This week’s review is something of a last minute rush, as I left everything to the last minute (as usual!) and then found myself in an excellent pub instead of at home with my beer supply.

Happily, The Bull has a wonderful beer list, including plenty of tasty monsters. And so, with apologies to the crappy phone photograph, here is today’s offering.

This is Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout, a 10% extra strong imperial stout from the US. It sits jet black and guinness-like in the glass, with a deep tan fine foamed head.

The beer has been served chilled, which cuts the aroma back initially. It has a sweet rich nose which is quite malty, and with a hint of molasses. There’s not much in the way of alcohol, and I’m not really getting chocolate either.

In the mouth, it’s very thick, syrupy and big bodied, just as a stout should be. There’s a sticky black treacle taste, with quite a big belt of bitterness at the end which cuts that sweetness back – although its almost overdone. There’s a hint of roasted coffee but I’m still not seeing any real chocolate to the flavour. The alcohol is still understated and that bitter tail is slightly overpowering but overall it’s a tasty beer.

It’s thick enough to be a monster but surprisingly lacking in punch and complexity. Overall, it’s a nice beer but there are better imperial stouts to be had.