Northern Brewing – Two Tone Special Chocholate Stout

Brewery –          Blakemere Brewery

Beer –                  Two Tone Special Chocolate Stout

Alcohol –          5.0%

Origin –               Northwich, Cheshire

Style –                 Stout

Season –            Autumn

A work mate, visited the brewery over the weekend and as he’s not the biggest fan of Chocolate Stouts he thought he’d kindly get me a bottle and see what a thought.

I’m a big fan oF Chocolate stouts, as I think Stouts should be thick, heavy, and flavoursome; satisfying to the core.

Two Tone has a thick  black, oil slick colouring, with a light brown soft head.

Most chocolate stouts have a dark chocolate nose, but brew tastes lighter, with milk chocolate notes, with hints of hazelnut, and malty biscuit.

Initially, Coffee flavours develop on the tongue, but it’s a light cappuccino style which leads to a developing bitterness from the Dark Chocolate backbone. Earthy, and leathery notes add to the bitterness giving this a dark, rough, original feel.

The finish is bitter, with more dark chocolate, and cocoa, with a slight tangy mouthfeel on the sides of the tongue.

I think ‘Two Tone is an apt name for this brew; lighter milk chocolate notes lead deeper and deeper towards dark chocolate, with a solid full cocoa finish. It tastes like a micro-brewery beer, not refined and elegant, but rough and ready, home-made, and these are qualities which I admire in a beer.

Thumbs up to Northern Brewing, a chocolate lovers delight.

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Brains – Original Stout

Brewery –          Brains

Beer –                 Original Stout

Alcohol –          4.1%

Origin –            Cardiff, Wales

Style –               Stout

Season –           Winter

I do love Brains beers. They all seem so wholesome, no nonsense, simple, and down to earth.

Brain Original is the epitomy of this good honest style. Silky black with a frothy almost crusty cappucino head that clings to the glass.

Aromas of coffee, toasted malts and chocolatey notes greet you. A solid bitter backbones gradually builds on the tongue; smokey yet creamy, light yet satisfying, with a lingering bitter smokey finish.

This beer would go great with a strong cheese on a thick crusty cob.  

 

 

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Hawkshead – Brodie’s Prime

Brewery –          Hawkshead

Beer –                  Brodie’s Prime

Alcohol –           4.9%

Origin –              Staveley, Cumbria

Style –                Stout

Season –            Winter

You can’t beat Hawkshead for providing good quality, great tasting, and full flavoured beers and Brodie’s Prime is one of their best.

I first encountered Brodies Prime at Harkers Arms in Chester and was rather tipsy when I tried it. It was the bottom of the barrel and I should have been able to tell that, but being a bit sozzled I condemned it as being a rather poor ale and a bit sour.

Hmmm… I think I may have got that a bit wrong. Having tried it since I’ve revised my opinion!

Deep Ruby black, rich and thick with a lively creamy head.

Almost herbal on the nose, it has hints of sarsaparilla, and cough candy on the tongue. It is beautifully fruity and slightly medicinal (I certainly recommend 1 a day), and leads to a sweet tangy finish.

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Dent – Tow’d Up

Brewery –          Dent Brewery

Beer –                Tow’d Up

Alcohol –          6%

Origin –            Dentdale, Cumbria

Style –             Stout

Season –         Winter

A beautiful black smooth stout with a fluffy cappucino head.

Roasted malt on the nose, with slight metallic like notes. Full of rich treacle, fruit cake and toffee flavours with a solid malty backbone.

The finish is creamy and buttery leaving a lingering buttered toast taste in the mouth.

Warming, rich, and silky.

 

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Nick Staffords – Nightmare

 

Brewery –          Hambleton Ales

Beer –                 Nightmare

Alcohol –         5.0%

Origin –            Melmerby, North Yorkshire

Style –             Stout

Season –         Winter

A plenty of clout stout!

This is a deep ruby black stout, with a frothy tan head.

Take a deep breath and inhale the sweet liquorice and strong coffee aromas, with some delicate chocolate malts giving it a sweet bouquet.

Malty, Chocolatey, Caramel notes make it robust, thick, and flavoursome, and it has a lingering bitter chocoalte finish.

Wouldn’t describe this as a nightmare, it’s more of a wet dream!

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Red Willow – Heartless (Chocolate Stout)

Brewery –          Red Willow

Beer –                  Heartless (Chocolate Stout)

Alcohol –           4.9%

Origin –              Macclesfield, England

Style –               Chocolate Stout

Season –            Winter

WOW!

When I first saw this beer in the Pied-Bull in Chester, the bar man told me that this wold not be ‘as chocolatey as I expect’.

Clearly this guy had not tried the beer because it surpassed my expectations and then some.

Most ‘Chocolate Stouts’ have a solid coffee backbone but this was extremely smooth, a slight bitterness from the chocolate, but incredibly easy drinking.

Silky velvety black, with a tan head, it tastes like a chocolate fudge cake, with lashings of double cream,

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