Chocolate beer

Posted on 4 February 2011

Did you know there’s a chocolate beer? I didn’t know until I double checked the label of this English concoction made by London’s Young. I bought it out of pure curiosity and, should I say, maliciousness. After all I would never think of downing a glass of chocolate wine.

I don’t know exactly how this beer is made (Young’s are very parsimonious in their online communication; it contains real chocolate in any case) but it’s really excellent, in fact. First of all it’s really rather dry, and abslutely not cloying or syrupy as I feared it would. I’m not a big fan of stout beer which often tastes too flat for my tastes; here, the chocolatey notes actually add grip and interest. The flavour is really complex with raisins, fudge, roasted coffee and other notes, and there is also hoppy bitterness for balance.

Balance is the key here, with not a hint of heaviness or overt sweetness. This is a really odd, over-the-top style of beer – in the world of wine it would be a vermouth – but it just works, and is supremely drinkable – I like to enjoy this on a late night and it never lasts long. Beer lovers apparently agree.

Disclosure

Source of beer: own purchase.