Grado Plato Chocarrubica

Brewed by Birrificio Grado Plato
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Chieri (TO), Italy

Bottle. Pours black with tight tan head. The aroma is fruity and surprisingly vinous, with plenty of obvious carob and chocolate, some almond, and even a hint of coffee. The flavor is more acidic than I was expecting, but not to the point of making it too sharp. Carob, berries, and coffee are the most noticeable elements. Beneath that are some odd spritzy Champagne notes, as well as some raisins and floral hops. The chocolate holds off until the finish, where it mellows a light, earthy bitterness. Very interesting.

Pours very dark brown with a small tan head. The aroma is rich and has milk chocolate (or carob as I found out), creaminess and a taste like malted milk balls. Medium smooth body with very soft gentle carbonation. The flavor starts with definite carob that works much better here than in a carob bar. There is also roasted malt and cream. The finish has some bitterness from the roasted malt. An enjoyable beer.

I was really looking forward to this one, but found it disappointing. Very dark brown in color. Fizzy head. Some chocolate and fruit notes in the taste. One or two sips, though and I was done. This was a very expensive beer to give a try and I wish I’d liked it more. Just not my thing, I guess.

Bottle from Holiday. Black with a fizzy tan head. Sweet fruit jelly aroma. Mild chocolate fruit and caramel taste.

(Bottle) Pours almost black. The aroma is of sweet dark berries, dark fruits, violet, chocolate and tiny caramel notes with some jam sweetness in the background. The flavour is sweet with tones of liquorice, violets, blackberry jam and dark bread. Salty finish. The mouthfeel is soft and tiny dry. Medium bodied.

Bottle (GBBF 2008) - Dark brown in colour and slightly hazy due to the yeast sediment. Chocolatey and slightly tart aroma. Chocolate and some dried fruits in the taste such as raisins and sultanas. Not bad but could get a bit sickly after a while I think.

(6/29/08) Bottle sample at RBESG08 grand tasting in Plzen. Dark brown-black color with a brown head. Aroma is full of dark chocolate and some carob. Flavor has some roastiness, cocoa and hints of carob. Medium to full-bodied, quite syrupy. Decent.

There are some really interesting things coming out of Italy these days. This ranks up there in the interesting category. Draft, Capital Ale House Innsbrook. Pours a pitch black with a creamy, compact head. Aroma is chocolate, faint coffee, and very faint sour cherry and anise. Flavor is lots of chocolate, an odd but intentional medicinal note, faint coffee, and faint dark fruit, with an almost vinuous, winey note as well on the finish. Very smooth mouthfeel, probably a result of the crazy high levels of oats present here. Very interesting, sipping, chocolate oatmeal stout.