Americas Dirty Summer Blonde Chocolate Beer

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

On tap at America’s Brewpub, called Chocolate Ale on the menu, brewed with Ghirardelli chocolate. Not quite sure what style this was, but it was delicious. Medium golden in color with a lasting, off-white head. Very bubbly. Chocolate aroma is rather striking, with some vanilla as well, giving a slight creme-soda flavor mixed with chocolate malted milk. After taking my first sip, I was immediatelly taken aback by the milky, creamy thick mouthfeel, just like taking a drink of milk. Chocolate malt flavor mixed with vanilla, white cake, brandy. Very low carbonation, despite the bubbly appearance. Devilishly good.

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.

Had this brew at G.A.B.F. 08’’. Aroma is candy sweet with a sour note. Color is a hazy yellow/gold with a tight head. Starts with a light body that goes down smooth with a fizzy feel. Finish is sweet with a nice white chocolate flavor and faint bitterness. After taste is clean. This is a very good brew and one of the lighter chocolates I’ve tried.

This beer, with dessert-quality aromas and flavors, was a surprising treat for me at Elgin’s BrewFest. Served amber-colored with virtually no head, the brew gave off intense milk chocolate aromas with small hints of cherry and baked bread. The flavor was all chocolate, the likes of which I’ve only witnessed in a few stouts and porters... never in anything this light. Medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and dry finish. Very tasty... I’ve already recommended it to several chocolate lovers who can’t stomach "heavier" beers.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/events-detail.asp?eve Elgin, IL 06/18/05<font size=-1>

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.

(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!

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.

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!