Americas Dirty Summer Blonde Chocolate Beer

Brewed by Americas Brewpub
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
Aurora, Illinois USA

GABF 2007: I wanted to try this beer just because of it’s name. Poured a golden brown color with a thin off-white head. Aroma of a milk chocolate bar and cocoa powder. The cocoa flavor was like eating out of a packet of Swiss Miss. Light to medium bodied.

Name: Chocolate Beer
Date: 06/20/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

clear amber, wispy off white head, rich chocolate candy aroma, lots of unique chocolate bar flavor, touch of candy caramel adds some sweetness, light bitterness keeps it balanced and the sweetness in control, a touch of yeastyness adds a bready character that makes it like a chocolate biscuit, very unique

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.2/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4

(Tap @ Brewpub) Pours a dark golden color, with a small white head. Very strong aroma of dark chocolate and vanilla beans. Taste is somewhat more laid back, but that suits this beer just fine. If the flavor was any stronger, I would have the feeling that it would be cloying. An above average mouthfeel. I was especially surprised about how balanced this beer was. Definitely worth a try!

On tap at Americas Brewpub, Seasonal feature: This one is extemely unique. At first look this appears to be your typical light beer. Golden amber and good clarity, but not much to look at. But the first whiff of the aroma will blow your mind away. Chocolate explosion is the only way to describe it. Some maltiness to the nose as well, but the chocolate dominates. Mouth is full yet smooth and creamy. Perfectly carbonated with a nice, dry, well balanced finish. This rating might be a tad inflated, but it was just the right beer at the right time for me.

Draft sampler at Walter Payton’s Roundhouse. Currently listed merely as "Chocolate Beer." Matches the description and other raters, even though my esteemed colleagues Cornfield and Rayboy01 couldn’t stand it. Looks innocently like a pilsner, but carries a strong Yoo-Hoo smell. Taste starts out like a Hershey Kiss, then gets a little saccharine and carob-y. Chocolate taste overwhelms the basic malts. Maybe this would work better with Belgian pale malts.

Sampled from tap on 11/10/2006 at Walter Payton’s Roundhouse in Aurora, IL... This was a very interesting beer. With a name containing "Chocolate Beer", one would expect this to be very dark brown in color. However, this beer was clear, and blonde in color. It even had a white head. The aroma as all chocolate though - a very soft, creamy, and melt in your mouth chocolate smell! The flavor was vanilla and chocolate. It wasn’t as pronounced as the aroma, but the chocolate was definitely there. There was a bit of hoppiness in the finish to balance the beer’s delicate sweetness. The mouthfeel is also fairly creamy even though this is a golden, clear brew! This beer was unique and memorable for sure!

On tap at brewpub, was a dirty straw color, not much head. Aroma was all chocolate. I don’t mean chocolate malt, but like a hershey bar. The strong chocolate aroma was not as prevelant in the taste. The chocolate flavor is muted and is a average blonde ale with chocolate. I found this to be unique and enjoyable.

Barrel Draught from the jug at the GABF, Colorado Convention Center 01/10/2005 Credit to the brewer for dressing up as an oompa lumpa and inviting people over to try this very different brew. Golden coloured and hoppy then it surprises with a full chocolate flavoured finish.