Beer Tracker

Food & Drink: Young's Double Chocolate Stout... it's what you crave

By Nate Parsons AnnArbor.com Community Contributor

Posted on Sat, May 19, 2012 : 6 a.m.

Novice and casual beer drinkers tend to shy away from stout, thinking to avoid a highly alcoholic or overly bitter offering designed for hardcore beer hounds. This misleading profile hampers the acceptance of stout by the general population and, for many, closes the gateway to a finer appreciation of beer.

Tasting Notes

Beer: Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Brewery: Wells & Young

Origin: Bedford, England

Style: Stout

ABV: 5.2 percent

Glassware: Pint - Becker or Nonic

Serving size:14.9-ounce can with nitro widget (highly recommended)

Description: A creamy whipped head perched on black molten cascades nitro bubbles down the inside of the pint. Chocolate notes with sweet malty tones and hints of vanilla bean linger in the air. Layers of chocolate dominate the initial intake as sweet malts, espresso and dried fruit linger in the background. The modest body is surprising but fitting for the array of palatable flavors in every mouthful. The finish coats the mouth with a blanket of sugary malt, but the slight bitter finish keeps the sweetness in check. Truly a chocolate milkshake for adults.

Conclusion:"if life's a box of chocolate", then double chocolate stout is heaven.

Where to Purchase

The Wine Seller, 2721 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor - 4-pack for $10.49

Super Liquor IV, 3666 S. State St., Ann Arbor - 4- pack for $10.49

Main Street Party Store, 201 N. Main St., Ann Arbor - 4-pack for $10.99

Plum Market, 375 N. Maple, Ann Arbor - 4-pack for $9.99

A good stout can be packed with flavors like chocolate, espresso, caramel, raisin, toffee, vanilla, plums, or licorice. It can be dry and derive a bitter bite from hops, or be smooth, sweet, and creamy.

The common denominator among stout’s varied flavors is a roasted character, much like roasted chocolate or coffee beans. The dense colors and murky element of stout often derive from the use of highly roasted barley or malt, depending on the style.

So what’s a good crossover offering when looking to sample the dark side? The process of announcing the latest “Imperial this”, “Double that”, or oddball ingredient is what makes beer truly unique. One such element with staying power is the use of chocolate.

First used by the Aztecs as an elixir some 4000 years ago, chocolate delivers a savory quality that beer advocates can’t escape. Today’s beer aisle offers many seasonal and year around selections for the chocolate lover. Local favorites such as Cocoa Loco Triple Chocolate Stout from Battle Creek’s Arcadia Ales or Mackinac Island Fudge by Arbor Brewing will take the edge off ones craving for the good stuff.

However on the side of luxurious with a hint of decadence Young's Double Chocolate Stout has it all. Chocolate malt, blended sugar, English hops, and real chocolate are combined to deliver a stout with real credentials.