Double Chocolate Stout - Fort Collins Brewing

barleywinefiend

Washington

3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a deep, dark brown with a little bit of carbonation up front, small tannish head that quickly disappeared. Nose was of some choloate, maybe some espresso. The alcohol was pretty strong for 8.10 ABV. The taste was strong of alcohol and not so much on the chocolate. the alcohol just took control and it shouldnt have for 8.10 ABV. The alcohol was not disguised well and the taste was not that chocolatey. Roasted malts hung in there and it finished rather dry. I know its Imperial but a Rogue Choc Stout blows this away! Would not drink or buy again. Average.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2008 03:48:34 | More by barleywinefiend

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.83/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in my Brigand goblet. Poured an opaque dark brown (not quite black) with ruby red highlights when the light penetrates. Half-inch coffee-colored head quickly dissipated into an oily skim with a narrow band around the perimeter of the glass. Lacing was somewhat thin and watery during the tasting. Nose was mild, but most distinguishable scents were espresso roast coffee and malt. Flavors of bitter dark chocolate in the mouth as well as a slight hops presence at the finish. Somewhat effervescent; mouthfeel fell somewhere between watery and silky, but tended to smooth out a little more as the brew reached room temperature. Decent drinkability - alcohol is well hidden, but I was expecting something a little more decadent for a double chocolate stout. Not too bad, but not what I would consider as a hallmark of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2008 22:23:33 | More by Jwale73

Blybloke

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Purchased this bomber at Chicone's in Hudson, WI.

This is a rather unremarkable beer. Pours a dark brown to near black with a half-inch sandy cap.

Roasted coffee and, yes, chocolate on the nose. The chocolate isn't as assertive as I'd have liked. It's there, but you have to kind of dig for it.

Same with the flavor. Kind of messy without being intriguing. Chocolate and coffee come through with pinch of alcohol. To me, the chocolate should shine instead of hanging around among the other flavors.

Mouthfeel was average at best. For a double stout, it wasn't very thick. Not a huge complaint, but it was noticable.

Drinkability I thought was average to good. It goes down nicely, but I wouldn't consider having more than a bottle of this at a time (even if it was in 12oz bottles)

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2008 00:09:06 | More by Blybloke

AMo

Missouri

4.38/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Fort Collins Brewery Double Chocolate Stout pours a dense, opaque black with a short stiff tan head. The smell is mild of roasted malts, with a slight coffee like aroma. Taste is mellow with a dark chocolate background. Five minutes into this double duce everything just explodes and gets ten fold better. Mouthfeel is exceptionally silky smooth, medium dense, with a slight carbonation that is just enough for a perfect feel. Every degree this comes up in temperature the drinkability gets better and the flavor begins to fly out. I almost think this would be worth trying room temp, but I thoroughly enjoyed how this just kept getting better and better till done.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2008 00:37:18 | More by AMo

benito

Oregon

2.75/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Opaque, dark brown imperial stout with a thin head and great, pronounced chocolate aromas. The flavor is marred by a harsh, roasted-barley bitterness and a solventy, alcoholic finish. There are nice coffee, cocoa, chicory, and chocolate flavors, but they don't have the time or space to develop given those two flaws.

This was my second bomber of this brew, and I had the same reaction both times. It is slightly more palatable as it warms to room temp, but the biting finish is too overwhelming to make this a recommendable beer.

FCB's lagers are still their best bets; skip this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2008 05:33:56 | More by benito

homebrewhawk

Kansas

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz brown bottle served in a shaker pint. Poured a deep brown/black with a couple of fingers of tan head. Fairly carbonated. Chocolate, coffee and some roasted barley in the aroma. Medium body. Heavy roasted barley bitterness. I got more coffee flavors than chocolate. Very long dry malty finish. Alcohol was not very apparent. The roasted bitterness was a little harsh.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2008 03:13:38 | More by homebrewhawk

Goliath

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with one finger of mocha colored head. The head dissipates quickly with no real lacing.

Aroma showcases some great roasted malt flavors. Strong chocolate as well as coffee in the nose.

Flavors are big. Nice bitter chocolate with a robust roasted cofee. A great hop bitterness and slight alcohol warmth accompany the roasted malts.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and lightly carbonated. Drinkability is good, but a bomber is plenty due to moderately high ABV and strong flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2008 17:24:45 | More by Goliath

bort11

Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22 oz bottle poured into a goblet. Dark mocha colored head that gradually recedes to a thin filmy ring. not a lot of stickage.

Smell is pretty boozy with some burnt coffee and bitter chocolate notes. Taste is also pretty boozy, a lot more coffee and only a little bit of chocolate.

Mouthfeel is a little lighter than what I would expect for a double stout. Still has some body to it.

I don't know about this one. I have had much better. This one leaves me pretty "Eh"

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 02:46:03 | More by bort11

satowns

Colorado

3.05/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle poured into an imperial pint. Creamy dark brown head which enjoys hanging around.

Aroma of intense bittersweet/dark chocolate, spent coffee grinds, campfire ash. Aromas get less descript as the stout warms.

Mild chocolate, roasted malt flavors and mild bitterness control the profile. The range of flavors appears to be pretty limited. Lacks the richness of other chocolate stouts.

DCS has decent body with slickness to the finish.

I expected a chocolaty, velvety, rich, robust and potent stout, but was let down. Don't get me wrong; the beer isn't flawed, and it doesn't have any ugly characteristics. I think it is very drinkable stout. Double Chocolate; I don't think so. Double stout brewed with some chocolate; more like it. Its funny how semantics can get in the way of a review; just don't let it discourage you from enjoying this beer.

Music enjoyed whilst sampling: Rock Me by the Doors

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2008 02:26:52 | More by satowns

Domingo

Colorado

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

I like the normal Chocolate Stout from Ft. Collins, so this was an easy decision to make.
Pours a dark brown that's heading close to black. For a beer over 8% it actually has a pretty impressive frothy head, too. Looks enticing!
Smells kind of earthy with coffee, chocolate, roasted almonds, and hops. It also has that "signature" Ft. Collins brewing smell. I can't tell if it's the malt, hops, or the yeast, but I could pick anything they brew out of a line-up EASILY. In some cases it doesn't work, but with this brew it does.
Taste is very rich and coffee-based. Dark chocolate, chicory, and a little bit of a brandy note. Much like the smell, you can tell who brewed this immediately...but again, it works with this brew.
The mouthfeel starts off thicker with the head, but it dissipates faster than expected. After only about 10 minutes, it was virtually flat and the lacing was gone.
For a brew of this potency, it went down VERY easily. Probably even too easily.

I liked this. It's not a world beater, but at $4-5 a bottle, it's a no brainer.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2008 14:56:25 | More by Domingo

dsa7783

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From what I understand, this is a relativley new brew to hit the marketplace... just picked up a 650 ML bottle from Gary's in Madison for $4.99... probably the best brew I've sampled from Fort Collins and an overall great example of the Imperial Stout style... pours a jet-black, ebony hue with a minimal tan and reddish frothy head that soon receded... smell was replete with cocoa and dark lattee nuances that really hit home and were noticeable... taste strongly mirrored the smell, with a powerful suggestion of dark, burnt coffee, roasted malts, espresso, cappuccino, and sweet sugars... excellent flavor that really sunk in and lingered on the tongue for quite some time... a very chocolate taste that really makes itself known... excellent stuff... easily drinkable with an equally good mouthfeel... 8.1% ABV is nearly impossible to detect behind a rich combination of thick flavors... Definitely recommended...

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2008 23:28:22 | More by dsa7783

hwwty4

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a 22oz bottle into a Smokestack goblet. Pours a dark brown with almost grape tones when held up to the light and a tight, thin beige head that disappeared rapidly. Aroma was weaker than I expected. Hints of dark chocolate with a hoppy finish on the nose. Taste is fudge and day old coffee with a rummy finish. Mouthfeel is thin with no real lingering finish. Good but not as good as many of the other seasonals that FCBC does.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2008 01:33:30 | More by hwwty4

Beaver13

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle. Pours a dark brown with a thin light tan head that quickly diminishes to a thin film.

The aroma is grains, fudgy chocolate, and acidic coffee.

The flavor is sweet and roasted chocolate malts with a balancing acidic coffee finish. The alcohol is well hidden. As it warms, some bitter black licorice comes out. The mouthfeel is medium to full with low but sharp carbonation.

Overall, a very nice stout - one of FCB's better efforts.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2008 05:35:05 | More by Beaver13

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark brown black color with almost no head. The first whiff from the bottle is slight dark chocolate and then hops, oddly enough. There is also a hint of roasted something in there. The taste does not quite match the smell. Bitter like old coffee and not much chocolate at all. The mouthfeel is very thin. I would rather have the regular chocolate stout from Ft. Collins.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2008 02:07:52 | More by ArrogantB

MYJELLOMISFIT

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Received as a "gift". Thanks Bill.
Pours a wonderfully deep dark black. Head is thick with big bubbles that do not want to go away. When lacing does form and sticky and stays to the edge.

Smell is subtle and easily missed. Wonderful notes of roasted malts, sweet caramel, chocolate, and a soft bitter hop note.

Taste is full and flavorful. Unsweetened chocolate, roasted malt, and chocolate. Big in depth and very well rounded throughout the mouth. Alcohol is present but it's 8.1 is hidden very well.

Mouthfeel is beautifully smooth. Little carbonation and slightly slick on the tongue. Nice heavy feel. This is the best beer to come out of the Fort Collins Brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2008 04:12:20 | More by MYJELLOMISFIT

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours mahogany with 2+ fingers of tan colored head. Great lacing & average head retention

S: Huge coffee nose, plus ample roasty malt, plus some iron & cocoa as this warms.

T: Roasty malt, dryness, & chocolate up front. Slight boozeyness as this warms, a touch of iron, singed grain & molasses surface once this warms. Finishes dry, a bit warm booze-wise, with much roastyness,plus a touch of iron . My one question: Where's the chocolate??

Very chewy, low carbonation with just a touch of oilyness

Drinks pretty easy, coffee slanted Imp stouts aren't in my wheelhouse, but I could put a few down on a cold morning, where's the grits & bacon?? Glad to see this brewery spread it's alewings again!

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2008 06:01:51 | More by russpowell