Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout - Brooklyn Brewery

shirfan

New York

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

'02-'03: Pitch-black opaque with a moderate, carmel colored head. Smells like woodsmoke and burnt malt but not overpowering nor offensive. The suds didn't last especially long, but that's not what this beer is about.

Alcohol makes its presence known immediately, giving way to a complex and strategic battle between roasted bitter malt, sweetness, coffee notes, and a hint of chocolate (although it is not an ingredient).

All the while, a warming, bubbly mouthfeel attacks the tastebuds and reminds you that Guinness is a sissy drink in comparison.

I recall last year's batch being less up front about its high-octane kick, and slightly sweeter, although the 02-03 vintage is brand-new at this point. I'm hoping that a few months will take the edge off the slightly-too-powerful alcohol flavor.

This is my favorite winter beer, without a doubt. A couple of these in the fridge are the perfect answer to the snowstorms which are only a matter of time.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2002 22:34:12 | More by shirfan

allboutbierge

Austria

4.65/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

'02-'03: wow, I read yen157's review and picked up a few of these at the beer store earlier. Its a wonderful stong stout with a nice choclate aftertaste with a strong flavor of burnt malts and some coffee taste in there. It poured a BEAUTIFUL fluffy head with a unique ruby tint that shined through the heavy lace it left on the glass. Its is dark, i mean really DARK, almost the color of tar or oil but that ruby tinted head makes it a very attractice beer. I didn't notice much of an alcohol taste immediatly, but once the beer warmed a little, it was evident no so much by the taste but the feelign of my noise. I did not detract from its drinkablility rating due to its heaviness; I assume that if you drinking this you like imperial stouts, but due to it's alcohol taste that i guess just comes along with a beer that's 10.6abv. Besides that, its a wonderful beer and if you're a strong stout lover you will love this, try it.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2002 13:27:35 | More by allboutbierge

yen157

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

'02-'03: I've waited months for this to come out. Finally, it's here. Available from October through March, this is a real treat if it's available in your area. This beer poured ink black with a nearly cardboard-brown head. It smelled of chocolate, burnt grains, malt, and strangely enough, strawberries. As for flavors, it had a charcoal (probably from black patent malt), chocolate, malt, and alcohol. It had a burnt toast / charcoal aftertaste. The bitterness from the hops combined well with the bitter and slightly sour taste from the blackened grains. Excellent! Once again, this beer will top my list for the coming months.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2002 07:13:43 | More by yen157

aracauna

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

'01-'02: Pours perfectly black with a beautiful deep tan head. The head is slow to form and disspipates quickly however. The Aroma is chocolate, espresso, burnt toast with a bit of fruitiness that makes it seem like the burnt toast has jelly or jam on it. The aroma floods the nose and starts the salivary glands. Burnt toast flavor and a thin bitterness from the hops dominate early on switching to espresso and unsweetened black chocolate later on and a lingering, bitter finish. That's while cold. When closer to room temperature the flavors mellow with the sharp burnt and espresso bitterness become less sharp sliding under a sweeter more chocolately taste. Mouthfeel is slightly oily, but not as thick or gritty as some other imperials. One of the lighter beers of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2002 00:01:42 | More by aracauna

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

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

Winter '00-'01, which makes this roughly a year old at this point. This beer is possibly the best "bottled" beer from Brooklyn - I think we all know that the non-contract draft beer coming out of the brewery is much better! This beer pours a very dark brown/black with ruby highlights. There's a nice, light tan/brown head around the rim of the glass, although no Belgian-lace is produced. The aroma is of a bittersweet chocolate and candyish malt, but without hops, which is OK for the style. The flavor starts with alot of chocolate and roastiness followed by a clear alcohol, a bit of hop flavor, and eventually mellowing into very nice coffee notes. The finish is really wonderful! The carbonation level is appropriate and the body is nice. There are no off-notes to speak of. Overall, a very nice example of the style, although I distinctly remember prior year's samples as having a bit more malt and a somewhat smoother character. I hope this will mellow a bit, but I also fear it may pick up some innapropriate oxidative flavors.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2002 15:50:30 | More by NeroFiddled

goindownsouth

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

'01-'02: This is a pretty good stout. The only downside is that it is not as chocolatey as I would have thought. Other than that, the aroma (coffee maybe), color (pitch black), and head (not too thick), which makes this stout a decent pick. Another solid brew from the Brooklyn Brewery.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2002 03:36:03 | More by goindownsouth

WilliamPhilaPa

Pennsylvania

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

'01-'02: Starts by pouring a jet black, your unable to see through it, with a nice dark tan head that settles with deep fluffy pockets. On the nose there are aromas of roasted malts, several tones of dark chocolate with the alcohol poking through also. Exactly the same can be found on the palate, with a bit of alcohol warming from the back of the throat to the gut...a slow sipper. A nice winter brew / imperial stout. Pretty sweet... but enjoyable for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2002 06:10:40 | More by WilliamPhilaPa

Coach

Pennsylvania

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

'01-'02: I really look forward to this every winter. This past year I split a case with a friend. I loved it, he still has a few. For me, this is perfect when I only want to drink just one brew and chill out for the night. It is heavy and strong - just the way it should be.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2002 12:45:25 | More by Coach

sponberg

New York

3.63/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

'01-'02: Sampled: On tap, pint glass

Aroma: Roastiness, chocolate, and hints of alcohol. Starts out with a slight tang amongst the roasted flavors, which quickly subsides to leave a big, roasted malt and chocolate taste with a decent (not huge) body to it. The alcohol becomes more pronounced as it goes down, but doesn't ever come close to overpowering the roasted coffee/chocolate/burnt toast(?) flavors. A very nice brew that, with the addition of a bit more body, could be incredible - albeit less "I'll have another, thanks!" drinkable.

Me being me, I had the bartender give me a 5 oz. glass and mixed this half-and-half with Middle Ages Druid Fluid barleywine. THAT rounded the flavor out.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2002 08:03:51 | More by sponberg

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

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

'01-'02: Black body with big tan head, which too quickly disipated to a thin topping. Chocolate, liquorice, and alcohol in aroma. Roasted malts, chocolate and coffee tones in taste. Enough alcohol in taste to know this is not a session beer. It is a nice evening topper.

'02-03: To the above, I will add a big heaping of dark fruits, particularly raisins.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2002 23:22:13 | More by RonfromJersey

WORT

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice chocolate aroma, a deep chocolate flavor. Poured smoothly and had a decent foam time. Would like to try it on nitro.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2002 20:34:24 | More by WORT

Thrasher

Oregon

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

'01-'02: This is the first time I've tried it so I can't compare to previous years. Initial taste is alcoholic, although other flavors quickly surround it upon subsequent sips. Great mouthfeel, heavy but not sluggish; sticky, but not cloying. Head did not last as long as I would have liked. Overall satisfying, though, and I would very much like to shelf it and taste it again down the road.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2002 21:35:56 | More by Thrasher

pbrian

Connecticut

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

'01-'02: A bedtime treat. Nice burnt coffee/cocoa flavors. Viscous mouthfeel that I believe could be balanced with a little more hops. Finishes with a warming acidic burnt malt bitterness. Aging usually rounds out the rough corners, but it's still good complex brew young.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2002 10:24:48 | More by pbrian

ZAP

Minnesota

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

'01-'02: My first experience with a Brooklyn Brewery product. (Not that it factored into the rating, but it has a great classy looking bottle)..Smells of high alcohol, and has a bit of a high alcohol taste to it...Nice imperial though...very rich and thick but nowhere close to Belle's Expedition in this area...tastes of bakers chocolate thanks to some nice complex blackened malts...(I don't believe this beer adds any real chocolate to it)..I had heard a lot of positives about this brewery, and my first experience is a good one...Above average Imperial Stout..

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2002 15:07:58 | More by ZAP

Jason

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Presentation: 12 oz brown long neck bottle with "Limited Bottling - Winter '00-'01".

Appearance: Ink black with a light brown and quite impressive lace that retains like a champ.

Smell: Dark chocolate covered espresso beans and a mild ripe prune fruitiness.

Taste: Full bodied and very smooth, a tangled mesh of dark roasted coffee and dark unsweetened chocolate. Hops are vague amongst the roasted barley bitterness, some sweetness prevails with a fruitiness attached of prunes. Roasted and chocolate flavours linger just about forever. Alcohol is certainly there with its feeling of warmth to the throat and chest.

Notes: Layered and complex, a strong foothold on the taste buds with the roasted character. This brew will get even better towards the end of the winter with some age.
--
Presentation: 12 oz brown long neck bottle with "Limited Bottling - Winter '99-'00".

Appearance: Close to pitch black, thick and creamy tan lace with a sufficient head retention.

Smell: Fusel alcohols near to a cooking sherry aroma, twang of roasted and charcoal in the nose also.

Taste: Massively creamy with a thick bold body or malt that is close to being syrupy. Smoothness is quite incredible. Burnt fruit and some fusel alcohols give a twang and kick respectively. Roasted flavours are intact with a slight acidic flavour that melds well with the fruitiness. Alcohols are a bit too much and tell you in one way or another to respect the brew. Hops are faded and a touch herbal / leafy in flavour amongst the roasted prowess. Vagueness of wet paper shows a touch of age from oxidation, not in a bad way though.

Notes: Best consumed at cellar temperature, alcohols are a bit too much and if the oxidation could hold out for a year or more this beer will mellow out to be a great vintage brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2001 22:55:32 | More by Jason

hooligan

Florida

3.8/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Excellent beer... I haven't had an aged one, but I have split a 12oz with a friend and I must say, throughly tasty. Very strong in the "roasted" section, mild hop bitterness, and a sweet chewiness. The finish was slightly too alcoholic for me, the vapors alone cleared my sinuses... but all in all, great Imperial.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2001 17:11:09 | More by hooligan

AaronRed

New York

4.8/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

'01-'02: Wow, this beer knocked me out! For a while, all I could taste and smell was alcohol. But after it warmed, the rich texture of the chocolate and malt became evident. This beer really warms the inside of your belly and is perfect for this time of year.
--
'00-'01: What a brew! I saved a bottle from last year and it evolved into an even more spectacular beer. It's like velvet, but sweet and with a kick. You can't go wrong.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2001 21:43:15 | More by AaronRed

John

New York

4.9/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

'01-'02: This is one of the beers that's consistently in my top 20 or better. One of the most complex and delicious brews ever made. I love BBCS as a nightcap or a special treat on it's own.
--
'00-'01: Simply one of the best Imperial stouts.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2001 14:30:55 | More by John

QXSTER1

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Boldest, most complex stout I've had to date. Enhances chocolate desserts immensely.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2001 19:47:20 | More by QXSTER1

Todd

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

An incredibly tasty and powerful stout. Best use of chocolate malt that I've ever seen for the style. It's high alcohol and rich flavours also make it a perfect canditate for aging. Have a 99-00 that I am waiting to review. Yummy stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2000 23:44:44 | More by Todd