Am I remembering this beer differently?  Did it used to be darker and more stout?  Maybe they did change it a bit.  The last time I drank this beer was about a year ago.  In fact, I drank a bottle that I had aged for 3 years. That aged bottle was really nice to drink, so I was a bit disappointed with this “fresher” bottle.  Don’t get me wrong, Bison Chocolate Stout was still good…but it certainly wasn’t what I expected.  Here is the skinny on this thinner version of Chocolate Stout.

The Pour: It’s amazing how one’s recollection of a beer can be skewed by time and expectation.  When I poured Bison Chocolate Stout, I noticed that it was not quite as dark as I remembered it being.  In fact, it was less Stout looking and more Porter in approach; light was visible throughout the dark brown/black body and a creamy light brown head sat atop–looked like a Porter.

The Nose: When I caught the touches of coffee aroma, I remembered that this was in fact a Stout.  For me, the dividing line of a stout and porter essentially lies along the lines of using Black Patent Malt or Roasted Barley.  I normally don’t see porters as having these coffee tones simply because they don’t (normally) use the darker and malts.  Thus, it seemed more stout-like on the nose than in the color.  Along with the coffee came sweet malts and, of course, chocolate.  I also noted a slight stale quality on the nose (I think this was also from the darker malts).  Even a metallic note was present.

The Taste: That metallic note came through on the first sip of the beer.  It wasn’t overbearing, but it was there.  I started drinking the beer as it was cold and noted the rich chocolate tones, dark roast, and touches of coffee.  There were some sweet notes that were probably bolstered in perception by the chocolate.  As I like to do with most beers I try, I let Bison’s offering warm up a bit.  At that point, the chocolate tones really started to come into their own.  The dark roast and biscuit qualities/malts (even though some people hate that others use the term biscuit to describe a beer) also became very distinct.

Overall, I personally prefer Bison to Young’s Double Chocolate Stout any day of the week, so I’m a little more enthusiastic about this one.  However, I think the short comings of this beer rest in its lack of more darkness and roast.  I also think the chocolate could stand to be a little more intense.  Contrary to what you might think, this is still a beer worth drinking.  My personal opinion is that the drinker tries a bottle and ages a bottle.  When it’s aged, this beer really comes into its own.  Pick it up!

Here is a link to the specifics of this brew.  Hope you know your gravities–it actually ends up being 5%ABV.

Mike’s Rating

Overall Satisfaction: ★★★¾☆ 

Among other Chocolate Stouts: ★★★★¼