Barrel House Cocoa Chip Doppelbock

Draft at Dilly Deli. Poured clear dark brown color with a minimal frothy brown head that mostly diminished with fair lacing. Moderate to heavy toasted chocolate malt and small hop aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium to heavy dark chocolate malty flavor with a medium smooth bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Standout sweet doppelbock.

5/15/2009: Barrel House Cocoa Chip Doppelbock has a really deep amber brown color with minimual froth on the surface. The aroma is loaded with milk chocolate, hints of English hops as well as some slightly buttery malt, although that buttery-quality quickly subsides as the beer has a change to warm and breathe. The rich cocoa/chocolate definitely comes through in the aroma as well as the flavor. The flavor is also malty as the rich, fruity Doppelbock maltiness still manages to come through. The flavor is so complex, yet subtle as it layers milk chocoalte in the front with semi-sweet/Belgian chocolate in the middle, followed by really nice dark chocolate in the finish all melds beautifully with the maltiness of the underlying Doppelbock. All of this chocolate flavor is complemented by a soft, smooth, and mellow mouthfeel. For the style, this is a fantastic beer and probably one of the best - if not THE best - chocolate brew that I have ever had!

I am really impressed with the new [cask] brews being put out by the new brewer at Barrel House. This is probably the best Barrel House brew that I have ever had. I am so exciting to see what they will be putting out next. Maybe they should just re-position/re-brand themselves and start making English-style pub beers that are served on cask at a re-opened Barrel House brewpub as well as other locations in the Cincinnati area. Forget bottles; this is some of the best cask beer I have had in the area. They would definitely have a fresh, unique approach to beer in this area and would be the first and only to offer REAL ALE. Keep up the great work guys!

Pint (cask) at Dilly Deli in Mariemont, Ohio. Rating #1 for this beer.