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Old Tom Chocolate
Robinsons Family Brewers

Old Tom ChocolateOld Tom Chocolate
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From:
Robinsons Family Brewers
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
English Strong Ale
ABV:
6%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.59 | pDev: 14.21%
Reviews:
73
Ratings:
171
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 15, 2020
Added:
Dec 21, 2008
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  23
Old Tom with chocolate is an indulgent rich combination of Robinsons’ award winning Old Tom and the finest cocoa. It is a superior full bodied strong ale filled with the flavour of ripe malt and velvety smooth chocolate teased together with an inspired touch of Madagascan bourbon vanilla.

Chocolate Tom is a deliciously indulgent addition to the Old Tom range, with a recipe developed by Robinsons and the renowned chocolatier Simon Dunn.
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Photo of Steve555
Reviewed by Steve555 from Wales

3.75/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark amber hue with little head and no lacing. Slight chocolate aroma. Smells faintly of vanilla and dark chocolate. Taste is pleasant bitterness with slight chocolate coming through ring at the end. Slight fizzyness on tongue and roof of mouth. Pleasant beer but not remarkable.
Jul 15, 2020
 
Rated: 3.52 by maxist from Russian Federation

Jan 27, 2018
Photo of Bitterbill
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming

3.44/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
It pours a reddish brown, great head of foam, good lacing. Smells of dark chocolate, vanilla, toffee, pretty sweet smell overall. Taste follows nose with plenty of dark and milk chocolate, toffee, vanilla, but not as fresh/vibrant as I suspect it could be. Mouthfeel is just fine. okay.
Nov 22, 2017
 
Rated: 3.59 by dandy14 from Brazil

Oct 25, 2017
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.86/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Old Ale is one of those British styles that American crafters have tried to make their own, but somehow the U.S. market has not responded. There are many reasons for this; hops are at a minimum, merely to provide balance; old ales require patience and lots of minor changes to mix the style's subtleties; and... blending malts is not the #1 priority of American brewing.

Those generalities said, much can be learned from Chocolate Tom (whose base I presume is Old Tom's recipe... plus lots of chocolate.) Looks are not everything, but Smells are much more... lots of dried fruits and a fabulous mix of sweet malts...and, of course, chocolate. Smell correlates to Taste very closely. Me being hop-sensitive, I noticed their use only to achieve balance. The mouth is full and luxurious, really. I'd like to have a bottle with less sediment... and less chocolate. Maybe I'll get lucky and find Old Tom in England some day.
Oct 07, 2017
Photo of VoxRationis
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York

3.96/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Decanted from 11.2 oz bottle into a tulip pint glass; no production information.
A: Pours a hazy, brown color with yeast evident; minimal tan head which dissipates to a rim quickly.
S: Malty with strong bourbon aroma, yeast and molasses notes.
T: Milk chocolate with malt and yeast flavors, bourbon note at end.
M: Medium bodied; enjoyable, full mouth feel.
O: A complex and very enjoyable chocolate ale.
May 31, 2017
 
Rated: 2 by ilikebeer03 from Texas

Apr 07, 2017
 
Rated: 3.67 by mmmbeer89 from New Mexico

Dec 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.34 by emincems from Turkey

Nov 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by AngusOg from North Carolina

Oct 30, 2016
Photo of vinicole
Reviewed by vinicole from England

4.09/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Dark amber. Thick beige head with excellent retention and lacing.
Sweet milk chocolate aroma.
The taste continues the bouquet but is now balanced with a mellow bitterness.
Smooth but rather thin for the style.
Jul 31, 2016
Photo of kitschiguy
Reviewed by kitschiguy from Hong Kong

4.44/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
330ml bottle given to me by a supplier into 350ml beer glass. Big fluffy off-white head which lasted a while and left a lot of lacing.

Nose is lovely with lots of chocolate some caramel and a little dark fruit.

Palate is coffee, toffee, caramel and some stone fruit with a little vanilla. Great stuff.

Mouth is good but a little thin.

Overall a wonderful beer. Rich, complex and lots and lots of flavour.

Highly recommended.
Jun 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.04 by connecticutpoet from Connecticut

May 27, 2016
Photo of Davey-C
Reviewed by Davey-C from New York

3.48/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Style note: Robinson's Old Tom is listed as a commercial example of an English Barleywine (17D) in the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines. I can see how it is listed here as an Old Ale (17B) as it has 6% ABV.

Sampled on 2/16/16 from a plastic sample cup poured from a bottle at my BJCP tasting class. Aroma: initial aroma of rich dark malts. Aroma developed to reveal esters and malt aromas of dried dark fruit, prunes, and cherries at moderate levels. No hop aroma. Hint of malt balls (ovaltine) as beer warms. Appearance: light brown color. Moderately-heavy cloudiness with larger (just less that 1mm chunks) that do not precipitate out. Light head retention with half moon of light tan rocky bubbles on surface. Heavy fine lacing. Flavor: balance is malt forward with malt flavors of rich bread crust. Very little hop flavor perceived and very low hop bitterness present in late palate. Yeast esters of English strain. Malt and esters produce substantial dark fruit notes. Malt ball (ovaltine) notes at aftertaste at light levels. Mouthfeel: medium-heavy body. Moderate carbonation. Low to moderate alcohol warmth. Low creaminess. Low astringency in late palate through aftertaste. Overall: standard English Barleywine that I would gladly finish at a bar. Enjoyed dark fruit aromas and flavors very much. Malt ball flavor detracts from flavor and finish. Suggestion for improvement may be to remove or lower chocolate or arrive at desired chocolate flavors in another manner that does not detract from nuanced dark fruit notes by tasting like malt balls. 35-50.
Feb 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.33 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Dec 24, 2015
Photo of Andrewharemza
Reviewed by Andrewharemza from Australia

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From bottle, pours Clear medium brown with little head. Aroma is chocolate with hints of raisins. Taste of Dark toffee,sweet and bitter with chocolate notes, developing some crisp bitterness in finish. Very nice.
Dec 04, 2015
 
Rated: 3.83 by soupyman10 from District of Columbia

Nov 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.57 by Rickus from Taiwan

Oct 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by 123321123321 from Alabama

Sep 01, 2015
Photo of drmeto
Reviewed by drmeto from Germany

3.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
L:
-pours a clear copper-ruby with a medium,foamy,beige head
-a lot of what i assume is chocolate chunks floating around
-medium carbonation visible
S:
-sweet chocolate,sour cherry,caramel,raisins,toffee
T:
-chocolate,caramel,toffee,strawberry,raisins,raspberries,coffee
F:
-medium carbonation
-medium body
O:
Fairly nice,sweetish ale.Quite different from the regular Old Tom
Aug 26, 2015
Old Tom Chocolate from Robinsons Family Brewers
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 171 ratings