This beer was the big surprise at our Octoberfest weekend. Apparently, I talked it up so much that one of my co-workers asked her local retailer to special order it for her and it took a month or so to arrive. When it did, she was kind enough to share a bottle with me, so I thought I should share my impressions.

The ones we had in October were in cans, so I was a little surprised to have this in a bottle. The label’s actually rather unassuming, but the 1 pint 0.9 ounce bottle has a bit of an odd shape.

Here’s what they have to say:

Young’s Double Chocolate Stout has an intriguing twist. Chocolate malt and real dark chocolate are combined with Young’s award winning rich, full flavored dark ale to craft a satisfyingly indulgent, but never overly sweet experience.

It pours with a nice, creamy head that doesn’t leave much lace on the glass. The color is very dark, comparable to a Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout. But it’s the aroma that first strikes you. A very rich, but not overpowering, chocolate aroma. There is a hint of the hops under it, but it definitely reminds of that third grader’s elixir: chocolate milk.

It’s very, very smooth. Very nearly too smooth. Again, the chocolate comes to the fore, but not in a way that obscures the ale behind it. The mouthfeel is surprisingly light and, as I said, smooth. It leaves a bit of sweetness on your lips and there’s just enough hop bitterness to keep it from being cloying.

This is a dessert beer. Not a beer to have with dessert, but a beer to have as dessert.

I heartily recommend this one. If you can find it, get it. And tell me where you found it so I can get some too.

(5.2% ABV)

Wells & Young’s Brewing