Let me explain. At a young age, I witnessed family members use alcohol as a crutch. I saw them use it deal with stress from work, problems at home, and really just to deal with issues they were too timid and afraid to address head on. They buried their problems in the beer, wine, liquor, and really anything else you could imagine.
My childhood was fractured by constantly seeing the people I care most about change in a matter of hours due to this powerful liquid. It's one of the reasons why I was afraid to start drinking in high school, and that fear carried through into my college years. I was afraid that I would succumb to this "poison," and my life would change for the worse. I witnessed alcohol wreck relationships, marriages, and friendships, and the last thing that I wanted for myself was to fall into the same trap.
Being around alcohol my entire life has taught me one thing: It's incredibly powerful. This is the reason why I have so much respect for beer. To me, it's not just about getting drunk. It's more about enjoying the the full embodiment of the beer. It's about enjoying the soft fruit tones mixed in with the roasted malt or getting that nice citrus flavor with fresh German hops.
It's art. Creating enjoyable beer requires the perfect mix and combination of flavors, malts, and hops that represent the complexity of not just the beer, but the brewmaster as well. It deserves to be enjoyed, and it deserves to be soaked in and digested like paintings or sculptures. Creating beer for consumption is someone's life work. It may speak to you, or it may not. The booming craft beer industry has created an outlet for anyone who wishes to create their own beer to be enjoyed by the mass public. It has created an outlet for someone like me to enjoy beer in moderation, and then write about it.
With that in mind, it's time to take a look at Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout.
- Russian Imperial Stout
- 10% ABV
- Availability: Winter
- $8.99/4-pack
First off, let me state that this time of year is my favorite for beer. Not only do you get stouts that warm you up while it gets colder outside, but the hops are at their freshest point of the year. I never used to be a big fan of stouts, but the more I tried, the more I continued to buy. And with Brooklyn Brewery being at the center of the craft beer awakening, why not give their widely popular and powerful stout a try?
I poured a 12 oz. bottle into a snifter, and the color was striking. It was completely black, almost like I was pouring oil out of the bottle, but like most stouts, there was little head. And with the head that was present, it was a nice tan, almost brown color.
The aroma was clear. Brookyln Brewery clearly wasn't joking when they named it Black Chocolate Stout. The chocolate scent is powerful and you can smell it almost right away. But as you get deeper into the complexity of the beer, the roasted malt and coffee becomes present. There was maybe a bit of molasses in there as well.
But then I took a sip, and not only did the taste follow the nose, but with each drink, dark fruit, such as plums and prunes became present. I can't really explain to you how easily this drink goes down. It's creamy, like most Russian Imperials are, but it's a fully embodied beer that doesn't possess any distasteful aftertaste that may turn off those new to the craft beer industry. And at 10 percent ABV, it's nearly impossible to taste the alcohol, which in itself is a major plus for the beer and the brewery.
Plenty of times, you see a breweries sacrifice quality for higher alcohol content. Not here. Brooklyn Brewery creates the perfect mesh of Christmas time flavors that truly pack a punch.
Next time you see this beer at local store, don't be afraid to pick it up, sit by a fire, and enjoy the deliciousness that is Black Chocolate Stout.
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