolate liqueur character. The chocolate seems to expand on the palate forever.

Mouthfeel-Thick and full, almost chewy, and yet velvety smooth on the palate. Moderate carbonation, with some nice alcohol warmth in the finish-the only real hint of the high alcohol content.

Overall-This beer is fantastic, and wears its age well. No hops remain (except for a hint in the flavor), but the malt and alcohol are very smooth and uber-chocolatey.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2011 23:19:05 | More by plfahey

HotHands

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - arrived as a jet black color with a frothy tan head.

S - chocolate and a bit of coffee and brown sugar.

T - As the name would imply, chocolate is the main attraction here. A healthy amount of bitter, roasty dark chocolate flavor with some coffee and brown sugar. In my opinion, the light sweetness is well-balanced by the roast and the hops. I wouldn't ask for more sweetness or for less. This stout is well-balanced overall with no real rough edges. A bit of booziness at the end if you sip it too fast, but this is to be expected from an imperial stout on tap.

M - nice body without being too heavy. I would be interested in trying a nitro version of this stout if such a thing actually existed.

Overall - this is a great, well-balanced stout. I can't say I'm too keen on the traditional flavor-hammer imperial stouts, so if you're a huge stout fan maybe you shouldn't take my review at face value. But I really like how Brooklyn BCS balances the chocolate flavor with everything else going on. Enjoy.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2011 05:57:55 | More by HotHands