Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

**Aroma:** “Sweet melanoidin malt followed by subtle floral hops. Rich malty nose of toffee and toast. Very low sulfur and esters. Classic lager fermentation. Light touch of alcohol spiciness. Some sherry-like oxidation. Fruity, with some cherry, pineapple, and brown sugar.” **Flavor:** “Full, rich malt: dessert beer! Hops are just enough to support the rich malt flavors. Strong malt palate with pils, melanoidin, and a bit of caramel. Hops spiciness and alcohol warmth meet nicely to take the beer to the finish. Mild balancing bitterness, but this increases over time.” **Overall:** “Despite the amazing malt, this beer finishes off-dry, complex, and intriguing. A welcome treat. Overall, fairly pleasant. The finish isn’t as clean as I’d like. More like a traditional bock than a maibock.”

Aroma: “Moderate rich bread crust with moderately low chocolate, coffee, and bready. Low roast and very low caramel malt. No hops, very clean.” Flavor: “Rich bread-crust melanoidin malt character comes through more in the flavor, which has moderate sweetness and low bitterness. Low levels of herbal and grassy hops also come through in the flavor. Molasses, peat smoke, chocolate-coated orange, bread crust, and stewed prunes. Clean lager fermentation characteristics give it a clean finish with a hint of roasted malt and smoke without being harsh and smoky or peaty. Light body overall.” Overall: “Malt-forward with very light hops character in the flavor. Rich but balanced. Very drinkable and tasty beer.”

**Aroma:** “Moderate roast, light chocolate, touch of vanilla, light date, light cherry, pleasant fruitiness: fruitcake! Mild toasted malt. Some cocoa/chocolate notes. Before I even taste it, it’s hinting at barrel aging. Nice roast malt with some chocolate and brown sugar and a hint of alcohol. Cinnamon Teddy Grahams have to be some untold adjunct if the nose is any indication.” **Flavor:** “Moderate plum and cherry, mouthfilling carbonation, light hops, chocolate, light roast aftertaste. Toasted malt, light caramel, moderate bitterness, long linger of chocolate and caramel. Medium body, a bit light for the complexity of flavors. Sweet chocolate flavors linger into the aftertaste. Hops flavors add interest. Nice roast bitterness in the finish. Wow, the balance among sweet, roasted, and bitter is incredible. Literally nothing jumps out and scrambles to scream ‘ME! first.’ It’s lighter than what you think you’re getting into with the smell, but a lot of the same flavors carry through and some nuttiness joins the party that was thoughtfully decorated in flower petals.” **Overall:** “A nice, smooth, low-astringency imperial stout. There’s just enough roast and bitterness to balance the sweetness. Smooth and flavorful. Somewhat retiring for an imperial stout—a bit thinner than expected. Very enjoyable. A bit thin and subtle, but super enjoyable at the same time. I could drink this all day.”