Spring Break
Chocolate stout battle proves no definite winner
Evan Finkelstein
Issue date: 1/9/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
The taste of this beer was similar to the nose and ended up being very straightforward. There were no surprises and nothing extreme-just a simple, lightly roasted chocolate flavor. Interestingly enough, at first, I did not enjoy this beer very much at all. However, as it warmed up, it expanded into a decent beer. At a colder temperature, this beer was thin and relatively weak, just like the ABV level (5.2 percent). But as it warmed up, the beer became slightly creamy and more aromatic.
Price: $4.95/individual bottle
Bottle Size: 1 Pint
Look: 4.5/5
Smell: 3.5/5
Taste: 3.5/5
Inebriation: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
The second beer that we'll examine is Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. Like Victory's Storm King, this beer is classified as a Russian Imperial Stout. Where Young's gets its chocolate flavor from adding actual chocolate, Brooklyn gets its chocolate flavor from roasting the grains it uses during brewing.
Brooklyn did a good job at naming this-the color is just about as black as you can get. Topped with a thick, frothy head, this beer also looks really nice. It also should be noted that there is obvious carbonation due to the small bubbles floating up the sides of the glass.
The nose was completely opposite to Young's. Hops, darker chocolate, espresso, and even alcohol are apparent. Simply put, this is a much more complex beer and was created to make you think a little.
As imagined, the taste was completely different from Young's. A chocolate core is dominant with roasted flavor bringing up the rear. However, unlike the Young's, this beer makes no attempt to mask many of the ingredients used. The bitter malt flavor as well as the 10 percent ABV bleeds through to create a distinct and strong explosion of tastes. It's a little overwhelming, which does take away from drinkability.
Price: $2.95/individual bottle
Bottle Size: 12 oz.
Look: 4.5/5
Smell: 4/5
Taste: 3/5
Inebriation: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Ultimately, there was no real winner in this comparison. These two beers are extremely different from each other and share only a few common variables. For the common drinker: drink the Young's. For the connoisseur/adventurous: drink the Brooklyn. Thanks for your suggestion, Jeff!
Is there a beer that I need to know about? Want Suds-for-Thought to review it? Send your beer suggestions to entertainment@thetriangle.org with "SUDS" in the subject line.
Price: $4.95/individual bottle
Bottle Size: 1 Pint
Look: 4.5/5
Smell: 3.5/5
Taste: 3.5/5
Inebriation: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
The second beer that we'll examine is Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. Like Victory's Storm King, this beer is classified as a Russian Imperial Stout. Where Young's gets its chocolate flavor from adding actual chocolate, Brooklyn gets its chocolate flavor from roasting the grains it uses during brewing.
Brooklyn did a good job at naming this-the color is just about as black as you can get. Topped with a thick, frothy head, this beer also looks really nice. It also should be noted that there is obvious carbonation due to the small bubbles floating up the sides of the glass.
The nose was completely opposite to Young's. Hops, darker chocolate, espresso, and even alcohol are apparent. Simply put, this is a much more complex beer and was created to make you think a little.
As imagined, the taste was completely different from Young's. A chocolate core is dominant with roasted flavor bringing up the rear. However, unlike the Young's, this beer makes no attempt to mask many of the ingredients used. The bitter malt flavor as well as the 10 percent ABV bleeds through to create a distinct and strong explosion of tastes. It's a little overwhelming, which does take away from drinkability.
Price: $2.95/individual bottle
Bottle Size: 12 oz.
Look: 4.5/5
Smell: 4/5
Taste: 3/5
Inebriation: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Ultimately, there was no real winner in this comparison. These two beers are extremely different from each other and share only a few common variables. For the common drinker: drink the Young's. For the connoisseur/adventurous: drink the Brooklyn. Thanks for your suggestion, Jeff!
Is there a beer that I need to know about? Want Suds-for-Thought to review it? Send your beer suggestions to entertainment@thetriangle.org with "SUDS" in the subject line.
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