Arcadia Cocoa Loco - Arcadia Brewing Company

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

3.4/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Coffee like brown, has a certain shine to it, almost no head and thin lacing.

S: Strong notes of roasted cocoa nibs and powder. Very roasty. A lot of coffee.

T: For a "crazy" chocolate stout, it's full of coffee. Super roasty qualities, some cocoa pebble sweetness. Frankly, it tastes like burnt coffee most of all. One of the most burnt tasting beers I've had.

M: The body is medium, carbonation is decent, but the burnt characteristic carries over here.

O/D: The chocolate isn't as strong as the coffee, but even that factor keeps it at a slightly above average stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 17:41:28 | More by mostpoetsdo

lurpy1

Minnesota

2.98/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bottle picked up at Big Ten party store.

Pours a nice dark, not much head something about it looks troublesome.

Smell is strongly chocolate and cream, but it's also got a Nestle-Qwik smell I can't really shake.

Similar results on the taste, somehow it comes off as slightly false and cloying. Plenty of chocolate though. It has a thick consistency, normally I like it, but here it's more of a clogging sensation.

I don't know, this is a somewhat unusual beer what with the lactose, but it wasn't a beer I really got into. I may give it another try.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 16:36:28 | More by lurpy1

silentjay

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

brownish black with a light mocha head that raises to 2 fingers, recedes averagely and leaves a bit of lacing behind.

caramel, molasses, and smoke on the aroma with a touch of cocoa powder. not as much chocolate as I expected from the name and description.

chalky cocoa powder is more evident in the flavor though not completely dominant, with caramel and molasses and chocolate milk backing that up and making it rather sweet. roast and bitterness balance that out rather nicely. a touch of a metallic off-flavor and some tart flavors are detectable and slightly detrimental.

barely medium bodied, yet creamy, with a subtle, yet prickly carbonation and a chalky feel left on the palate.

its decent... kind of has an identity crisis. does it want to be sweet or roasty? does it want to be thin or full? does it want to be bitter or sweet? does it want to be chocolaty or milky? it falls short of being balanced because of the detectable off-flavors though if it went one direction or the other it may get past those off qualities. as it is, its a decent brew, but it falls short of many other available options.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 07:28:32 | More by silentjay

DrewV

New York

3.85/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle at 45 degrees into a tulip glass. Date code on the bottle reads "C1".

A: Pours a dark chocolaty brown, almost black, color in the glass. A solid 3-finger mocha head sits on top. Spotty lacing remains as the head recedes.

S: A musty aroma hits the nose first, followed closely by bittersweet cocoa, some booze, and dark fruit. Maybe some molasses. Decent aroma, aside from the mustiness.

T: No mustiness here! Baker's chocolate up front, a good dose of roasty flavors, definite dark fruit, and more booze. Very close in flavor to Sam Smith's Imperial Stout, but more roasty. More dark fruit trails into the finish/aftertaste. Unfortunately, the flavor profile falls apart and gets a bit thinner halfway through the glass, causing this brew to lose some points here.

M: Adequate carbonation, true to style. Mouthfeel is dry.

O: A very good stout. Something I could definitely stand to keep stocked in my beer fridge if it were available in my area. A solid B+ in my book.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 00:05:00 | More by DrewV

oline73

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy dark brown with a little light coming through at the edges. There is a finger of tan head that goes away and leaves a layer around the edges.

Smell: Mildly sweet and roasty. Hints of chocolate with a strong smell of lactose.

Taste: Quite roasty. The roast covers up most of the flavor of the lactose. There is a strong taste of dark chocolate as well. I'm not picking up a lot of molasses or hardly any sweetness for that matter.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thin side for this style. The carbonation is a regular amount but fairly smooth. The finish is very mildly dry.

Overall: I would have liked this one to be a bit sweeter and have a thicker body. Overall it wasn't bad, but I don't know that I feel the need to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 03:43:13 | More by oline73

socon67

New York

4.03/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours black with a minimal creme head. Serious lacing on the pint glass.

S - Strong scent of cocoa; smells like a hot chocolate packet. Also a little espresso aroma. But the cocoa is very dominant.

T - Flavor if chocolate and roasted malt. This drinks like a softer version of the big chocolate stouts.

M - The bitteress in the back end could be softer, and this guy is a bit weak in consistency. This is almsot a gateway to chocoalte stouts. Not bad, but could be a bit better.

O - Was actually darned good on nitro, and I'd try again. Is a good beer with dessert given the cocoa potency.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-04-2011 02:49:07 | More by socon67

angelogarcia3

New York

4.08/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This excellent stout is very dark with a thick dark brown head. The roasted malts and hints of chocolate come through on the nose as you take the first swallow. In the mouth it is very thick and creamy with a hint of spicyness that blends well with the chocolate and roasted malt flavors. Had this beer at The Good Life in Massapequa, NY.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-29-2011 00:24:09 | More by angelogarcia3

ferrari29

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer poured from bottle into Pint shaped glass

A - Beer pours with a dark brown, almost black, rich textured body; opaque and doesn't appear to have much carbonation coming from the bottom of the glass (mainly because I can't see it); barley any head formed, but what did come up was a dark beige colored head and withered away pretty quickly; some lacing

S - wow, explosive dark chocolate and coffee scents; reminds me of cold drip coffee at the bottom of your mus; dark roasted malt scents; hits my senses immediately and reminds me of a dark chocolaty liquor-based candy; some jam/molasses

T - Drip coffee madness; chocolate richness and flavor; great blend of to of my favorite flavors; deep and full; roasted malt back-end; coffee and chocolate notes coat the back of my throat, mucus and make everything taste of chocolate/coffee during retro-olfaction; sweet

M - Kind of thin; consistent body through out the sip, which is great; I was hoping this would be more silky smooth like Arcadia oatmeal stout; slight oily feel, but mostly watery

D - Great dessert drink; full of rich dark flavors and sweet too; needs to rid itself of the drip coffee taste and feel I get; should get a richer and deeper espresso taste to it; still comes well-recommended from me

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 04:36:13 | More by ferrari29

codsmith

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours very dark brown, almost black, with a small foamy tan head that dissipates down to only a near covering. Head should be more prominent for this style

S: Strong amounts of chocolate with less predominate coffee/espresso flavors. The roasted grain seems to be covered pretty well by the large amounts of lactose. There is a nice amount of bitterness from the cocoa nibs.

T: It has a very smooth draw from the lactose and chocolate; There seems to be a perfect balance between the two. With the addition of all these sweet ingredients they come out very mellow and mild in the end. It finished off with a spicy bitterness.

M: Full-bodied in the mouth, but goes down fairly light-medium. Carbonation is a little underdone, especially for this style.

O: Very smooth and tasty beer. It seems to fit more into the the Sweet Stout (13B) category than the American Stout category. A little more carbonation would bring this into the next level of greatness.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2011 17:56:17 | More by codsmith

dgugliuzza

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a New Holland pint glass

Pours black with a drawn out cascade effect. Thick and pillowy dark tan head. Seems coarse and has good head retention.

Smells of Hershey's cocoa powder with a mix of toffee and vanilla. It's loaded with sweet malts with hints of lactose sugar to boot. The milky sweetness gives way to a bitter finish that balances out the chocolaty sweetness.

The taste precisely mirrors the smell. A heavy dose of cocoa powder followed by some lactose sugar. Plenty of sweetness that is rounded out by some bitterness.

The mouthfeel is thin. Not as much creaminess as I would like in a stout that's dominated by chocolate and lactose. Light carbonation. Goes down very smooth and is easy drinking.

Overall this is a darned tasty chocolate stout. Not as bold or thick as most others which makes it easier to drink, yet sacrifices thickness and creaminess. Has a fantastic and distinct cocoa aroma. This makes for a fantastic dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 22:03:35 | More by dgugliuzza

dfillius

Michigan

4.53/5  rDev +26.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Aggressive pour yields 1/2 finger of brown head which quickly fizzles away to a ring. Deep dark brown clear liquid. More head please.

S: Molasses, milk chocolate, slight berry, milk

T: Nothing jumps out at the beginning, but all works together well. Some tang, some bitter, some alcohol. Bittersweet molasses and lacto finish. Delicious.

M: Smooth, slightly bitter, pleasantly warming. Satiny

D: Very nice. I'd order another and buy again!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 19:42:41 | More by dfillius

drewba

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Opaque black with brown notes. Creamy looking one finger mocha head that slowly dies down a thin film on top. Decent lacing that splotches slowly down the sides and leaves a trail of mocha goodness.

S - First and foremost, there is a lot of that lactose and mocha backed up by milk chocolate, a solid roastiness, leather and caramel sweetness. This smells pretty good, but the overall aroma is a little on the low side.

T - The chocolate is really well done - comes in waves beginning with sweet milk chocolate, to a charred roast + mocha, then some cocoa which is dark and dry. The roast and dryness hang around for the whole taste while there is some plum, molasses, root beer and leather in the middle, but overall this is pretty boring once the chocolate has exited the taste buds.

M - Too thin, low carbonation. The mouthfeel starts off creamy, has a little tingle on the tongue, then just falls away. It's miserably thin...

O - I think a richer mouthfeel could have saved this - would have helped that chocolate hang around and really pop, but it doesn't deliver.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 23:38:12 | More by drewba

GreenJetta912

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Black beer with dark brown head.

Nose: roasted coffee moreso than chocolate.

Middle: It starts out coffe as the ale goes down the throat and it quickly turns to chocolate. Taste exactly like I expected it too, damn good. There are coffee and chocolate flavors as the name suggests. Everything I expected and I dont know if that's a good thing of a bad thing.

Finish is primarily chocolatly and a tad dry.

Overall pretty good. Right in the middle between a highly-drinkable session ale and a slow sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 05:09:48 | More by GreenJetta912

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The third beer this evening for me was the Arcadia Cocoa Loco...and yes there is not question that chocolate was used to brew this beer. The color was absolutely dark with virtually no head. The smell was very chocolately and sweet....like molassis. The taste was very heavy...almost like a sweet liquior. Definite chocolate (semi-sweet) with molassis. Very rich...plenty of body...just too sweet for my taste. The mouthfeel was tough because of the sweetness...not enough balance.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 02:48:10 | More by WoodBrew

falloutsnow

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A hard pour into a standard US pint glass produces a huge head (note to self: pour a bit more gently next time) of dark brown, fairly dense foam. This recedes within a few minutes so that you can look at your beer proper. Totally opaque, dark brown or black in color. In light, gives off some dark ruby red hues. Adequate lacing from the head's declension, individual sips...not so much.

Dominant scents of chocolate syrup (or cocoa powder), mocha, chocolate milk, and molasses. A bit of ethanol in the background. This is kind of like the beer equivalent of Kahlua or Bailey's.

Big chocolate tastes upfront, fades to a roasted/charred barley/coffee ground flavor in the finish. Just enough hops to add some balance, mostly lurking in the far back. Alcohol is there, too, providing a gentle burn in the back (more noticeable with beer warmth). Trying this beer after a piece of milk chocolate, I can say the stout has a definite alcohol bite to it, is less sugary, but also features a distinct burnt or smoky flavor that is not present otherwise.

Mouthfeel is a bit thinner than expected, about medium heavy. Carbonation is fairly middle of the road, too, nothing aggressive, but still noticeable. A "gentle" mouthfeel, I would call it. The finish is surprisingly dry, given what seems to be a small amount of hops used. Would have liked a bigger body and perhaps a bit more carbonation.

While drinking this, I find myself thinking that this is what the original "chocolate beverage" of native peoples could have tasted like. Sort of. While you can call this a stout, it's almost like it's own style of that genre: the super-chocolaty stout. The flavor is big enough to make this a sipper (and the alcohol level is just about there, too). If you enjoy chocolate, or chocolate-tasting beverages, you should check this one out. I know I'll be returning to it.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 04:10:21 | More by falloutsnow

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: deep brownish black body, trace head, very little lacing

S: chocolate, molasses, hint of roasted coffee

T: roasted coffee, malt, bitter chocolate, molasses, mild boozy finish

M: medium body, mild tongue prick, hint of slick/oily

O: Nice beer. Arcadia has surprised me with this fine sipping brew. Not for everyone, the coffee/bitter choc/molasses with boozy flavor may turn off a newbie to craft beers, but interesting flavors.

GOOD, WORTH TRYING!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 15:59:00 | More by BeerLover99

EricCioe

Montana

3.8/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This pours slate black with just a little bit of light through at the edges. The head is two fingers, espresso crema colored, with a little lace. On the nose there is a great combination of ultra-rich chocolate, a huge molasses note, a slightly sour lactose note, a dark roasted malts. To me the only fault is that the lactose might be a step ahead of where it ought to be in the balance. In the mouth all of the parts of the nose are apparent on various parts of the tongue, with the lactose hanging in the background until a long finish leaves it as the last thing on the tongue. The body is medium light, much lighter than I'd have expected based on the nose and pour, and while it's not bad to the point of distraction, it's definitely short on body. Overall, this is a good beer that I might classify as a milk stout due to the lactose, which is just on the safe side of enjoyable for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 18:55:54 | More by EricCioe

Lauthaha

Michigan

2.2/5  rDev -38.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a beer mug.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown which ends up as nearly-opaque in the glass. Head is medium-dark tan color which recedes leaving interesting bubbly lacing. Not a bad start.

Smell: My first thought is, "They had a problem covering up the alcohol." Really? At only 7% ABV? That's my first thought? There is certainly some mocha flavor in there somewhere, but I'm not impressed.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Beer is fairly watery for a "stout." Medium carbonation reveals nothing but a real rubbing alcohol flavor. Sour in all the wrong ways, and almost no chocolate nor coffee in the taste. Aftertaste is all alcohol.

Overall: Fairly disappointed in this brew. It's drinkable (as in, I'm *going* to drink it), but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Perhaps my opinion is swayed because I had an RIS to precede this one...but seriously...beer is supposed to taste good no matter when you drink it, and this just isn't hitting the spot.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 00:57:14 | More by Lauthaha

schoolboy

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I was just in the Bahamas in March, at a place Royal Caribbean cruises calls Coco Cay, where they sold drinks called Coco Loco for $8 (plus gratuity). This ain't nothing like that. But it would have been nicer to have this.

It's one of those clean stouts with a lot going on. Clean means a neat balance of malt, hops (weak here, but appropriately), etc. It has the chocolate flavor, but not at all too strong - I could take more.

I am more likely to go on the same cruise than buy this again, but the cruise would have been better had they had this brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 19:55:28 | More by schoolboy

SHODriver

California

3.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: pours a black shade, not very viscous and produces a meager amount of light brown head which quickly recedes to
S: very sweet, slightly roast malt but it's mostly dominated by chocolate and hints of coffee
T: dominated by chocolate, a dash of roast flavors, a bit of coffee, and just a bit of input from the molasses. The swallow is bitter chocolate that starts off sharp but slowly recedes and is a bit drying
M: smooth and silky but a touch light with slightly prickly carbonation.
O: not bad, it's a bit of an oddity of sorts as some of the flavors are really indescribable but the complexity is there. It's probably a bit too outside the box for a lot of people and I wouldn't consider it sessionable. Not bad but not great either but if you want to try something a bit different this one wouldn't be bad to give a shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 07:13:40 | More by SHODriver

bobhits

Kentucky

1.6/5  rDev -55.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

2006cocoa loco

A bit apprehensive of trying these arcadia ales with this much age on them. 7% is a touch iffy.

Opens with a strong "pppshh" and pours a nice tall tan head. Solid legs on this and especially good at 7%. This beer seems a bit thicker than the 7% would indicate.

The aroma is that of sour. This reminds me a lot of the big dick ale I have had recently. My fear is this is a sign the beers have gone bad, but part of me feels this flavor is too similar. Perhaps a similar yeast or something along those lines. There is a faint coco finish to indicate that this is a stout after all.

A sweet/sour strong sour ale like malt opens this beer. Followed by subtle coco and faint chocolate malt. I don't pick up on any lactose effects or the molasses that's supposed to be in this one. After heating the beer up running hot water against the glass, the beer has taken on some more stout like characteristics. An almost sickeningly sweet malt mixes with cocoa flavors that aren't strong or bitter enough to even try and balance things out. No burnt malt flavors what so ever leaves this beer impressively unenjoyable. I can't imagine this was ever a good beer, there just aren't even remnants of one remaining.

This is a drain pour without question. I want to try this fresh but it seems all I see lately are 3-5 year old bottles of Arcadia's beers and they are showing up new to the stores. I have no idea if there's some weird issue with Kentucky's distribution chains or what. Either way I'm skeptical to blame this beer completely on the age considering all their beers seem to give off this odd flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 22:59:16 | More by bobhits

superspak

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle. Pours deep dark brown color with a fairly dense 2 finger tan head with very good retention that reduces to a lacing cap. Aromas of chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, molasses, and some vanilla. A bit weak on the nose. Taste of chocolate, coffee, molasses, roasted malt. Sweet tasting up front with the chocolate, molasses, and lactose; which moves on to a fairly strong coffee bitterness on the finish that lingers for a bit after the finish with roasted flavors. Fairly creamy and medium-full body with medium carbonation. The creaminess felt a little odd though, and there are a few off flavors in the taste, and the flavor balance is a bit off. The alcohol is well hidden, only a slight warming after the finish is noticed. Overall this is a pretty good stout, and I would have it again in the future, it has some good qualities to it.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 22:27:31 | More by superspak

foogerd

New York

3.6/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pitch black with a coffee colored head and some lacing.

S- Smells like a milk stout, the lactose is very straightfoward with some bakers chocolate.

T- Again a definite concentration on the lactose, too much to call this an American Stout.

M- The label indicates that its part of the "Brew Chew Big Beer Series" considering that claim I was a bit let down. But if one considers this a milk stout its pretty decent.

D- Nothing outstanding either way, the abv is pretty well hidden and its a decently tasty brew but just not what I expected, I was expecting a big in your face stout. The label says its a Stout brewed with chocolate, mollasses, and lactose, in addition to the claim of it being chewey, it led me to thinking this beer was going to be a monster brew. So dont expect that but know its a very solid tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 03:34:46 | More by foogerd

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Brewed in collaboration with Sonny (of Cocoa Puffs fame). You never know. It pours a sleek obsidian topped by a lovely finger of cream-ecru froth. The nose comprises roasted malts, light coffee, very light molasses, and a touch of char in the background. The taste brings the roast back with a vengeance, along with some of that char and a heaping amount of bitter dark chocolate. It all comes out a bit astringent to the tongue. The body is a hefty medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a sorta drying finish. Overall, a decent stout, but things didn't seem to come together all the way for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 02:31:34 | More by TMoney2591

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Poured a nice dark black with a nice inch of mocha head. Looks decent.

S - I can't get around the smell. Kind of medicinal but I believe it was the harsh smell of molasses. I also get a bit of cocoa powder but man straight but molasses is funky.

T - When I first had this it came off as a brown ale with cocoa powder but my redefined palate now tastes roasted malts, mostly cocoa powder (harsh and gritty) and finishes bitter with dark chocolate tones. Mild lactose makes it more drinkable and less bitter hop profile.

M - It was pretty sip-able but I found it to be medium to full bodied. Harsh yet drinkable.

D - Well for 3.50 a 12oz bottle I would never get it again but with no balance and such harsh roasted malt and cocoa tones it really doesn't seem worth getting again. There are more drinkable stouts out there, so avoid if you can.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2011 23:03:28 | More by DrDemento456