Black Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Brewery

Allowed to acclimate to room temperature for 18 minutes and poured into a snifter.

Pours an incredibly dark brown with equally dark brown lacing, and a 1.5 finger dark tan head.

Initial aroma is a hint of black licorice, followed by Dutch processed cocoa powder, I think there's some raisin in there. I might get a tiny hint of smoke and oak, but I might be hallucinating.

Initial taste is bold and powerful, perhaps a small hint of licorice but otherwise just a big and slightly overwhelming experience to take a large sip. It's quickly followed by bitter Dutch cocoa taste across the middle, back, and sides of the tongue in the middle and aftertaste. I get some bitterness not from the chocolate but from the beer itself as well. Tasting it again after, I realize that in the initial taste it's the alcohol I'm tasting, followed by the licorice, then the cocoa and bitterness. As I get through it I taste a little raspberry, but only in the aftertaste, and only when sipping very small amounts, it's a much welcomed note with the chocolate. Additionally, as I get towards the end the alcohol becomes more noticable in both aroma and taste. At the end I thought the alcohol tasted similar to that of vodka burn and made me think of hass avocado skin and the color olive drab. I know that doesn't make sense, sorry.

The mouthfeel is nice, not exactly velvet smooth but it is definitely smooth. It glides over the tongue easily. Oily and slick, in a good way, if that makes sense.

This is something I could imagine myself sipping slowly with my legs crossed, wearing a nice jacket and having a discussion with someone in a nice living room.

May buy again but not terribly likely, overall a good beer that I enjoyed but did not adore and I think I'm satisfied with drinking once.

This is a yearly purchase for me, and it’s been interesting to note the slight variation with each release.
As always, this is a great looking stout. Black with some brown edging, tan head with decent retention. Getting some char, molasses, and fig in the aroma, along with a dark chocolate backbone. The taste surprised me, however. I can still remember the utter shock I had many, many years ago when I found out that this beer DOES NOT ACTUALLY CONTAIN CHOCOLATE. It was an eye-opening experience to see what could be accomplished through malt selection and high-level brewing technique. This year’s release, however, has a super roasty, almost burnt, quality. The chocolate also seems much more like a super dark, bitter (85% cacao) version, rather than the smoother, fudgier flavor I’m used to. It’s alright on the way down, but the finish & aftertaste are harsh. A bit of a letdown compared to prior years, but still decent.

 

 

I didn’t taste much chocolate. Quite bitter. Disappointing.

I've been enjoying BBCS for over 20 years, presented and promoted it for over a decade, offered it in numerous beer tasting events on tap, fresh and in vintage bottles. But this is my 1st review here. It's changed over the years, as will this one if stored properly.
New brown swirly label I don't care for - the classy image of the white on black is missing.
The pour results in a tall, dark tan head of sticky foam with good persistence and specks of lace over a jet black liquid.
The aroma is big and sweet but not bold or overwhelming. Strong treacle and molasses notes mix with bakers chocolate dripped over warm oatmeal, with a splash of tequila.
The flavor is busy - sharp black grain and long boil hop bitterness stab the tongue up front right along with the caramel malt sweetness that adds depth and complexity. Softer hints of drunken cherries and berries, figs and rye bread all blend with the charred grain and sweet toffee stoutness.
Body is BIG and alcohol doesn't hide well even in the deep, warm stout flavors.
The finish is long and bitter, grassy hops, wet leather and black coffee.
Still a winner but in a boring new package/label.

 

 

Walking through my local Wegmans looking for a new Imperial Stout to try. I remember reading the reviews about this one so I thought I’d pick it up. I’m glad i did.
Pours dark with a tan head. Very delicious and even better the closer it gets to room temperature. Definitely putting a few of these away to see what aging does to it.

Valhalla in a bottle.

 

 

 

12 oz bottle
Bottled On: Winter 2019
Consumed on: 26 Dec, 2022
Glass: Tulip Snifter
ABV: 10%
Serving Temp: room temp


Look:
Black with a 23-finger high creamy dark tan to light brown head. The head dissipates slowly, leaving very good lacing.

Smell:
Dark roasted malts with a touch of char. Rich semisweet dark chocolate mixed with some milk chocolate notes. A touch of vanilla.

Taste:
All the aromas are here and dialed up a notch. A black licorice or anise note joins the party about mid-sip. This is followed by light smokey notes and a light touch of char and ash. Some molasses even sneaks in and perhaps a hint of a dark fruit. A mild bitterness then arrives and helps to change the chocolate to a bittersweet variety. The sip finishes lightly bitter, a tad dry, malty, and lighltly chocolatey.

Feel:
Creamy, silky and viscous. Warmth from the alcohol can be felt. The body is medium.

Overall:
A very nice Russian Imperial Stout. Great aromas. Great flavors. Enjoyable and easy to drink. I don't detect much bitterness, which must be from the 3 years that I had this beer in the cellar.

One of those beers that I've drank so many times over the years that I'm surprised I haven't reviewed it. 2022 vintage.
Pours black with a brown head, good retention and lacing
Smoke, roast, chocolate, and dark fruit aroma.
Burnt caramel, dark chocolate, and dried fruit.
Heavy bodied, but dry. Lower carbonation.
The one of the few imperial stouts you can rely on being there every year and not changing. FWIW, I once had a 14yo one that had been stored in a fridge and it tasted like ruby port and cocoa.

 

 

Dear reviewers,

!!! THIS BEER DOES NOT CONTAIN CHOCOLATE !!!

This one is perfect for the colder weather. The smell is actually like a heavy chocolate cream liqueur. The feel is dense but like drinking the same liqueur custard, but thin enough to sip, with decent carbonation. Well done. Glad I picked it up, surprising at 10% ABV. If you like Russian Imperial Stouts this one will leave you happy.

Pours black as midnight with a new moon with a brown head and sticky foam lace on the glass.
Simi-sweet but the chocolate is somewhat overpowering.
Feels seltzer like.
Glad I tried it but I'll be looking for something else the next time I go beer shopping.

 

 

Poured gently from a bottle into a snifter glass forming a finger of brown head that eventually faded to some lacing. Dark brown color, pretty much opaque. The smell is roasty barley and some dark fruit. The taste is pretty much roasted and a bit bitter barley, just a hint of dark fruit. Definitely a imperial Russian stout, but basically no chocolate flavor. Feels a bit like false advertising. Light to medium bodied with moderately high carbonation. Fine for an imperial Russian stout.

The smell is fantastic with hops, caramel, and chocolate. The taste is of vanilla and chocolate, and hops. The 10% ABV really comes alive. I like it a lot and hope that I can get some more.

Poured from a twelve ounce bottle, the body is dark black with a nice fluffy tan head. Rey good lacing throughout the tasting. A good looking beer in glass.

Aroma has notes of chocolate, malty char and a light sweetness reminiscent of espresso.

Taste follows nose but adds a good hop bite. The featuring of bitter malt flavor is a welcome change from many modern pastry takes on big stouts.

Mouthfeel is good, perhaps a tick lighter than expected. However the taste more than compensates. Carbonation is solid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2022 vint, tap hit into a snifter.
Looks great - deep dark, brownish foam.
Smells divine. Big baker’s chocolate notes, vanilla, aromatics.
Taste is full on. A chocolate confection in a glass. Mid-mouth sits a fine hop character. Post-swallow reveals a light bitterness and a fine not-quite-too-sweet finish. Alcohol well hidden, but present. Missing is the anise note of a RIS, there’s an aromatic that is present, but can’t place it.
Feel is classic RIS, medium carbonation from the keg, I suspect.
Overall, an xlnt winter warmer, I hope to find it in bottles.

Winter 2018 12oz bottle from Cellar Trade

Pours a thick deep black with a soft tan head
Strong boozy and chocolate nose
Rich chocolate flavor
Soft, thick, and silky smooth.

Awesome trade!

8/10/22 Really nice Russian Imperial Stout. Perfectly balanced between chocolate, coffee, malt. Sweet but not cloying. Better than Ten Fidy? This could be the one.