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Message: [QUOTE="MCC, post: 1191138, member: 145"] Review: Southern Tier Choklat. Imperial chocolate stout. 650 ml (22 oz bomber). 10.0% ABV. [ATTACH=full]29846[/ATTACH] So this is a very rich, sweet chocolate stout. The "Blackwater Series" appellation has naught to do with Tyrion's injury at the eponymous battle. In short: a terrific bier if you're after melted milk chocolate in a glass. Really great stuff and eminently drinkable. Neither too thick nor too cloying; it does offer a faint hop bitterness that suggests cacao nibs rather than, say, Swiss milk chocolate. Nose is redolent of chocolate chip cookies (the kind packed with chips and relatively short of dough). Presents as an opaque Wonka-esque tankard; imagine a flourless chocolate cake melted and poured into your receptacle of choice. Only mildly carbonated - again not surprising given this is a stout at high ABV. Transient mint notes on the palate. Finish suggests roasted malts and a hail mary pass from coffee. Very slick mouthfeel that coats the tongue and lingers. In light of the high ABV I decided to aspirate it over the tongue like one would a red wine: captured caramel and toffee, perhaps a sprig of spearmint. Very intriguing and a really pleasant surprise - thought the 5W30 nature of this thing would burble over the lighter, sweeter elements. As to food pairing: not something I'd have a meal with. Small plates only: I planned ahead for this and made some Mexican-style pulled pork mini-enchiladas. I figured the Choklat would augment ( or even stand in) for some of the critical determinants of a mole poblano. We grew some (relatively tame) Ghost peppers in our backyard this year and they crush it in terms of spice and flavor. Thus I incorporated same into our mole with some grated dark chocolate (added only at the end of course). Very pleased with the outcome - exceedingly snackable. I'd counsel letting this warm to 55F before imbibing: you want the rich chocolate taste to dominate and the roasty nose to emerge. Far more olfactory impact that way. My wife elected to have some figs with the bier: in the end, too sweet. You really want some heat (chiles or similar) to balance out the dessert-like quality of this bier. At $8.99 for a 650 mL - at 10% ABV no less - I consider this a steal. [NB: do NOT confuse this with its sister bier, "Mokah", also by Southern Tier. I've had several bottles of Mokah and while drinkable it's not at all satisfying, nor does it excel in any one direction.] As always, hope this was entertaining and if it encourages consumption of potent potables I'll be... happy. [/QUOTE]

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