Tap Into Your Inner Beer Lover, Part Two: The Chocoholic

Let's take a quick second to talk about stuff that everybody likes.

Birthdays.
Free stuff.
Puppies.
Sleeping in.
And most importantly...


Chocolate.

Everybody loves chocolate. And if you don't like chocolate, sir or madam, I apologize on behalf of your sad existence.

At least you still have birthdays.


I love chocolate. It's no secret. This summer I had chocolate literally every day and I was a better person because of it. Seriously. Ask my co-workers.

I love chocolate, and obviously, I love beer. But when beer and chocolate coalesce...

People. It's a beautiful thing.

Which brings us to part two of the beer-beginner guide: craft beers for the beginner to beer but the seasoned chocoholic. (click for Part One: the Fruity Drink Friend)

For the "chocoholic" friend -- Try a Stout.

Those who know me best know that I am a Stout girl through and through. Stouts are the darkest of the beer family, chock full of roasted malts. They're typically higher in alcohol content, (averaging 7 or 8% ABV, which means Alcohol by Volume) and are generally more of a "sipper" beer that pairs well with dessert. 

Perhaps the most recognizable stout to most folks is a Guinness.

If you're a chocoholic or have a friend who's new to beer, I would NOT suggest starting him/her on a Guinness. Guinness is an Irish Dry Stout, which means it's a bit less sweet than its dark brethren. As a self-proclaimed stout fanatic, this beer ranks low on my list of favorites.

So, if you're trying to convert a chocoholic to the world of craft beer, I'd suggest starting with a Milk Stout, or a Sweet Stout (the name is basically interchangeable).

One of my all-time favorites is the Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

(source)

This beer is dessert in a bottle (or can). It's readily available at any beer bar that's worth its salt and good liquor stores as well. It's very sweet and smooth, almost like if beer and a delicious chocolate milkshake had a baby. Alcoholic chocolate milkshake. Does it get any better than that?

"But wait!" you cry in your chocolate-beer-ecstasy induced anxiety attack, "What's a MILK stout? Is it made with milk?"

The answer is, kinda but not really. It's brewed with lactose, which is an unfermentable sugar added to the brew kettle to give the beer some sweetness and body. Keep that in mind when you try another one of my favorites, Brau Brother's Moo Joos

(source)

There are several things that I like about this beer. The first and perhaps most important is that it's local. The Brau Brothers brewery is located just a hop skip and a jump away in Marshall, Minnesota. This small town girl loves her small town brews and Brau Brother's is one of my favorite local breweries. The Moo Joos is wonderful because it tastes like milk chocolate, almost reminiscent of chocolate milk. The aroma is magical with just a little bit of cinnamon spice to it. It's technically a milk/sweet stout, but has been described as a crossover milk/oatmeal stout. (But let's not get ahead of ourselves -- I'll talk about Oatmeal Stouts in TIYIBL Part Three: The Breakfast Lover. Stay tuned.)

Let's hop across the pond for one last delicious (and unique) Milk/Sweet Stout: Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout

Samuel Smith's is an English brewery located in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. They brew their beer with well water and ship it over here for our enjoyment. One thing that I love about this beer is that it is 100% Vegan certified as acceptable for consumption by vegans and vegetarians. Add that to the fact that it's organic and you've got a pretty unique brew. Now, I'll admit that I have yet to try this one myself (though I've enjoyed a few other Samuel Smith brews), but I've heard such raving reviews from friends that I had to include it. I've been told that it's rich, smooth, and deliciously chocolatey. 

Bring it back over to the good ol USA and I'll introduce you to another type of stout: the Russian Imperial Stout (also known as Imperial Russian or just Imperial Stout). As a woman, I am 100% justified in saying that this beer will put hair on your chest: a typical Imperial Stout is about 9% OR MORE ABV. Don't let that scare you, though...these are some mighty tasty brews. My personal favorite is Old Rasputin by North Coast Brewing Co.

Man oh man, people. It just doesn't get any better than this. If you haven't tried this beer yet, put it on your bucket list. (It has received a "world class" rating on Beer Advocate). This stout is rich, with hints of chocolate and a bit of coffee, but nothing overpowering -- all of the flavors mingle beautifully together. It has a beautiful, creamy head (aka "foam" -- but we'll talk about this later), and a creamy, velvety mouthfeel (if you don't know what that means, don't worry -- we'll talk about that later too!) Once you've honed your craft beer chops a bit, you've just gotta try this bad boy. Top notch.

But what about a beer for the friend who doesn't care about head or mouthfeel or trying to detect hints of coffee or cinnamon aromas? "Rachael!" you demand, "I wouldn't be able to find my way out of a wet Bud Light box. Just give me a beer that tastes like a chocolate bar." 

Don't worry, young grasshopper. In time, you will learn. Until then, there's Rogue Chocolate Stout

This beer is an American Stout that's just about as friendly as the gal on its label (Roguester Sebbie Buhler). It's not too dark, easily drinkable and quite sweet. When I think of chocolate beer, this is what I think of. Rogue is one of my favorite breweries (I'll mention their Mocha Porter in Part Three: Breakfast Lovers and another in Part Four -- the theme of which I'm not announcing yet). This beer is chocolate through and through and an excellent beginner beer for someone with a supreme sweet-tooth and a special place in their heart for everything chocolate.

I've saved one of my favorites for last, for a few reasons. Reason number one: it's a Bock, not a Stout. Reason number two: it's a seasonal, only available in the winter. Reason number three: it holds a special nostalgic place in my heart. Friends, I give you Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

A bock is a brown lager that is lighter than a stout but typically just as sweet (or sweeter) than a stout. The Chocolate Bock by Sam Adams is one of my absolute favorite seasonal beers (another future blog topic). It comes around once a year, nestled in one of my all-time favorite seasonal samplers: The Samuel Adams Winter Classics Variety Pack. Though it's one of my favorites, I'm kind of glad it only comes around once a year. There's just something about snuggling close to a loved once by the Christmas tree or next to the fireplace and enjoying the sweet chocolatey goodness that is Chocolate Bock. It's a bit dry but incredibly sweet, with a delicious cocoa flavor and just a hint of caramel. Yum.

Well, I've successfully given myself a case of the sweet-tooth stout cravings, and I hope you feel the same. If I didn't, check your pulse, and/or check out my Fruity Beer blog, and/or stay tuned for Part Three of the Tap Into Your Inner Beer Lover series, which will feature brews for the lover of all things breakfast. I've got Part Four in the works and Part Five is on the horizon as well, so if you haven't found your perfect craft brew, don't worry -- I've got a few tricks up my sleeve.

Until then, Choc-- I mean, Cheers!

Rach