Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 6Pk

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 6Pk is a 10.0% ABV imperial stout from Brooklyn Brewery, sold in a six-pack of 12 oz bottles. Rated 92/100 on BeerAdvocate across more than 7,000 reviews, this winter seasonal has earned its reputation as one of America's benchmark chocolate stouts, achieving its intense dark chocolate character entirely through roasted malt rather than added chocolate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 10.0%  |  Origin: Brooklyn, New York  |  Style: Imperial Stout  |  Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery

Production & Heritage

Brooklyn Brewery, founded in 1988 by journalist Steve Hindy and banker Tom Potter, helped ignite the New York craft beer movement and remains one of the borough's most recognized producers. Black Chocolate Stout is built from a grain bill of American two-row pale malt, caramel malt, malted wheat, and a blend of American roasted malts and barleys, hopped with Willamette and American Fuggle varieties. What distinguishes this beer from other imperial stouts is Brooklyn's triple-mash process — each batch goes through three separate mashes to extract the deeply layered, almost confectionery chocolate character that defines the finished beer, all without a single gram of actual chocolate in the recipe.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Roasted malt leads immediately, followed by waves of dark chocolate and freshly ground coffee. Subtle hints of licorice and dried fruit emerge as the beer warms in the glass.

Taste: The entry is rich and full-bodied, with bittersweet chocolate dominating the front palate. Mid-palate reveals layers of coffee, dark raisin, and roasted barley, while a surprising hop bitterness from the Fuggle and Willamette additions cuts through the malt sweetness to keep things balanced. At 10% ABV, there is noticeable warmth, but it integrates smoothly rather than burning.

Finish: Long and roasted, with lingering cocoa powder and espresso bitterness that slowly fade. The warming alcohol adds a gentle heat that extends the finish without overwhelming it.

How to Drink Black Chocolate Stout

Pour into a snifter or tulip glass at cellar temperature (50–55°F) to let the complex malt aromas open fully; drinking it too cold mutes the chocolate and coffee nuances. This stout also works in cocktails: try it in an Imperial Stout Float with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a decadent dessert; blend it into a Black Velvet variation, substituting it for the traditional stout to add chocolate depth alongside Champagne; or use it as the base in a Stout Espresso Martini, shaking it with vodka and coffee liqueur for a rich, frothy after-dinner drink.

Best For

• Cold-weather drinking sessions when you want something rich and warming
• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates bold imperial stouts
• Pairing with a chocolate dessert course at a dinner party
• Cellaring for up to a year to see how the flavors develop and mellow

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Black Chocolate Stout taste like? It delivers intense bittersweet chocolate and coffee flavors from roasted specialty malts, with supporting notes of dark raisin and a hop-driven bitter finish that balances the sweetness. The 10% ABV provides a smooth warming sensation throughout.

How does Black Chocolate Stout compare to Samuel Smith Imperial Stout? Samuel Smith Imperial Stout tends toward a drier, more classically English profile with prominent dark fruit and earthy bitterness, while Brooklyn's version leans heavily into chocolate and roasted malt sweetness from its triple-mash process. Both sit at high ABV levels, but Black Chocolate Stout reads as richer and more dessert-like on the palate.

Is Black Chocolate Stout good for sipping neat? Absolutely — its complexity and 10% ABV make it ideal for slow, contemplative sipping from a snifter, much like you would approach a barleywine or Belgian quad. Allowing it to warm slightly in the glass rewards you with more aromatic detail.

Where is Black Chocolate Stout made? It is brewed by Brooklyn Brewery, which was founded in 1988 in Brooklyn, New York. The brewery remains one of the most prominent craft producers in the New York City beer scene.

What foods pair well with Black Chocolate Stout? Flourless chocolate cake mirrors and intensifies the beer's cocoa character. Blue cheese like Roquefort plays off the roasted bitterness with salty, tangy contrast. Smoked brisket matches the malt depth with savory, fatty richness. Crème brûlée offers a caramelized sweetness that complements the coffee notes. Dark chocolate truffles with sea salt create a layered chocolate experience.

What sizes does Black Chocolate Stout come in? This product is packaged as a six-pack of 12 oz bottles, and the beer is also commonly available in individual 12 oz bottles.

Is Black Chocolate Stout worth the price? It positions as a premium craft imperial stout, and its 92/100 BeerAdvocate rating, 10% ABV, and triple-mash production method deliver significant complexity and value within the imperial stout category. For a domestically produced beer of this intensity, it represents strong quality relative to many imported imperial stouts at similar or higher price points.

Why Black Chocolate Stout?

The triple-mash brewing process is the single most important detail here — it is the reason this beer tastes like liquid dark chocolate without containing any actual chocolate, a feat that few imperial stouts achieve as convincingly. A 92/100 BeerAdvocate rating built on more than 7,000 individual reviews reflects consistent quality across many vintages and batch runs. In a crowded imperial stout field full of pastry stouts loaded with adjuncts, Black Chocolate Stout proves that traditional brewing techniques and a carefully designed grain bill can produce a beer that is genuinely dessert-like while remaining unmistakably beer. It stands as one of the longest-running and most respected American imperial stouts for good reason.