Young's Double Chocolate Stout - Wells & Young's Ltd

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Black with deep red tinges throughout and a thumb sized, foamy head that is a tan brown colour and stays well.

Some strong coffee notes to begin with along with a good helping of chocolate as the name would suggest. There is a sort of milky aroma following all of this with some sugar and some malty aromas too.

Cocoa chocolate and some coffee, some milk and some very good malt notes. The flavour is quite a rich one but still makes for easy drinking. The beer is rounded off lingering sweetness.

Medium bodied with weak carbonation and a very sweet, rich chocolate feel to it that despite of this is quite smooth and easy to drink. It is a very flavoursome drink and overall it has great balance.

A wonderful tasting beer and one that came rather out of the blue, I picked this up at the last second leaving the shop a few weeks ago and it turned out to be a lot better than I was expecting. It was bursting with flavour and had great balance. This one turned out to be on of the better stout I have had.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 15:38:21 | More by flyingpig

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got a 22oz glass of this at Hollywood Stadium inside Hollywood Casino in Joliet, IL. This pours as black as can be with a light brown head. It smells of robust malts and sweet chocolate. The texture is like most English beers, very light and full of air to the point it drinks lighter than water. The taste of course is full, complex, sweet, and robust. This beer is quite renowned, but I would like it better if it had a little heavier texture to it. Drinks smooth and finishes with a slightly chalky after taste.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2012 04:26:50 | More by Lemke10

seydou

South Africa

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Pours a great dark color, though the head reminds me a bit too much of coca-cola foam. Smells distinctly of chocolate, or coffee. I always mix the two.

Drinking is so smooth, easy without being thin, flavorful without being fake.

Feels a little too bubbly in the mouth, which is counter to the smooth and mellow and dark chocolate feel.

Overall, one of my favorite beers that is widely available.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 19:30:17 | More by seydou

Guden

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Served in a can without a glass at Policy in DC. From the looks of it its very dark brown without much of a head.

S- Booze! Up front the boozy alcohol is the most noticeable with some chocolate, caramel and a milk and brownie finish.

T- The booze from the nose is not nearly as noticeable with the deep complex flavors of luscious chocolate cake coating the tongue then fading to lingering sweet brownie and chocolate chips.

M- Medium bodied but low in carbonation (or nitrogen as is the case). Not bad but a little higher in both respects would allow it to be more mouth filling and let the chocolate play some.

O- The chocolate is such a good flavor in this. Minus the booze of the nose and with a touch more body and bubbles this could be a perfect beer. Makes for a very nice dessert as is though.

Serving type: nitro-can

10-29-2012 01:49:56 | More by Guden

BrownNut

Florida

3.74/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle to nonic, served five minutes out of the fridge.

A - 4.0 - Opaque dark brown. Nice, thick, creamy tan head that endures for quite a while.

S - 3.5 - Smells of general stouty black malt smell plus a bit of chocolate plus a bit of sweeter malt.

T - 3.75 - That chalky black malt char taste really comes to the front, and the chocolate is barely sweet, almost of the baking chocolate variety. There's a hint of coffee. Not what I was expecting. Of course I forgot to let it sit out, so I imagine I'd get more chocolate when warmer. I actually like it the way it is though. I didn't really want something really sweet. Definitely better than average, but not quite as complex as some of the things I'd give a 4.

M - 3.5 - Thinner than expected. Even crisp. Has a slight chalkiness.

O - 4.0 - Between the char-forwardness, the not-very-sweet chocolate note, and the thin chalky crispness, this is a totally different beer than the thicker, round, mild, sweet chocolate confection I was expecting from and English beer called a double chocolate stout. I'm glad it turned out this way instead though. It's a good one, almost sessionable, and full of robust flavor. I'd give it about a 3.9 in the overall category if I could.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 01:45:26 | More by BrownNut

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

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

Young’s Double Chocolate Stout has a very thick, creamy, beige head and a bubbly, dark brown (with ruby tints) appearance, with thick, splotchy lacing left on the glass. The aroma is of dark-roasted, rich malt, with some faint chocolate notes, and the flavor is of chocolate powder, dark-roasted malt, with some burnt aspects, bitterness, and a slight sourness. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Young’s Double Chocolate Stout finishes lager-like, meaning, crisp and refreshing, with an overall easy-drinking closeout. Overall, it is a good beer and worth trying.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 14:09:19 | More by RonaldTheriot

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.66/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I said in my review of the nitro-can version "There's a really nice stout underneath all of this nitro-can hobnobbery." Let's see how true that rings, shall we? 11.2 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a very dark brown color. I'd say it's about 98% opaque. The head is a two finger khaki color that fades somewhat quickly. As it recedes, though, it leaves decent rings of lacing down the side of the glass. Not nitro-can gorgeous, but I don't care.

S: Well, it's chocolaty. This is really evocative of brownies the way the chocolate mingles with the subtly roasted and sweet malts. Aromatically, it's simple, but the small handful of notes here are executed superbly.

T: It's what you'd expect here...a strong chocolate flavor to lead the charge. Some roasted malts and some earthy hops then balance the sweetness somewhat. Compared to Choklat, it's not that sweet; but compared to just about anything else, this is quite sugary. The finish has a touch of bitterness to it, perhaps suggesting a minor hop profile. No real complaints here aside from the low depth and faintly artificial tone of the chocolate.

M: The carbonation is perhaps a bit more than I wanted here. On the plus side, it isn't watery like the nitro-can version! The body is light and semi-smooth, and finishes slightly astringent (not dry...nononono, this beer is pretty much the exact opposite of dry).

O: This is a rock solid dessert beer with enough balance to make it a bit more versatile than one would expect. I expected more honestly, but that's because I wanted Choklat Jr. instead of something with more nuance and subtlety.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 22:27:57 | More by ThisWangsChung

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Beautiful black color, rich 2 finger head. Great lacing.

S - Nice toasted malt smell. Confident.

T - Notes of coffee, chocolate, toasted malt. Smooth. Great aftertaste.

M - Rich, creamy. Leaves you wanting more.

O - Always superb, not too heavy, never too light. Great example of the style.

Serving type: nitro-can

10-17-2012 02:46:53 | More by Beer-A-Lot

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a mug, the beer is a dark, opaque, near-black coloring with a thin, dense, creamy, off-white head that coats the top of the beer and clings to the glass. Aromas of milk chocolate, with a deep roasting in the background and a touch of bitter dark chocolate highlighting. Flavors are rich and deeply roasted, with a light, dry body typical of a Milk stout. Smooth, rich, creamy milk chocolate flavors on the forward tongue are followed rapidly by a touch of bitter, dark cocoa nibs underlying flavor profile. Very dynamic whilst remaining in the realm of chocolate throughout. A hint of coffee/mocha comes in as the transition is being made to the aftertaste on the palate, which is mostly the dark roast and slight bitterness. Smooth, dry finish, with a touch of roast linger. Very tasty and very easy to drink, I have found that this beer does well transitioning newbies into the world of the Stout.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 01:12:04 | More by GarthDanielson

Nugganooch

California

3.65/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

500ml to a nonic style taster

A: Pours dark oily black with a slight crimsoned edge and a sandy tan head. Nice thick bubbles crater out in a matter of seconds. Some underwhelming cling, just a few splashes here and there.

S: Smells of dark roasted malts and raw cacao beans. Nice dark chocolate aromas with some supporting coffee notes and a bit of tart dark berry mixed in. Pleasing to say the least.

M: Tastes of deep roast grains with some nice caramelized sugars on it. I get oats, dark chocolate, and a bit of spent coffee. There is a nice moderate bitterness and a little bit of mixed dark berry. Alcohol barely even noticeable. A little bit of a step down from the nose. Not overly chocolate but nice.

T: Very smooth and creamy texture with moderate physique. Carbonation is lush. Rather wet on the finish and a bit thin/watery overall.

D: A long-established example of the style. Very approachable with some good roast and chocolate flavors. Nothing pushing boundaries by today’s standards but a must try.
A classic and for good reason.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 20:51:11 | More by Nugganooch

JamesHenjum

Florida

2.63/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: This pours like any nitro beer. Great cascade, great creamy head, awesome lacing. very dark, and almost black.

S: Smells like chocolate. Not quite bittersweet chocolate on the nose.

T: This all bittersweet chocolate. Dark chocolate lover will love this. I however thought this was watery and needed more of a milk chocolatey flavor.

M: Nice and creamy, but a bit watery. More medium bodied than full.

O: I didn't like it as much as I had hoped. Though I don't particularly like dark chocolate which is basically the only flavor.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-21-2012 00:21:57 | More by JamesHenjum

knoxtennessee

Tennessee

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on beer gas at the casual pint in downtown Knoxville.

A- Like all beers on the nitro it has a perfectly formed and everlasting head. Pitch black in color and very inviting.

S- Soft dark chocolate and roasted barley. A moderate sweetness and mild coffee undertones. That vague softness from the nitrogen really complements the sweetened mocha impression.

T- A moderately sweet rich dark chocolate flavor is followed closely by coffee and roasted barley. A small amount of estery English yeast character is detectable just before the dry finish.

M- Like most nitro beers this one feels a bit watery. It does however have a little more velvety malt body than most. Nicely balanced in the finish.

O- My absolute favorite nitro beer to date. Lots more character than other nitro stouts. Great chocolate flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. I drank four pints in a row so don't give me that "It's too heavy", it's perfectly drinkable.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-18-2012 00:58:32 | More by knoxtennessee

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Wells & Young's Double Chocolate Stout @ 5.2% , a 500 ml bottle served chilled into a pint glass
A-pours almost black with some ruby hints along the glass edge when held up to the light , good size head with real fine lacing along the pint glass
S-nice and sweet smelling chocolate malt with hints of coffee/espresso
T-strong roasted dark malts at the start with a sweet chocolate lingering , not a dominate chocolate taste for a double chocolate stout (?)
MF-so smooth and velvety to start yet a crisp dry finish
Ov-can only say that this is a good dessert beer , not a Great dessert beer

cheers LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 17:38:15 | More by LampertLand

Pjev11

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an absolutely beautiful glass, extremely dark but not pitch with brown shading at the edges. Not much head to speak of at the pour but a thin layer of cream colored foam bubbles up after a few minute wait. Smells of chocolate, coffee, malt. Smooth as anything going down. Pretty lacing up and down the glass. Not as full in the mouth as i remember from my prior tastings. Thin but flavorful. Not a meal-in-the-mouth type stout but filling nonetheless.

Overall an awesome chocolate stout. Fact that i got it in a growler adds to my enjoyment greatly. Tastier than the bottle even if also thinner. Bravo.

Serving type: growler

09-11-2012 02:54:08 | More by Pjev11

TehParabox

4.78/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: dark like typical stouts, has a nice 2 finger head foam after a pour. Leaves a good trace of lacing behind.

smell: smells a lot like chocolate, maybe a hint of coffee in as well. Very aromatic but nothing strong.

taste: really creamy taste, you can definitely taste the chocolate in this one. No overbearing but just good, very good. I guess it has a very malty flavor to it. Has a really roasted creamy aftertaste.

mouthfeel: it's definitely smooth and very rich in texture. Has a very creamy luscious body to it. It's hard to explain it feels good.

overall: I always pick this one up at the local liquor store it's very good and I recommend this. Good dessert beer for sure. I enjoy this one a lot just feels like pure chocolatey goodness with some coffee to boot.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 09:16:31 | More by TehParabox

uld2541

Virginia

4.65/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The only reason I'm reluctant to give it 5's across the board is one that echo's another review from a fellow advocate; It's not that chocolaty....Appearance wise, it's a stout, so it's dark...really dark...but the thin, brown head gives it a pleasant appearance. The smell plays a huge role in the taste of the beer, if that doesn't sound strange, and the taste is very roasted and chicory with a hint of chocolate. Don't get me wrong, it's one of the best stouts I've ever drank, but it's not a double chocolate kind of stout. Very well balanced and delicious though.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 01:15:38 | More by uld2541

PancakeMcWaffles

Germany

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Black, does not let any light through, light-brown finger thick head, a lot of lacing, good head retention.

S: Malty chocolate aromas aswell as sweet chocolate aromas from the actual chocolate used in brewingnot much of a bitterness of hoppiness in the smell.

T: Strong dark malts, not as much sweet chocolate as in the smell, leaves with a malty bitterness and aromas of coffeish almost burnt malts, only a slight chocolate on the palate.

M: Thick, good level of carbonation, very drinkable.

O: Good Stout with a load of really dark malts, the chocolate tends to be rather low in the taste, not as sweet and chocolatey as the smell would suggest

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 15:04:45 | More by PancakeMcWaffles

jimmah120

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

14.9oz can into mason jar

Look is a dark brown with a 1-finger mocha head and brilliant rising nitro bubbles. Smell is powdered cocoa and coffee grounds. Taste is rich, creamy, malty, and smooth cocoa with a coffee underbelly.

Very smooth and silky, not a knockout flavor-wise, but still extremely enjoyable.

Serving type: can

09-02-2012 08:04:25 | More by jimmah120

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The bottle is dated for mid-May this year (about three months old), and I poured this into a snifter glass to hold in the aroma.

This beer looks spot on. You can't see through it, and there was really minimal foam on the pour. That died down to just a tiny bit of scum on top.

I really love the way this beer smells. You get a lot of chocolate (from nibs?). You also pick up quite a bit of malt and a decent amount roastiness. Of course there is some rich coffee presence.

The flavor is a little more understated. You get more of the coffee roastiness. I like the way the chocolate is there, but it is not overwhelming. There is very good balance. This is one of the easiest to drink stouts that I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 01:30:33 | More by ummswimmin

GPHarris

Alabama

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a - pours like coffee as the creamy tan head cascades into a snifter that left a two-fingers thick head throughout and really coated the glass nicely. the body was dark black.
s - roasted chocolate and coffee beans.
t - same as the aroma.
m - slick and smooth, very creamy.
o - terrific nitro canned beer. like dessert in a glass. i paired this with some vanilla ice cream and they went really well together.

Serving type: nitro-can

08-31-2012 14:45:11 | More by GPHarris

360logic

4.53/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This was my introduction to Milk Stouts, and I still think it's the best I've tried.

A: Typical dark hue for any stout, but a particularly thick, creamy tan head that fizzles about halfway into the glass.

S: Dark chocolate, cocoa powder, coffee and a hint of the sweetness from chocolate milk.

T: Same flavors as above. Medium hops. Complex chocolate notes as it goes down (think chocolate coffee cake). Cocoa powder and coffee hits you immediately, as you swallow a sweet milk chocolate flavor fills your mouth, which finishes with dry hops as all the others fade in your mouth.

M: This is where this brew shines. One of the most velvety beers I've ever had. Literally feels like drinking rich, homemade chocolate milk.

Overall: Exceptional beer. Would be amazing with some sort of chocolate or coffee dessert.

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2012 22:26:58 | More by 360logic

doktorhops

Australia

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Wells & Young's, so far has done London proud with their special ale, but quite average with its banana beer, hopefully their double chocolate stout will pick up the baton and run hard (into a wall of Olympic metaphors).

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Presents with a chocolate body (that's shut up irony right there), and a tan 0.5cm creamy head. Looks appealing... and chocolaty.

S: Rich smoke and chicory assails the nostrils. Soon followed by dark chocolate (let's count how many times I use the word "chocolate" in this review), hint of dark fruits and water... yes, water.

T: Has the element of chocolate straight away. That being said the chocolate taste could be richer... a lot richer. Other than that we have the usual stout/porter suspects; chicory, smoke, coffee grinds and a hint of vanilla. Not bad, not stand out either.

M: Slightly more watery than expected, reminiscent of Guinness in this respect - mid to light body and carbonation.

D: As a stout it meets expectations well enough. As a double chocolate stout? Needs more chocolate. Apart from that we have a half decent stout that is unfortunately not as good as Coopers or Old Engine Oil, and doesn't live up to the double chocolate flavour it implies. Chocolate.

Food match: Will it match chocolate? Of course it will! Silly question actually... aside from chocolate it would pair equally with venison or game meats, rare steaks and trousers.

Note: 13 times if you count "chocolaty".

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 09:50:17 | More by doktorhops

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

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

A: Black with an attractive light beige head.

S: Smokey like a porter. A bit metallic.

T: The chocolate is not obvious but it surely adds to the silky rich and creamy smoothness (as described on the bottle). Tart but not overwhelmingly so. Not metallic, smokey or particularly coffee like, just smooth chocolatey maltiness. Nice floral aftertaste.

O: It's alright. If you like silky smooth stout you can't go far wrong with this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 22:09:12 | More by Hoppsbabo

matttttYCE

Arizona

3.7/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured slowly into a pint, the head on this comes to about two fingers of light tan creaminess. The beer is a deep dark-brown, near black. Lots of lace and head retention is very nice.

The aroma leaves a bit to be desired, with light watery roasted malts, bitterness, cocoa powder, light coffee and dark chocolate, along with some sweetness, almost light lactose sugar.

Much the same as the aroma, with lighter roasted malts, sweetness, and bitterness that compliment nice cocoa powder and slightly bitter chocolate notes with hints of coffee, caramel, dark fruits, sugar, and a subtle hopping.

Mouthfeel is the definition of smooth. The carbonation is low and smooth, consistency is just stupid creamy, while the body is light but coating the mouth, like a nitro or nitro can should be. The finish is smooth, subtle, and a tad bitter, but nice.

Overall a very nice offering in the milk/sweet stout category, especially if you're looking for a good nitro, not from the tap. Actually this is probably my second favorite nitro can or bottle behind Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout, which is now my all time favorite and go to for smoothness, easy drinking, or nitro.

Serving type: nitro-can

08-10-2012 04:24:14 | More by matttttYCE

Josiah2729

Tennessee

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nitro can poured into pint glass

Appearance: Dark black, nice effervesence settling into nice two finger head, decent lacing throughout.

Smell: Dark malt, slight chocolate, some coffee

Taste: Chocolate, some coffee, strong dark maltiness, slight bitter hoppiness.

Mouthfeel: Creamy texture, goes down smooth.

Overall: Very enjoyable chocolate stout.

Serving type: nitro-can

07-31-2012 21:24:15 | More by Josiah2729