Double Chocolate Stout
The Dodging Duck Brewhaus

Sampled 6-2-06

Appearance: Poured initially super black with a pronounced 1/4" tan head of small bubbles. The head fell within a minute or so to end up as a small ring across the top of the beer. The beer is very dark even when it settles so that you can't even tilt the pint glass to see ruby or anything.

Aroma: Rich dry chocolaty aroma. There is a slight floral hoppy thing going on in here along with a pronounced roast.

Taste: Clean and dry with a noticeable roasty component. The chocolate is the first thing you notice and then the dryness starts to set in. The finish is sweet with a bitterness that appears to be as much from hops as from roast malts. This beer tastes like it is only about 5%ABV. There is a chocolaty note that lingers until long after the finish.

Opinion: This is a pretty good beer. I wouldn't call it a sweet stout though. The dryness is a bit assertive and I feel that the beer would benefit from a bit more body. A bit of oatmeal in the grist would likely add a silky feeling that would iron out the whole mouthfeel experience. Overall it is a good with nice balance.

A - 2" rich, dense tan head. Retains for a few minutes and then falls slowly to 1/4". Good fresh lace. Beer is black, no light penetrating.

S - Rich, roasted malt. Some hops in the shadows. Coffee, cream in the aroma. Dried fruit.

T - Earthy malt. Nutty. Molasses. Hard to find the cocoa in this chocolate stout. Very good none-the-less. Lingering bitterness from a nice balance between hops and roasted malt. Long and earthy in the finish.

M - Medium bodied. Expected much fuller. Low carbonation.

D - Great drinkability. I think this one is one of their best, right up their with their dopplebock. May be misnamed just a little though.

The color is almost black, head is average-sized and light brown. Retention is pretty good. Aroma is a bit on the mild side for a chocolate stout. Smell is a mixture of mild roastiness and chocolate. The flavor has a strong roasted taste with plenty of coffee notes. Chocolate flavor is in the mix, but doesn't have a strong enough presence for something called "double chocolate". Finish has a lactose sweetness. My only complaint here is the level of chocolate flavors, otherwise this is a damn fine sweet stout.