Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

Brewed by Boston Beer Company
Style: Dunkler Bock
Boston, Massachusetts USA

This is an example of how a beer can be so simple and yet so great. The aroma comes off as purely malty and chocolatey, and the flavor is more of the same, with minimal bitterness. It is sweet and warming, even with the relatively low alcohol content. I’m loving it. The only negative I can see is that it could be a bit on the watery side, but that’s only because I’m looking for some cons.

THOUGHTS: I had this a couple of years ago for Easter and wasn’t impressed, but that was before I was rating and knew as much as I do now about how to drink a beer properly. So I decided to see how it went now. It was like a more chocolaty, less bitter Penn St. Nikolaus Bock. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, dark red that was nearly black, but when put to a light it glowed garnet red. It also had a small to average, tan head that mostly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was moderate to heavy grain, cereal, cocoa and roasted malts, slight vanilla and a slight alcohol that was odd for something this low of an ABV. The initial flavor was sweet and slightly sour, while the finish was a little sour, a little bitter and sweet with an average duration. There was cocoa, roasted malt, grain, chocolate syrup, slight coffee and slight hops, and even slight vanilla. The medium body, which would probably feel full if not for all the carbonation, was sort of creamy, but also oily and seemed to get thinner and thiner and flatter and flatter as time passed. It started out extremely fizzy to the point of being tingly on the lips with a light astringent and slightly chalky finish.

Bottle. Sweet malty aroma, hint of chocolate. Body is deepest dark red, with a small creamy light brown head. Flavor is VERY powerful chocolate, moderately sweet. Smooth, creamy, no bitterness. A dessert or snack beer, and very pleasing for that purpose.

APPEARANCE: Pours an opaque black color with a off white head that dissipates slowly. A little bit of lacing. SMELL: Malt and chocolate. TASTE: An incredibly smooth beer. Almost like drinking chocolate milk. Nice balance of malt, chocolate and a hint of bitterness. MOUTHFEEL Full bodied, creamy beer with light carbonation. DRINKABILITY: Goes down exceptionally easy. Not too sweet, not to bitter. You need to be in the mood for this beer. Because it is more like a light chocolate shake than a bock. I happen to be enjoying this on Christmas Day and it is perfect for the occasion.

pitch black with tan head. medium-low carbonation. mild chocolatey nose. some serious crystal malt sweetness with a lingering of chocolate at the end with some esters towards the end makes for a full bodied finish. a quality lager with a lot of flavor for a 5.5 ABV, maybe not quite enough chocolate dominance to be marketed as a chocolate bock. one of the better beers that I have had by Sam Adams

Bottle, with a handsomely crafted label made out of stamped tin (or pewter?). The little pamphlet that accompanies the beer really sets the bar high! In the end, I do think that this beer delivers. Very dark mahogany pour, thick rocky brown head. Aromas and flavours are all malt, as promised: brown bread, toasty/crusty, with sweet elements of chocolate liqueur and figgy fruit. Quite rich, but not heavy or cloying, and a dry finish that balances it all out. Really well done.

On tap at Coles, Buffalo NY. Pours dark brown/black. Aromas of roasted malts, cocoa, chooclate. Easy drinking, not as chocolatey as you would think but a nice mellow chocolate flavor. Decent

750 ml bottle. Pours a rich dark, nearly opaque mahogany with a towering dense tan head. Roasted malts dominate the nose with a hint of biscuit. Rich but delicate body. Solid roasted malt base compliments the chocolate focus. Balance is towards the malt letting the chocolate linger in the background. Drier than expected. Nicely done.