Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout - Brooklyn Brewery

Maestro

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer is the best stout I have had in a long time. The nose is quite tame but the hops and roasted malts come through. The head is two fingers that fades to less than one finger and lasts throughout the beer. The first taste is quite malty and has some sweet notes that almost allude to a milk stout. The faintest bit of chocolate is present alongside a coffe taste. The alcohol is disguised by the big flavors in this beer. It is hard to believe that she clocks in at 8.5% As you move through the beer there is a chewy, bread characteristic to the beer. A nice lacing is left on the pint glass and it retains the rich tan color from the head. The carbonation is perfect for this beer. As you get to the end of the pint the hops start to show through with a drying bite and the alcohol starts to warm your belly. This is definitely not a stout for the faint at heart. In fact, I think this is the best imperial stout I have ever had. And it makes a great 50th review.

P.S. Finishes quite smoothly.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2003 18:18:54 | More by Maestro

marc77

California

4.28/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Utterly absorbent pitch black. Uniform dark russet head settles into a taut layer that leaves sparse, lazy foam trails. Robust, enveloping combination of chocolate malt, smooth, warm, licorice laced alcohol and mellow dark caramel malt nearly saturates the nose. The aroma mellows slightly, allowing both light diacetyl, pruneish dark fruit and molasses to surface and add additional depth. Enticingly complex aromawise. Snap of date like sweetness in flavor is hastily tapered by a concomitant barrage of assertive hop bitterness and deeply burnt, carbonaceous roasted barley. Hints of tart, smokey black malt emerge along with pronounced, yet well rounded cocoaish chocolate mid palate. Subdued citric hop character merges with the pruneish undertone after a long deliberation brightening the overall character late. Fairly well attenuated, with a mouthfeel a notch shy of dextrinous and full. Finishes surprisingly clean, with mild notes of molasses and milk chocolate dried abrupty by clean roasted unmalted barley. Although it lacks the complexity and brute malt character of some other imperials, Black Chocolate possesses unique finesse and superlative drinkability. Worthy of cellaring. Delicious!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2003 19:32:00 | More by marc77

marburg

Michigan

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

Blacker than the sight of a rural midnight from under a blindfold. Big brown head. Very aromatic -- chocolate, coffee beans, and black cherries with a light hint of alcohol. Sweet and almost fruit up front -- like a chocolate covered cherry with sweet liquor inside. Big alcoholic finish with a lot of bittersweet notes. A very tasty beer but definitely not one I could consume in mass quantities.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2003 17:15:08 | More by marburg

dmarch

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

What a gorgeous beer this is. Pours dark black with a big tan head. Looks like a stout should. I think the word chocolate might through some people off. In fact, I remember a Michael Jackson book that mentioned this achieving it's chocolatey taste with the use of malts. So I don't believe this actually contains chocolate. The aroma is a lot roastier and robust than expected. This is a stout that I expected to be sweet, but the taste is a more dry chocolate taste. I personally would not consider comparing this to Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Although they have similar names, this is a very different beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2003 17:28:40 | More by dmarch

longpondbeerman

Maine

4.28/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours like the label says: deep and dark--read: black. There a light chocolate brown head and negligible lace after all is said and done. The smell is a little like soy sauce with a hint of hoppy chocolate. The taste was definitely better than the smell--a good, intricately thick imperial stout robustness with a backdrop of musty, hard chocolate. A bit sweet for me on the aftertaste. I like this winter seasonal, though it is not one of my all time favorites.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2003 15:32:45 | More by longpondbeerman

Darkale

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

I have heard so much about this beer, and was finally able to get my hands on a single at one of my beer shopping haunts.

Pours like oil out of a crankcase. Like all good thick stouts the head does not form as much as it emerges, almost having to wriggle up through the viscous black body of the beer. Very little light passes through this beer, and the head is a gorgeous cappuccino brown that lingers with good lacing.

Aroma is slightly malty, with nuts and sweet chocolate.

Round, chewy, creamy and bittersweet mouthfeel. This is one beer that you will be tempted to chew for several minutes. Incredible mouthfeel.

Full chocolate taste, sparkly and delicious.

Not the kind of beer that you could have several of, but a wonderful imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2003 06:04:21 | More by Darkale

stegmakk

New York

3.23/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Looks great...Dark black in color...terriffic dark tan head

Aroma was unsweetened chocolate and molasses

Taste...ummm...there aint much chocolate here...bitter miniscule hint of chocolate and alcohol...

Mouthfeel and drinkability are ok...

Bottom line...there are better chocolate beers out there that you can actually taste it...like rogue's...I will NOT buy brooklyn chocolate stout again

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2003 20:54:19 | More by stegmakk

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

In a taste test by a panel of experts (me, myself, and I) between
3 "chocolate stouts", Young's came on top as the chocolatiest, but this mamma jamma was deemed the superior stout!
Rich mocha flavor wafts out of the bottleneck from the moment the cap snaps off! Oh, this is going to be good!
The color is as black as strap molasses, with a rich bubbling, simmering, dark brown, puddingish head. THIS is STOUT! Already, it seems like a glass of melted chocolate!
Aroma is gorgeous! Sublime! Soft, creamy, yet intense with cocoa, like sticking your face deep into a bag of the stuff, but still, somehow, subtle.
Mouthfeel is powerful, thick, viscous, chewy. When people speak of smoothness as a supreme adjective for any sort of beverage, I reply that I like roughness now and then. (I am, after all, the inventor of The Gilded Platypus, a cocktail contrived of tequila, Yukon Jack, Irish Mist, and sweet vermouth!) This is what I'm talking about! There are several hurdles for the palate to play with, little bites and burps and gurgles, all the things that make beer drinking my favorite hobby.
Many flavors mingle in the mouth, many associations gather in the mind, but largely the feeling is of a burnt cognac, a hot dark rum, and licoriceleatherespressoetceterainto infinity...
Many waves crash again and again on the palate, many happy moments occur as the rough dealings of the day are forgotten and I am lost in this wondrous, darkly beautiful, and frankly ass-kickin' stout!
Thanks, UncleJimbo, I think I liked this one!

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2003 15:09:22 | More by feloniousmonk

Naerhu

Japan

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

Feb2003
Appearance - Midnight on a moonless night in a deep cave. Amazing lace without any head.
Aroma - Holy chocolate.
Taste - Chocolate on heavy frame with firm bitterness that develops
Mouth - Huge rich creamy. How can a beer be chewy, but creamy? Alcohol noticeable.

Apr2005
When I first rated this beer, I thought it was just too rich and powerful. Now I think it is just right.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2003 05:06:31 | More by Naerhu

SamuraiJack

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Fishbone, I get to write a review of an old favorite of mine. For a long time, this was my benchmark for American Imperial Stouts. Now that I've tried more stouts - and in particular some of the West Coast Imperials and Chocolates - I have to say that I don't know if I would categorize this beer as a true "Imperial" (though it's also not a traditional Chocolate Stout either). It, like the Storm King Stout, is its own beast. And, again like the Storm King, what a phenomonal beast it is!!!
In this case, the bottle was from the Winter '02/'03 batch. It's still a bit raw, and should improve over the next six months.
The initial pour shows a enormous tan and creamy head on top of beer of the deepest and darkest black. The head slowly diminishes to a quite thick and sticky lace. Aromas are of malted chocolate balls, toasty grain, alcohol and a hint of espresso. As good as the appearance is, the smell may even be better.
Initial tastes are sweet and chocolaty - a rich almost "fudge-like" flavor that could be cloying in some beers, but is balanced by the crisp (and somewhat unexpected) carbonation, alcohol bite and the slight undercurrent of hops. The finish is of a tart and nearly bitter chocolate-malt that is dry and lingers seemingly forever.
This is a great stout. Like the Storm King, I don't imagine anyone seeing it as a session beer. But as a treat - this is a wonderful one.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2003 15:49:45 | More by SamuraiJack

Denali

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Package: 12-ounce bottle. Winter 2002-2003 vintage.

Appearance: Looks like black mud as it pours out of the bottle. Thick. Black. Thick tan head. So thick not even Superman can see through this beer.

Smell: Strong alcohol and chocolate aroma. Somewhat bready as well.

Taste: Very bitter and alcohol flavor up front. Tangy almost lemon-like zesty flavor is also present. There is an “odd” flavor that is present in the middle of the flavor timeline that I do not like but I can’t quite identify what it is. I just don’t like how it mixes with the other flavors. Chocolate malt flavor is also present. Roasted and burnt espresso aftertaste. Strong hop bitterness also present in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Thick and extremely chewy.

Drinkability: Super strong bitterness and alcohol flavor detracts from the drinkability.

Comments: For me it was not as good as it looked. I enjoyed the chocolate malt and espresso flavors but that “odd” flavor is just not my thing. Thank you Keith (stegmakk) for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2003 17:09:43 | More by Denali

Running4beer

Massachusetts

4.63/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz longneck bottle, Limited "Winter '02-'03"

Pitch black pour with a brown medium whipped head that diminishes rather quickly to a thin lacey layer. Aroma of dark chocolate, espresso and some alcohol. Tastes of dark chocolate, roasted malt, coffee/espresso, light raison and some alcohol make this beer. Light carbonation and a smooth creamy mouthfeel along with its diverse flavors make this a good beer to savor and drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2003 15:58:53 | More by Running4beer

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled on tap at Redbones.

This stout poured black with good, light brown foam that left a coat down the glass. The smell was very modest: caramel malt. The taste was dominated by burnt, roasted malt, but there was some sweetness and some bitter chocolate taste coming through, especially as the beer warmed. The mouthfeel was creamy and smooth with modest carbonation, and a sweetish aftertaste. The drinkability was good.

After having just tasted this beer from a bottle, I was very anxious to sample it on tap (assuming it would be even better), but unfortunately, this is one case where the bottle was better. After talking to some people, I have heard that there are consistency problems with this beer, and perhaps I got a very good bottled batch, and an average keg batch.

Anyway, it was still good, just not as good as the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2003 23:32:18 | More by UncleJimbo

nomad

Kansas

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

Black as night. Very small head accumulated, but some stuck around. The toffee colored head gave way to very thin lace. Nose was a smoky coffee with bits of dark chocolate. You might smell the alcohol at first, with a light fruit and phenolic backgroun. Hard to not say this but this beer is somewhere in the range of a doppelbock, because I detected an ounce of that wheaty but fruity type of roast profile. Indeed after an opening and a swirl or two the fruitiness of the hops comes through, as well as on the tongue.

First hit of taste was a creaminess in taste and texture, and then begins with dark chocolate and ends with coffee. A chalky bitterness at first, then you taste more of a fruit behind the bitterness, as well as the high alcohol. Had a long finish that (incessantly) turned me back to the chocolate taste and smoky, fruity, earthy coffee nose the first taste began with, all of which was supported by the bitterness in the back mouth.

You can feel the warmth in your stomach. The malts are so nicely roasted: enough to impart dark chocolate color and dark chocolate esters, but delicately enough to make a mature taste that is not too chocolatey. Good use of classic and current hops (East Kent Goldings, Cascade, Willamette) to undergird it all and not make it an overly malt experience (they do use 6 different malts). It may be becoming a larger production beer due to Matt, but that nose and long and complex stout experience is something to behold and enjoy every winter – sounds redundant, but eat some dark chocolate with it, like sno-caps, I'm serious!!!

After many sessions with this beer, lemme tell ya: let this one open up in a snifter, and swirl it around – a great way to end a colder day.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2003 10:30:25 | More by nomad

cretemixer

Indiana

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

Thanks to francisweizen for this offering from Brooklyn. Pours pitch black with a honey colored head. The head settles pretty quickly to a thin layer after a few minutes.
Aroma is all chocolate malt, well almost. I smell dark fruit and alcohol too.
Flavor has coffee notes and a nuttiness too. Bitter chocolate quality that is complimented by the sweet fruits. Very solid, well balanced stout. Nice alcohol warmth and a lingering bitter finish.
Nice full bodied beer with a good carbonation level. One very drinkable Imperial. Thanks again Francis.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2003 06:45:30 | More by cretemixer

jeffboo

Minnesota

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

Black as night,and that's a great time to drink this beer.this would work great for those who need a little help falling asleep. Black,black and more black, dark brown head and a nice complex aroma profile of espresso,ripe fruit,raisins and cocoa.It has a nice creamy smooth medium body that holds a combo of bitter chocolate and fresh roasted coffee and a nice acidity in the finish.It doesn't have an especially long finish or real complex flavor profile but a strong roasted stout that is very good.And for a imperial, very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2003 15:50:34 | More by jeffboo

rotsaruch

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Vintage 2002-2003. Pours about as black as moonless, cloudy nite at sea. A pronouced tan head that quickly vanishes, but with linger lacing. A burnt malt aroma is quite noticable. Not suprisingly, the a chocolate and coffee flavor dominates the palate. However, I was disappointed with body and bite of this brew. There appeared to be sourness or acidic finish. May be this brew could benefit with some aging.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2003 18:45:33 | More by rotsaruch

HopheadEd

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

An ' 02-' 03 version, this beer poured a pitch black color and the dark brown head bubbled and faded up the glass like a Guiness! Nice! Chocolates obviously overwhelm the nose as well as roasted malts. The first taste is that of chocolate but some coffee and smokey malts follow. Creamy, creamy mouthfeel that is silky smooth on the tongue, easy going down and very drinkable. Only wish I had more than two. Very nice beer from Brooklyn, which redeemed the last offering, as I know they have great beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2003 16:10:15 | More by HopheadEd

far333

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours into the glass inky dark, almost black. Thin head is dark dark brown, and dissipates quickly. The taste is intense, more like coffee than chocolate. It tastes nearly as strong as their Monster barleywine. This is not a session beer. The taste can be overwhelming to the palate, and two or three bottles will have an impact on your brain. Excellent beer, deep intense flavor. This is a great contribution from the guys in the historic brewery area in Brooklyn.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2003 15:26:21 | More by far333

HossMcGraw

Pennsylvania

4.72/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Finally I've developed a taste for this beer. I've got the 00-01 season and it is the most enormous beer I've ever had. I'd imagine that there are not too many beers that rival this as far as thickness and maltiness is concerned. It appears as if you're pouring black paint into a pint glass. It is so unbelievably thick. The smell of dark roasted malts and raisins is the best part of this beer for me although the taste is pretty bomb too. Similar malt and raisin notes here with a nice hop balance and hints of dark chocolate. Aftertaste will leave you wanting to drink three or four more of these, brush your teeth, and then pass out from the high ABV, which I'm about to do right now. This is the ultimate beer for a cold winter night.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2003 23:19:18 | More by HossMcGraw

JohnnyDuvel

Florida

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

This is as well balanced a stout as you will ever have. It is good in every way. Not too sweet or chocolaty, not overly hoppy or malty. Nice taste. Pours black, with a decent sized head, with some retention. Chocolate notes are certainly present, but they do not overwhelm the beer. Alcohol well hidden. This is not a stout that will immediately knock your socks off, but I can't imagine anyone not liking it. Thanks Joe!

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2003 21:52:36 | More by JohnnyDuvel

Dantes

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Package: 12oz. bottle, no ABV listed; “Limited Bottling-Winter ‘02-‘03”. Classy but busy gold and white lettering on a black label. Neck-label describing Imperial Stouts.

Cost: $1.49 (single)

Presentation: Imperial Pint glass at 50º

Appearance: Generous gunsmoke. Poured beautifully, generating a dense, voluminous, dark-brown head studded with some larger bubbles. Glass displayed a beautiful, long-lasting cascade of bubbles as head built. Foam persisted throughout the beer, generating heavy curtains of lace and thick rings at each swallow. Looked like a nitrogen-draught stout! Held to light, only the faintest glow existed at the edges.

Smell: Restrained aroma, despite head and carbonation activity. Definitely some sweet, roasted malt; with hints of caramel coffee and some alcohol licks. I was disappointed that there wasn’t any indication of chocolatey notes, but I didn’t have to wait long!

Taste: Wow! The chocolate was right up front, lined with an espresso edge. Further tasting revealed the sensation of plums preserved in eau de vie, a woody fruitiness, and the bitter-chocolate edge. Reminded me of Venezuelan El Rey 99% bittersweet chocolate. No overt sweetness, but an overall impression of rounded flavors. Alcohol was well-integrated, extending the sensation of flavors in the middle and finish.

Mouthfeel: Very creamy and viscous, staking a firm claim on one’s tongue. The extremely fine but persistent carbonation generating that beautiful pour really improves the flavor and my enjoyment of this beer.

Drinkability: Astoundingly drinkable! I could easily drink three of these without a problem (except for subsequent locomotion). It was satisfying, refreshing, intriguing, and inviting.

After the Storm King, I thought that I wouldn’t like this very much as it is not as well-rated (thus the single bottle). Boy was I glad I tried it. I found this to be a really enjoyable beer. I thought that it was smoother, more complex, and more flavorful than the Storm King; with a better appearance and mouthfeel than the Sam Smith’s Imperial Stout. After my SK experience, I began to doubt my ability to appreciate Imperial Stouts, but I’ve found another I like and my current benchmark for the type. Putting my money where my mouth is, I bought 2 sixes of this for immediate consumption. On draught, this would be a 5 overall!

Backwash: Even my mother liked this! What else can I say?

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2003 16:17:57 | More by Dantes

Bcant

Michigan

4.58/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This sturdy stout pours black and has a rocky creamy head. Its remarkable chocolate flavors, derived entirely from the malts (rather than from real chocolate as in some stouts) are well balanced by enough hops to avoid over sweetness. Other detectable flavors light caramel notes and a hit of smokiness from the roasted malts. A cold winter's night feels complete with a pint of Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2003 18:00:46 | More by Bcant

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

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

This beer is pure darkness in a bottle. Light can not penetrate it and only a chocolate mousse colored foam head let's you know you have not fallen into a black hole. Above the beer hovers an aroma of alcohol, malt, and cherry (reminds me of a port wine). Each sip of this full bodied beer begins rich and malty. Coffee, chocolate, raisin (or cherry?), and alcohol are all present. A sticky sweetness with fruity overtones are left behind.

The fruity esters and alcohol flavor were a bit of a turn off for me. However, the malty characteristics and smooth mouthfeel make this an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2003 13:52:10 | More by WanderingFool

vitesse

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer just pours so beautifully -- performance art in a glass. The carbonation just cascades so smoothly and the head comes up to a creamy, tan foam.
The alcohol in it seems to hit the tastebuds hard, but in a pleasant way- a way that tells you "respect me, fool!"
The taste that is most prominent has to be the malts. The maltiness is so good that you won't long at all for hops bitterness.
This is just a perfect winter dessert beer. The only thing that takes away from it a tiny bit is that once the beer settles in the glass, it seems to lose some of its creamy texture (but that's a small price to pay.)
This is a serious, heavyweight beer -- and one that is probably one of the most affordable in beer stores.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2003 08:11:24 | More by vitesse