Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Greetings readers,

I hope everyone has been doing as well, if not better, than myself. Today has been a productive day, having applied for a few jobs, played some hockey, and returned a few calls from prospective employers. After a modest lunch I am watching the Swedish adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and decided to have a mid-day beer. Scrounging around in the back of the fridge I find the last of a 4 pack of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and find it the best option for my lunchtime dessert.

Pouring out these beers that make use of the widget system to provide the suds is always a visual treat. Usually implementing nitrogen, as opposed to carbon dioxide, the beer pours out a lively striation of hues. This beer starts as a dark, opaque bottom to a gradually lighter top portion of coffee colored head. Giving the ale a few moments to settle, a clear, stark break from the dark ale and lighter head forms. It should be noted that the bubbles of the head are small from the alternative to carbonation in the nitrogen, making a creamy, soft appearance. 

Nitrogen is infused in the beverage via a "widget" system, a small plastic ball, that merges the gas with beer once the pressure is compromised by popping the top. This gives the bear a very creamy and smooth mouth-feel and appearance.

Greeted with a bready, slightly chocolate aroma on the introduction, the initial introduction of beer to tongue is both medium bodied in flavor and mouthfeel. The beer appears to be pretty strait forward, offering a predominately chocolate malt body (apparently augmented with chocolate flavoring) and a very slight coffee like bitterness on the backend of the palate, leaving the mouth with a slightly chalky aftertaste.

I remember liking this beer more in my youth, before I was aware of more adventurous American craft brewers. This beer is still a fine ale, but lacks a lot of depth that I have come to associate with chocolate stouts made stateside.

Prost!