Rogue Shakespeare Stout

Rogue brew! Rogue brew! Joke aside this stout pours black with a nice thick brown head that lasts for a little bit before fading into nothing. The smell is of chocolate, dark malts, roasted barley, and oats. The taste is very bitter but with a smooth malty and roasted finish. The taste is strong but the smoothness is outstanding, highly recommend.

Appearance - 3.8

Smell - 3.9

Taste - 3.9

Texture - 4.0

Overall - 3.9/5

Southern Tier Choklat Stout

Ah, another one from Southern Tier... about damn time. And also its another one from their "Blackwater Series" which is always a plus. It pours pitch black with a very milk chocolate colored head that lasts for quite some time. The smell is overpowering, and I mean freaking-overpowering milk chocolate with a small hint of roasted malts and caramel malts in the background. The taste is very strange but I guess not that unexpected seeing as the name is Choklat: alcoholic chocolate. It reminds me of those chocolate liquors that people like to give out around the holidays, not bad, just weird. The sweet chocolate taste fades at the end into bitter alcohol, smooth but sharp. If you enjoy chocolate, pick this one up.

Appearance - 3.8

Smell - 4.3

Taste - 3.8

Texture - 3.7

Overall - 3.9/5

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout

Even though I went to the brewery with Deke about a month ago this is the first one from Brooklyn Brewery that I've reviewed formally, so I started with one of their Winter seasonals: Black Chocolate Stout. This brew pours black with a creamy chocolate colored head. The smell is of dark chocolate, dark malts, caramel malts, licorice, and roasted malts, pretty much all normal for an Imperial Stout. The taste is a little stronger on the alcohol front than I expected but fades quickly into a dark chocolate and bitter barley aftertaste. Smooth and strong at the same time but still lacking when compared to some other higher-rated Imperials.

Appearance - 3.8

Smell - 4.2

Taste - 4.0

Texture - 3.9

Overall - 3.98/5

St. Bernardus Abt 12

Here comes another beer brewed in good ol' Belgium. This one comes from St. Bernardus and is by far considered to be their best one. This Quadrupel pours extremely dark brown/not quite black, with an large off-white head that has good life and lacing. The smells are of dark fruits (plums, grapes, figs), caramel mats, and a hint of chocolate. Although the aroma of fruits is quite strong the alcohol shines through as well, this brew does not hide the fact that is ABV is so high (10.5%). Even so the taste does not disappoint and has the overwhelming flavor of dark fruits and dark malts with a hint of alcohol at the end. Smoother than Tucker Max at a bar.

Appearance - 4.1

Smell - 3.9

Taste - 4.3

Texture - 4.4

Overall - 4.18/5