Bison Brewing
Berkeley, CA
Available: CA, WA, OR, VA, DC, NC, FL, OH, KY, GA, IN
Five organic malts and Dutch cocoa go into the creation of this stout, which won a the silver medal at the 2005 Great American Beer Festival in the Foreign (Extra) Stout category.
Alcohol (wt.): 4.85
Alcohol (vol.): 6.1
Color: black
Bitterness: 26
Original Gravity: 1058
Final gravity: 1012
Malts used: Organic 2-Row, Organic Caramunich, Organic Chocolate Malt, Organic Roasted Barley, Organic Cocoa Powder
Hops used: Magnum & East Kent Golding
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Like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” a chocoholic’s dream. Intense stout, shouting roasted organic malt; touting round, rich, high-cocoa content chocolate; begging to be savored straight up or satisfying with soups, salads, sandwiches and sweets. Sumptuous crown of creamy cappuccino contrasts a coal colored robe. Complex flavors contrast and compliment one another, playing with the palate like coffee beans coated with chunky chocolate.
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Dense, espresso-colored, head. The color of the beer suggests an intense Java, cocoa, hazelnuts and toast in the palate. I was beginning to think pain-au-chocolat when I began to get burnt, astringent notes. That's the thing to watch with breakfast beers; don't leave them in the toaster too long.
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I’m not sure what organic should taste like in beer, but this one certainly leaves a “free trade” impression. Opens with roasty (like coffee) and chocolate-cocoa aroma, with more of the same on the palate. Dry, chalky finish sets it apart from chocolate beers that accentuate sweetness. Instead this one is bittersweet, with some sour coffee character, even hints of tobacco—all well integrated. Perfect complement for sweet chocolate desserts. Burps chocolate.
