The Chocolate Manifesto
Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

The Chocolate ManifestoThe Chocolate Manifesto
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From:
Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
Sweet / Milk Stout
Ranked #136
ABV:
10%
Score:
93
Ranked #4,111
Avg:
4.16 | pDev: 11.54%
Reviews:
108
Ratings:
502
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 27, 2024
Added:
Oct 31, 2013
Wants:
  56
Gots:
  139
For those seeking decadence and transcendence in a craft beer, we bring you The Chocolate Manifesto Triple Chocolate Milk Stout, a luxurious beer that demands to be shared among friends. With three kinds of chocolate, this beer is a euphoric detour from the mundane. Life is too short to brew beer that doesn’t matter to you.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Gobzilla:
Photo of Gobzilla
Rated by Gobzilla from California

4/5  rDev -3.8%

Mar 16, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of TheCurryMonster
Reviewed by TheCurryMonster from Canada (ON)

4.41/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours perfectly. A decent fizz that settles a thick foamy two finger espresso cream head that remains.
Smells like a good quality dark chocolate shake. Pleasant sweet cocoa and hints of coffee notes.
Tastes dark chocolate first with milky malty aftertaste. Not as heavy as the dark chocolate smell and taste might lead you to expect.
This has got winter Sunday afternoon by the fireplace with digestive biscuits written all over it. Superb pint.
Jan 27, 2024
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
On tap at Swillburger/The Playhouse in Rochester, NY.

This one pours a fairly dark black color with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This smells like high quality chocolate milk, fudge, coffee creamer, and vanilla.

This is definitely quite chocolatey, but stops short of being ridiculous or syrupy, as the body isn’t huge. There’s a very creamy overall smoothness to this, with a solid and not overwhelming use of lactose.

This is medium bodied, very creamy, and very drinkable.

This was always a beer that semi-intrigued me on the periphery, and it was cool to finally try it.
Sep 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.33 by jurcab788 from Texas

Sep 09, 2023
 
Rated: 3.83 by TP2MSU from Michigan

Jul 21, 2023
Photo of schoolboy
Reviewed by schoolboy from Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
I'm looking at Barrie on the map - I had a good friend from North Bay, but I've never been up that way. Anyway, this is the second Flying Monkeys I've had. I had the Smashbomb Atomic IPA last year, and I was impressed.

This stout pours nicely black and fizzy. The sweetness is already evident in the aroma. As you start into drinking this it hits you with a pile of chocolate and alcohol. Malts dominate and you actually get a milky taste and feel to it. It's a biggy but easy drinking. You could knock back a few of these before you pass out and wake up in a Tim Horton's..

Highly recommended. I hope I get to Barrie and North Bay some day (I haven't ever been North of Toronto in Ontario). This brewer would be OK as a destination (a lot of faith for two tastes, but I'm easy to please).
Nov 18, 2022
Photo of Sandys_Shack
Reviewed by Sandys_Shack from Florida

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Maybe the plan was to reach 10% ... If it is the case... Job is done and not on a shy way...
I must admit. The beer showed well... smell awesomely good... but the overreach of the alchool level hit. Don't get me wrong... it is "fine" since it is written on the can !
But Do I prefer the Samuel Smith Chocolate Stout ? Yes by few miles ! For 2 beers in the same price range I must give my "go to" to Samuel Smith.... but for being funny and fast with an awesome taste.... Flying monkeys do (again) some magic with this strong beer !
Don't hesitate... grab one. It is good ! It is just not heaven.
-Alex Co-Owner at Sandy's Shack
Oct 11, 2022
Photo of KT3418
Reviewed by KT3418 from Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Definitely found this enjoyable, the first sip did taste very similar to chocolate milk but then it was on to more beer like tastes. Very chocolate forward. I dig this one
May 10, 2022
Photo of Curt2969
Reviewed by Curt2969 from Ohio

4.71/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.75
The best milk stout I've ever had, by far. Loads of chocolate, and I LOVE chocolate. ABV is fairly hidden, in my opinion. Thinish mouthfeel - but better than most for the style. I usually don't subscribe to too many milk stouts, but I will indulge again, and often. Near perfect milk stout.
Apr 28, 2022
Photo of AlexandraDen
Reviewed by AlexandraDen from Canada (ON)

4.37/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Finally cracked this one open and poured a very deep, dark brown coloured beer that is almost black in the glass, the deepest of ruby, if not just brown. A very thing, half centimetre tan head appears and disappears, leaving a solid black lake surrounded by a thin tan ring around the glass.

The chocolate aromas here are not typical like other sweet or chocolate stouts. It’s incredibly rich, cacao like. Dark chocolate aromas, milk chocolate covered coffee beans, a sort of sweet, caramel smell as well. There is this very dessert-y aroma that reminds me of rich, dark chocolate rum cake. Roasted malt abounds as well. I even get a whiff of what smells like brandy beans, if anyone has ever had those. They tasted quite awful to me, but they always smell nice, and it’s a gorgeous smell here.

I’ve been waiting to taste a chocolate milk stout that tastes like this. Both the bitter hops and the bitterness from burnt and roasted malts results in a delicious dark chocolate flavour. The high ABV% recalls flavours of cognac and rum. Cacao beans and chocolate powder, dark fruits like alcohol soaked dark cherries, or chocolate covered dried blackberries. The chocolate flavours cover every other one on the palate, infusing them in its unique lusciousness. It comes together wonderfully. For a triple chocolate milk stout, as they put on the can, that’s exactly what you want.

Someone said this was light bodied, usually beers can feel in between categories but I honestly can’t get with that at all. Not light bodied whatsoever. Now, it’s lighter in body than you might expect, but it’s still firmly medium bodied. Slick, creamy, and a bit oily, a long a smooth bittersweet finish recalling notes of dark chocolate, sweet dark cherries, and spirits like dark rum and cognac. Higher carbonation than some other milk stouts, but not excessive. An average amount, which allows the flavours to really rest on your tongue. ABV% is noticeable but that adds to the flavours, I’d argue the beer would be lesser if it was more hidden. It’s there but without a burning or nasty heat, it’s well integrated into the flavour profile.

Back in the day, Flying Monkeys was *the* definition of craft in Canada and many parts of the US. With craft explosion, it’s place isn’t really the same, with a lot of competition their products just aren’t ranked with the absolute top anymore. However, with that said I’d say this stout is still an example of the absolute best for its style, and still keeps the brewery in the same echelon of breweries. This is probably one of the best beers (and you could find an argument for it being the number one) Flying Monkeys has ever put out. Absolutely gorgeous. It’s chocolate milk stout all the way. Hits every category and then some. Beautiful, strong stuff.
Mar 30, 2022
Photo of SSS
Reviewed by SSS from Canada (QC)

5/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A-Cola dark brown with a reddish hue and moka cream head
S-Sweet milk fragrance at the front end. Chocolate heaven with a creamy aroma and liquorice background. Vanilla and prunes, with sugar plum jam.
M-Full body with a silky smooth luscious mouthfeel and low end carbonation
T-Prunes and an alcoholic distilled fruit flavour that blends into a sweet syrupy mix of something out of a fruit cake
O-Outstanding!
Jan 29, 2022
Photo of Batheinfire
Reviewed by Batheinfire from Canada (ON)

3.4/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
sweet and very chocolatey, usually buy one can a year. It makes for a nice dessert beer, but you would probably feel Ill if you drank multiple unless you really like chocolate.
Dec 11, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Nov 30, 2021
Photo of Smakawhat
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

4.29/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from the can into a large snifter glass.

Deep thick out of the can, almost oily looking and filling a very dark walnut brown to nearly black color. Fluffy topped head, light mocha brown with swiss cheese bubbles and retention more like a thick piece of styrofoam. Bit of an oily top too, with some cream like quality. Very good looking stout.

The aroma is even big off the pour. Big giant hits of dark cocoa, and thick fudge like waffer chocolate. Touches a little bit of peanut butter, and almost ripple like in heat. Flirts with a sticky nougat also that brings a gooey caramel note in the mix. Nice, varied in the chocolate realm, kind of candy bar like though than exotic, but very impressive and enjoyable nose.

Palate is very surprising. Light bodied, with a very good control of abv heat. There is a lot of powdery like flavors on this, almost like instant breakfast drink but in a fun good way. Powedered cocoa and lots of milky breakfast drink. Hints of cereal grain, and even more action that goes into peanut butter too. The sweetness on this gets dialed in nicely, not overly sugary but just a touch that makes it very playful. Finishes really dry, with more powder action, almost like grains of coffee.

Interesting take on an amped up stout and very unique profile and flavor that is enjoyable.
Nov 30, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by Jjmj51 from Rhode Island

Oct 17, 2021
Photo of The_Beer_Guru
Reviewed by The_Beer_Guru from New York

3.83/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Way tooooo much chocolate and overhyped beer. This beer is just OK. I understand it’s a triple chocolate milk stout but at the same time it’s too much.
Jul 09, 2021
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Really glad they finally put this in a can at around 7 bucks here. Much better than the 20+ big bottle price. Beer looks good the head fizzes out pretty quickly but with this much artificial sweetness its to be expected. Slightly thicker than I expected good dark blackness stout. Smell is exquisite milk chocolate dark chocolate hell its triple chocolate so one extra chocolate! Taste is amazingly balanced decedent smooth bittersweet chocolate. milk and bakers chocolates and ABV well concealed in the finish. As with any desert beer its all about moderation but I could easily see enjoying another can in a session.

Overall a stellar milk stout well balanced and decent price. Go get you some!
Jul 03, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by RahFoodie from Canada (ON)

Jun 17, 2021
 
Rated: 4.19 by Taenim from Maine

Jun 07, 2021
The Chocolate Manifesto from Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 502 ratings