If you're worried I might be bending the results in favor of the drinks I personally like, then you might want to know my tastes. I'm an ale kind of guy when it comes to beers, preferring my drink to be like liquid bread with plenty of body. When it comes to wines, I'm more of a dessert wine fan, and also of that spicy Pinot Noir, though I tend to get bored of grapes (So you won't see too many grape wines listed here.). When it comes to spirits, I'm relatively neutral, though I do tend towards brandy, whiskey, and gin. For liquors, I generally dislike chocolate/coffee flavors, but that's about it.
Right, well, now that that's covered, I'll be putting out a post every week or so (Maybe every two weeks, who knows) with a review on a new drink. I'll have four factors taken into consideration: Appearance, aroma, texture, and flavor. Each aspect gets a grading from 0 to 10, with 0 being the worst and 10 being the best, and 5 about average. There's also an alternate grading, ranging from U (Ungraded, absolutely terrible.) and F- to A+, each corresponding to a numerical value. With each aspect, I'll give a sentence or two describing the characteristics at hand, and finish with an overview averaging the four aspects, and my own opinion on the drink. Bottle size and ABV are also listed, but I'm leaving out prices since they're prone to change and don't really reflect well on the quality of the drink. If it's exorbitantly priced, though, I'll mention it.
At any rate, first thing's first!
I happened to come across this unusual brew one day in the supermarket - the fact that a beer could be brewed with the addition of chocolate intrigued me so, and so I decided to give it a go.
Young's Double Chocolate Stout
500mL bottle at 5.2% ABV
Appearance: 7/10 (C+)
Very dark, typical of stout, with a shade similar to cola, but more opaque. Lacing is clean but somewhat uneven, and head, while not very aggressive, doesn't last long either.
Aroma/Nose: 9/10 (A-)
Incredibly chocolatey smell, almost like roasted coffee, with undertones of fruit. Pleasant, but very unlike most beers you'll find.
Mouthfeel: 3/10 (E-)
Very sharp and prickly - overly carbonated, but otherwise considerably light on the tongue for a stout.
Flavor: 3/10 (E-)
At first fruity, but then bitterness overflows all else - tastes slightly burnt, with the chocolate being mild. Aftertaste is similar, but persistent. For me, it could be a good beer, if it didn't have the burnt flavor.
Overview: 5.5/10 (D+)
Definitely not a beer I'd buy again, but certainly worth a try for the curious. For those who love their coffee black and their chocolate without sugar, it's a brew born in Heaven. Personally, I'd rather smell it than drink it.
