Southern Tier Choklat

I uncap the bomber, I smell this, and yeah... one of the best beers I’ve smelled lately, with oodles of rich chocolate. It rolls into the glass giving off sweet creamy chocolate aromas, a dark brown with deep brown head and light brown-gold highlights. Taste follows aroma, and since it’s not chilled the warming alcohol is felt but it’s not astringent. In fact the hops are not in the way like they are in many rich stouts, not a trumpeting mess of tannins, but instead the hops brilliantly set off the chocolate bitterness and rich roast malts perfectly with dryness and a little fresh mint. Beautiful oily feel entire time. Aroma to taste to finish a solid act - yes, a bit of a one-trick pony but a very excellent thoroughbred at that.

Thick black/brown color with a huge, lasting tan head and lacing that coats the entire glass. Heavy with a bitter sweetness. Exceptionally creamy, it rolls back with ease, very satisfying. A big aroma of oatmeal and rich chocolate. Mealy bran cereal followed by more heavy chocolate. One of a kind scent that’s wonderful. I kept thinking WOW (and probably saying it out load) because I was expecting upfront chocolate, but never to this extreme. Loads and loads of high end rich chocolate followed by a malty cereal flavor. I was reminded of Ovaltine. Lots of complimenting roasted and burnt malt flavors follow, but the chocolate steals the show. Very unique and wonderfully crafted.

From a bottle poured black with a very small head. Flavor, aroma, and finish of chocolate. Almost like alcholic chocolate milk.

Poured dark brown @RBSG09 Grand Tasting, smelled like fancy milk chocolate, tasted chocolate, malty, caramel, little dark fruits.

Bottle from Uber Tavern Seattle. Dark brown black color with a mocha tan head. Very smooth velvety feel in your mouth. Big milky chocolate presence with caramel malt. Only a touch of hop bitterness. Slight alcohol warmth. Very tasty dessert like finish. Very good.

Bottle at OT. Short milk chocolate brown foam. Dark amber color. Big chocolate aroma with some dried fruits. The chocolate also dominates the taste with some residual sweetness. Big body but apropriate for a beer of 11 %.

Original review date 12/9/2008... 22 oz. into Duvel - first sampling of late 2008 edition... Double espresso dark. Clean as all hell. Buttery maple head with nice lacing - a little short up top. Carbonation visible with a tip of the glass... LOTS and lots of bittersweet chocolate with some sweet caramel alcohol burn. Milky and bittersweet with huge chocolate malt. Sweet but not overly so. Hops are very subdued...maybe slight grass and flora...but they provide a solid counterweight to balance sweetness. Lots of complexity...huge chocolate up front with a fair amount of slate. Ultra-roasted chocolate malt provides good backbone with slight sweet caramel malt burn. Hops serve well to temper sweetness and cut alcohol here as well. This works. Silky on the palate with enough slate to loosen it up. Finish is viscous and even. Sip, sip, sip...I think I worked through this over a couple of hours - warmth did not do a disservice by any means.

Bottle 66cl. @ Papsoes blindtasting. [ Bottle #24. ]
Clear dark red brown color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white to beige head. Aroma is heavy malty, chocolate, nesauick, dusty. Flavor is heavy sweet and light heavy bitter with a long duration, and a dusty feel. Body is medium, texture is watery to oily, carbonation is soft. [20090501]