Country of Origin: Great Britain
Price comparison: Twice what I pay for everyday beer.
Alcohol percentage by volume: 5.2%
Cute bottle/label? Dark brown glass 25 ounce (with a ram - insignia of the Ram Brewery - on the shoulder) ; royal purple label with gilt accents. Also available in the "nitro can" (a large-sized can with a plastic float inside designed to blend the nitrogen and CO2 for the ultimate stout draught experience).
Appearance: Deep, darkest brown, like black coffee, with downward-flowing nitrogen bubbles and lavish, creamy foam.
Scent: Chocolate malt. A very basic, but appealing, aroma.
Flavor: Malty, mocha, thick yet silky; hops balancing out the sweetness; lightly bitter finish like semi-sweet dark chocolate.
Impressions: My very first impression of this beer was an almost fully-formed commercial playing itself out in my brain:
"You've got Hershey's Syrup in my Guinness!"
"Well, you've got Guinness in my Hershey's Syrup!"
If you know both of those flavors, you'll have the gist of the Double Chocolate Stout.
It's certainly luxurious. A very filling and comforting beer; not a thirst-quencher. Don't serve it with dessert, serve it instead of dessert. Also, don't serve it as cold as you would Guinness - I got the best results refrigerating for three hours but leaving the bottle out at room temperature for twenty minutes before opening. A nice alternative to cocoa on a winter night. If you like stout, this is a winner.
Will I buy this beer again? I like this quite a lot. It'll never replace Guinness in my heart, but it might come in as a relief player once in a while.
Rating:
4 out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: October 28, 2003
