Introduction

Who knew that a worldwide hop shortage in 2008 would give rise to such a memorable beer? Especially coming from the folks who do hops so well! In the first rendition of this beer, the bitterness of hops was traded in for the bitterness of unsweetened chocolate, and paired with flaked oats for creaminess. This beer quickly earned it’s place on the Stone liquid trophy case alongside their popular hop-focused fan favourites. For their 20th anniversary, they are celebrating the milestone over the course of the year by releasing some of their historic favourites.

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How it looks

Pours an opaque black with a short head and some oily lacing.

How it smells

Smells of dark chocolate and decadent richness with heaps of roastiness and burnt malts with a subtle smokiness.

How it tastes

Roasted malts, bitter char and smokiness with a ton of dark chocolate and dry bittersweet cocoa. Some caramel and milk chocolate through the middle. A medium-bodied beer that finishes fairly dry with a nice creaminess. Bittersweet dark chocolate and burnt malt roastiness creates a unique, rich bitterness. Sweeter and creamier flavours come through on the finish and provide a nice balance.

Recommended food pairing

Pair this beer with rich macaroni and cheese, or with truffles for pure decadence. If you’re leaning towards a sweet treat, pair with a chocolate lava cake.