Day 16, Jan 16 / Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

Day 16 / Jan 16

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

The Boston Beer Company / Boston, MA

Where:         Southern Shores, NC

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My pal Henry donated a beer to my noble cause, a Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock.  You may have seen chocolate beers before, but usually what you’ll see is a Chocolate Stout.  If you keep up with this blog over the course of the year, you’ll notice that you won’t see many stouts on here, because in general, I’m not a big fan of stouts (not to be confused with Stoudt’s, which I am a fan of).

Anyway, the Chocolate Bock sounded intriguing.  It’s a seasonal beer, and it’s slowly aged over dark cocoa nibs.  This gives it a very dark brown color and strong chocolate aroma and taste.  And as you pour it into a glass, it has very little head. 

I would best describe it as an “interesting” beer.

NOTE 1:  So this beer was really someplace between Passable and Good – I enjoyed it, but I probably wouldn’t have two in a row (or more than two or three in a year).  So I was thinking, should I create a new rating of “I” for interesting?  Readers, if you have an opinion, please comment below.  Thanks.

NOTE 2:  Many of the beers that I may sample during the year are “Seasonals,” beers produced by craft breweries in limited quantities, released for a few months during the year.  Generally, craft breweries will release the same seasonal beer in the same months every year (or introduce new ones).  BUT, even if it’s the same beer (i.e. Sam Adam’s Chocolate Bock), the recipe and taste may vary from year to year.  So as you pick these beers up, you may want to read the label, the six-pack holder or Google it to read a little more about it.

NOTE 3:  As I have noted before, I enjoy my beer, but I don’t think I qualify as a Beer Geek First Class.  Maybe Beer Geek Second Class.  I know a thing a two about beer, but some of my friends or some of you readers no doubt know a lot more about beer.  So as I impart little nuggets of wisdom (like NOTE 2 above), you may think to yourself, “No duh.”  But it may be useful for somebody else.  And feel free to correct or comment on my facts if you so desire.

BEERS OF THE WEEK:  Some people have asked me “What’s your favorite beer you’ve had so far?”  So I decided to come up with a method to determine this.  At the end of each week, I will go back and look at all the beers sampled and declare one the Beer of the Week.  At the end of the month, I’ll declare the BOTM (Beer of the Month), and then I will have a final BOTY (Beer of the Year) playoff.  Or drinkoff if I can find them all again.

So far, the Beers of the Week are:

Week of Jan 2:        Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin Ale

Week of Jan 9:        Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA

ON DECK:     I’m going on a New Belgium BEER RUN!