Two potential 'restoratives' adorn the bar of John Pomeroy
Historically, beer has - apart from being an intoxicant - more often than not been a practical solution to some impediment otherwised faced by primitive man, even through to fiarly recent times.
As recently as 1909, various breweries were producing milk stout, which is made using lactose - a non-fermentable that adds depth and sweetness, as well as calories. They claimed that it was a beer for all; for invalids and workers alike. Nursing mothers were purportedly encouraged to imbibe this beverage for its 'healthy properties'.
Now while the positive aspects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are no longer supported by medicine or even marketing, one can't help but wonder at what various 'restorative' properties a brew - in this case, a stout - can possess. Which brings attention to new seasonal arrivals, Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout, and Southern Tier's Imperial Choklat Stout.
The primary difference between the two is that Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout is chocolate only in name and in flavor profile; there is no actual chocolate used in the brewing process. Simply a roasted barley that is burnt enough to assume the hints of chocolate that its name suggests, while predominant in good stouts anyway - are particularly pronounced in this award-winning brew from Brooklyn. It pours jet black, with a thin tan head that in a brief period of time fades into the blackness of the beer. Upon sipping, one soon recognizes the significans of its chocolate moniker; it's almost like a burnt dark chocolate, bitter and with subtle notes of coffee.
Southern Tier, however, uses real bittersweet Belgian chocolate in their Imperial Stout, which at a whopping 11% ABV commands a large presence anyway. It is recommended to be careful when opening this bottle, particularly when using a plastic beer opener; though the Simpson's quotes might be amusing, it simply cannot stand against the crown-cap of this bottle, whose sealing process alone packs a punch.
The brew pours as closely to purely black motor oil as one can get; its viscosity can be likened to that of watery maple syrup, which barely wishes to leave the bottle. If one awaits a lustrous head while pouring, one shall be left wanting; for there is scarce any to be seen. At most, a thin lace briefly flits across the surface of the dark, dark stout, then drowns in its abyss as quickly as it appears. The aroma is purely of chocolate; it's as though liquid milk chocolate of the highest quality is in a glass, and it will draw the drinker to simply smell the beer for a few minutes before daring to sip.
But when it is sipped... it remains. Its body is as giant as the viscous pour suggests, and coats the mouth for certainly at least a few minutes after drinking. One is left with a rich aftertaste, reminiscent somewhat of bitter black coffee, with traces of the chocolate still evident.
Though it is not in any way indicative of being a healthy beverage, Southern Tier Imperial Choklat Stout can safely be recommended as a cure for a chilly Cape Cod night – particularly a Thursday, alone, with naught else but a book.
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