H.C. Berger Chocolate Stout

Formerly brewed at H.C. Berger Brewing Co.
Style: Stout
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Date: 03/08/1998
Mode: Bottle
Source: Total Beverage, DC

black, scant tan head, sweet malt aroma, strong chocolate malt flavor, slight bitterness

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Score: *4
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Nice deep dark choolate syrup/motor oil pour. Fresh, molasses, pruney like aroma, bit of chocolate to sweeten it up. Thick, dark pour with a caramel color head and a fair amount of lacing. Excellent stout flvaor - hint of bittersweet chocolate and burnt coffee. Flavor does not let up throughout the entire 12 oz - does not sour or bitter up. Overall - an excellent stout! Thanks Aurelius for this one.

Subtle, yet tasty, chocolate flavor in the ’back end’ of the swallow. Dry, rich, and ’zingy.’ Good stuff. Nice dessert.

Pours a nice deep brown to black, the head is light chocolate brown, the lace is fair. Nose is malt, light roasted grains, slight hints of caramel. Front is lightly malt sweet, the top light (For A Stout?). Finishes with moderate carbonation, somewhat dry and little hop presence. Well, a real beginner’s introduction to ’Dark Beer’, so light, even the ’Weenies’ would find it acceptable. Ranks #977 on my master beer list.

Pruney, dark malt or molasses, cocoa nose. Nice aroma hops. Appearance dings for the screw-off cap and the lazy clip-art label. Black beer with thin, fine head. Good balance, not too tart or bitter-roasted. Sweet, some cocoa, but generally indistinct. Smooth, mild finish, but thin. In general, this is a decent quality session stout [5.4% ;)] and the basic recipe would serve as the basis for a more distinctive brew -- needs a jolt of oatmeal or lactose.

Pours oily black with little, quickly disipating head. The aroma is good, nice strong raosty malt. The flavor is only OK, though. Still has the roasty malt, slight coffee (but surprisingly little chocolate given the name) but is a bit watery. HC Berger doesn’t seem to make bad beer, just uninspired beer.

Black beer with a thin, oily film on top. Strong roasted nose with big hints of vinegar. Dark bitter chocolate tastes but also burnt caramel sweetness. Decent, but disjointed. And now its gone.

Very dark colored, brownish black. Pretty unique beer. Roasted chocolate malt flavors here, of course, and an almost grainy texture. Sharp hop finish. Would definitely benefit from a thicker consistency, however, and perhaps a tad more complexity.